Jonathan Brenneman's Blog, page 19

How To Evaluate If You’re Walking In Faith

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This stuff isn’t nearly as valuable as your faith!

Last week I shared a recent story of walking in faith and helping a guy get free from pain and get his mobility restored after his leg was reconstructed. I promised to share some thoughts the next week about how to evaluate if we are walking in faith. Learning to recognize if we’re walking in faith in a certain area can be a useful tool, because it shows us just how we can change our thought patterns and actions in order to grow. I get excited when I see exactly how I can grow, because I’ve already tasted of all that’s possible in Christ and I want to experience more. So here it is!

 The Evidence Of Things Not Seen

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We know we are walking in faith when we treat invisible realities as facts. One of the ways I evaluate if I’m walking in faith is by asking myself if I’m really valuing the things that are most valuable. The invisible heavenly reality that we have access to in Christ is far more valuable than temporal things.

 Peter 1:3-9 (NRSV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,  who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials,  so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Peter tells us an inheritance that is kept in heaven for us, and far more precious than gold. Most people read this and think we are waiting for our inheritance from God. But they forget that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places and have access to heaven now. We are already in heaven! When Peter says this inheritance is “kept in heaven,” his language shows us that nothing on earth can take this heavenly treasure from us. The word “kept” means “guarded.” He isn’t implying that we don’t have access to it now! I reached this conclusion as I was writing Present Access To Heaven and reviewing everything scripture says about our inheritance in Christ.

Peter said this heavenly treasure is far more valuable than gold and is cause for an indescribable and glorious joy.

Does My Mood Hinge On Far Inferior Earthly Things?

[image error]So here’s one way I evaluate my faith walk. A few weeks ago I found myself really excited because I sold a lot of books in one day. Then I was bummed when the sales waned. Can you relate in some way? When our emotions go up and down like a yo-yo based on things like that, it shows that we must be blind in some way to the heavenly treasure we have. It shows that I’m paying more attention to seen things which have little value in comparison to my faith, which is far more precious than gold. If my faith cannot be taken from me and is really far more precious than gold, why should my mood go up and down based on something of such inferior value?

If I’m walking in faith I should have great joy because I am aware of these invisible treasures and they have substance to me. When inferior things do so much to change my mood, it shows that I’m not walking in a very great awareness of invisible realities. It shows that my perception doesn’t line up with truth.

Believe it or not, this has a lot to do with healing the sick and other forms of supernatural ministry. If I’m not walking in awareness of the riches I have in Christ, I won’t make use of them. I will act like a poor person even though I’m rich.  Evaluating myself and recognizing that my perception is distorted when compared to what God’s sees helps me to change my perspective and learn to walk in faith.

My wife recently got in a car crash because bandits held up the car in front of her. The car was sitting in the middle of the lane on a dark and rainy night with no lights on after the driver was robbed. Nobody saw him, and it caused a four-car crash. Now the insurance company is fraudulently claiming that the steering wheel of the car was already broken before the crash, and refusing to fix it.

We are fighting for justice in this situation. Yet may I never lose my joy because of things like gold (or cars) that perish anyways, when I have a faith that is far more valuable and which nobody can ever take from me! If my joy hinges on things like that, I’m walking in the “evidence of things unseen.” If you want to walk in faith, don’t set your hope on your pay raise, your new business, or your “breakthrough.” Set your hope fully on the grace that you are receiving in the revelation of Jesus! Things like a well-deserved pay raise and business success are good, but don’t set your hope on such things. It’s sad when how well Christians are doing hinges on inferior and perishable things.

This is another verse that many translations miss by making it sound like we are waiting for this grace to be given us in the future. But look at the Youngs Literal Translation. We are growing in the revelation of Jesus now, and are presently receiving this powerful grace.

1 Peter 1:13 (YLT) Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If you are walking in faith, you will act and think according to the truth that your faith and the grace you are receiving in Christ really is far more valuable than gold! 2 Corinthians 4:18 says we set our minds not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on heavenly things, not earthly things.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the certainty of things unseen. This means that when we set our hope fully on the grace given us in the revelation of Jesus, that grace takes on substance in our lives. When our focus is on unseen realities, it will show by our joy, and miracles will happen!

As soon as we begin to let our mood hinge on temporary visible things, we have stopped looking at invisible, eternal things and have stopped walking in faith. When we do that, we stop making use of our heavenly treasure. May our joy always be based on heavenly reality, not earthly things of inferior value.

 

 

The post How To Evaluate If You’re Walking In Faith appeared first on Go to Heaven Now!.

Walking In Faith And Dealing With Surgical Steel

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Here’s a recent story of ministering healing to a guy with surgical steel. I hope it encourages you to minister even when you don’t feel full of faith or the person you are ministering to is doubting.

God, Does This Man Need To Be Healed?

A new guy came to our April 4th prayer meeting. I thought “He must need to be healed of something,” and asked God if he had any physical problems. I especially wanted to see him have an experience with God, because he had never been to our meeting before.

I had the feeling that he might have some back pain. It wasn’t a really clear impression. It was just a thought that I stepped out with. He said “Yeah, it hurts sometimes.”

“It hurts sometimes.” A lot of people have back pain once in a while. I wasn’t sure if I’d really heard God about his back, or it was just a lucky guess. I didn’t feel particularly full of faith. But I chose to act based on truth, so I said “I want to pray for your back.” Whether or not I’d heard God or just gotten lucky, I knew that Jesus is the healer and wanted to heal this man.

Hebrews says that faith is the assurance of things we don’t see. If you want to grow in faith, act on invisible realities.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people talk often about faith and invisible realities, but don’t act as if they are true. That’s why it sounds so funny to me when people say “We believed, but it didn’t work.” I realize that I often don’t act according to the truths of God’s invisible realities. But I’m learning to recognize that and to change it. Faith is more action than it is thinking or feeling.*

So we laid hands on him. “In Jesus’ name, back be healed and pain go.” Then I asked him to move his back. His back and shoulder were pain-free! It became clear that he really did have significant back and shoulder pain. His back had been hurting as he worked that day, and it was hurting when he came to our prayer meeting. I don’t know why people sometimes downplay it when you ask them about what they are feeling, but it had really been worse than he initially made it out to be and he was so glad that it felt better now!

