Tag Archives: Purity

Prophets, Prophecy, Accuracy, and Accountability

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

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_207f.jpgThere is not one Godly prophet in the Old or New Testaments, including Jesus, who prophesied something that did not come to pass within a reasonable amount of time, much less that never came to pass.

In the Old Testament when someone spoke in the name of the Lord and what they said was not true, or what they predicted did not come to pass, they died at the hands of God’s people.

This tells me that Isaiah, who prophesied a virgin would be with child eight centuries before Mary conceived Jesus in the Immaculate Conception, either had a special grace and favor with God and man, or in some fashion his predictive word came to pass in his lifetime.

In the New Testament, those who speak in the name of the Lord something that is not true, or that does not come to pass is not killed by God’s people, but their ministry can die because God’s people have the right and responsibility to judge what is said to be from God.

Paul and Silas found out that although the people in Berea were extremely excited for them to come teach them, they did not take what Paul and Silas taught as truth as being true until they searched the Scriptures themselves – daily.

“10 The brethren [in Thessalonica] immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” [Acts 17]

This examining of the Old Testament Scriptures [here Greek / graphe – written word] is a different word Paul used when he commanded the Thessalonicans to examine prophecy and those who prophesy. This word ‘examine’ means to investigate, sift, interrogate, question. It comes from a root word meaning to repeatedly and intensively forensically test. When teaching people how to study the Bible I encourage them to be like a detective walking into a crime scene with no preconceived ideas on what happened. There are six questions the inquisitive inquisitor should ask every text they read. They are: who, what, when, where, why and how.

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As you ask those questions gazing into the text you will begin to see the truths that are contained within it. Like looking at a hologram, it may take some time to see what is in there but when the time is taken to see the student will quickly begin to  learn.

This examination will be encouraged by Paul in his great instruction on judging prophets and prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:29. We will “examine” that text later!

Apparently Paul and Silas were fine with being examined, as well as their teaching being examined by the Thessalonican people. Every legitimate minister is okay with being examined!

In many places nobility is lacking both in those who minister and those they minister to.

Credibility is such a rare commodity in our world today and I am greatly concerned a lack of credibility and accountability has crept into the church Jesus is building as well. Fact checking God’s ministers has been around since the beginning of when people started saying they came [to speak, to teach] in the name of the Lord. Too many “hear from God” and leave when the examination commences.

Even Jesus submitted His ministry to those He ministered to – “37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” [John 10]

Jesus’ words and His works matched the works of His Father which should have convinced the Jews He was legitimate. What we say is as important as what we do and when they are not congruent people have a right to reject what we say and do, which means they reject us as worthy to minister to them. unless we become vulnerable and accountable to them.

You cannot disconnect what a person says and does from that person! “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” so what we say reveals what is really in our heart.

Nicodemus who was a teacher of the Jews recognized this connection when he said to Jesus, “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 3:2].

In the Old Testament the punishment was so severe for speaking in God’s name something untrue, or that did not come to pass because God’s people did not have the Holy Spirit inside of them and could easily be led astray. Prophets were accepted as God’s delegated spokesmen.

In the New Testament every true born again believer has the Holy Spirit inside of them and it is their responsibility to test everything to ensure what they are told is true. Also, every born again believer has the right and responsibility to speak for the God that saved them, even moving in the gift of prophecy.

John wrote this in 1 John 2: “18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. . . . 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”

When people run away from the very people they have said they love and are connected to because what they say and do come under scrutiny by those they say they love and are connected, it reveals a heart of corruption that John identifies as the spirit of the antichrist. John said many antichrists were on the scene in his day and those antichrists came from within the church. Keep in mind there was one church per region so it was unlikely those who left a church could become part of another one easily and inconspicuously.

Today, accountability is very difficult because there are multitudes of churches in search of gifted and anointed people. Most church growth is simply people shifting to different churches. Some simple fact checking could go a long way to rooting out the rebellious!

Two thousand years ago John referred to the time he lived in as “the last hour” twice in verse 18. John goes on to exhort the people to trust the anointing [Spirit of truth] that was in them would keep them safe from error. This means God’s people best be in God’s written Word [graphe in the Old and New Testaments] so they have God’s plumb line to line up what is being said or done in the name of the Lord with God’s eternal and established Word.

