Category Archives: Excellence

Burning Hearts

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Commitment, Covenant, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training, Transformation

Christians

who do not burn for the Word of God rarely burn for the God of the Word!

Believe it or not – I am not lying – until I was born again in April 1980 I had never read a book, unless it was like, “See Spot Run” or something deep like that.

I was 23 years old when I got saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. My wife Donna, who I began chasing when I was 14 and she was 13, read all the books I was expected and required to read to do book reports in Junior High and High School.

I am  blessed beyond description in that one of the earliest signs proving I was born again was a voracious appetite for God’s Word. Hunger for the Word of God burned within me and burns inside of me today.

I literally consumed God’s Word daily and it very quickly began to consume me. I grew very fast because I was not only reading and studying it, I was meditating on and memorizing it.

To be brutally honest, I have a very hard time with people who claim to be saved but who are not that into the Scripture!

I am reminded of this verse from Luke chapter 24 verse 32 in The Passion Translation, “Stunned, they looked at each other and said, ‘Why didn’t we recognize it was Him? Didn’t our hearts burn with the flames of holy passion while we walked beside Him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!'”

Have you walked beside Jesus and never really recognized Him?

It is possible!

Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?” How tragic to be in Jesus’ presence but never move close enough to really know Him.

Does your heart really burn for the Word of God?

Do you burn for the God of the Word?

Could it be that a lot of God’s people do not recognize the God of the Word because they do not immerse themselves in the Word of God?

Jeremiah said God’s Word in his heart was like a burning fire shut up in his bones, and he could not contain it.

If you can contain God in your life then it is fair to doubt His Word is in your heart, much less burning like a fire in your heart.

We know from Scripture Jesus is the eternal Word of God who was with God the Father and Holy Spirit from [before] the beginning. The Word of God is God the Word!

We also know from Scripture Jesus burned for God. After Jesus cleansed the temple the first time, His disciples remembered the text that said, “Zeal for God’s house consumed Him.”

‘Zeal’ comes from a root word meaning to boil hot, to be exceedingly fervent.

‘Consumed’ means to devour, to eat up, to eat up a book, to consume by fire.

This burning required Jesus to upend the status quo among those who claimed to be worshipers of God.

Hearts that burn for God are not hesitant when it comes to honoring God, regardless of whose feelings get hurt in the process!

Burn in me, Jesus!
Consume me, Jesus!

My prayer for you is that you will burn like never before for the God of the Word so the Word of God will burn in and through you!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity, and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org

You say you want a revolution! Join our movement and turn your world upside down so God can turn His world right side up!

 

 

2020

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Commitment, Covenant, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Teamwork, Training, Transformation

Radical spiritual revolutionaries,


Today’s blog is really a report on Donna’s and my devotional time for this year. 


20/20 is a term connected to vision. 20/20 vision is not necessarily the best vision, meaning just because you can read letters on a static chart while standing or sitting still does not mean you have the best vision.

For instance, 20/10 vision means your sight is twice as sharp as a person with 20/20 vision.


What kind of vision do you have when you are moving?


What kind of vision do you have when what you are seeing is moving?


The Bible says, “Where there is no [prophetic] vision, the people cast off constraint.” Meaning among other things, when we cannot see what is in the spirit realm we typically have no goals to reach, or we give up on our goals.


From April 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 Donna and I studied at least one chapter of the New Testament every day. We typically would take communion, worship using a song or two that my spirit picked up walking the beach or some other time, and then we would read and dig into the text we were reading that day. This typically would take an hour to an hour and a half.


Several months ago I felt strongly we needed to add more Scripture reading and study to our daily devotional time. We still take communion and worship, but beginning January 1, 2020 we added a reading plan to our 1 chapter minimum from the NT. Now we are investing 2-3 hours a day with the Lord and His Word.


Our plan for 2020 is this:

  • Read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation using the One Year Chronological Bible plan on our Bible App
    • Study words, phrases, verses that really stick out to us
  • Read and study a Psalm
    • We will keep reading 1 Psalm a day throughout 2020
  • Read and study a Proverb
    • We will read a Proverb corresponding with the day of the month throughout 2020
  • Read and study our NT Books [chapters] per where we are as a result of our plan from 2019
    • We are currently in 2 Peter 2

Psalms 119:105

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 


As I thought about this verse I realized God’s word provides light for where I am [where my feet are] and where I am going [my path, my divine purpose in life, or the race that is set before me].


