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AUTHOR'S
VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Author's
Brief Testimony
Building up Disciples
To Partake in Jesus'
Ministry
WHY WE GATHER AS A BODY
Jesus
is the living "head of the church" for all
believers. He has designed a way for us to
follow him, even as the original twelve disciples
followed him. They walked at his side, discoursed
with him, and were both witnesses and partakers
of his spiritual ministry. They new his voice;
saw his power; and marveled at his wisdom.
They new him! Though I fear that
few nominal Christians are able to say they
know him. Yes we have heard about him,
but do we know him? Perhaps the greatest thing
to be revealed in the "gospel" is that we not
only may know him, but have fellowship with
him and partake in his nature and his ministry.
In the gathering of believers in a place of
meeting can we say that we leave that meeting,
knowing him better? Can we say that we have
heard his voice, felt his presence, or were
Empowered by his touch.
Ministry
Edifies, Strengthens, and Blesses
It
would be good for unbelieving eyes to see what
things can and do happen in a place of meeting.
God can make his glorious presence known; lift
people out of their fears and oppression; bring
joy and healing; restore broken hearts and
broken relationships and save peoples souls.
Church
liturgy was put together in a time far past,
perhaps following shortly after the kind of
glorious kind of fellowship described above.
There may have had good intentions. Perhaps
of preserving some of the truth or glory of
those earlier days. Maybe they wished to insure
the manifestation of God's presence and to
provide a platform to disciple those who needed
to under stand the truth of Christ's eternal
ministry.
The
Bible shows that God's presence can not be
captured and preserved. The Israelites of Old
tried to do so, but when God's Glory departed
it was gone they were left with a lifeless
idol. The temple remained the glory was gone.
The brazen serpent remained but the manifestation
of its power was gone. God's continued glory
and fellowship with us is determined by the
hearts of those who gather to worship him.
With passing years catechism remained but the
glory had been lost. The ritual remained and
the liturgical trappings remained but the presence
of God vanished. Ritual happens, I believe,
when men try to duplicate a behavior which
once brought forth the glory of God through
faith.
Elements
that remained were vainly held and became a
substitution for God's presence. "Ministry"
became the focus of a very small body of liturgical
experts, called the priesthood or the clergy,
when it was always to be the domain of every
believer. Just as God wishes each believer
to be a ministering priest, he wishes us to
become a true worshipper. What is this
true worshipper and what is worshipping the
Father in Spirit and in Truth? (John 4:23)
God is always looking for True Worshippers.
He looks at the hearts he does not regard the
man with the religious uniform over a common
person whose heart is open. He does not favor
a cathedral over a location which has been
made ready on the inside of us. As Jesus told
the woman at the well of Samaria, it is not
where you worship, not this mountain or
another mountain, but what and how we worship.
He said to her that some do not know what
they are even worshipping but the truth
is that salvation is connected to worship,
it is through the foundation of the Jews. The
time was coming, Jesus explained, when men
and women women would worship the Most High
God in Spirit. Those who do not have this
Spirit can not have the revelation of God of
which Jesus spoke.
DISCIPLING
Disciples, Learning the "Way" The foundation
of the life of Christ is laid by becoming a
disciple of Jesus. Just as he made disciples
in the time of his earthly ministry so he continues
today. (John 8:21 ; 17:20) The Christian world
through religion has made the life of the Bible
remote and impersonal. It has made Peter, James
and John or John the Baptist into icons or
religious folk heroes. The sense of their being
our brothers, sharing the same life of trials
and faith has been all but lost. In our minds
Bible days were another time, another faith,
another dispensation. This is not the case.
Religious tradition places men on pedestals
and this should not be the case because it
is contrary to every apostolic and Christ-uttered
teaching. God does not show favoritism nor
does he show respect of persons.
"Knowledge
makes arrogant, love edifies."
Discipleship
1 Spiritual Growth
Disciple's
Handbook 2, Growing With
the Body
Jesus'
Cycle: Growth, Trials,
and Triumph
Learning
Christ, Partaking In His
Ministry
The
great question of life
that philosophers ask
is,
"Who are we?
Where do we come from?
Where
are we going?
Where do
we go to seek wisdom
and the answers
to the secrets
of life?
Do
we inquire according
to secular wisdom,
or religious teachings?
Or is there another?
How
does Godly Wisdom
contrast to secular
wisdom?
How
does Godly Wisdom
contrast with "religious"
wisdom?
3
PARADIGMS
OF
WISDOM AND TRUTH
The
Paradigm of Worldly Wisdom
Contrasted to Godly Wisdom
1Cor:1:19:
For it is written, I will
destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and will
bring to nothing the
understanding of the prudent.
(KJV)1Cor:1:21:
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. (KJV)
THE
PARADIGM OF WORLDLY WISDOM
Worldly
wisdom extols and rewards
self-exaltation and individuality Godly
wisdom (the Truth) says
deny yourself take up
your cross, die to
yourself.
In the Jesus, Spirit-led
model of wisdom no man
is "good "Worldly wisdom
is based upon observation
and the appearance of
things
Godly
wisdom (the Truth) The
unseen things are eternal
and have a substance
yet to be known by human
reason.
Worldly wisdom is based
upon "scientific" principle
and measurable
phenomena.
Godly wisdom (the Truth)
teaches that if you believe
in the unseen you have
faith and will see the
results manifested.
Worldly
wisdom features the domination
or rule of the strong
and the mighty. Godly
wisdom (the Truth) teaches
that God chooses the weak
and the insignificant
to shame the wise and
strong.
Worldly
wisdom devalues
humans with few
assets, childlike
meekness and simplicity.