The anointing inside each believer is there to ensure they are not duped by the anointing of someone presenting themselves a representing God. When the one ministering insists their anointing is so good that those they minister to do not need to verify what they say and do is genuine, they misrepresent the God they claim to represent.

For all those concerned that we are living in the last days take a deep breath and relax, John lived in the last hour.

In fact, John wrote that Jesus spoke of this hour in the fourth chapter of his gospel.

“19 The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.’ 21 Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'”

In this text Jesus revealed an hour was coming twice and the second time He referred to it He said, “and now is,” two thousand years ago. John and Jesus were speaking of a contemporary reality that was imminent to that generation. The last hour, which was the hour that was “now is [here]” was the total destruction of Judaism as a life giving system. In fact, by the time John wrote his “last hour” prediction the destruction of Jerusalem and the sacred Jewish temple was fast approaching.

The “hour” was not understood to be a literal sixty minute time span but an imminent time change that was about to take place. I believe that “hour” started ticking down when Jesus died on the Cross and God ripped the veil in the temple from the top to the bottom exposing the Holy of Holies as being void of the Ark of the Covenant.

Now I know that what I just said is considered ridiculous in our pop-culture Christian world but I believe every Book of the New Testament, including The Revelation of Jesus Christ, was completed prior to 70AD.

Paul said this in Hebrews chapter eight verse thirteen, “When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” It is understood that Hebrews was written in or about 67AD meaning within three years or so Judaism died and was burned with fire along with Jerusalem and the temple.

Jesus had predicted prior to His Olivet Discourse and in that Discourse that the generation who heard what He said would see the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Jesus even referred to His disciples multiple times in His discourse. [See Matthew 23, 24; Mark 13]

The pre-incarnate Christ appeared to Abraham and Sarah revealing, “At this time next year you will have a son.” Here is the text found in Genesis 18 – “9 Then they said to him, ‘Where is Sarah your wife?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ 10 He said, ‘I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ 13 And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ 14 Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’ 15 Sarah denied it however, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. And He said, ‘No, but you did laugh.'”

Now we could take this predictive prophecy two ways. First, we could say that the Lord was saying Sarah would have an immaculate conception. But we know that is not what was meant because there could only be one immaculate conception and that would not happen for approximately 2,021 years. Second, Abraham and Sarah, although past the age of childbearing and quite possibly the age of engaging in sexual intercourse, went into their tent and had marital relations needed to conceive a child.

The second option seems more likely to me based on what Paul said in Hebrews chapter eleven and Romans chapter four.

Hebrews 11 – “11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

Sarah’s faith energized her reproductive organs and quite possibly activated her sexual desire. They had tried for twenty five years to have a child without success. In addition to being too old to have children in the natural [Sarah was ninety and Abraham was one hundred] we can safely assume the desire to try waned over the years too.

Romans 4 – “16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 [as it is written, ‘A father of many nations have I made you’] in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore It was also credited to him as righteousness.”

‘Perform’ here means he was able to do the necessary work required to produce what the Lord promised them. Abraham took inventory of his natural condition and weighed that against the weight of God’s promise of a son with Sarah. Abraham faced the facts of Sarah’s and his condition but chose to focus on the truth of God’s word. As he considered what he was facing his respect for God far outweighed his history of losing expectation of becoming a father of the son of promise. Abraham’s faith grew stronger as he glorified God. As he became fully assured that what God promised was going to come to pass he was given the ability and desire to perform. His performance was credited to him as righteousness.

Agabus was a recognized prophet in the church in Jerusalem. His prophetic ministry is revealed in Acts 11 and Acts 21. What we find in those texts is Agabus was a predictive prophet because both times he is mentioned he is predicting future events.

It is interesting to me God used a prophet whose name means locust to prophesy a famine, but He did. Maybe Agabus himself was the message to the saints about a future problem in Judea!

“27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate [signify] by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.” [Acts 11]

Luke writes that a plurality of prophets arrived in Antioch from the Jerusalem church. We do not know how many prophets were with Agabus and what the additional prophets did in Antioch. All we are told is Agabus prophesied a famine that would affect the whole world. Now, “whole world” can be interpreted as the whole world, the whole world Rome was ruling over, or the whole land of Judea. My guess is he was predicting a famine throughout Judea because that is where the relief supplies were directed and delivered to the elders – in Jerusalem!