Surgical Steel

He also mentioned surgical steel that the doctors used to hold his leg together after a car accident. I said “God has healed many people with surgical steel so that they could move again like they did before, and without pain. For some people, the steel disappeared in the x-ray. For others, the steel was still there, but they could move as if it wasn’t there anymore, and without the pain they once had. Let’s pray for you for this too.” 

I asked him to touch his toes. He could only get to about 2 feet away from his toes. We laid hands on him again. “In Jesus’ name, pain go and movement be restored.” He still could even get near to touching his toes. I wanted to keep praying for him, but he immediately said “I’ve had this problem like this for a long time. It’s been more than ten years.”  

I said “I know, but it doesn’t matter how long you’ve had the problem. God is healing many people with surgical steel. It’s no harder for him to heal you than anybody else.” I continued telling him testimonies, but he seemed deaf to what I was saying. He kept going on about how long he’d had the problem and couldn’t move, as if trying to shut me down so I wouldn’t pray for him again.

Something felt familiar. It seemed like this was a spirit speaking through him and closing his ears. It wasn’t him. It was a lying spirit trying to prevent him from being healed by God by trying to stop us from ministering to him again. Soon everyone was talking and it seemed like the moment had passed.

Act On Invisible Realities, And Don’t Let Anyone’s Unbelief Discourage Your Faith!

 

Everyone was talking, but I didn’t want to let this guy go without ministering to him again. His back and shoulder had already been healed, and we’d only gotten to pray for his leg very briefly. After a little while, I spoke up and said “Hey, I want to pray for your leg again. Many people have been freed from steel and got their movement back.” He responded “I can’t move more than this…”  I said “Yes, but we are getting many testimonies of people who had steel and couldn’t move, but God took the steel. I don’t give up. Many times we pray for someone and they can move more, and then we pray for them again, and they are 100% better. That’s why I want to pray for you again.”

After I said that, he agreed and said “OK, pray for me again.” We did, quickly. My little 2 year old also put her hand on him.

Then I said “Touch your toes now, with no pain.” He did! He did it again and again, easily, and with no pain.

I don’t know if he had a steel bar, a plate and screws, or something else, but I know that he couldn’t even get his hands close to his feet before. Now he could easily touch his toes without pain!

A lot of times people’s unbelief affects us because we believe it can or we let it discourage us, and then we step out of the place of faith and start living by feelings. But this story illustrates that other people’s unbelief, even the unbelief of people we are ministering to, doesn’t have to shut us down. In fact, sometimes we can just recognize that it wasn’t even the person saying those words of unbelief. It was a spirit trying to hinder them from experiencing God’s touch.

Sometimes you might have to contradict what everybody around you is saying. Every time someone says “I’ve had this pain for so long…” stop them and say “But that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t make it hard for God. He is healing lots of people with this problem…” Just keep talking about what God is doing and sharing testimonies. Don’t take their unbelief personally. This is an effective way to minister to doubters. The spiritual realm works by proclamation, so just keep contradicting the lies that the little doubter demon is whispering in their ear! Be patient and courteous with the individual, but persistent in countering the lies. Don’t let the voice of doubt say the last word. Their unbelief doesn’t have to negate your faith!

Next week, we’ll look at one way to evaluate if you are walking in faith.

*I’m particularly talking about stepping out to minister to people here. I don’t suggest discontinuing medication without consulting with your doctor. 

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Trying To Break The Devil’s Power Is Like Denying Jesus’ Death

[image error]If Jesus really gave us authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and tread on all the power of the enemy, why does it seem like that authority doesn’t work sometimes? God began to give me insight into this question with a vision I had before preaching in Toronto, Canada. I realized how we as Christians often mentally acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh, died, and resurrected, yet act and pray as if these things aren’t true. We deny foundational gospel truths by our words and actions. We fail to act and speak with authority when we fail to act from a gospel position.

How do we recognize when we’re doing that, and how to change it? We must understand the truths that Jesus’  incarnation, death, and resurrection imply. We must understand what they mean for us. I’ve written about various aspects of that before, but the Lord recently highlighted another important aspect of it to me.

I often ask myself “Am I acting and thinking according to the truths of Jesus’  incarnation, death, and resurrection?” When I realize that I am not, I simply change course and change what I’m doing. Since I believe these things are facts, I choose to behave accordingly. So many times, this is when miracles happen. Guys, I’ve been a part of many miracles but I still need to grow. These kinds of insights are some of the things that have helped me to grow.

Jesus Broke The Devil’s Power By His Death!

Hebrews 2:14 (NIV) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil…

What does Jesus’ death mean? The devil’s power is broken. If it’s broken, I don’t need to break it! If I’m trying to break the devil’s power, I’m acting like Jesus didn’t die. If I’m acting like Jesus never died, I’m not standing in a gospel position. And what more?

Colossians 2:15 (NIV) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Jesus disarmed the devil by his death. If I’m treating Satan as an armed enemy, I’m acting as if Jesus didn’t die.

I know such statements bring up a lot of questions. You may ask, “If Jesus disarmed the enemy, then why does Ephesians say we need the ‘shield of faith’ to extinguish his flaming darts?”

Satan’s “flaming darts” are lies and accusations, including the lie that he’s a powerful enemy whom we should fear. He attempts to get us to give him the attention that only the Lord deserves. He attempts to get us to fear him instead of being so impressed with God that he looks like a little mouse.  In the words of the famous evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke:

The Bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). He comes in the darkness, and tries to frighten the children of God with his mighty roar. But when you switch on the light of the Word of God, you discover that there is no lion. There is only a mouse with a microphone! The devil is an imposter. Got it?