I want to challenge each of you to invest in God’s word this year more than you ever have before. Any investment will yield fruitfulness in your life. How much fruit would you produce if you allowed the Holy Spirit to really stretch you to read, study, meditate on, and memorize more of God’s Word in 2020.


2020 – what do you see and how clearly do you see what you see?

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org
912.577.4837

You say you want a revolution? Join our Movement and turn your world upside down so that God can turn the world right side up!

Crazy Favor!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Teamwork, Training, Transformation

Gabriel’s visit and announcement to Mary is relevant in light of the Holy Spirit impregnating her with the Christ Child.


Mary’s Immaculate Conception is relevant in light of her enduring the social pressure of being pregnant before marriage.


Mary’s pregnancy is relevant in light of her carrying to term what she came to terms with when she said, “May it be to me according to your word.”


Mary’s delivery of the Christ Child is relevant in light of the truth that He is the Light of the world God loves, and sent to deliver from sin and shame.


Christ Jesus’ birth is relevant in light of His life and ministry of total obedience to God’s Word, will and ways in purity and power.


Christ Jesus’ life and ministry is relevant in light of His enduring death on the Cross.


Christ Jesus’ death on the Cross is relevant in light of His burial in a borrowed tomb.


Christ Jesus’ burial in a borrowed tomb is relevant in light of the empty tomb, meaning Christ Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, becoming the firstfruit of His unique resurrection.


The empty tomb is relevant in light of Christ Jesus’ ascension into heaven.
Christ Jesus’ ascension into heaven is relevant in light of His coronation as King of kings and Lord of lords, where He currently rules His kingdom on the throne of David.


Christ Jesus’ coronation is relevant in light of His pouring the Holy Spirit out and onto the assembled saints who obeyed Him by waiting in Jerusalem until they received the Promise of the Father, and were clothed with power from on high.


Christ Jesus’ pouring out of the Holy Spirit is relevant in light of all succeeding generations of believers obeying Him in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is a promise of the Father, to clothe us in power to live like Christ, who was baptized in the Holy Spirit at the river Jordan, so that He could and would live in obedience to His Father in purity and power, completing the very purpose He was born of the Spirit to live as our role model for all life and ministry.


The writer of Hebrews in chapter 9 verse 28 says Christ Jesus will return a second time bringing with Him the fulfillment of the salvation He offered in His first coming, to those who eagerly await Him.


What does it mean to eagerly await Him? Well, it would take a lot of time and space to elaborate on the meaning.


Let me give you a condensed, condensed version. I believe it means to fully live the life God purposes for those who He saves.


In other words, to find and fulfill the purpose for which salvation was offered to you. Paul told Timothy, “Lay hold of eternal life.” To me, that means to grasp the eternal purpose of the eternal life we receive when we surrender to the Lordship of Christ Jesus.


I wrote a book that goes into this called Leaving the Land of Your Limitations. The book begins by looking at a man with a withered right arm which caused him to believe he could not grasp what was possible.


Christ told him to step forward out of the periphery of life within the community of “believers” in the synagogue in Capernaum.


Step forward means to step up and into the very place Christ sees you and expects you to move to.


Jesus called him to do what was possible so he could see his perceived impossibility be removed.


Next, Jesus said, “Stretch out your hand [arm].”


Impossibilities are meant to bow to Christ Jesus but we must first do what we know we can do, then we move into living supernaturally naturally.


What has Christ Jesus said for you to do that you have yet to do?


Have you heard Him say, “Do not . . . until you are clothed with Power from on high?”


Do you hear Him saying that right now?


I believe Pentecost is part of the finished work of the Cross.


I pray as you focus on the Babe you find the Lord because He is not a Baby in a manger, nor is He a broken Man on a Cross, nor is He a buried Man in a tomb, but He is a resurrected and glorified Man who mediates between God and man, who expects all of His people to fully obey Him, regardless of the cost.


Merry Christmas!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org


Authenticity!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Teamwork, Training, Transformation

This Blog is the first of three in the series I am calling authenticity, authority and anointing.

These three attributes, or characteristics, are core values that I look for when looking for relationships generally in my life, specifically in the kingdom of God, and especially in those to whom I choose to submit my spiritual well-being.

A lot is being said and written again about women in ministry. I wrote a Blog called Women Ministers on October 26 of this year where I did not delve deeply into the contrived controversy. Instead, I asked a series of logical [to me] questions that I hope will create a hunger to know the truth about this issue.