We do not even know if Agabus and his team of prophets were a part of the eldership team in Jerusalem, just the provisions were delivered to them by Barnabas and Saul [Paul].

Did you notice his predictive prophesy came to pass during the reign of Claudius. Luke does not record Agabus placing a time frame on his word from God. Historians put this famine in 45AD. If Agabus prophesied in or about 40AD then his prophecy came to pass within five years.

The next time we find Agabus prophesying is in Acts 21 where he prophesied in Caesarea that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem. Luke writes that Paul was arrested in the temple during that trip to Jerusalem.

Do you see that predictive prophets cannot claim they speak for God when what they predict does not come to pass in a reasonable amount of time? Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem within a generation [forty years – 30AD – 70AD] so the people had every right to expect that within forty years His prediction would come true. And it did!

Agabus did not put a time frame on either one of his predictive prophesies although it could have been, and very well may have been, understood Paul would be arrested on that trip into Jerusalem. And he was indeed arrested on that trip to Jerusalem.

There is no evidence that God ever releases a prophetic word that does not have a shelf life of a reasonable amount of time. And when a prophet gives a specific time frame, just as Jesus did in His Olivet Discourse, that prophet is on the hook for what they predicted to come to pass.

How else could God’s people “examine [test] everything carefully” and “hold onto that which is good” as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5, if they must continue to hang on forever waiting on the word to come true?

“19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Paul first said, “Do not quench the Holy Spirit.” Many have interpreted that to mean “do not despise prophesies” but that is not what the Holy Spirit meant when He had Paul write it before “do not despise prophecies.” Quenching the Holy Spirit first and foremost means to not allow Him to function in His primary calling to comfort and convict, as well as to lead people into all the truth [God’s written Word].

Jesus first reveals the Holy Spirit as ‘Helper.” Then as the “Spirit of truth.” Then as the One who “will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” [John 14]

Helper means One called to come alongside for the purpose of providing aid, to advocate, assist, counsel, console, and intercede for.

.Then he said, “Do not despise prophesies” which means it is possible for God’s people to despise prophecy. We know that many church cultures refuse to allow prophets and the gift of prophecy to operate in their environments. Apparently prophecy is despised in some places today and I believe the reason is because of all the “words from God” that never come to pass.

Then he said, “Hold onto that which is good” meaning not to hold onto anything or anyone that is not good.

Lastly he said, “abstain from every form of evil.” ‘Abstain’ literally means: To prevent, to keep your distance from, and to not receive [have] anything evil [harmful, perverted, diseased, impoverished, and not productive].

What did Paul mean when he wrote, “examine everything carefully”? Paul uses language that those who tested metals and currency for purity and authenticity understood. Paul wanted the saints at Thessalonica to test by fire and by pressure what was offered to them, and those who offered it. Paul had written something similar to the saints in Corinth. “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work [and words]” [1 Corinthians 3:13].

Paul was instructing the Thessalonican saints not to be credulous but to examine everything and everyone with great care. Where Luke wrote these same people poured through the Scriptures [Old Testament] carefully to compare what they were being taught as truth with the Truth, Paul wrote they were to examine everything and everyone with heated discourse, applying pressure in private, just like a smelter of silver and gold and the person tasked with ensuring the currency was not counterfeit, to discover what was in the heart of the people presenting themselves as legitimate ministers.

One great tool for the initial examination is the gift of the Spirit known as discerning of spirits. This gift is given by the Holy Spirit to alert us to what kind of spirit is operating in any given situation, individual or group setting. This gift discerns [distinguishes and identifies] whether it is the Holy Spirit, human spirit, angel or demonic spirit operating in our midst. The Holy Spirit is the first line of defense when we are hearing anyone speak for God. Being sensitive to the Spirit is vitally important and we must learn to recognize what He is saying inside of us. Then we must allow the Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth as found in the Scripture [graphe].

I believe this gift was used by Paul when he confronted the slave girl operating in divination [false prophecy] in Philippi [Ats 16]. “16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.’ 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’ And it came out at that very moment.”

