Tag Archives: Power

LENTIL FIELDS

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

Friday afternoon, after my son Matthew came to pick up his sons Ryder and Carver from our condo and left, I was sitting on the couch and had this thought: “It would appear COVID is my lentil field.”

Do you know what I am talking about when I say, “lentil field?”

Here is the text this thought comes from [2 Samuel 23]:

“11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines.12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.”

When God is involved, one man and God are a majority. Come on somebody! God is still looking for real men [not talking about a gender here folks]. Manhood in the kingdom is a level of spiritual maturity where childish things are removed from being a part of the person’s life.

“When I became a man I put away childish things.”

Paul knew he had reached manhood when childishness no longer was a part of his lifestyle. Children think about themselves and what they want. “Men” think about a lot of things and none begin with what do I need. “Men” live to serve others for what they need. And real men will die in that service before they would compromise their service.

Shammah was one of David’s 3 mighty men who did great exploits. The prophet Daniel said, “Those who know their God will do great exploits.” I guess Shammah really knew God. He should, he served under David, the God worshiping giant killer. If you want to defeat giant problems follow giant killers.

Shammah’s name means astonishment. Astonishment can mean surprise or to impress greatly. I don’t think Shammah surprised himself, or David, or God. He WAS a mighty man in the service of David, a mighty man! He did not need to prove he was mighty. Because he was mighty he did mighty things. His might proved invaluable to God and His purposes for His people.

The Philistines, on the other hand, were probably greatly surprised and impressed.

Agee means I will increase. Do you believe you will increase? One cannot increase if they keep doing what they have always done. I have said many times, “We will never do what we’ve never done if we only do what we’ve always done.” Even in doing great things, if you do not risk failure in doing even greater things you cannot increase. “And you shall do greater things than these because I go to the Father.” Jesus

Speaking of increase, Isaiah prophesied God’s government and peace would never stop increasing. “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.”

The real question we must ask ourselves often is this: “Is His government [governance] and peace continually increasing in us?” Has COVID put a halt to that increase in your life or has it created a longing to let it increase even more? I am all in for “the more!”

Hararite means mountain dweller. To climb a mountain takes great effort. Dwelling on one takes even greater effort. But the views are extraordinary. Caleb, at the age of 85, wanted the mountainous territory in the promised land. In his latter years he didn’t want what was convenient. He wanted what was challenging. Mountains can mean a higher place of authority, or rule. Usually, when God wanted to move through a man to advance His purposes in the earth He would first call, or take, that man up a mountain.

Isaiah said in the last days the mountain of the Lord would be the chief mountain. “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.”

Have you read this in Hebrews 12?

“18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: ‘And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.‘ 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.’)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.‘ 27 Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.”

Terrifying and tantalizing isn’t it? Terrifying if you miss the important truths in the text and tantalizing if you see them.

Or how about this?

“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.” [Isaiah 50:6]

According to God, mountains are safer resting places than hills! And woe to the leaders who lead God’s people the wrong direction. Hills take less effort to climb and are more dangerous than mountains. This means the greatest challenges are where the Good Shepherd wants us to feed. What is feeding you? Who is feeding you? Where are they feeding you?

If I am to die then I will die dwelling on the mountain of the Lord, for that is where God provides.

“And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide [Jehovah Jireh]; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of The Lord it shall be provided.'” [Genesis 22:14]

Whatever your beliefs about COVID there is one absolutely glaring characteristic, and that is nearly every thing about the messaging has been and continues to be manipulative. Witchcraft seeks ultimate control over people. This means a spirit of witchcraft is fueling the feeling of imminent danger. Witchcraft manifests in at least 3 main areas. They are:

  1. Manipulation
  2. Intimidation
  3. Domination

Have you noticed how from the beginning information about COVID has been so inconsistent and in a lot of cases outright false? This is a classic move by manipulators. Keeping people unsure of what is happening or what is going to happen keeps them unstable and feeling unsure and unsafe. This makes them more susceptible to being controlled by those who do not have their best in mind. Going along to get along gets everyone in trouble. God is not in this at all!

The next phase of witchcraft is intimidation. Once the spirit feels it has the person or people in a vulnerable place it begins intimidating them. The threats of the loss of opportunity or more freedoms is amped up, regardless if you have complied with the orders given at the beginning and throughout the process. The goal is to force everone into submission through threats. God is certainly not in any of this behavior!

The last phase of witchcraft is outright domination. If a person or people have complied they are not excused from this phase. In fact, they have contributed to its progression to this point. Acquiescing to this spirit at any point only encourages and empowers it. Where it really begins to manifest is with those who refuse to bow the knee to the seditious orders. Those people are targeted with harm, whether economic or physical. This is to increase the intimidation of the people on the fence.

I have staked a lot on my stance concerning COVID. I have an entire chapter in my book CHRISTIANITY THE WAY JESUS LIVED IT, Releasing the Christ Within You devoted to it. I could probably write a book just on COVID. I also know there are some people who want me to fail and are even rooting for me to fail. Isn’t it interesting how mediocrity, compromise, and cowardice are enemies of excellence, commitment, and courage. I choose to live like Joshua and Caleb who had a different [more excellent] spirit than all the others in their community.