Trying So Hard To Cast Out A Demon

I remember one of the first times I tried to kick out a demon. I was a teenager. A girl we knew was seeing demons and things moving in her house. The evil spirits were choking her and worse.

I worked myself up and summoned all my strength to break those demons’ power. It was really tough! Several hours of attempting to gain authority over those things only left me discouraged and wondering what was wrong with me as a Christian. Several early attempts to cast out demons ended the same way!

Then in a time of desperation, I began to realize how confused my belief system had been and a life of miracles began. Healing became a normal part of my life, and I soon found out that many sicknesses and pains were caused by evil spirits attacking people’s bodies. They were so easy to cast out! And so healing soon lead to deliverance ministry. What happened? As I learned to minister healing, I started to act according to the truth that Jesus already broke Satan’s power. I started to act as if Jesus really did break the power of evil by his death. And he did! Deliverance became a regular part of my life as well. In fact, most of the time it wasn’t a big show. Evil spirits left as I simply talked to people about Christ or released God’s peace on them.

Deliverance became a regular part of my life as well. In fact, most of the time it wasn’t a big show. Evil spirits left as I simply talked to people about scriptural truths or released God’s peace on them. People burped, felt sudden relief, felt weights lift off their shoulders, and suddenly could breathe again.

Yet sometimes I encountered an evil spirit or a sickness that seemed more oppressive. Then I started trying to break the devil’s power again. And it never went well!

Stop Trying To Do What Jesus Already Did!

Guys, I’ve ministered to a lot of people. I’ve seen many wonderful miracles. I’ve also failed at times to do what I know Jesus would have done. I’ve learned from my successes and failures, and I’ve begun to pick up on some of the ways that I get out of a place of faith.

One of the things I’ve realized is that when I find I’m striving and trying too hard, it’s because I’m trying to break the power of that sickness or that oppression. Since Jesus already did that by his death, I’m acting as if Jesus never died. And since I’m not standing in a gospel position, I don’t get very far!

It’s good for me to recognize that because then I know what I need to stop! Why do we look at some things as so much more difficult than others? What we really need is to get such a vision of Jesus that we will only be impressed with him. When I fail to exercise Christ’s dominion over those things which He’s put under my feet, I need to look to Jesus and remind myself of the gospel. Then I need to stop trying so hard and just do it!

We aren’t here to break the power of Satan. Jesus already has. We’re here to spoil the Devil, trample over his power, and destroy his works.

Do you want to grow in exercising the dominion which Jesus gave you? Stop trying to break the devil’s power and take it as a fact that Jesus has already broken it!

If you liked this post, you may want to check out my Heaven Now book trilogy. It contains many similar insights into understanding simple gospel truths and exercising heaven’s dominion on earth. It’s also filled with testimonies of what happened when I put these truths into practice. I’m sure these books will encourage you and help you learn to walk as a heavenly person. Not only that, but your purchase supports our missionary work in Brazil and in every other place we go!

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Healing Old People

[image error]Is It Normal For Seniors To Have Arthritis?

Not long after I got started healing the sick, I realized that I often felt hesitant to pray for old people. After all, they are old and it seems normal to have arthritis at that age, right? Well, what I felt clearly wasn’t logical. It was just the remnants of an old way of thinking.

Mark 6:56 (NRSV) And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Can you imagine Jesus saying to a senior citizen, “Oh, sore knees are quite normal at your age?” I can’t. I’m sure that some of the people who approached Jesus were seniors. And he healed them along with everyone else.

I decided that if sore knees were never normal to Jesus, they shouldn’t be normal to me. I resolved to minister to seniors just like I did with everyone else.

[image error]But Don’t People Have To Eventually Die?

You might ask, “But if people keep getting healed, how will they eventually die?” That’s a good question. F.F. Bosworth answered it for me.

Bosworth was an evangelist in the early twentieth century. He wrote a classic book called Christ The Healer. I don’t know of any other book that gives as thorough and strong of an argument for healing in Christ’s atonement and as a covenant promise for all Christians, as Christ The Healer does. Few books have made as great of an impact on my life as this one did.

Bosworth emphasized God’s promises in scripture relating to long life and wholeness. He taught that you don’t have to die of sickness. The Lord can take your “breath,” or spirit, when it’s time for you to go. Bosworth’s family testified that this was exactly how he died. He knew when the time was coming for him to leave, and gathered his family to say goodbye. He was already talking to people in heaven before he had completely left his earthly body. He wasn’t sick. He just left.

The story of Smith Wigglesworth’s death is similar. He left, strong and healthy to the end. A dentist said he had never seen such a perfect set of teeth as Wigglesworth had.

Scripture says that Moses’ eyes were not weak or his vigor abated when he died at the age of 120 years old. This was the result of beholding God’s glory! Yet the New Testament teaches that we have access to a glory that far surpasses what Moses saw! Moses didn’t die of a disease. God took him!

[image error]“I Know I’m Old, But I Want To Keep Living!”

Not long after I read Bosworth’s book, a family friend invited me to pray for an elderly relative in her mid-80’s. She was dismayed because the doctors had given her six weeks to live. She told us that her kidneys were only functioning 40%. I didn’t realize how many other serious health problems she had. But she wanted to live longer! She wasn’t ready to go yet.

I told her, even if your time to leave this earth is soon, it’s God’s will to heal you. You don’t have to die of a disease! God is rich in mercy and he sees your desire for a longer life.

And then we ministered to her just as we would minister to a young person. I spoke “Kidneys be whole, and all disease leave her body. Body, be young again!”

Several weeks later we heard the news. She went back to the doctor and her kidneys were functioning 100%! Not only that, the doctors were no longer finding several other serious problems that she had before. When we prayed for her kidneys, I didn’t realize she also had a life-threatening heart problem and certain things in her blood tests were at dangerous levels. Her blood tests now came back normal!