Here we see it is possible to have an accurate word come from a person with a demonic spirit. Divination is obtaining unknown knowledge through a spiritual source other than God, thus the slave girl had a spirit of divination. She had given herself over to it because it gave her the ability to profit monetarily.

This spirit is a counterfeit to the gifts of the Holy Spirit called words of knowledge and words of wisdom, which often work in tandem with prophecy. The Greek word used is Pýthōn. Isn’t it interesting how that serpent is always looking for an opportunity to slip into our midst to deceive us? How did Paul know she was not a legitimate prophetic person? The Holy Spirit’s gift of the discerning of spirits is what I believe he used to recognize she was a fortune teller.

Paul cast that spirit out of her and that caused a riot and eventually a revival church to be birthed! In between there was pain, prison and then greater manifest Presence! That is usually God’s process to revival in an individual or a region!

In Philippi Paul and his team met a lady from Thyatira named Lydia. Lydia was an entrepreneur who sold purple fabrics. Lydia means travail and Thyatira means the odor of affliction. Lydia was a worshiper of God whose heart God opened to receive Paul, his team and their ministry. Lydia provided a temporary base of operations in Philippi for the advancement of the gospel of the kingdom to proceed into Europe.

I encourage you to read the resurrected Jesus’ words to the church at Thyatira found in Revelation 2:18-29. He begins with [verse 18] – “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:” In the middle of His word to Thyatira Jesus says in verse 23, “and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” Do you notice a pattern?

We saw above what John wrote in 1 John 2 about the Holy Spirit [anointing] protecting us from being deceived in. He also wrote this in 1 John 5 [KJV] – “6 And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

Jesus, before he came as a human was known in eternity past as the Word [John 1:1]. John wrote the Word became flesh [1:14]. Now, since He ascended to the throne next to His Father He is known as the only Mediator between God and man, “the Man Christ Jesus,” Now in eternity present and future He is known as the Man who Mediates.

This is in and of itself a huge subject but suffice it to say the Father, the Word that still remains in heaven now that Jesus came to earth and returned as a resurrected Man, and the Spirit all bear witness in earth to that which is accepted in heaven for use in the earth.

Look at what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 – “29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Paul did not allow for prophecy to go without being judged and neither did he allow for prophets to escape judgment. Lets examine carefully Paul’s instructions on how to steward prophets and prophetic ministry.

  • In a particular service only two to three prophets should speak
    • I believe this is because every matter is to be established out of the mouths of two to three witnesses which means the two to three prophets prophesying should prophesy things that are in harmony with each other and God’s eternal Word
    • 2 Peter 1 – “19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
      • Scripture, all of it, is to be how we judge any prophet or prophetic ministry
      • If someone prophesies anything contrary to Scripture it is to be rejected and if the person prophesying refuses to admit what they have prophesied is not in line with Scripture they are to be rejected because they are self interpreting and judging their own prophecies and prophetic ministry
  • As each prophet speaks “the others” pass judgment
    • Is Paul referring to the other prophets or the others in the hearing of the prophets
      • I believe the answer is yes, both the other prophets and the others in the hearing of the prophecies are to judge what is prophesied and those who prophesy
      • What does “pass judgment” mean
        • Pick it apart
        • To separate by straining through a strainer
        • To render a judicial decision based on every aspect of what is said and or done
  • The purpose of judging prophets and their prophecies is so:
    • All may learn
    • All may be encouraged
      • Who are the “all” who may learn and be encouraged
      • I believe all is all inclusive meaning all the prophets and all those exposed to their prophetic ministry
        • Prophets, just like apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers are to equip the saints for the work of ministry, so their primary function is training everyone in prophetic ministry
    • Each prophet is to steward his own spirit by keeping it clean and pure and submitted to the other prophets and prophetic people who have learned and are being encouraged in their prophetic ministry
    • A prophet who refuses to pass through the judgment is to be judged as false
    • Encouragement is one of the three legs the gift of prophecy stands on [v3]
  • God is not confused and He does not spread or allow the spread of confusion in any of the churches of the saints

Again, to judge prophecy is to judge the person prophesying, whether that person is a prophet or not.