I heard Jesus say to me in March 2020: “Do not be afraid [of it]. It is not what they are saying it is.” From that moment on Donna and I have lived out in the open with our faith in His word. Many of God’s people fled in the face of the Philistines [COVID] onslaught, and are still running scared. What has Jesus said to you about how to navigate the treacherous waters we are all in?

I continue to seek God, for we are commanded to live out of every word that proceeds out of His mouth, not just those that preceded out of His mouth. Staying current with Christ Jesus is the only way to stay alive generally speaking, but absolutely with all that is going on in the world today. If He says something different than what He said last year then that is what I will obey. He may have a different lentil field for me to defend. Until then, His word has not changed and is therefore still proceeding out of His mouth and into my heart.

What is Jesus saying to you today? “Today, if you hear My voice do not harden you heart as you did in the rebellion.”

I believe, unless something changes, COVID is my lentil field, or my mountain, that I have staked my life in [on]. To me, this is about God’s honor. It seems many of God’s people believe COVID is omnipotent and God is impotent against it. With all the variants being released many people of “faith” are demonstrating they have more faith in big Pharma and their “protection.” Big Pharma is the new Jehovah Rapha. 

I am not anti medicine or medical doctors or medical science! I am anti manipulation! I am anti witchcraft that is now running rampant through the entire medical and scientific establishment. In fact, it is running rampant through every section of society, even the church.

Jesus never condemned or condoned doctors and medicine. He did not need to comment on them. He healed the sick and commissioned [licensed] His disciples to heal the sick too. Luke, who was a physician, became part of Paul’s apostolic team. I like to jokingly say that he left his practice because Paul was getting better results. Now, Jesus most certainly spoke to the political and religious elite of His day. Most of what He said to them was not affirming. He saved most of His harshest rebukes for those people.

Doctors have a license to practice healing the sick. So do Jesus’ disciples! I believe we are in the throes of seeing which group will see the most healing. I am game! How about you?

In case you are not aware, Jehovah Rapha is the first covenant compound name God gave the Israelites post deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the Red Sea crossing. It means: I am the Lord who will make you and keep you whole, among other things. It is the OT version of the NT word for savior, or saved. Why would this be the first name God identified Himself with after freeing His people from bondage? Well, Egypt represents  the land and life of sin and the bondages associated with it. Pharaoh represents the devil who is the god of that world [land and life]. So, once delivered and baptized in the Red Sea [1 COR 10:2] God promised their new life would be disease free [Exodus 15:26]. Obedience to Him would keep them free, meaning, if sinning was continued then God would not protect them. By the way, Jesus told the man at the pool [John 5] not to sin anymore or something worse would come on him.

Kevin, are you saying people are sinning in the way they are dealing with COVID? I am saying it is possible they are sinning. “Have no other gods before Me” is still valid today. What has God said to you? Did He say wear a mask that cannot protect you? Did He say stay at least 6′ from others when that does not protect you? Has He said take the shot that does not protect you from catching COVID or protect others from catching it from you? I doubt it! Those things at best give people a false sense of security, which is dangerous. Is that manipulation?

But Kevin, the shots minimize the symptoms for those who get COVID after getting the shots.” You mean they are less than the 99% of the people who do not get COVID or its variants, or if they do are asymptomatic, or have very mild symptoms? Better than that? I doubt it!

But Kevin, what about the most vulnerable? You know, those with comorbidity. Or, those who are afraid. Well, why are they afraid and where did the fear come from? God does not give anyone fear so that is a problem that must be addressed. As to the comorbidity issue, what are they and how did they develop them? Were they born with them? Or, has their lifestyle created them? People who have received the shot are still getting and spreading COVID. People who have received the shot are being hospitalized. And, people who have received the shot have died. I guess what you are saying is it is okay to gamble with your life by getting “shot.” Isn’t that the same as literally playing Russian Roulette?

For anyone who took the shot, did you take it because the Spirit of Christ said to, or did the spirit of fear say to take it?

God may tell someone to take the shot!

Obeying God is much different than surrendering to someone forcing [witchcraft] you to take the shot! Actually, they can’t force you to take it because you do have options. You may not like the options but options you do have.

Here is the dilemma a lot of people are in. The spirit of mammon is working in tandem with the spirit of witchcraft in backing people into a corner economically. Livelihoods are being threatened if people do not take the shot. By the way, people’s livelihoods have been destroyed from the beginning of this nightmare.

Let’s say for the sake of discussion you ask the Lord what you are to do and He says something like this: “I really need you to be in the position you are in because I need kingdom people everywhere. Take the shot and trust Me that My word to you will not fail. This is My word to you, ‘And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name . . . if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.'” Is that a possibility? It very well may be but “you” better be sure it is the Spirit of God speaking and not the insidious spirits of deception that have free range in most of the areas in the world right now.

Satan knows scripture and appears at times as an angel of light!