Our dear old lady went on to live for several more years! This story inspired me, and I later shared it with the seniors in Russia. We saw Jesus do beautiful things there! I will never forget those old ladies in Russia. They ended up ministering to me as much as I ministered to them.

There’s something really touching and special about seeing the Lord heal seniors. God has healed my grandmother several times, and it’s been marvelous to see the Lord’s work of preserving and renewing her health. I wrote about one of the times God healed her in Grammy’s First Trip To Heaven. God healed her of another issue last year, and I just realized I haven’t written about it yet! Maybe that will be next week’s blog post.

 

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Does Every Christian Need A Spiritual Father?

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                                                                          Who’s my father?

I’ve just released a short e-book called Are You My Spiritual Father? It’s adapted from a section of I Am Persuaded: Christian Leadership As Taught By Jesus. Because of the need for a balanced and scriptural approach to this subject in the church, I’ve made it available as a free download for the first few days. I’m already getting feedback about how much it’s encouraging people. This teaching goes against the “conventional wisdom” of many churches and leaders we are familiar with. Yet it’s scriptural. It also fits closely with the message of some of the best church-planting teachers in the world—such as Brian Hogan, who coaches people in planting churches for YWAM. No matter how offensive the notion of trusting God and letting go may be, these people have fruit to show for it.

Today’s post is an excerpt from Are You My Spiritual Father? You can get the whole book for free until April 7th  on Kindle, and also on iBooks, Google Play, and Kobo. A  paperback booklet is also available for sale.

Every Christian Has A Perfect Spiritual Father—God!

Some who emphasize fathering refer to Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Paul and Timothy. There are certainly things that we can learn from these relationships, yet often insightful questions are not asked: “Who was Moses’ spiritual father, Elijah’s spiritual father, or Paul’s spiritual father?” The assumption that every believer needs to have a “spiritual father” leads us into several serious problems.

First, when it’s believed that every Christian must find a human “spiritual father,” the immediate implication is that they are fatherless if they do not have one! This totally misses the abundance of Scripture pointing conclusively to God as our all-sufficient father. There’s much contemporary teaching about “spiritual fathers” that assumes those who don’t have a “spiritual father” are lacking, and that those who don’t feel they want or need a “spiritual father” have an “orphan spirit,” or a spirit of slavery. This kind of teaching misses these fundamental gospel truths Paul gives us in Romans:

Romans 8:14-17 (KJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.

Some would reply, “Well, in speaking of the need for spiritual fathers, we didn’t mean to say that God is not our father. But we need other fathers too.” Is that what Jesus taught? As a natural father, if another person believes that my child absolutely needs his “fathering,” he implies that I’m not doing a very good job! Sometimes an overemphasis on “fathering” stems from leaders being fearful that God won’t do what he said he would do. Yet, God has said he would be a father to each of us—this is foundational to our faith and should give us great assurance.

I’ve heard several experienced church planters say that one of the most important things they needed to learn was how to let go of people and thereby commend believers to God and to the word of his grace. Paul gives us this precise example in his words to the Ephesians in Acts 20:32. In other words, God led these church planters into an understanding of where their role ended and where they were to entrust the believers to him. It’s essential for leaders to trust the Holy Spirit to lead the disciples into all truth. No one but the Holy Spirit can do this! Elders need to know that although they play a part in God’s fathering of young disciples, they can never completely fill the role of being a disciple’s “spiritual father.” This is God’s role!

Do You Really Have An Orphan Spirit, Or Have You Been Lied To?

If we teach that every Christian needs to find a spiritual father, not only do we go beyond what Scripture says, but we also mistakenly emphasize a need for something that the believer has already received according to the gospel. It’s like constantly telling young Christians they need forgiveness! If they believe that, they are missing what the gospel says about turning to God and receiving his once and for all forgiveness, and so will continue to walk in condemnation!

Likewise, if disciples are constantly being told they need a “spiritual father” and they believe it, they are missing the gospel and will continue to feel like orphans. They will believe that they need something they already have in Christ. Young believers do not need to be adopted; rather, they need to learn the gospel truth that they have already been adopted and have received the Spirit of adoption.

God is saying to the believer, “You are my son! I have given you the Spirit of adoption. You have an inheritance. I am your wonderful Father.” In conflict with this, men are teaching that same person that he lacks all of these things. When the Christian listens to that erroneous teaching and either doubts or has never learned what he received at salvation, he will have a nagging sense of lack until he recognizes the error and believes the gospel. Recognizing that he already received son-ship, inheritance, and the Spirit of adoption when he was born again will give him assurance to hear and obey God.

When believers feel that they need to find some elder to adopt them and become their spiritual parent, this interferes with their relationship with the Lord. It interferes with the young Christian knowing how to relate properly to the Lord and look to God as his or her father.

I’ve heard of many cases where the idea that believers need to find a spiritual father to adopt them has greatly frustrated those who couldn’t find someone with the time or energy to sow into their lives as Paul did in Timothy’s life. Even when they did find someone, they often ended up looking to that person in an unhealthy way. The faith of some began to rest more on their relationship with that person than on the Lord.

The full ebook is free until April 7th

Kindle – iBooks – Google Play – Kobo.

$5.99 Paperback Booklet 

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Two Laws—The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil, And The Tree Of Life

[image error]Today’s post is adapted from a short section of my book Present Access To Heaven. It’s part of a chapter that deals with things which hinder us from seeing God as he is and living in the reality of heaven.

The subject of “the law” can be a bit confusing in the New Testament. Many people debate whether Christians are under the law or not. Some believe we are not justified by the law but are still under it. Some people believe we are under part of it, like the 10 commandments and a few other rules. They call it “The moral law.”

The confusion often stems from the fact that the New Testament talks about two laws, just as it talks about two covenants. It contrasts these laws. We are not subject to any part of the old covenant law. That doesn’t mean that we are lawless. We are subject to a new law with an entirely different nature.