While this series is not specifically about women, or women ministers, it does involve that vital subject. I would rather sit under the ministry of a woman who is authentic, under God’s authority, and anointed by the Holy Spirit than any man who is not authentic, under God’s authority, and or not anointed by the Holy Spirit.

In fact, a man could be under authority and anointed but if he was not authentic I would never submit my life to him!

Authenticity is such an important virtue! Unfortunately it is becoming more rare, even in the body of Christ. When ministers refuse to preach and teach what they say they believe because of how the people they lead or the people they lead with would respond, they are not being authentic.

According to the Dictionary app on my MacBook Pro, the first definition of authentic is “of undisputed origin.” I love that that is the initial view into the meaning of the word.

Dictionary.com defines authentic thus:

  • Not false or copied; genuine; real
  • Having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified
  • Representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself or to the person identified
  • Entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy

Confusion is not from the Father so if a person is unwilling to authentically represent Him in their life and or ministry then they are causing the origin [Author] of their life, and or ministry to be disputed. Additionally, it is absolutely acceptable to call into question that person and their stated beliefs.

God does not call people to represent Him and then to deny the very things He has revealed to them, in them and through them. PERIOD!

Galatians 3 – “1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

Apparently the Galatians had fallen prey to preachers who brought another gospel, one that according to Paul was not the authentic gospel. In part, part of the deception was the denial of the supernatural ministry of the Spirit of God.

“2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Working miracles is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Do you realize you can admit [not deny] the existence of God and daily deny Him in your life? Jesus said, “Deny me before men, and I will deny you before My Father.”

Are you denying God in your life and or ministry?

How are you denying God in your life?

What has God revealed to you that you have accepted as His truth?

Are you wholeheartedly revealing those things to the people God has called you to lead, or to lead with? This begins in the home by the way!

What is going on in your heart if you are fearful of being authentic with the people you are in community with?

I am not talking about the typical recognized sinful behavior [denying Christ is a sin]. I am talking about authentic encounters with the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, whether directly or in His Word.

Where are you going? Who are you leading? Where are you leading them?

Are you going into Authenti-City [authentic community]?

Or, are you leading people into confusion, compromise, chaos, and dispute – because that is where you currently reside in your compromise?

Donna and I founded and led a vibrant church for 16 years. We lost count of the times members of other churches would seek our counsel [ministry] because they could not trust the leaders they were in community with. We would ask, “Why are you submitting your soul to someone you do not trust?” Their answer, almost to a person, had to do with non Kingdom matters. We knew that what they received would not be received where they attended church – and that they would remain in the community where compromise was a core-value. Sad!

Authenti City – a rare commodity and community – for sure!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org

Fast Food Christianity

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, faithfulness, Hard Work, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Teamwork, Training, Transformation

There is great value in investing time and money to travel to conferences where anointed ministers can impart some spiritual gift to us through their teaching and or hands on ministry.

I know from personal experience how impactful, and transformational those events, and the God encounters I have experienced in them have been in my life. God has even used me in miraculous ministry when I have preached and ministered in large and small public meetings.

So, if you can get to a conference or special service where there is an authentic, anointed minister who moves in kingdom power and authority then by all means go, get all that God has for you, and then take what you receive and go to work on deepening your relationship with God.

Even Paul said he wanted to impart some spiritual gift to the saints residing in Rome. He then went on to warn them about immaturity and irresponsibility with the gift of salvation God gave them, and the spiritual gift he would deposit in them.

Certain behaviors attract God’s wrath!

Paul also wrote this to the saints in Ephesus.

“11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” [Ephesians 4 KJV]

Take a look at what the gifts of Christ do and what the response of the saints must be!

While there is great value in attending conferences and anointed services there is a much greater value in investing time and money in paying whatever price is required to travel into the written Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to impart revelation and spiritual gifts directly to us.

Now:

Are you immature in spiritual matters?

Do you have a specific mature person who is discipling you to the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ?

If not, you need to ask God to send you to that person, or send that person to you, and then employ them to help you grow up.

We live in an ever changing, speeding up, fast paced fast food Christian conference culture, and I am concerned the Body of Christ, and the world at large, is suffering because of it.

Along with that much “church” growth is in the seeker sensitive genre of Christianity where very few if any are maturing and one reason is the “teaching” lasts maybe 20 minutes, and is primarily superficial story telling. And when they do have Bible study they stay away from “the controversial aspects” of Christianity.

What? Jesus the Christ is still the most controversial Person to have ever lived and churches are “staying away from” controversial core teachings about the Christ.