“My sheep hear My voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow.” Jesus did not say His sheep will not hear a stranger’s voice. He said, “They will not follow a stranger’s voice.” For almost a decade now I have been strongly encouraging people to get proficient at hearing from God and immediately obeying what He says. Now, it is even more crucial. Our very lives may depend on how well we do both.

I know this for certain, the lepers who Jesus healed were glad that He did not obey the contemporary rules concerning lepers. Would COVID keep Jesus from touching and healing those with it? I seriously doubt it! And I really can’t visualize Jesus with a mask on.

Jesus is the Mediator of a better covenant with better promises than the Old Testament and its promises. By the way, He is the one who was mediating the Old Covenant, just through angels [See Hebrews 2:2]. Think about this for a moment: In Egypt, for the first Passover God told His people to kill lambs and place their blood on the door frames of their homes. They were not instructed to place the blood on the threshold because that would be akin to treading on the blood, which is forbidden based on Paul’s revelation [See Hebrews 10:29]. Their obedience kept the death angel from entering their homes and killing their firstborn sons. Do we honestly believe the blood of those lambs are more powerful than the blood of Jesus, who is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world? I hope not!

There are times in life when life requires a person to take a public stand. That is absolutely true for God’s people. Who is willing to be light in a dark world? Who is willing to be salt in a compromised world? The light that illuminates also blinds if it is turned up enough. Ask Paul [was Saul]. He testified he saw a light that was brighter than the sun. The salt that preserves also stings [hurts a lot] when it is placed in an open wound. So many refuse to be real salt and light for fear of offending someone or worse, not living up to the standard of what salt and light are. Jesus said this about salt that is no longer salty, “It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under the feet of men.” Salty [informal]: Tough, aggressive. Do you know how offensive in that culture being discarded and walked on was?   

What is your lentil field to defend? What is your mountain to possess? I am convinced until a person is willing to die for what they believe they will never fully live what they say they believe!

And that is what I believe!

I leave you with this quote from Brené Brown: “The willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time.”

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

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People of Purpose, Purity and Power

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, Faithful, LifeGiving, Mature, Maturing, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Teamwork, Training

Now, more than ever, is the time for God’s people to be people of purpose, living on purpose for the sole purpose of fulfilling God’s purpose for giving them His life. Two ways to ensure that happens is by living in purity and power.

All of the New Testament writers, in one way or another, spoke into the importance of this truth. And the truths they wrote about are timeless, speaking into every generation of people who read and heed their wise counsel.

Jesus, who is heaven’s model and our role-model for all life and ministry, is the Author and Perfecter of this life of faithful obedience to the Father.

May wife Donna and I have a call on our lives that in part is to train, equip, and activate maturing saints in the Biblical lifestyle of purity and power. Having a DNA of “In earth as it IS in heaven” [Matthew 6:10 KJV], requires us to pursue the life Jesus lived and to lead others into experiencing.

Mistakes happen! A mistake is a momentary lapse of good judgment. We have discovered there are way too many people who use the “I made a mistake” excuse for a lifestyle of repetitive “lapses of good judgment.” At some point people need to grasp they are not making mistakes. but they are revealing corrupt core values that if not repented of will lead them to dark places and possible eternal destruction.

Peter, a disciple of Jesus who made some mistakes in his life, wrote the following instruction to people displaced because of their commitment to Christ.

1 Peter 3 – “10 The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and [he must keep] his lips from speaking deceit. 11 He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Do you desire life? The life Peter is referring to is the life God possesses and passes on to those who desire His life.

Do you desire love? The love Peter is referring to is the love God possesses and passes on to those who choose to receive and communicate God’s love. God’s love does not change when a person rejects His love, because God never changes in His nature and character. He is eternally consistent!

Do you desire to see good days? The good days Peter is referring to that can be seen [experienced] are upright, honorable and therefore useful to God and to us. In other words, these “good days” are days when we live right according to the life God desires we live, and we choose to live because we choose to honor God.

Please pay close attention to this text!

This is a quote of Psalms 32:12-16 and Peter uses this text as he writes to believers in Christ who previously were not the people of God. Some believe Peter is writing just to Gentiles. Others believe he is writing to both Gentiles and Jews who previously were not born again believers in Christ. Either way, they are now Christians by virtue of their “being chosen by God, according to the foreknowledge of the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled by His blood” [1 Peter 1:2].

Look at what Peter says in 1:2 about the people he wrote to who were scattered into at least 5 areas quite possibly because of persecution.

1. Chosen by God according to the foreknowledge of the Father

This does not mean God only selects a select few to be saved. This means God saves those who choose to be selected to be saved. “Whosoever may come”, and “Many are called but few are chosen” are truths that reveal 1] everyone has the opportunity to come, and 2] only those who do come can be chosen. The call to salvation is offered to all, but only those who accept the call and the conditions of God’s call are saved.

2. By the sanctifying work of the Spirit

True separation to God always produces the life God saved us to live
. This sanctification must lead to a holy [pure] lifestyle
. In other words, if our life is not holy God did not give it to us. “14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy'” [1:14-16].