Godly wisdom (the
Truth) reveals
that the greatest
in the kingdom
of God are like
children. Humble,
trusting, and meek.
Worldly
wisdom values and
rewards intellectual
achievement and scholarship.
Godly wisdom (the
Truth) teaches
that the wisdom
of man is
foolishness to
him.
Worldly
wisdom recognizes
classes as inferior
or superior rank
and class, this
is respect of persons.
Godly wisdom (the
Truth) teaches
that those who
are poor
shall eventually
receive the blessings
of the kingdom.
The proud and
the mighty he scatters
and turns away.
Worldly
wisdom's view of
the "vast timeless
universe" diminishes
or negates the
need of a savior.
Godly wisdom (the
Truth) teaches
that God created
the heaven and
the earth by wisdom
and all things
that are in it.
And he called
his creation "good."
Worldly
wisdom features
"self preservation"
as a principle
Godly
wisdom (the Truth)
speaks of self
sacrifice as a
divine virtue
Worldly
wisdom believes
life may well be
over when one dies
Godly wisdom (the
Truth) we are eternal
beings who retain
our own soul's
personal identity
forever. Some will
inherit eternal
blessings and others
will inherit
eternal separation
from God.
Worldly
wisdom presumes
that God
regards
each religion
or faith
democratically.
Godly wisdom
(the Truth)
reveals
that one
nation is
the
chosen people
of God.
The Bible
established
upon infallible
promises,
states that
there is
only one
mediator
between
God and
man.
Jesus the
son of God,
the king
of the Jews.
Worldly
wisdom presumes
that God
does not
favor any
one nation
over
another.
Godly wisdom
(the Truth)
reveals
that one
nation is
the chosen
people of
God. There
is only
one mediator
between
God and
man.
Jesus the
son of God,
the king
of the Jews.
Worldly
wisdom would
suggest
there is
one God
who is simply
called by
many names.
Godly wisdom
(the Truth)
though there
are many
gods there
is
but one
God who
is above
all and
we can hold
no god higher
than He.
Worldly
wisdom presumes
that God
is essentially
impersonal.
Godly
wisdom (the
Truth) says
that we
can become
sons of
God. Adapted
into
the family.
We are called
to inherit
the blessings
and partake
in His
divine
nature.
Worldly
wisdom believes
that all
of the human
race are
automatically
"children
of God"
Godly wisdom
(the Truth)
Whoever
believes
on the Son
of
God, Jesus
Christ has
eternal
life. Whoever
has not
the son
has no life
but
the
condemnation
of God remains
upon them.
Paradigm
of Religious
Wisdom
In
the religious
paradigm
the religious
life centers
around a
"church
house"
In
the religious
paradigm
the church
house is
called "the
house of
God"
In the religious
paradigm
the church
building
is called
the "Church"
In
the religious
paradigm
traditions
include
various
church features
or - -
traditions
such as:
pulpits
and pews,
stained
glass windows,
organs and
'sacred
music'
solemnity
and formalism,
ecclesiastical
garb robes,
orders of
service,
ritual,
- -
designated
ranks of
clerical
authority.
In the religious
paradigm
a formally
trained
priest or
clergy "officiates"
over
the
"services"
In
the religious
paradigm
a formal
address
or sermon
delivered
to the faithful
is called
"preaching"
In
the religious
paradigm
one or two
hours a
week meets
the requirements
of personal
involvement
In
the religious
paradigm
only the
professionally
trained
clergy are
qualified
to "minister"
In
the religious
paradigm
there is
"respect
of persons"
relative
to spiritual rank
or authority
In
the religious
paradigm
members
may be totally
disassociated
in worship
or prayer
In
the religious
paradigm
a person's
spiritual
life is
governed,
directed
or sustained
by another
In
the religious
paradigm
the exploits
of God and
Saints are
in the past
In
the religious
paradigm
people are
taught how
to please
God with
certain
deeds
or obligations
In the religious
paradigm
there are
duties required
to attain
"good standing"
In
the religious
paradigm
one often
does not
experience
God only
hears about
God
In
the religious
paradigm
one often
doesn't
know if
he/she is
saved
In
the religious
paradigm
Bible doctrine
plus traditional
teachings
form the
core doctrines
Paradigm
of Godly
Wisdom,
(Modeled
by Jesus)
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom there
are paradoxes
to the natural
instincts
or wisdom
of man
the
least shall
be greatest;
the
first shall
be last;
many
called but
few chosen;
we
must die
in order
to live;
we
must hate
the things
of this
world;
we
must be
like a child,
God has
hidden wisdom
from the
wise;
the
unseen things
are a greater
reality
than the
seen. etc.
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom man
in his natural
self can
do
nothing
of value
for the
kingdom
of God
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom,
the spiritual
man is totally
dependant
upon the
guidance
of the Spirit
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom we
are in a
perpetual
spiritual
battle
for survival
and dominance
in life
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom there
is eternal
life, promised
rewards
and consequences
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model Jesus
preached
to those
outside
pertaining
to
the Kingdom
of God and
taught his
followers
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom only
those who
are born
of the
Spirit
and led
of the Spirit
are the
Children
of God
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom people
are discipled,
disciples
are
matured
and then
charged
with ministry
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom ministry
is through
the leading
of
the Holy
Spirit
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom true
worshipers
worship
in
Spirit
and in Truth
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom,
wisdom and
insight
is hidden
from
the double
minded and
the unredeemed
In
the Jesus,
Spirit-led
model of
wisdom we
could memorize
the Bible
and
not
know truth-
only the
Spirit reveals
it.
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