Perhaps gifts of the Spirit aren’t seen much in church because they’re considered a threat to the pastor’s control. Instead of saying, “Listen to and focus on me,” perhaps ministers should be saying, “Listen to and focus on Jesus.” Revival takes our eyes off pastor and church and sets them steadfastly on Jesus.
I love it when the Holy Spirit is allowed to release His gifts through anybody present in a church service, not just through the preacher in a pulpit. Unfortunately, however, that is pretty rare.
Sin may be the most ignored and/or denied mental health issue. However, when Christ is alive in you, you experience a whole new dimension of living. Without an ongoing, internal relationship with the living Jesus, religion has little to offer.
Christian’s are commanded to, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Too often we rejoice more in sports or politics than we do in Jesus. When Jesus’ first disciples bragged on buildings, He told them that the buildings were coming down. They did in 70 AD.
Grace produces inner revolution and Christ-like transformation. It never produces passivity and apathy. I love whitewater rafting on Jesus’ inner rivers of living water.
Cowardice is going against your conscience because you don’t have courage to stand against the crowd. The early Christians weren’t mad about politics. They were crazy about passionately following & obeying the risen Jesus.
The goodness of creation has been interrupted by evil, disease, and human rebellion. Joy should be natural.
The ABCs Of Joy
* Anger annihilates joy. * Bitterness banishes joy. * Christ creates joy. * Delight in Him. (Search Amazon for: The Joy Of Early Christianity.)