3. To obey Jesus Christ

There can be no purity without complete obedience to Christ who fully obeyed the Father. Our love for God is proved in our obedience to God. Peter is saying that we are chosen to obey Christ. This is a different reality than we are chosen to go to heaven.

  • John 14:31 – “But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.”
  • John 14:15 – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

I find it interesting Jesus followed up His “Loving Me means obeying Me” with “I love the Father by doing exactly as the Father commands Me.” True leadership is seen in setting the example for those who follow us. Pharisees [False leaders] put things on people they refuse to do themselves. By the way, the world is watching to see if what we say is congruent with how we live. Do we prove to the world we love God by fully obeying Him? Jesus did! And He is our role-model.

4. To be sprinkled by His blood

Being cleansed from all impurity must lead to a consistent lifestyle of living pure. This is an illustration taken from the Old Testament examples of – 1] The Hebrew people and the mixed multitude who were delivered from Egypt and the death angel by putting the blood of a sacrificed lamb on the doorposts of their homes [hearts]; 2] The sanctifying of all the materials, furniture, and utensils of Moses’ Tabernacle and Solomon’s temple; 3] The sanctifying of the priests where blood and oil was placed on their right ears, thumbs and big toes representing cleansing and anointing for service. Once these were sprinkled they were never to be used for any other purpose.

Peter lists some vitally important lifestyle characteristics of Christian character that leads to the life God desires for all people, but especially for anyone claiming to be His.

They:

1. Must keep their tongue from evil

  • ‘Evil’ here means worthless, destructive that comes from a belief that is not true
  • “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Our mouths reveal what really is in our heart.

2. Must keep their lips from speaking deceit

  • ‘Deceit’ here means a decoy [misleading for the purpose of luring away from what is true and holy]

3. Must turn away from evil and do good

  • ‘Turn away’ here means to turn completely from the wrong direction, or to head in the correct direction, to shun anything and anyone living unholy so we do not emulate their bad behavior
  • ‘Evil’ here is the same word used above [worthless, destructive that comes from a belief that is not true]
  • ‘Do good’ here means to produce, be the authors of, and abide in all that is honorable and beneficial to a holy lifestyle

4. Must seek peace and pursue it

  • ‘Seek’ here means to demand, require, crave and to pursue on purpose in order to find what you are seeking. It does not means meandering around pretending you are looking for something.
  • ‘Peace’ here means harmony, security, safety, prosperity, connection to others, and rest. This is the equivalent of the Hebrew word shalom.
  • ‘Pursue’ here means to run swiftly, passionately and purposefully in order to obtain the goal or prize.

Peter states the reason for these to be adhered to is because:

1. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous

God loves the unrighteous but His eyes are toward the righteous!

  • ‘Toward’ here means over and on
  • God’s eyes are not on those who are evil
    • Habakkuk 1:13 – “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.”
    • This is why God turned away from Jesus on the Cross, and for the first time there was a disconnect between Father and Son. When Jesus became sin God could not look on the wickedness He bore for us.

2. The ears of the Lord attend to their prayer

  • ”Ears attend’ here means to be aware of, attentive to, and understand
  • ‘Prayer’ here means needs, desires, long for and even wants, and to make those known through seeking God, asking and entreating God. The idea here is our seeking God will direct what we desire and want to be what He desires and wants for us, which includes a holy life set apart to God and His purposes in the earth.

3. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil

  • ‘Face’ here means the countenance, eyes, look, appearance, expressions, and presence
  • This should convince those who believe God never shows a different “face” when He is dealing with people in different situations that He absolutely does.
    • Mark 3:5 – “After looking around at them with anger.”
  • This is a very descriptive verse that reveals Jesus not only looked directly at each one of them with anger, but the anger was not just for looks
  • Jesus communicated with His facial expression His strong displeasure with them
  • “Anger’ here means a violent emotion, temper, and an exhibition of punishment or the punishment itself. It is very hard for many to wrap their mind around this truth. Is it really possible for the perfect God who came as perfect Man to get so angry he directed it toward people with just a look?
  • ‘Against’ here means to position in front of, or to be directed toward. This means God deals with those who misbehave face to face, or He confronts the people who are misbehaving. God never sweeps misbehavior under the rug or pretends it does not exist. God always approaches from the front to speak directly to those who are not living holy and or healthy, especially in a Christian community context. God never talks behind someone’s back, and neither should we.
  • ‘Do’ here means the same as ‘ do good’ above. To produce, make, construct, author, to cause someone to do something – with the word ‘evil’ following it is the exact opposite of ‘do good’ in verse 11
  • ‘Evil’ here means of a bad nature [which would mean live like you are still unsaved], to cause trouble or injury that originates in thoughts that are wicked [twisted, or twisting truth]

I am concluding this blog by going back to the beginning. To be people of purpose, purity and power, we must desire life, [desire] to love and want to see good days. To realize our desire we must direct our attention toward the God who through His love saved us, toward those who are in right relationship with God and us, hear [understand] what they say to us, while simultaneously turning completely away from those who do evil, and seek to harm us by ensnaring us in their evil.