Everyone has a path and a process that is inherit in their divine purpose. Shortcuts are not advantageous to our ultimate purpose. Ministry is work and we must work to be prepared for ministry as ministers of the gospel of the kingdom of God. Every believer is supposed to be a minister regardless of vocation.

It has been said that it takes God at least 20 years to develop a mature minister, and that is when they are under the tutelage of a mature person who disciples them to Christ. Even Jesus was not released to minister until He was 30 years old.

He had 3.5 years of nearly 24 hours a day to invest in His disciples. That may not equate to 20 years in a contemporary discipleship relationship but we are talking about Jesus. He said, “It is to your advantage that I go away.” The purpose was the arrival of the Holy Spirit. So, the Holy Spirit is our Advantage.

Are you taking full advantage of the Advantage?

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org

#RM #RevolutionMovement #DisciplinedDiscipleship

October 31st!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training, Transformation

Today is a day many celebrate Halloween, a celebration fraught with unhealthy and unholy activities. Here is an interesting link if you are interested in the origins of Halloween: 

https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween


Are you aware that on this day in history Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door igniting the Protestant Reformation [1517] which among other things reconstituted the Biblical truth of the priesthood of all believers, and nearly 400 years later [1904] Evan Roberts ignited the Welsh Revival which in turned spawned other mighty moves of God?


As Christians, we should celebrate these and other kingdom activities instead of Halloween. What if our children were taught Christian history, revival history, the testimony of God’s activities in the earth instead of partnering with a celebration that glorifies pagan practices.


Psalms 66 – “1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; 2 Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious. 3 Say to God, ‘How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You. 4 All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your name.’ Selah.5 Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men. 6 He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!7 He rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.”


In this text we are invited, encouraged to publicly, enthusiastically and demonstratively glorify God, as well as to “come and see the works of God.”

These works were hundreds of years prior to this invitation. What were they, and we, supposed to see? God’s deliverance out of Egypt [land of darkness] and His deliverance into the land of Promise.

We learn:

  • God did all the work to get His people out of the land of darkness – “He turned the sea into dry land.”
  • His people had to do the work of entering into the land of darkness at great risk [the Jordan was at flood stage] – “They passed through the river on foot.”
  • It is at the place of greatest risk [our entering into our land of Promise [Divine purpose for our lives] that we are to rejoice in Him.
  • God never delivers anyone out of a place that He does not want them entering into a much better place. The question is will we do what God requires of us to do to enter that place.

So, October 31 – will it be a day to participate in the deeds of darkness or grow more in the Light?

Ephesians 5 – “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

If you are a Biblical Christian living Biblical Christianity and participate in Halloween activities, it should be for the sole purpose of advancing God’s Light [Jesus] into the areas of darkness you venture into. If not, you are partnering with darkness and the prince who rules that domain!

“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” – not candy! Sweet!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!


Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org
912.577.4837

You say you want a revolution? Join our Movement and turn your world upside down so that God can turn the world right side up!

Trouble? No Trouble!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training, Transformation

Months ago I felt in my spirit the Holy Spirit say to me, “Impossibilities are just illusions.” Impossibilities are simply mirages on the road to God’s reality!

When I heard that in my spirit I also heard, “Nothing is impossible with God”, and “All things are possible to them who believe”, and “Only believe” which is what Jesus said to Jairus when he went to raise his daughter from the dead.

People said to Jairus, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” [Mark 5:35]

That is when Jesus said, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” [V36]

I have continued to ponder and process all of this, and I would say now that faith, doubt, and unbelief are always present like low hanging fruit, and we have the option or the opportunity to pick whichever fruit we want to pick and eat.

Doubt and unbelief are both faith, but faith in the wrong person and in the wrong thing.

Doubt and unbelief are rooted in fear, or the lack of believing [trusting in] God, His Word, will and ways!

Doubt and unbelief are simply misplaced and misguided faith.

Faith’s Father is God! Doubt and unbelief’s father is the devil.

So, do not fear any longer. Only believe! Because you are never trouble to the Lord!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary

http://www.revolutionmovement.org

#RevolutionMovement #RM

Women Ministers

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, Training, Transformation

Women ministers continue to be impugned by certain male “leaders” in the Body of Christ.

This blog will not delve into the depths of the disinformation being perpetrated on Christ’s Body, nor will it delve into the misinformed who through their misdiagnosis of this issue continue to mistreat a huge portion of Christ’s Body.