This excerpt puts together many statements directly from the New Testament about the law. Putting these statements together helps to clarify the contrast between the Old Covenant law and the law of Christ. All verses quoted here are from the New Revised Standard Version. Of course, that the Old Covenant law is of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil isn’t directly stated in scripture, but I think you’ll see that it’s pretty clear from what scripture does say about that law.

[image error]The Old Covenant Law—The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil

The veil that 2 Corinthians 3 speaks of is the Old Covenant law that was done away with. The law was good, but it was powerless to justify us or bring us into the knowledge of the Lord; through it came the knowledge of sin, and not of righteousness. Since the law did not lead to the knowledge of the Lord, but to the knowledge of sin, it was from the “good” part of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Just like the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did, the law brought death. Rather than freeing from sin, the law caused sin to multiply, aroused our sinful passions, and revived sin. The law was flawed, and perfection was simply not attainable through it.

The old law was abolished and became obsolete because it was weak and ineffectual, and a better hope was introduced, through which we may now approach God and enter heaven itself. This was a new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ, the Spirit of God dwelling in man; the knowledge of the Lord.

[image error]The Law Of Christ—The Tree Of Life

This law of life was not in letter, but was written on our hearts by the Spirit of God. Unlike the old law which was of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, this law was the knowledge of the Lord which was made possible through the forgiveness of sins. Under this new commandment, we love as God loves, because we have received God’s love and that love has become our nature.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 We had to die to the old law, which was of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, to live in the new law, the knowledge of the Lord. This knowledge of the Lord comes by justification through grace and produces grace.

This law, of the knowledge of the Lord through grace, is Christ’s new commandment that we love as he loves us. This law empowers us. This is the law of righteousness and of being led by the Spirit of God. Let’s look at some scriptures which contrast the law of the old covenant with the new law of grace and righteousness which we have received:

 Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

 Romans 7:4 In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.

  Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

 Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.

Cutting Yourself Off From Christ And Falling Away From Grace

 One reason Christians presently experience much less than heaven’s reality, struggling with sin and lacking in power, is that they have been bewitched into following the old law that is in letter but not in the knowledge of the Lord through grace. Just as we first received salvation through grace, we must continue in it by grace.

Galatians 3:1-5 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

  Galatians 3:10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse…

 Galatians 5:4 You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

 The power of God unto salvation is in the message of the gospel. If we are really believing the gospel, God’s power and miracles should manifest abundantly among us. One of the main reasons that many are lacking in the manifestation of the Holy Spirit and don’t see miracles is that they are trying to attain them through the works of the law instead of by simply believing the gospel.

Romans 7:12, 16

Galatians 2:16, 3:11

Romans 3:20

Romans 7:5, 9-10, Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 15:56,

Romans 5:20

Romans 7:5

Romans 7:9

Hebrews 8:7

Hebrews 7:11+19, 10:1

Ephesians 2:15

Hebrews 8:13

Hebrews 7:18

Hebrews 7:19

Hebrews 9:24, 10:19

Romans 8:2

Romans 3:24, Titus 3:7

2 Peter 1:2

John 13:34

Romans 1:16

The post Two Laws—The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil, And The Tree Of Life appeared first on Go to Heaven Now!.

Why Would God Give Us Gemstones And Gold Dust When People Are Starving In Africa?

[image error]Supernatural Gemstones And Gold Dust

Guys, I recently shared an article from my friend Michael King on gemstones from heaven. Manifestations of gemstones, gold dust, oil, and more during Christian meetings are controversial. I can understand why. I’m quite pragmatic by nature, and I too was skeptical when I first heard of these things. My skepticism wasn’t over if God could do such miracles, but if he would.

I first heard about such things as a young teenager. But then I began to see them. My hunger overcame my skepticism until I discovered a beautiful revelation of God’s love shown in signs and wonders. I’ve seen the fillings in my friend’s mouth, about 1/3 of his mouth, turn to gold. I’ve seen hunks of gold with gemstones embedded in them, oil supernaturally flowing from a man’s hands, gold dust in abundance, and even a plastic gemstone in a ring turning into a real stone. After returning from one mission trip to Russia, specks of gold appeared on my face and my mom’s face simultaneously as I shared the testimonies of what God had done with my parents.

Many of my friends have sincere questions about these things. Here’s one friend’s comment on Michael King’s post:

“Why does God send gemstones to over indulged, rich westerners when believers are literally starving to death in other parts of the world? Does He love us more than them? People can justify this however they want, but I can’t help thinking that this whole gemstone thing is more of a disgusting self-indulgent deception than a blessing from God.”

I’ve gotten similar questions from many other people. This was my response.
The Heart Behind The Miracles












Those are common questions, and not ones to be ignored. They deserve a good answer. I hope you’ll take the time to read this…

First, it’s easy to get offended at God giving what seems like a trivial blessing to us when people are starving. I remember hearing Heidi Baker speak about when she felt that she couldn’t eat chocolate. She had seen so much dire poverty that she felt guilty about chocolate or sitting in a hot tub–even though others invited her to speak somewhere, gave her chocolate, and paid the hotel room. She had seen natural disaster so extensive that rescue workers could only work for a limited time and had to be treated for PTSD.

[image error]Then God told her “eat that chocolate!” God and his will and love had nothing to do with the trauma and hunger she had seen. God is a wonderful, lavish heavenly Father who is eager to pour out his blessings on people. So why do bad things happen? God has given authority on earth to men. Because all men had sinned, Jesus came as a man. And those who receive the free gift of righteousness through Jesus will exercise dominion in life.

In other words, because God loves the people who are starving to death, we must act! God has put his Spirit and his heart in us for a reason!

Heidi needed to eat the chocolate and be thankful for it, because her view of the heavenly Father and his generous heart had been distorted. She was thinking as if it were God who was holding back and not helping the poor, starving people in her country, Mozambique. Her abstaining from the chocolate in front of her wasn’t going to help the people who were starving. Neither will it help poor, starving people if we see gemstones manifest and say “That can’t be God!”