Keep HIS Passion, Power, Presence, Priority, Process, Provision, Pruning, Purity, Purging, and Purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin

A Spiritual Revolutionary

The Throne! The Opportunity! The Responsibility!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Excellence, LifeGiving, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training

One of the most misunderstood events in the purposes of God is the ascension of Jesus the Christ into the realm of heaven and His being seated on David’s throne.

There are many who believe that Jesus is not sitting on a throne right now and that He must return to earth in order to sit on David’s throne where He will begin His righteous reign on the earth.

I have not figured out what these people believe Jesus has been doing for the past 2000 years unless they think He has been disengaged from His responsibilities of being the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the Head of His Church. Maybe they think He has been in planning meetings on what the third temple in Jerusalem and His throne should look like.

Not happening and not going to happen!

“30 Therefore, [David] being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.

31 He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”

[Acts 2]

I have good news for you for the New Year!

Jesus has been sitting on David’s throne for about 2,000 years in fulfillment of the Father’s promise to King David. Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said the resurrection of Jesus the Christ, THE promised descendant of David who would not suffer corruption [decay] in death, was to exalt Him to David’s throne.

One of the benefits resulting from Jesus’s ascension to and being seated on David’s throne is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that began on the Day Of Pentecost, but is promised to every person in every generation who believes on the Christ.

This promise of the Holy Spirit is for the empowering of believers to represent God in a way that truly represents God – in purity and power!

Christianity is only Biblical Christianity when the purity and power of the Holy Spirit is the leading indicators of the life and ministry of the people who call themselves Christian.

Look carefully at these words – “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” [1 John 2:6 NAS]

Jesus lived the Christian life to demonstrate for the Christian how God expects us all to live. He did this by maintaining a faith filled and faithful life of purity, and an overwhelming power over all the works of the devil, including temptation.

If you are waiting for Jesus to return to earth to sit on David’s throne then you have misunderstood the purpose of Father God in the Person of His Son, Jesus the Christ, and the Person of the Holy Spirit!

By waiting on Jesus to come back to begin His reign on earth you are missing your opportunity to rule and reign with Him right now.

Instead of waiting for something to happen why not step up and into your rightful place as a result of what has happened and begin exercising your God-given authority in a world that is waiting for responsible sons of God to arise.

There are many places in the Bible I could go to convince you, if you need convincing, that Jesus is reigning right now as you read this blog, but I will stick to this one –

1 Corinthians 15:26

“For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”

2016 is a year that is poised for the sons [mature children] of God to rise up like the Son of God and fulfill what the Son commanded the sons – disciple nations!

“According to your faith will it be done for you.”

Let’s do this!

Keep HIS Faith! Keep HIS Passion! Keep HIS Purity! Keep HIS Purpose!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin

HIS Hisstorymaker

 

 

 

 

 

Foolish Preachers Versus The Foolishness Of Preaching!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Excellence, LifeGiving, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training

God is pleased with the foolishness of preaching but not with the foolishness of preachers!

There are way too many examples of how preachers are foolish to cover them all in this blog but I do want to focus on some of them.

There is not a lot of evidence in the Scripture explaining the phrase “foolishness of preaching” so I will not be spending much time trying to detail how that plays out.

Preaching styles vary for many reasons and may create the sense of it being foolish.

A preacher’s style may be staid, or animated. Preaching may come through a monotone preacher or one whose voice fluctuates between the extremes of shouting and a whisper.

Some preachers use notes and never vary from their notes, and others may never use notes. Some use notes as launching platforms where the wind of the Holy Spirit takes off through them and they end up “preaching prophetically”. Some stand stationary behind the pulpit and others roam all over the place.

The phrase “foolishness of preaching” may simply mean that the idea of someone presuming to speak for God is considered foolish by certain people who have no value for the verbal communication of the Word of God, or for those who say they speak for God.

I mean, “You actually believe you hear from God?” That is totally foolish to some people!

Here is what Paul said in Romans 1:18 KJV – “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Paul would later say that he “preached Christ and Him crucified.” The cross, the crucifixion, and everything purchased on it should always be central and the core value of any message taught. I do not mean that every message should specifically mention the cross. But the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the message of the gospel we teach.

The cross and the “foolish” preaching of it is foolishness to those who are perishing because they refuse to accept and embrace the power of the cross.

The message of the cross is so much broader than a get out of hell message. It is a get out of hell and a get hell out of you message. That is the power of the cross!

1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

This verse reveals a lot and one main aspect of the revelation is that God only saves those who believe.

There are foolish preachers preaching that everyone is saved by God because God in Christ is not counting people’s sins against them. They provide the verse of Scripture to prove their point.

2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJ [In Part]

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.”

There are key phrases in Scripture that foolish preachers miss, misuse, mistake, and mis-represent. Some of them are “in Christ”, “through Christ”, “with Christ”, “by Christ”, etc.

Everyone is not saved unless they are “in Christ”. Jesus is the Savior of all mankind but only those who believe are saved.