The New Testament warns about these false people and ministers:

  • False apostles [2 Corinthians 11:13; Revelation 2:2]
  • False prophets [Matthew 24:11,24; Mark 13:22; Acts 13:6; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10]
  • False Christs [saviors] [Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22]
  • False teachers [2 Peter 2:1]
  • False brethren [2 Corinthians 11:26; Galatians 2:4]
  • False witness [Matthew 15:19; 19:18]
  • False circumcision [Philippians 3:2]

A cursory reading of church history reveals within the generation that was alive when Jesus was walking the planet all of the above were contemporary concerns for the genuine Christian, Christian leader and church community. And in the two thousand years since they are still a concern for leaders of the churches of the saints.

James tells us in chapter 3 verse 1 – “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

“Stricter judgment” means a greater, larger, louder and stronger condemnation of wrong. This means the decisions made carry more weight and will travel farther than the judgments [decisions] of those who do not teach God’s people. This phrase comes from a Greek word that means: To separate for the purpose of approving or disapproving, determining what is right or wrong, and what is safe or unsafe. What is intended is to determine whether the one teaching is worthy of being trusted as a teacher.

That is why James uses the word “become” a teacher. Teachers are gifts of Christ who He calls to be[come] teachers. This means anyone called better know that it is a holy calling and not to be taken lightly. ‘Become’ means: To arise into the position, and onto the public stage you were called to take.

Paul reveals that teachers are third in line of importance in the church Jesus is building [the churches of the saints]. “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers.” [1 Corinthians 12:28]

So, if teachers who are third in line come under a “stricter judgment” what kind of judgment do apostles and prophets come under?

This is where accuracy and accountability intersect. If a person who teaches or prophesies speaks something that is not true or does not come to pass within a reasonable amount of time, then that person must be willing to give an account of what they said to those they said it to. Not only that, but they must root out the root problem[s] that caused them to speak in the name of the Lord something the Lord was not saying. It is not enough to say, “I’m sorry!” The person must understand and articulate why they said what they said.

If they refuse to make themselves and their ministry accountable then they are to be judged as false ministers because their heart is not holy.

The only way for a person judged as false can be reinstated in good standing is by repenting and submitting to the delegated authorities in the church of the saints they worship in.

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

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin

A spiritual revolutionary

 

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

Judgment Begins!

Posted on by under Bible, Christian, Disciple, Discipleship, Excellence, faith, LifeGiving, maturity, Righteousness, School Of The Spirit, teaching, Training

Judgment begins and when it begins it may not end for quite some time!

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17

There are way too many people inside and outside of the church who see judgment as only punitive. Judgment certainly can be punitive but more times than not it represents a judicial decision that reveals divine purpose. Whether punitive or not when God issues His judgments they are always redemptive in nature and purpose.

Judgment has always been a part of keeping the church, and society in general, pure. The reason is simple, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”, and “Pursue . . .  and holiness, without which no one will see God.”  God wants every person to see Him, so they can find Him, so they can encounter Him, so they can discover who He truly is.

In April 1980 when I was 23 years old I surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore I cannot speak to what transpired before that magnanimous life changing decision concerning the process of purging that is to lead to purity. In the early 1980’s we began to witness the unveiling of impurity in the church. In fact, the TV ministry [PTL Club], and the minister [Jim Baaker] who influenced me to surrender to the Lord from what was talked about on several of their morning television shows was embroiled in a sex scandal himself.

Most of the revelations in the 1980’s had to do with Protestant, Pentecostal and or Charismatic impropriety, and then after that a deluge began to develop over the rampant sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

Now, fast forward to today and the latest religious organization to be sucked into the sewer of sexual impropriety is the Jehovah Witness’. “Jehovah’s Witnesses who allegedly suffered child abuse accused denominational leaders of telling them not to report abuse, saying it ‘would bring reproach on Jehovah.'” [From an article on http://www.dailycaller.com 11/20/17]

Reproach on Jehovah? Think of the damage that is done when children are told not to tell when they are abused because the God [god for the JW’s] they serve and trust would be negatively affected if they were to come clean. That certainly adds insult to their injury.

The problem is most of the exposure of the church has been done by the secular world [people outside the church]. Why the church doesn’t police its own purity is bewildering to me. It really shouldn’t be a surprise because the early church in Corinth refused to clean out the corruption of sexual sin, so this problem has persisted for two thousand years.

