Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wisdom Herself invites you to be drunk with Joy!!

The common phrase, "to crack a smile" says lots about the existing condition of ones face! That the depressed and "angry as sin" look on ones face has been there so long that their facial flesh has hardened in that position, and it takes the painful experience of a joyful smile to crack open such an "inviting demeanor".
Its this self same "inviting demeanor" that - for centuries, in general - has warmly welcomed the lost multitudes into the loving arms of our Father who they represent.......
Confused?.... Exactly!!

Friends, Gospel is Good News! Good news makes us Happy, otherwise its not Good News, but rather, Bad News....
It is NOT "a show of holiness" to be miserable as a Christian..... Abba Father does not take pleasure in seeing your suffering, sadness and poverty and it most certainly is NOT the devil prowling around like a roaring lion, looking to see who he can make happy and laugh "in church"!
How obvious this is to some, but sadly it's "heresy" to others!!

I have heard many warnings about Christians being happy or laughing in intimate communion with Jesus!! "Those happy Christians are deceived", they say... "Stay away from them.. it might rub-off on you and cause you to become like them!!.... don't they know that holiness looks morbid and lonely!" - of course these warnings are based on fear and a lack of understanding the Good News. (If this describes your current view or description of "fullness of Joy", no need to despair!! Father loves you deeply and delights to bring fresh revelation - even this very day :)

In this preach by Rob Rufus from City Church International in Hong Kong, he explains that we have available to us, The indwelling Reason to live in constant intoxicating Love in every single day of your life. Enjoy!!


10 Oct 2010, Rob Rufus 'It is wise to be drunk with joy in the Spirit' from City Church on Vimeo.



(If you cannot hear any audio on this video, then click the link below to have a listen.)
Drunk with Joy!!


Lets thank God for faithful men and woman like John Crowder, Rob Rufus, Joseph Prince, Ben Dunn, Gorgean and Winnie Banov, Bill Johnson, Bertie Brits, Paul White and the like, who have stood their ground for many different aspects of the Gospel revelation, so that soon, as momentum is built, these "fringe truths" and "heresies" (as some would currently yell) will once again take their place in the everyday thinking of believers!
Roll on the Gospel Revolution lord!!


Love to you all!!
As scripture invites us.... "stay drunk with Love" (Songs 5:1)
Andrew

Thursday, October 7, 2010

There is a way that seems right....

The Revelation of the Gospel we are currently seeing and experiencing is certainly not new to humanity, but the fullness of which has certainly been lost for many many decades, if not hundreds or even thousands of years! (I do believe that we will see a greater kingdom manifestation than that of the early church because His is an economy of ever increasing Glory!)

Throughout recent history there have been voices that have risen up with Gospel truth, but have quickly been silenced by main-stream "reformers", and have had rocks heaped on these precious seeds of truth that have within them, the power to gloriously transform the face of planet Earth as we know it!


One of the "rocks" hurled at the Gospel is that people say: Well...you know that - "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." - Pro 14:12
I've had people say that to me as I have been talking about the Glorious finished work of Jesus that bring us into a Promise of freedom through the New Covenant. Especially when we share the Good News that we are no longer under the rules and regulations of "the Old Covenant", and we have been DIVORCED from the Law when we died, in our co-crucifixion with Jesus...2000 years ago!


"But Andrew, the Bible even says that the Law is HOLY and GOOD!..... why are you trying to get people out from living under it!!.... God gave it to us after all!!"

Well, lets look at some things....
Holy: Set aside for a purpose.
Good: Perfect, Absolute, undiluted.

Rom 7:5-6 For while we were living in the flesh (IE... the part that was co-crucified with Christ, and CIRCUMSCRIBED, cut off, removed... GONE, by the hands of Jesus.) , our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive (Through the death of JESUS..... being co-crucified with Him....that was when you carried your cross!), so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

also....

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

So we can clearly see that the ONLY, Undiluted, Absolute, Single-minded purpose that the Law was "set aside" to accomplish was to stir up sin in man.
There IS NO OTHER FUNCTION for it to serve! It was NOT given to make you Holy or Righteous by your obedience to it, and it is COMPLETELY powerless to do that in you!

Rom 7:9-11 At one time I was alive without any laws. But when this commandment came, sin became alive and I died. I found that the commandment which was intended to bring me life actually brought me death. Sin, taking the opportunity provided by the commandment, deceived me and then killed me.


I have found that people are terrified to embrace the real Gospel because its so different from the substandard mixture of Old and New Covenant that currently holds the tittle of mainline "Reformed Theology". One can certainly understand though,.... having to agree that we were sincerely wrong for so long, that now we actually embrace what we once vehemently opposed!! What will everyone think?... Will they class us as some "Grace sect or cult"? Will we loose most of our friends who feel they have too much to loose to embrace the truth, so they would rather loose us?
Sounds a bit like what Paul must have gone through, considering his pedigree as a pharisee. But one encounter with the person of Grace caused him to consider all else as utterly worthless in the light of the Gospel:
Act 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

So, some may choose to embrace the completed work of Jesus without having a matching theology for now. These are the ones like Paul to whom Jesus said... "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Goards here refers to a "cattle prodded" (strongs has it as.. "divine impulse) In other words Holy Spirit was already leading him towards Grace, but he was resisting the inevitable because his Old Covenant theology didn't fit!
Some may want to first systematically sift through the Gospel details to see if they will believe all of it..... or just the forgiveness of sins - (Some believe only enough to be forgiven, but not enough to walk in the fullness of the kingdom).
These are the ones to whom I encourage, in your unbelief.... just believe. Jesus will bring things to light as you go, and grow in grace. But embrace the Good News like a child.



Friends, the Gospel as its being revealed today IS NOT the "way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death!!!" The way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death is THE LAW!:
Rom 7:10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.


If you are still a skeptic and are not sure about "this whole grace thing", I encourage you - as some already have - to ask questions! Holy Spirit delights to bring revelation and to lead us into all truth.



Grace to you all.... let enjoy the journey into the Gospel
Love
Andrew