1 Timothy 4:10 NKJ

“For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”

Foolish preachers rarely if ever suffer for their labor, much less suffer reproach. To be reproached means to be criticized for your refusal to compromise your experiences in God for the pleasure of man, the popularity with men, or for a position or paycheck from men.

It means to have people be disappointed in you and disapprove of you because of your stand for God and not with them or for them in their unwillingness to grow up in Christ. Immaturity and irresponsibility seems to be chic in certain Christian circles.

I am long over the people who think the mission of the church is to “have fun” and everyone just “get along”.

There is only One Savior and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save everyone but only those who “believe” will be saved.

How can we know we or someone else is really saved, or that we are a believer in Jesus?

Persuaded To The Point Of Persecution!

If we are not taking heat for our “believing” there is a good chance we are not a Biblical believer.
2 Timothy 3:12 NAS
“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Demonstrations Of Miraculous Signs!
Mark 16:15-20 The Message Bible
“15 Then he said, ‘Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned. 17 These are some of the signs that will accompany believers: They will throw out demons in my name, they will speak in new tongues, 18 they will take snakes in their hands, they will drink poison and not be hurt, they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.’ 19 Then the Master Jesus, after briefing them, was taken up to heaven, and he sat down beside God in the place of honor. 20 And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence.”
What are the indisputable evidences that validate that we are Biblical believers in Jesus Christ?
Are there miraculous manifestations of God and His power in our teaching ministry?
Does our preaching attract God? Does Jesus come to work with us? Or is the work we are doing for Him devoid of Him? Are we are relying completely on our own prowess to convince the people we are teaching that God is real?

Are We New Or Are We The Same Old Person?

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NAS

“17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

There must be a reconciliation with God that results in a radically new life in Christ. This is implying there has been a breach in the relationship and a new connection must be made between the one who disconnected and God who waits for the wayward one to come to Him.

This new connection to God results in the person becoming new in every aspect. That person may not perfectly live out their “newness” but the change is such that those that know them the best know they are “new.”

You may be able to fool members of a church you hide in but you cannot fool the ones you live life with.

Our “being new” and “living new” should cause consternation in the people we used to live life with. If it doesn’t how new are we?

1 Peter 4:1-4 NKJ

“1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us  in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles–when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

Do we even believe we can cease sinning? Not if we are sitting under the ministry of foolish preachers who teach we cannot overcome temptation and sin.

We have wasted too much time already and there is not enough time to keep wasting time.

Here again, is our new lifestyle attracting persecution, reproach, and or criticism?

If not, why not?

What is the problem?

Paul, in our 1 Corinthians 1:21 text, states that the world did not know God because of the limitations of the wisdom of the world. God, in His wisdom chose to make Himself known through the foolishness [by man’s standards] of [the] preaching of His gospel, so that the world could be saved by God, in Christ.

How do preachers become foolish?

Paul reveals one way in verse 17 of 1 Corinthians chapter 1 [KJV] – “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

Here are some other translations of this very important verse:

God’s Word Translation

“Christ didn’t send me to baptize. Instead, he sent me to spread the Good News. I didn’t use intellectual arguments. That would have made the cross of Christ lose its meaning.”

NET Bible

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.”

International Standard Version

“For the Messiah did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with eloquent wisdom, so the cross of the Messiah won’t be emptied of its power.”

Aramaic Bible In Plain English

“For The Messiah sent me not to baptize, but to preach The Good News, not in wisdom of words, lest the crucifixion of The Messiah would be rejected.”

Weymouth New Testament

“Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the Good News; and not in merely wise words–lest the Cross of Christ should be deprived of its power.”

Living Bible

“For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, and even if my preaching sounds poor, for I do not fill my sermons with profound words and high sounding ideas, for fear of diluting the mighty power there is in the simple message of the cross of Christ.”

Preachers become foolish by preaching their own wisdom founded on their own ways and word, and not the wisdom of God which is centered on the Cross of Christ.

The Cross of Christ involves so much more than Jesus hanging on it for 6 hours until He gave up His life for the world.

The Cross of Christ is the place of payment for all that Christ purchased for the world. Jesus demonstrated all that He would purchase prior to His purchasing it all on the Cross. He did it by teaching [using words] and by demonstrating [not using words but using God’s authority and power] to intervene in the helplessness and hopelessness of mankind’s condition.

Friends, the message of the Cross can be watered down [Living Bible] and made of “none effect” [King James].

The preaching of the Cross of Christ must be accompanied by demonstrations of the Spirit and power or it is watered down to the wisdom and natural abilities of men.

The preachers who preach without demonstrations of the Spirit and power are foolish.

Jesus was known as a preacher [teacher] who moved past just talking about God’s message to man. He proved what He taught by performing signs and wonders and miracles.

“1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs  that You do unless God is with him.” [John 3 NAS]

The proof that God was with Jesus in His teaching [preaching, proclaiming and explaining God’s message to man] ministry was the “signs” that He did in conjunction with His teaching.

Even the foolish preacher Nicodemus had enough character to acknowledge God set Jesus apart from the traditional teachers in Israel.