1 Corinthians 5

“1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. . . . 9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

Paul, as the apostolic founder and father of the church in the city of Corinth was appalled at how the leaders and members in Corinth were not dealing with the devilish behavior of one of its members. Paul’s unwavering wisdom maintains the standard the Savior of the Body laid out when He was setting the foundational teaching for the citizens of His kingdom. Paul went so far as to turn the man over to Satan to destroy his flesh [carnal, sinful nature and behavior] so that he might possibly be saved [forgiven, delivered and healed]. This is divine justice at its finest on display. The destruction of all that brings destruction in our lives for the purpose of us finding all that God has in store for our lives. What a deal that is!

“I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” [1 Corinthians 5:5]

I want to remind you this was a member of the church Paul did this to. Paul took to task the leaders and members for not making purity in their community a priority. Either this erring “so-called brother” was a faux Christian or Paul is clearly communicating unrepentant sinful behavior endangers our connection to Christ the Head of the Body resulting in dis-membering, or disqualification of our membership.

The same can be said of the way the church, and more specifically the Catholic Church has handled sexual predatory behavior. Reassigning pastors or priests to other churches [parishes] only enables them to prey on unknowing innocent parishoners.

Whatever happened to:

Ephesians 5

5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 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. 14 For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.'”

Who is the “sleeper” Paul is talking about in verse fourteen? Some say it is those who are living in darkness while others say it is those who are not maintaining the culture of Light. Either way, God wants the atmosphere around His people to replicate the atmosphere around Him.

Paul is once again dealing with unholy behavior within the community of those who are called by God holy. “Sons of disobedience” are those within the church who live their lives replicating the behavior of the father of sin, the devil. Paul goes on to say, “Let no one deceive you.” This is fatherly love being lavished on the ones being deceived. Paul is saying you cannot live in darkness and the light at the same time. Believing you can is deception.

One advantage the early church had over the church of today is there was only one church per city or region. Today there are hundreds if not thousands in a relatively small geographical area. What happens many times when someone is “discovered” to be living like a sinner while claiming to be a saint and are confronted, they “hear from God” and leave the community they claimed as their spiritual family and find an unsuspecting one to infect with their faithlessness.

Now that at least forty years of recent judgment has been uncovering corruption in God’s church it is now moving onto the other mountains [high places] of influence that make up society’s standard bearers.

Media, politics, military, arts, sports, law enforcement, business, family and the education mountains are undergoing what the church has been facing for at least a generation. Forty years is the time of testing in Scripture, and now that the church is approaching the end of her forty year time of testing the rest of the world and its systems can expect to undergo its own season of soul searching. This is not to say the church is now exempt from continued judgment. Hopefully, we in the church will pick up the mantle of maturity and deal with this problem “in house.”

What we see happening in the world right now is nothing short of a spiritual showdown where the God who sees everything is uncovering the darkness the prince of darkness has kept in the shadows of the unholy. “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” [Matthew 10:26; Luke 12:2].

Those who do not like President Donald Trump might not like what I am about to say but I will say it anyway. In the year since he was Constitutionally elected as our forty fifth president our superficial society is opening up and hidden horrors as coming into the light. The sewers in our society are no longer seeping. Now they are hemorrhaging.

I am convinced Donald Trump, with all of his personality quirks, weaknesses and past moral failures, possesses a fire that has been building in him for about as long as the house of God has been being exposed [1980’s – present]. Do your own research of his interviews that he did as far back as the 80’s, and see how he has been consistent in his open expression of love for this country and what he believes the solutions are that will bring us back to prominence on the planet God owns and loves. America, will all of her flaws, is still anointed by God to be a world leader for good.

It is interesting to me that since Donald Trump was elected our forty fifth president all sorts of sordid secret stuff is surfacing up from the sewer. And it is really interesting because his enemies sought to take him out with something he said years ago and with fake salacious smut. Many who were horrified at his crass conversation about “what certain women want” are now embroiled directly or indirectly in their own corrupt behavior. Hypocrisy on all levels are being highlighted right now.

In just over twelve months people in high places in academia, media, arts, politics and other areas of the social fabric of our society are being exposed for the hypocrisy they hid in plain sight. Now it is just in plain sight! And it is not pretty.

And the continued exposure is not the kind of exposure they desire, or are used to receiving!