I have some questions that I would appreciate the fair minded portion of the faithful to consider:

  • Are female believers priests in the kingdom of God [heaven]?
    • Are female believers included in the royal priesthood?
    • Are female believers included in the ‘us’ found in “He has made us kings and priests to our God and Father”?
    • Is a believing husband the only priest in the marriage if the wife is a believer too?
    • What is the function of a priest?
    • What are the privileges, rights and responsibilities of a priest?
    • If female believers are indeed priests do they have the same privileges, rights and responsibilities of a male priest?
  • If females are not included in the priesthood because they do not have certain body parts then are gentile males excluded from the priesthood because the original priesthood was made up of Jewish males?
  • What does this mean to you?
    • “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
      • Does this mean that to all who are one in Christ there are no ethnic, socio-economic or gender limitations or exclusions?
      • How can we all be one in Christ if female believers in Christ are second class citizens of heaven?
  • What is the difference in unity and uniformity?
  • If female believers are excluded in the royal priesthood does this mean all the male believers are the head and all the female believers make up the rest of the Body?
  • If believing wives are not priests with full authority to represent Christ then why did God give Eve the same commission and authority He gave Adam?
  • Why did Eve get deceived?
    • Eve was one of Adam’s ribs when God commissioned ‘them’ to fully represent Him on the planet.
  • Why is Adam called the man of sin? – “Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world.”
    • What was Adam’s [the male] sin?
    • What if Adam never washed his wife [Eve] with the water of God’s Word to ‘them’ concerning their mutual commission to represent Him on the planet?
    • What if Eve was deceived because she did not have all the information God gave to her husband?
  • Why is it okay for women to teach male children but not male adults?
    • What does it say about male adults who are afraid of a woman teaching them?
  • Do you honestly believe the Last Adam [Jesus the Christ] is making the same mistake the first Adam made?

I would caution any person, male or female, against coming to conclusions concerning the roles women play in the economy of God that do not line up with the whole counsel of God.

For instance, when ‘you’ take one portion of Scripture given to one church in the first century and apply that one text to every church throughout all of church history you might want to consider where you are positioned.

Are you like the Sanhedrin who only temporarily took Gamaliel’s advice in Acts 5 – “38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

We know from New Testament Scripture and church history the Jewish religious leaders found themselves fighting against God and it appears the modern Pharisees are making the same mistakes their forefathers made!

Help Lord!

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary

#RevolutionMovement #RM

Adoption as Sons

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mandate, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training, Transformation

All of the teachings I have heard on adoption focused on the benefits of being God’s adopted child but not the true maturity level where we are adopted, and the responsibilities that come with being adopted by God.

‘There are five verses in the NASB New Testament that speak to the vitally important truth on adoption, and all of them are in Paul’s epistles. Three of them are in Romans [8:15,23; 9:4], one of them is in Galatians [4:5], and one of them is in Ephesians [1:5].

It is important to note that Paul never says God adopts anyone as a child [Greek – brephos, nepios, paidion, teknon], or that once adopted the adopted person can live in immaturity and irresponsibility [Romans 11:21,22; many others]. Every reference on adoption is to the person who grows up into sonship [huiós]. No one can legally claim the benefits of adoption as sons if they have not matured into sons, and live responsibly as God’s sons.


The passage in Romans 9:4 is in reference to natural Israel who lost their inheritance [Matthew 21:43; Matthew 23:37,38] by continually rebelling against God and rejecting the One Person He sent to save them and bring them into all He saved them to inherit. In other words, God predestined them to grow up into sonship but they chose to remain immature and irresponsible so that they could behave in a way that was not congruent with the salvation the Savior brought to them. Natural Israel chose compromise over Christ and a covenant commitment to Him. We must not follow in their footsteps [See 1 Corinthians 10:1-15; Hebrews 2:1-3a].

All five of Paul’s references have the same phrase, “adoption as sons”, which is the Greek word, huiothesía [hwee-oth-es-ee’-ah]. This word is made up of two Greek words, huiós [hwee-os’ ], and títhēmi [tith’-ay-mee].

Huiós

According to Thayer’s Expanded Definition of New Testament Words a huiós is: “A person who reveres God as their Father, is a pious worshiper of God, someone whose character and life resemble God, a person who is governed by the Spirit of God.”

Paul, in Romans, defined a huiós this way, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” [Romans 8:14].