Because of that experience with chocolate, Heidi always makes a point of having Cokes for the kids she has adopted. Why? Because it shows God’s lavish, generous heart.

A few months ago I met a Christian leader from Iran. His face was glowing with God’s joy, and his body was covered with gold dust. Everything around him had gold dust on it. This is a leader from a country with heavy persecution. He’s risked his life for the gospel. Signs like gems and gold aren’t about self-indulgence. They are about revealing God’s love and his generous heart to us. Too many of us, like Heidi did, have begun to think as if God were stingy.

Heidi and Corrie Ten Boom experienced a miracle of vitamin drops multiplying when they were in a concentration camp. It continued so long that they just marveled. There was no natural explanation. They could have easily become offended at God because they saw this seemingly little miracle, but there was so much pain and suffering all around. Instead, the received it with thanksgiving as a gift from God, learned to love their enemies, and shared God’s life with all the dying people around.

I once saw a woman in a wheelchair receive prayer. She didn’t get out of the wheelchair–but the fillings in her teeth turned to gold! It would be easy to get offended at God and say “Her teeth turned to gold, but why didn’t she leave the wheelchair?” Yet she was weeping because the revelation of God’s love overwhelmed her. The pain and disappointment she had experienced in life had not been God’s doing. And that’s the point.

I know of another couple that experienced something like this. Their marriage had been miserable for years and they were on the brink of divorce. The revelation of God’s love through a manifestation of gold dust and joy completely transformed their relationship. In fact, there are two couples that are close friends of mine whose marriages were totally ugly (affairs and all), but their lives and marriages were transformed as they experienced manifestations that, similar to this, could be offensive.

You may ask “Why would God do this, when people are starving?” Well, I’ve experienced gold dust and gem dust, seen my friend’s fillings all turned to gold, and seen gems that manifested. There was an extreme sense of joy and of God’s goodness on all of these occasions.

And that is one of the things that has most helped me to persevere through hard times in order to reach hungry and hurting people. I dedicated my life to reaching people with the gospel years ago, and I’ve been willing to risk my life to do it. Last year, my daughter was threatened with kidnapping because I rescued and helped an old man in the country I moved to.

I can’t tell you how much the wild supernatural manifestations of things like gold dust have done to prepare me for trials like this. More than that, no matter what happens or what anybody does to me or my family, and no matter how much it hurts, I am now totally convinced that God is good, generous, and loving. I will never get angry at Him or blame him for evil. Just as Heidi also welcomes manifestations like gold dust, I understand how these things reveal God’s heart to us, helping us to persevere, overcome opposition, and share God’s love with those who need it the most.

Gemstones From Heaven

If you’re interested in reading more, you might want to check out Michael King’s book  Gemstones From Heaven. He shares what he has learned, answers some questions, and tells his stories of how God’s touched him through this manifestation. You might also want to check out my book The Power And Love Sandwich. It answers many questions about signs and wonders and deals with the issues that often make even Charismatic Christians afraid of God’s power.

Oil And Gemstones In Puerto Rico

Here’s a video for your enjoyment. It’s not really about the gemstones, oil, or gold dust. The really precious thing is the revelation of God’s love that comes through such signs. I spent hours watching such videos in my early 20’s, because I wanted my attention to be fully captured by God and by what the Holy Spirit was doing. Because I constantly talked and thought about what God was doing, miracles began to happen all around me.

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Falling Out Of Sin And Into Righteousness

[image error]Count Yourselves Dead To Sin And Alive To Righteousness!

How often have you heard of Christians “falling into sin?” It seems like “falling into sin” is so easy to do, right?

I’ve fallen many times. Yet as the gospel transformed my thinking and the Holy Spirit worked in my life, I soon found myself “falling out of sin.” We rarely hear about people falling out of sin. Why is that?

Romans 6:11 tells us that we should consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to righteousness. Doing so is part of understanding the gospel. We believe that just as Jesus died, we have died to sin, and just as Jesus rose from the dead, we have been resurrected in newness of life. Our sin nature has been crucified!

Unfortunately for many of us, our religious background taught us to consider ourselves alive to sin and dead to righteousness! Far too much teaching leads Christians to think as if they are still sinners and will always mess up. And if you consider yourself alive to sin, you will keep “falling into sin.”

But if you consider yourself dead to sin and alive to righteousness, you will “fall into righteousness!” The sin habits melt away. It doesn’t feel natural anymore. Sin becomes boring and unsatisfying.

Falling Out Of Nicotine Addiction

[image error]I recently heard Dan Mohler share the story of a man who felt terrible because he was a Christian but kept smoking. Someone told him, “Every time you light that cigarette, thank God for making you righteous and for the work he has done in your life.” The man thought “I’d be the biggest hypocrite if I did that.” But his friend convinced him. After a few days, he went to light up his cigarette and thought “I don’t even want this anymore.” That was the end of his smoking habit. That’s what it looks like to “fall out of sin.”

As Dan says, “Make the tree good, and good fruit will follow.” The thing that’s so hard for many Christians to understand, and which offends so many people, is that we must receive righteousness as a free gift before we change our behavior. If we do not consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to righteousness, we will continue to struggle with sin. Too many people are struggling because they think they need to change their behavior first, and so they are still considering themselves alive to sin.

Falling Away From Porn

(Here’s an excerpt with a story from Present Access To Heaven.)

If we do sin, we must not withdraw from the Lord’s presence. The intent of Satan’s accusations is to make us too ashamed to approach God. Yet it is as we draw near to God and look to him that we are transformed. The one thing that we need to do, if we do sin, is to boldly come the Father!

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 As we saw in Hebrews 9 and 10, to approach the Father is to enter heaven itself. If you sin, the one thing you need to do is to go to heaven now!