Did you notice Nicodemus did not say the proof God was with Christ was the way Jesus used words to teach the people? That is not to say Jesus did not have a way with words as we will see later.

It is interesting to me how a teacher in Israel recognized a teacher sent by God. Signs always point to the greater reality the sign represents.

Where are the present day foolish preachers who will acknowledge there is a lack of completeness in their personal teaching ministry if there is no “signs” accompanying their messages. Where are their messages pointing the people they are teaching?

Look at what Luke says in Acts 1:1 NKJ – “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.”

Luke confirms the teaching ministry of Jesus was broader than a vocal ministry. There was a “doing” and a “teaching”. This is real kingdom ministry.

Why Are People Attracted To Our Ministry?

Luke 5:15 NAS

“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.”

There are a lot of preachers and teachers who through their motivational speaking abilities, their natural charisma, or their business acumen   attract a lot of people to their meetings. But how many of the people who come to hear also come to be healed?

Foolish preachers create church cultures that “believe in the miraculous” but never give people an opportunity to be healed proving they do not truly believe. If there is not corresponding activity of our “belief” then what we “believe” is useless.

Some say, “Well, we don’t want anyone to be disappointed if they do not get healed so we don’t “focus” on healing or other miraculous activity.”

My God folks! Do they not realize they are disappointing the very people who need God’s miraculous intervention, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual?

Do The People We Teach Recognize God’s Authority On Our Teaching?

Matthew 7:28,29 NKJ

“28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

Foolish preachers can say all the right things but if what they are saying is not releasing God’s authority then they are wasting their time and the time of those who came to hear them.

Is Our Teaching Tickling Ears Or Transforming Lives?

2 Timothy 4:1-4

“1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

Paul is speaking to his spiritual son Timothy and former world traveler on his apostolic missionary team. He gives Timothy a solemn [serious] charge where God the Father and Christ Jesus are witnesses and the Ones who will be the ultimate judges of the living and the dead.

Folks, teaching for God is a serious calling. Paul tells Timothy to preach the word; be ready when you feel ready or not. Then he raises the bar for those who are not settling for being a foolish preacher.

Preach the word of God – With gravity and authority which must be listened to and obeyed.

Reprove – With conviction in order to convict by exposing the fallacy of false beliefs, to reprehend severely, to reprehend and call people to give an account of their behavior.

Rebuke – To censure severely to reveal the true value of those being taught. To honor by not allowing people to live below the price Jesus paid and the standard that price provides them.

Exhort -To call people up to their rightful place in Christ.

How? With great patience [endurance] and instruction [foundational and revelational teaching that creates an inner structure within those being taught that will be able to support everything God want to release to and though them]!

Why? For the time will come when they will NOT endure sound doctrine but will constantly want their ears tickled.

The result will be those who sit under the teachings of foolish preachers will only seek out those teachers who affirm their immaturity based on what they desire, not what God desires for them.

These fools will turn their ears away from the truth [what they need to hear and what God wants them to hear] and those preachers of foolishness who proclaim the truth to them, and ultimately they will turn toward myths [false fables].

What a sad commentary of the culture of compromise that began with a foolish preacher who compromised his or her personal call.

Paul differentiates between the foolishness of foolish preaching and God’s definition of the foolishness of preaching in 1 Corinthians chapter two verses 1-5 KJV –

“1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

When preachers reduce their preaching to what they can do through their own enticing words their preaching has become man’s wisdom and not God’s. God’s wisdom is revealed in the manifestation of the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and [His] power.

Paul came in “weakness”! This means he recognized his human limitations and allowed for God’s strength to manifest.

Paul came in “fear”! Paul had a holy reverence for God and the responsibility the call of God to represent Him posed for him!

Paul came in “much trembling”! Paul knew the work of God must be executed in the power of the Spirit of God and he dealt with the anxiety that his responsibility at times was overwhelming!

The result of that kind of teaching ministry is “your faith should not stand on the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

This is startling to me. The goal of preaching [teaching] is that people’s faith would be in the power of God and in the God who possesses all power. Teaching ministry should be not be in the wisdom of the natural intellectual or oratorical abilities of the one teaching for God.

Going back to the original text in 1 Corinthians 1:21 we see how God chooses to save people and His choice is through the foolishness of preaching.

How can we tell when those who preach are foolish instead of operating in the foolishness of preaching?
Galatians 6:12 NAS
“Those who desire to  make a good showing in the flesh try to compel  you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for  the cross of Christ.”
In other words, a key motivation of a foolish preacher originates in the flesh, not the Spirit. They substitute and propagate outward appearances  instead of inward transformation.

One last text I want to share with you in this blog to test the theology of Biblical preaching  of foolishness is found in Romans chapter 15:

“15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation.”

Foolish preachers rarely if ever write or teach boldly, much less very boldly!

Paul is emphasizing how daring he was in his writing to the believers in Rome. He was boldly courageous, not worrying about how people may “feel” about the way he communicated truths to them.

Foolish preachers couch their communication in non-confrontational ways so as not to “hurt” the feelings of the people they are teaching.