“There is pleasure in sin for a season” is one reason people sin. “Be sure your sin will find you out” should be reason enough for all of us to constantly take personal inventory of what is hidden in our heads and hearts and should cause us to do due diligence in digging it up and doing away with it.

In my Book, Welcome To The Wilderness I write this as it pertains to Gomer. Gomer was a women looking for love in all of the wrong places.

Chapter 3, Page 63

“Now, what are the uninhabited areas of our lives that are uninhabitable?

That describes much of Gomer’s life. She was a mess. We don’t know why she was a mess. We don’t know why she could not be satisfied in relationships. We do not know what drove her to prostitution.

What we do know is God sent salvation to fix all of her problems!

All of us have areas in our lives that are uninhabitable. Each of us have stuff, baggage that we carry around with us, that God cannot bless. It may be ugly sin or it may be lies we believe, or places we refuse to look at, or just life in general that gets in His way.

The beauty of salvation is that those areas do not scare it. Salvation thrives in the junk rooms of people’s lives.

So God brought Gomer into those areas of her life in the wilderness.

Salvation never enters those areas to join them. Salvation enters in to reform, or transform them.

Salvation gives new life to old things that are dead.”

The fire Donald Trump possesses trumps the sanctimonious secretism of the social elite.

Isaiah chapter 45 clearly speaks of a leader God chose [anointed] for a special work that would be the precursor of a spiritual awakening in the land. Isaiah spoke concerning a man who wasn’t from the established Jewish order of leadership. God chose this man in spite of the established leadership community.

This man was named Cyrus. Cyrus means one who possesses the fire. This fire fueled his passion to find and fulfill his purpose. It drove him to heights of leadership excellence. Cyrus was the leader of Persia and Persia means pure or splendid. This man who was not considered pure or splendid by the establishment had been being established by God who does not look at the outward appearances of men like men do. God looks for what men possess that other men cannot see or refuse to see.

In spite of what you think of Donald Trump he possesses a purity and splendor that God chose to use and is using. In some ways Donald Trump is like king David. David certainly had serious lapses of judgment but God said David “was a man after My heart, who would do all My will.”

Donal Trump’s business acumen and vision enables him to see things way in advance and we might say God has graced him with a prophetic ability to see past the obvious into what is necessary.

President Trump, like Cyrus, is anointed for very specific goals. To accomplish these goals certain things must be uncovered, exposed and removed. One of the things that stands out about Cyrus is how Isaiah reports that God took Cyrus by the right hand. The right side represents authority and hand represents possession, or what we have responsibility for. In order for God to take Cyrus by the right hand God would have had to have been on his right side. This means God not only provided Cyrus His authority by being on Cyrus’ right side but he acknowledged what Cyprus possessed and anointed that for His purposes, even though Cyrus did not come from His “people.”

It appears Cyrus had a reputation as a kind, gentle and merciful conquerer. During an excavation of ancient Babylon in 1978 a cylinder was discovered containing a charter written by Cyrus. This charter promised to treat all the inhabitants of Babylon and the other kingdoms he conquered with respect. He swore that he would allow all inhabitants of his empire to practice their own religious and social customs without persecution. Cyrus also promised to punish anyone who acted cruelly to the religious and social minorities of his kingdom. Cyrus forbade the seizure of farmer’s lands and properties and made slavery of any kind illegal. Cyrus’ commitment to fair and equitable treatment of his people is exemplary by modern standards and was unique during his time period. [http://study.com/academy/lesson/cyrus-the-great-facts-accomplishments-quiz.html]

Maybe this is why God chose him to release the Jews to rebuild in the land they had been banned from.

Again, Donald Trump has many obvious flaws. We might want to be gracious because most of us have many flaws too. In being kind maybe we could agree his life is complicated. Is your life complicated with complications? What if your words were recorded and revealed to the world? Would they eliminate you from public service or ministry?

Donald Trump also has a reputation of doing extraordinary acts of kindness. He also has a great reputation with many of his past and present employees in his real estate empire.

Judgment begins, and when it begins it may not end for quite some time!

Let’s look at what Cyrus was anointed to do and view them in light of what Donald Trump is doing in our day.