Approach God now just as when you first came to him—not out of your own righteousness, but because of the free gift of righteousness which you received through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Don’t draw back in fear! Receive God’s mercy and grace in abundance, and let it transform you!

Romans 8:1+2 (NIV) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

 I remember hearing the remarkable testimony of a man who was delivered from addiction to pornography. He became a Christian and read in Exodus how Moses talked with God as with a friend.

Exodus 33:9-11 (NIV) When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tent. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

 When he read this he said “God, I want to meet you like that!” He set aside everything to pray and asked God “God, show me your glory.” Then he met God in a cloud, like Moses did. It was wonderful! He began to do this every day.

This man had so little religious background that when he became a Christian he barely thought anything of his porn habit, because it was so normal to him. It wasn’t something that he had really thought of as wrong before. But as he met God, he began to feel uncomfortable about it.

For about 30 days of these encounters, he was still looking at porn. He messed up again and again. But every day he came back to meet the Lord. God continued to meet with him, and he loved God’s presence! After a month of meeting the Lord like this daily, he stopped looking at porn.

He fell out of sin because he kept going to heaven every day by approaching God, until the presence of the Lord transformed him so much that he no longer had a desire for pornography. He became a partaker in the divine nature, and the free gift of righteousness that he had received bore the fruit of righteousness.

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Pastoring and Bishopping Your Neighbors.

[image error]Pastoring Your Neighborhood

Last week we saw how closely the function of a “Bishop” is related to healing ministry. Bishops visit and care for people. We can even see the verb form of “bishop” translated as “to visit” in scripture. Today, I’d like to talk about “bishopping” and “pastoring” our neighbors. One of my favorite things to do is visiting people’s houses, ministering healing, and sharing the gospel with them.

I recently re-read the book Prayer Evangelism by Ed Silvoso. It’s certainly an encouraging book for people like me who want to see our cities and neighborhoods transformed by the influence of the gospel.One of the concepts that Ed brings up is the idea that God’s “flock” is broader than the “fold.” In other words, he sees unbelievers as sheep in need of pastoring. Ed teaches Christians to become the pastors of their neighborhoods. He believes every Christian should see their neighbors as their “flock” to care for. In fact, in one place, Christians went to business owners and apologized for neglecting to “pastor” them. (The words “pastor” and “shepherd” ard the same in Greek, and in many other languages as well.)

These ideas aren’t just theories. Ed and his organization, “Harvest Evangelism,”have been successful with organizing coordinated evangelism thrusts which have had measurable results. In fact, I recently learned that after their efforts, Juarez Mexico has had a 93% reduction in crime. Here’s part 1 of Ed’s four-part report on Juarez.

I’ve been on mission trips to Juarez three times. It was the murder capital of the world several years ago. The news of transformation thrilled me! Christians are now discipling people in the local government and teaching them to stand against corruption. Now the Federal government is looking to Juarez as a model for reducing corruption.

[image error]Ed’s ideas about pastoring our neighbors reminded me of Jesus’ words:

Luke 15:1-7 (NRSV) Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?  When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Bishopping Your Neighbors

I recently went to someone’s house with a friend to order “salgados” for a party. (Salgados are a kind of deep-fried pastry, often with meat inside.) I’d never been to this house and didn’t know anything about the people. But I love seeing what Jesus does.

Before I even got there, I found myself imagining what Jesus could do. I imagined myself telling the woman Jesus was going to heal her left shoulder, and God touched her. I wasn’t even trying to imagine anything. My mind was just wandering, as it often does.

But I’ve learned that when my mind wanders and I imagine Jesus doing something again, the thing I imagine is often really a word of knowledge! I was just imagining it because I was thinking of how much I want to grow in spiritual gifts and give more words of knowledge. By God’s grace, I want to tell people I meet on the street what their need is and what the Holy Spirit is doing to touch them. I want to be so full of God and overflowing with his life!

So when we went in and gave our order, I asked the older lady who made them “Does your left shoulder bother you? Do you have something like bursitis in your left shoulder?” She did. And then I said those wonderful, thrilling words “Jesus showed my that your shoulder hurts, and he is going to heal you right now. I pray and ask God to show me what people’s needs are, and God heals them. Let me pray for you.” When I can tell someone “Jesus showed me your problem, and he is going to heal you right now” it’s so wonderful that I want to cry. I have the confidence to say that when I felt that the Lord was showing me a specific problem someone had, and they then confirm it.

Her daughter (who was probably about 40 years old) said “Pray for me too! I have bursitus in my left shoulder.” They both had it!

They both got free of pain as I prayed for them. The older lady had other issues such as knee pain, which also melted away. And then, what a wonderful opportunity to explain how this was all possible! Jesus carried our sins and sicknesses on his body.

I didn’t even know if they were Christians or not at the time, but I found out later, they weren’t. I share the gospel with Christians and non-Christians, because Christians need to hear it too. I still need to hear it myself, because it continues to give me life and reveal God’s power and love to me.

We Need To Exercise Spiritual Gifts For Pastoring And Bishopping!

Paul said we should “eagerly desire” spiritual gifts. James 5:13-15 shows us that elders should be able to minister healing. Because of the scriptural implications we saw in last week’s post, I think of the word “bishop” as especially referring to one who visits people in their houses and ministers healing. Become your neighbors’ bishop! Start demonstrating Christ’s care and concern for the people around you.

There’s a snack bar up the street where I go to get soup. I became friends with the family after the I decided to pray for some strangers and the owner got healed. More miracles followed on repeated visits, and I’ve shared some of them in other blog posts, such as Experiencing God’s Goodness In the Midst of Tragedy.

I have a responsibility for these people. It’s not the same as the role of Christ, who is the chief shepherd, but it is a responsibility. I’m a pastor, and they are God’s flock which I’m here to care for. I check in to drink soup and to see how they are doing. And I’m learning to care for them and guide them into their own personal relationships with the Lord. Wherever we are, let’s take the attitude that “This is my territory, the people around me are God’s flock, I’m a pastor, and I’m here to care for them and guide them into a personal knowledge of Christ.”

 

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I Am Jesus’ Bishop!

[image error]

Me bishopping (visiting) my dear Russian grandmothers. (2009) I’m the dude with the long hair. I love these ladies with all my heart.

This is an excerpt from my first book, I Am Persuaded. I’m cutting the price from $9.99 to 99 cents from March 1st through March 4th. This book has helped people to cut through the authoritarian bias of many scripture translations and resolve their confusion about topics like “spiritual authority,” “spiritual covering,” and “spiritual fathers.” The rest of the New Testament agrees with Jesus’ teaching that we are all brothers and that the greatest among us shall be the servant of all! Here’s one of the words that has been misconstrued to be a hierarchical office in the church. All scriptures in this post are from the King James Version.

Bishopping

The New Testament uses the word “bishop,” which in Greek is the noun “episkopos,” five times. Of those five times, one time refers to Jesus (who was an apostle). The Bible also uses “episkopos” in a way equated with eldership, just as the apostle Peter called himself an elder. In spite of this, man’s traditions have construed it, like the others, to suggest a level in a hierarchy. In Scripture all of these words are often used interchangeably. In the following verse the translation of the verb “episkopeo” is underlined. This is where we see the apostle Peter, who is an elder, exhorting fellow elders to “bishop” God’s flock.

1 Peter 5:1-3  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

The book of Titus also uses the words “elder” and “bishop” interchangeably. And in Acts chapter twenty, Paul calls elders “episkopos” (bishops).

Titus 1:5-7  For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless…

Acts 20:17-18, 28  And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them…  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.

Notice here again, that the contexts are plural. In 1 Peter, Peter is commanding elders to bishop God’s flock; while in Titus, Paul is talking about appointing elders. In Acts, Paul is exhorting the elders of Ephesus. Nowhere in the Bible do we see a singular person who is THE bishop of a church, or THE pastor of a church.

[image error]

As they did with the word “diakoneo,” the KJV translators arbitrarily added the word “office” in the following passage, in such a way as to make it fit into their paradigm. This addition of the word “office” makes it seem that the function or position of a “bishop” is different than that of an elder or a deacon (servant).

1 Timothy 3:1,5  This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work…(For if a man know not how to rule (proistemi) his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

In the continuation of this passage Paul uses the word “diakonos” (servant) in verse 8 and 12, and “diakoneo” (to serve) in verses 10 and 13. Verses 10 and 13 are where the translators also arbitrarily added the word “office” before the transliteration “deacon.” Because of the interchangeability of all these terms in scripture, I find it most reasonable to understand the whole passage in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 as simply referring to the same people, elders. Elders are appointed to serve (diakoneo), watch over (episkopeo), and care for (vs. 5) God’s people.

How Does A Bishop “Watch Over” God’s Flock?

The word “episkopos” means an “overseer.” Its uses in the New Testament give us little context for a full understanding of the nature of that oversight. However, some contexts of the use of a verb form of the word and the way it was sometimes translated give us more insight into the role of an “episkopos” or bishop. The following examples suggest that the nature of the “watching over” that an overseer does is taking care of people, especially those who are sick or weak.

In Matthew 25, in the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus is teaching us that whatever we do for the least of his brethren we do for him. In this instance, the word “episkeptomai” is used to describe how we serve others, and by implication how we serve Christ. He is not suggesting we are to be in some hierarchical role of bishopping!

Matthew 25:36, 39-40  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me… Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

[image error]

Bishopping Jesus by caring for the people he loves.

What, then, is the nature of the “overseeing” that bishops are responsible for? Where we find that the KJV translates the word “episkeptomai” as “visited,” several other Bible versions translate it as “looked after” or “took care of.” In the above Matthew 25 passage, try substituting “looked after,” “watched over,” or “cared for” where the words are underlined in verses 36 and 39. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Who did James command the sick believer to call to render care by praying and anointing with oil? The elders. They look after or care for (bishop) the sick one. Again, we see the interchangeability of the terms “elder” and “bishop.” Here are more uses of the word “episkeptomai.”

 Acts 15:36  And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

James 1:27 P ure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

These verses which use the verb “episkeptomai” confirm the insight we get from Matthew 25 about what the role of an “episkopos” or bishop is. First Timothy 3:5 also confirms this, describing the role of a bishop as to “take care of the church of God.” Our study leads us to yet another word describing “service to” and “care for” others, as opposed to ruling over them! What also amazes me is that Matthew 25 makes it so clear that when I “bishop” the least of these, I “bishop” Jesus! Additionally, Matthew 25 also uses the word “diakoneo” (serve, minister, deacon).

Matthew 25:44-45  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Matthew 25 teaches me that I can be a bishop and a deacon unto Jesus. If this is so, then being a “bishop” and “watching over people” can’t very well be a position of authority over people, can it? Rather, it’s a position of service. Being a bishop is a role of serving others by caring for them.

We “bishop” and “deacon” Jesus by serving others, just as at times in his life on earth Jesus needed to be cared for by those around him. We see this by the use of “diakoneo” in describing how certain women served Jesus and looked after him by providing for some of his needs.

I realized that when I was in Russia with friends visiting orphans and old shut-in grandmothers, we were “bishopping” them. I was filling the biblical role of a bishop. Yet I certainly did not have the sense of being over those seventy and eighty year old ladies in any way! Rather, it was my privilege to serve and encourage them, as well as to lay hands on them and see them healed. It’s also scriptural to say that as I “bishopped” them, it was my privilege to be “bishopping” Jesus!

HELPS Word-studies www.HelpsBible.com 1985 epískopos – properly, an overseer; a man called by God to literally “keep an eye on” His flock (the Church, the body of Christ), i.e. to provide personalized (first hand) care and protection (note the epi, “on“).

For example “looked after” in NIV and YLT, and “took care of” in GNB

James 5:14

 

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