In Hebrews Paul defines huiós as a person who submits to God the Father’s discipline, including His scourging them for the removal of their carnal nature that always resists the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12

“6 ‘For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.’ 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children [not a genuine and legal child] and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Paul states scourging is so we will share in God’s holiness. To share means to participate in, to accept and use. In other words, God’s discipline is to mature us in to sonship so that we will live and look like God’s Son, Jesus Christ. [See Thayer’s on huiós above]


Of course, Jesus is the Perfect Son who wholly honored the Father, worshiped Him, perfectly re-presented Him and was always led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is Jesus who modeled for us all what true Christianity is and how it is to be lived. Even Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered and He had to grow in favor with God the Father [Hebrews 5:8; Luke 2:52] – from childhood to a son!

Títhēmi

Títhēmi, according to Thayer’s, is defined as: “To set or put in [its rightful] place, to ordain, to fix and to establish. God never sets, or puts someone in place, or in a position for them to be immature and irresponsible. This precedent was started in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day.

Genesis 2

“8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”

Verse 8 reveals access and verse 15 reveals the responsibility that comes with the access. Adam was to cultivate [work to grow] and keep [protect and promote] the Garden as God’s representative overseer of the Garden God placed him in, and the planet God placed him on.

“But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” [1 Corinthians 12:18]

And in Ephesians 4 Paul writes the following, “11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children [nḗpios], tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”


Children may be born but it is the sons who can be given the responsibility to govern – “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders.” [Isaiah 9:6]

It is possible to be granted access to the kingdom and all of its benefits and end up not inheriting the kingdom you were granted access to at your new birth. [See Matthew 5:3; Luke 12:32; 1 Corinthians 6:9,10; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27]

Have you allowed God to place you in a place of responsibility?

Are you being responsible with all of the responsibilities that place possesses?

Are you sure you are adopted by God?

Are you benefiting from benefits without the legal right to those benefits?

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin

A radical spiritual revolutionary

The Way!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Christianity, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mature, Maturing, Message, Mission, Movement, Revolution, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training, Transformation

Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus is the way to what?

To the truth! Jesus perfectly revealed who the Father really is.

To the life! Jesus perfectly revealed how to live the life the Father wills for us to live.

To the Father! Jesus perfectly revealed the only way to a right relationship with His Father.

This reveals a tremendous amount of vital information most of which I will not cover in this blog. Please consider:

His Father said, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased!” This was said before Jesus launched Christianity, and after His water and Spirit baptism. Before those two pivotal events in Jesus’ life He lived a life of submission to His Father by being submitted to his earthly father and his mother.

“51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Jesus “kept increasing in favor with God.” You read that right! Jesus, from His conception to His public affirmation, and right on through to the Cross kept increasing in favor with His Father.

Jesus demonstrated for thirty years a surrendered life to God’s will, enduring much hardship.

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

What He endured prepared Him for the arduous task of dying for the world, which was the main mission He was assigned.

“He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Do you see how Jesus humbled Himself? “By becoming obedient.” This was an ongoing process, not by a one time act. Jesus remained in right relationship with His Father throughout His entire life by continually oebying Him.

“I am the way” also means claiming to be a Christian must go beyond saying what we believe to showing others what we believe. Jesus went beyond saying He loved and was rightly related to His Father. He demonstrated it daily in every area of His life.

“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”

To shudder means – to stand up straight; to tremble; to be struck with extreme fear.

Does your belief in God cause you to shudder? If not, your belief has not yet reached the level of devils.

“I am the way” also means those of us who say we believe in Jesus must lead others to a right relationship with Jesus, who leads us to His Father.

Paul said this, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” The NAS and NKJ translate this verse this way, “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

We can interpret this verse several ways:

  • If you follow me I will lead you to Christ
    • This is authentic Christian discipleship
    • Paul forsook all to follow Christ just like Christ forsook heaven to come to earth so that mankind could forsake earth to gain heaven
      • “7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”
  • If you imitate my life your life will look like Christ because my life is like His
    • Not that Paul was a perfect man but Paul perfected his passion to live like Christ on purpose in fulfilling his assigned mission from God
      • “King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision.”

In the Book of Acts Christianity is called “the Way” six times, “the way[s] of the Lord[God]” three times, and “the way of salvation” one time. That makes perfect sense to me since Christianity if about the life and ministry of the One who called Himself, “the Way!”

Who are you following and where are they really leading you?

Who are you leading and where are you really leading them?

Are you in His Way or are you in His way?

Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity and purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary

#RM #RevolutionMovement #FreeRadical