  • Subdue  [conquer] nations – Now, when we think of subdue and conquer we think of destroying and or reshaping what is conquered after the image of the conquering country. That is not what Cyrus was anointed to do [I remind you of that cylinder found in 1878] and that is not what President Trump is doing. Other administrations wanted to remake conquered lands in the image of the USA. President Trump is not like the other Presidents who have failed miserably at nation building and who unleashed untold misery in the lands that have been conquered. Donald Trump believes in the sovereignty of individual nations and the national pride of those nation’s citizens. Again, this sounds like Cyrus.
  • Loose loins – Loins are the reproductive areas of our body. It is where production originates. The reproductive and creative ability resident in the organs and systems of the people are to be loosed [make wide open and set free]. Donald Trump is not forcing other nations to be molded into the image of our Constitutional Republic. He encourages the people to find their best selves and strive for excellence in their personal pursuits.
  • Of kings – The royals, or leaders in various spheres of influence and their advisors. In other words, Cyrus was, and President Trump is, anointed to expose the God-given abilities inherent in the leaders of other lands that will cause tremendous transformation with the societies they lead.
  • To open doors – This is the same word Hebrew word used for “loose”. This can be seen in light of the promise that God will open doors no man can shut [Revelation 3:8]. I believe this is the main reason why all the attacks against President Trump have failed and will continue to fail because man did not create Donald Trump, no man anointed Donald Trump, and no man opened doors for Donald Trump. Also, these doors that God opens is for the purpose of gaining access to the movers and shakers [the leaders] in the lands where the doors open.
  • So that gates will not be shut – Again, what God opens man cannot shut. Gates are access and egress points into a city, state, region or nation. There are natural and spiritual gateways into people and places. Ancient gates are now being opened.
  • I will go before you and make the rough places smooth – This speaks to how President Trump is received and honored in the different nations where he has traveled. Apparently other nations’ leaders see leadership in President Trump.
  • I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars – Bronze and iron speak to the resistance to change and those who are presenting the resistance, among other things. One has to choose not to see all of the positive change that has happened in the first year of President Trump’s administration. Have we arrived? No. But we are way farther down the road to recovery than we have in at least 10-12 years. The tide is turning toward transformation!
  • Treasures of darkness – Speaks of things in people and the people themselves that have been hidden from sight. Scripture tells us “we [Christians] have this treasure in earthen vessels.” Treasure begins in the womb and President Trump is being called the most pro-life President in our history. Protecting the unborn will release a blessing on our land that has the potential to stay the slaughter that is so prevalent in our streets. Also, this speaks of the gifts, talents, and abilities inherent inside of people that has not had an opportunity to be revealed and released. We are on the cusp of historic discoveries and demonstrations. WINNING IS FUN!
  • Hidden wealth in secret places – A nation’s wealth is not necessarily in the material possession. Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in what he possesses.” Rather, a nation’s wealth is her people. People no one has heard of before will begin to come out of secret places and be recognized for their great exploits.

All of this was done so that Cyrus [and Donald Trump] would know the Lord like he never knew was possible. Donald Trump is growing in the grace and knowledge of God Almighty. Has he arrived? No! Neither have you or I arrived! So we, like Donald Trump, must keep moving closer to the heart of God who loves us with all of His heart.

Isaiah prophesied it was for God’s people’s sake that God called Cyrus and gave him a place of honor. He said that was in spite of the fact Cyrus did not know God when He called and anointed him. Donald Trump has made protecting Christians worldwide a priority. Not even George W. Bush, a “born again Christian” did that. In fact, it is without question W’s policies in the middle east unleashed hell on Christians throughout the region. That hell was exacerbated under #44.

Also, now in America Christian leaders are no longer afraid of speaking into the political arena because the Johnson Act has been neutered, and we can thank President Trump for that, not #43!

God is on the move again! God is on the rise again! I believe it is because God is being honored at the highest level of our government again!

Let us pray that the Sun of Righteousness, who rose with healing in His wings, will release His healing virtue throughout our land. God is revealing His judgments and the world is in for another renassaince. Only this time it will come with spiritual revival and reformation that will result in a transformation that does not destroy the ancient foundations. That failed and is being overturned. Now foundations are being restored and new foundations are being laid.

So, let the real building begin!

That is what happens when judgment begins!

Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin

A Hisstorymaker

 

 

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