Paul is saying he wrote to them as if he would never have the opportunity to “speak” to them again. This created a sense of urgency in what he said and how he said it. What he communicated needed to have maximum impact, especially if he never spoke to them again.

He goes on to say many things in this text.

Verse 15

Paul tells them that it is God’s grace that gives him the boldness. Foolish preachers and foolish people think God’s grace gives them license to be immature and irresponsible.

Verse 16

Paul says that he is a servant [minister] and priest [representative of the people to God and a representative of God to the people] to the Gentiles. He continues by stating his ministry is an offering that he wants to be acceptable to and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This is so much different than the man pleasing ministry of the foolish preacher.

Verse 17

Paul says that his boasting in Christ pertains to the things pertaining to God, not man. Foolish preachers boast in the things that pertain to themselves, or other people. Primarily they complement the people they surround themselves with who facilitate their foolishness. Their primary subject is themselves and what they have accomplished.

Verse 18

To Paul presumption is not a good plan. He does not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through him. In other words, he upholds the standard of His many experiences in Christ uncompromisingly, and the evidence of his commitment is the obedience of the Gentiles to God in how they live and in what they say. Their lifestyle does not contradict or betray their lips.

Verse 19

Once again Paul speaks of the importance of signs, wonders and miracles in the ministry of teaching in every place he traveled for Christ. Paul said he “fully preached the gospel”. The gospel is never fully preached where signs, wonders and miracles are absent.

Verse 20

Paul did not want to minister on another man’s foundation. Foundations are vitally important to the overall success of what is being built. In order to endure the tests of time Paul made sure his ministry was built on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the One who authored Christian ministry.

If all gospel teachers followed Jesus and Paul’s methodology of ministry there would not be any foolish preachers.

Lord, help us to raise up a massive army of preachers of foolishness, and fire all the ones who are just foolish preachers.

This is a huge subject that I have only scratched the surface in this blog! As always in my writing and speaking ministry I hope, pray and expect you will do your own research to verify that what I am saying is Biblically correct.

My reason in writing and teaching is so that your life and ministry will be as effective as the Holy Spirit who calls you to minister for Him desires it to be!

Keep HIS Faith! Keep HIS Passion!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury

One Of HIS Hisstorymakers

 

Grace Works!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Excellence, LifeGiving, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, Training

This is what we find in Genesis 6:8 KJV.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of God!”

This is such an interesting statement. What makes it so interesting and profound is the context in which Noah found what he found when he finally looked into God’s eyes. Actually, Noah was able to see all the way into God’s heart when he looked into His eyes. God’s grace does not originate in the eyes of God but the heart of God.

The context is God was sorry that He had made mankind. The reason for God’s feeling the way He did was that His prized production became vile and violent.

“Then the Lord  saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” [Verse 5]

To understand the veracity of this scene you must understand that Noah was included in God’s description of the condition of mankind.

Grace Is

What caused Noah to look into God’s eyes when he and every other person were only interested in living their life so loosely?

I believe that we find the answer in verse 3. “But My Spirit will not strive with man forever.”

God, by His Spirit was striving with every man, but only Noah responded to God’s striving. The word striving has to do with contending with, working with, judging in the sense of acting as an umpire. An umpire oversees sports events letting the participants know what is safe and what is out, what is fair and what is foul. Striving also means to plead with and to vindicate.

What we discover in this verse is that God will, after every effort is exhausted, cease to work with man to get him to change the direction he is heading in that is contrary to God’s heart for him. Noah must have submitted to God’s dealings with him, and by submitting to God he discovered and accessed the part of God’s character [grace] that empowered him to live totally for God.

Noah’s name means rest. Noah finally stopped his striving against God and rested in the nature of God. When we find the rest of God we will discover the rest of God.

What was the evidence that Noah found grace in God’s eyes? He began working with God! Noah cooperated with God and as a result of his submitting to God, God was able to co-mission him in the primary mission to save mankind from themselves.

God’s grace enabled Noah to work for and with God, not against God! Somehow work has become a four letter word in some ‘grace’ circles. Well meaning people, I am sure, reduce grace to the ability to decide they don’t have to work, or to be productive. In other words, they have deduced that God is a-okay with their laziness and or sinfulness.

Noah [rest] worked! Noah [rest] performed a task! Noah [rest] performed his task to the standard God required of him! That is what grace does. It enables us to get God’s work done God’s way.

We must realize that work is not a part of the curse that resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin. Unproductive work is a result of the curse.

Work is a part of creation and God’s redemptive purposes for the earth!

In Genesis 3 we find two very interesting verses:

Verse 8 – “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.”

Verse 15 – “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

Verse 8 reveals that God gave man access to the Garden and verse 15 reveals that God gave man responsibility for the Garden. There are a lot of people who have been given access but refuse responsibility. If you will not be responsible for something then you cannot be given authority over something.

That’s something isn’t it?

Friends, grace works and grace works very hard. Grace is not lazy and those who accept God’s grace also work very hard. Otherwise, it is not God’s grace.

For HIS Glory!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin