Thursday 31 July 2014

Law v Grace

There's much confusion over this issue.  It is not helped by Christians who will not acknowledge that Jesus spoke to Jews who were under Law in the first century.  They had to follow Law until it led them to Messiah where they could be free to follow him, not 'it.'  Gentiles get tied in knots over this as they try to read Hebrews, a book written to Jewish Christians pertaining to their heritage and culture.

Hopefully this will help explain what has occurred with the Law as far as the New Testament is concerned.  As a Dad, I decide to go and work away for a week.  During that week I place a list of do's and don'ts on the fridge.  In my absence my children are to read the list of do's and don'ts and follow that list. When I return I take the list off the fridge as it is no longer needed.  I am back and able to manage the rules for living in my household personally.

Similarly, The Old Testament was a written document to have people fit into God's boundaries for living.  When Jesus came in the Flesh he fulfilled the Law, he never broke one of the 613 Commandments.  When he became the Salvation for the world he also fulfilled the Law on behalf of everyone else! Subsequently he sends the Holy Spirit to all who would call upon his name for Salvation.  Having recognized Messiah and calibrated oneself toward his leading, God comes to live inside us.  If the Lawgiver lives inside us why do we need a document?  He has took the list off the fridge and is managing it himself, personally.

So the benchmark by which we are measured against is still Law but it is managed personally within our hearts rather than an external document.  This way we are not just addressing behavior but because God is now able to be on the inside of us, it leads to transformation.  We are no longer responding to a written code or legislative document.  We are now fostering a relationship with the author.  Daily we find ourselves responding to the inner leading of the Lord and need no outward drivers.

What was needed to drive right living for Old Testament believers?  LAW - a legal document
What is needed for New Testament believers to live right?  GRACE - the unconditional right to get it wrong*

These 'outward drivers' are not just Law.  Anything that cues our responses other than the inward leading of the Spirit is error. So a vision statement from a church that sounds good may or may not be something the Lord wants you to do.  A sermon preached on Sunday morning may or may not be what the Lord wants for you at that moment.

Be led by the Spirit... jealously.

Gary Ward
*More on this later

Wednesday 30 July 2014

The cult of 'Celebrity'

What is it that makes a person predisposed towards admiring the famed, accomplished and talented?  What is it that makes many idolize those who have been celebrated in the spotlight for any reason?  There seems to be a disproportionate glorification of anyone who gets notoriety.  To find out the roots of this is quite exposing.

The 'Enlightenment' period (17th century onward) had elements that led to much progression in science but where spiritual things were concerned it was really reasoning God out of all things. I call it 'Satan's response to the Reformation' but be that as it may.   Before this time those observing a great artist, a unique talent or outstanding ability would attribute this genius to a spiritual entity.  The genius behind the person did the work and this is why some will look at art and be in awe at what the genius behind the person could bring forth.

This is where the word 'Genie' comes from.  It reflects what is attached to the person and working through them.    As the 'age of reason' continued, the idea of spiritual entities working through people dried up.  So when someone did some great work it was the person who became the genius behind it.  "You have a genius' became 'you ARE a genius.'  So the focus of great gift, talent and ability turned back onto the person and the idea that an entity beyond this realm is inspiring this fizzled out.

However inept the Reformation was, it brought people back to Scripture so the next logical step for believers was to be able to reflect the Lords work on earth.... hello Gifts of the Spirit!  Satan's move to short circuit this has been semi successful. Satan anticipated the next logical step... a return of people issuing forth God's manifestations and acted to have people handle this phenomena wrongly.  If a person exercises the gifts of the Spirit, and people make the reasonable assumption that God is at work... they will 'see good deeds and praise their Father in heaven.'  If it could be woven into the human psyche that these manifestations come from the person themselves, any reflecting on God is over.  

The logical step occurred around 1900 when the gifts of the Spirit began manifesting through the Pentecostal movement.  This has seen the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of how man has handled it.  People flock to see 'God's Man' of the moment.  Iv'e experienced the reasoning behind this:  If we make the church famous and help promote the Man of God... we will make the church more visible and compete in the world of celebrity.  Surely this is better than a dark chapel somewhere?  All reasonable assumptions.  In all of this desire to construct a successful church model on this is in error... It isn't our church to design!  Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and has already given a pattern for meeting together.  This was passed on as normative practice in the first century church.

Interestingly the order of the disappearance of church practice went like this:

First church Practice dissipated.  Man edged in to lead the church then secondly the gifts dissolved.  Lastly Theology went out the window and we had the Roman Catholic church as the dominant practice.

1) Practice
2) Gifts
3) Theology

isn't it interesting that these are being restored in reverse...

1) Theology (16C Reformation)
2) Gifts (19 / 20C Pentecostal Movement)
3) Practice ... In progress....

Can we break free from the historical traditions that have been woven into our minds as we grow into reasoning people?  Can we identify where we have assumed the 'man at the front,' with absolute good intention, may not be manifesting forth the will and purpose of God?  These are big calls!  Be prayerful and take time to inquire of the Lord about this.

Gary Ward

The Parable of the Spark Plugs

This applies to church productivity not 'getting to Heaven.'

A man drives his car to the Mechanic to service his car because it wasn't working well.  After some time, he is asked to go back to the garage and the Mechanic meets him at the door.  "The problem is your spark plugs." He hands the man the brand of spark plugs he used.  The man looks down in his hand and says,
"What does this all mean?" the Mechanic replies,
"Er.. these will get you where you want to go"  The man looks up slowly, glances back at the spark plugs and shaking his head in awe says "Thank you... thank you so much."  The Mechanic goes back to work, slightly bemused, and the man walks away with the spark plugs.  Two hours later the Mechanic sees the man's car still in the forecourt of the garage.  Confused, he carries on with his work.  At the end of the day, he locks up and looks around to see the mans car still in the forecourt.  The Mechanic decides that if he sees the car there in the morning, he will phone the man to see if the car was fixed.  Off home he went.

In the morning the Mechanic arrived at work bright and early and spotted the car still on the forecourt. Suddenly, around the corner comes the man running with his suit and briefcase, he passed the garage with the spark plugs in his hand.  Down the road he runs straight towards the city where he worked. "I have no clue what's going on," muttered the Mechanic.  Just as he was closing the garage, he sees the man running past again, suitcase in one hand, spark plugs in the other.  "Hey... Hey!  Shouts the Mechanic.  The man stops and turns, walking towards him.  "Hello," says the man. "Nice day isn't it!"  The Mechanic looks at him and replies,
"Yes it's a nice day.  Why aren't you using your car?"
"Well," replied the man, "You are an expert Mechanic and you told me these spark plugs will get me where I want to go.  Ive just been to work, and look, here are the spark plugs!"  The Mechanic looked at him, waiting for the punchline.  Nothing.  "So when I said the spark plugs, that are part of your engine, will 'get you to where you want to go,'  you thought I meant the spark plugs themselves?"
"Yes, youre the expert!"  replied the man.  
"So you ran to work and back with the spark plugs in your hand?"
"Yes.  Yes I did." Nodded the man lifting the spark plugs and shaking them.
"But, surely you know that the spark plugs are a part of several other parts that need to be in place to make it work?  They should be in your car which will work when all the parts are together."  The man looked at the Mechanic then tilted his head as if to remember a distant memory, "But you said the spark plugs will get me where I want to go!" Frustrated, and struggling to keep the absurdity in the realm of professionalism, he replied, "But OBVIOUSLY it is part of the rest of the engine!"

The bread and wine taken without the meal, family sharing and family home is like the man thinking the spark plugs are what 'gets him to where he wants to go.'   Church has tried to become the Lord's instrument on Earth by thinking Jesus meant 'just take wine and bread' when he said 'This do in remembrance of me.'  Jesus obviously meant the bread and wine are part of a full meal that the family of God share together.  The church runs around trying to make things happen when the answer lies in obedience.  Get in line with what Jesus commanded - This do...." and wait for the Lord to do what he and he alone can do. And you will have to wait.

But when we do this the rules change.  It is about Him, His work, His way, His timing, His vision, His increase, His truth, His mission, His salvation.  Can we do this?  Can we give Jesus back his Church?

Gary Ward

Monday 28 July 2014

What leads you?

One of the things I'm trying to deal with is my response to Manchester United.  Call it a bit silly, but when they play I can't just sit there.  If I'm with people who are sympathetic to my plight, we head every ball, call every foul and go insane when they score.  On more than one occasion I have been in company that just don't get it.  In that scenario I find my muscles still twitching and my leg will occasionally try to kick the ball even though it has absolutely no affect on the game.  The reason for this is to do with cognitive action / mirror neurons blah blah blah.

A different sort of thing I do is regularly use a cross trainer.  This involves actions that have to be fully guided by myself, an elliptical bike scenario with corresponding handles to exercise.  This involves some balance and while I can switch off, it is purposed from me myself.  Recently while on the cross trainer in the morning I was trying to catch the England game on the screen on the cross-trainer.  Because this is Australia it was shown a little later than the ridiculous time it aired for us. Because of the purposed action of the cross trainer and the cognitive response to watching the game I both operated the cross trainer AND responded to the comings and goings of the game.  I came to this conclusion:

NEVER WATCH SOCCER WHILE ON A CROSS TRAINER...YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS.

Its also quite dangerous.  When we go to church we either take our cues and directions from outside, like watching a soccer game. We respond according to how we are directed by the unfolding situation of our church.  Some good gets done but I don't see an outside element directing you as your purpose.  You didn't get saved to be directed by man but to be directed by Christ.

We need to be more like the cross trainer where the energy, balance and rhythm comes from us and we have to maintain it.  Obviously I mean that the impetus for our works are coming from God.  Then we can see 'His Kingdom come and his will be done.' As it stands many feel it is the leadership that are there to create a spiritual response in a believers life.  Others flee those type of structures and begin learning how to cross-train. That is, learn how to walk under the sole direction of the Lord. Of course leadership is there, but not to drive a response, more to facilitate the journey of the Spirit-directed believer.

It just so happens 'cross-train' is precisely what the Lord wants us to do.  My experience coming out of church leadership structures was similar to trying to not respond to Manchester United. There's a danger both can become wrongly placed in life and become an idol.  That which we put ourselves under becomes our Master.  So long Manchester United you won't be driving me anymo... GOOOOAAAAAALLLLL !!

Gary Ward



Friday 25 July 2014

Prosperity Gospel #2

In Prosperity Gospel #1 I explored how churches adopt the practices and attitudes around social class. Social class is a phenomena that observes human behavior when people are subjected to 'resource' issues.   Wherever we find ourselves, in Poverty, Middle Class or Wealth, we adopt the practices, customs and traditions of that category.  I have generalized the class system to three main categories as it is quite complex and changes even among Western countries. I observed that the lines are blurred when it comes to amount of resource but there are firm boundaries in practice according to what social class you belong to.  Church leaders mix the spiritual with the worldly classes which results in believers hankering after worldly resource because it is equated with 'God's favor.'  The consequence of this is believers pay lip service to their spiritual 'family' as the means of ratification, verification and authentication lies in Achievement and Connections, not 'Relationship.'

It is no secret that I am considered outspoken because I think church was never supposed to change from what the Apostles did having been told to '"Do This..." by Jesus.  Because this position has landed me on the outside of the mainstream Christian community I have pursued the Lord as to why exactly does the church HAVE TO be small groups in homes around a meal.  The leadership has to be biblical and those doing this have to be calibrated towards 'death to self.'  Over time I've been able to explore the complexities of human behavior, social construction and how the Enemy has been able to divert believers from their source.  Satan knows that if you get this sorted and return to practicing church as Jesus told us and the Apostles practiced, God has something to work with.

Ever been impressed with those Mega-Churches?  No-one knows, including me, what is going on in the heart of the attendees.  What we can say is that if a person puts their hand up in a meeting and says a prayer, they may or may not have actually transacted their salvation.  "But Romans 10:9 says...."  A typical Westerner reading this will extract the verse and make salvation a formula. What is overlooked is what Paul has said in the Previous 10 Chapters of Romans.  'Believing in your heart God raised Jesus from the dead' is assuming you have fully acknowledged the reason why he died and that we are culpable for sin.  It is not just acknowledging data - 'That Jesus was raised from the dead.'  It is being implicated in the necessity for God to have poured his wrath out on him in the first place.  This leads to wanting above all things to re-calibrate our lives towards God by following Jesus.  Then Jesus shows us what the Christ- life is about... being separated from this world... death to self!

Prosperity preachers cannot fully offer the cross because, by definition,  they aren't living by it.  They have been pursuing 'Achievement' and 'Connections' to define their spirituality.  'Relationship' is just information... 'you are my brother or sister because you too are in the family of God.'  Relationship's functionality is superficial as everyone is somewhere on the 'becoming' scale.  The cross-life is the only means by which Jesus can  show us how attached to this murky world we are.  In response to his illumination of our chains, we go to him for freedom.  In this we are transformed.  The idea was small groups who are all on the same page, resonating with the desire to be not of this world, meet around food and imbibe that culture.  People beyond class systems and categories go out and are 'not of this world.' This leads people to ask questions and we become his witnesses.

Poverty, Middle Class and Wealth are all invited to this organic gathering called 'ekklesia.' They are all invited to leave their class and category behind (if they don't they won't stay long).  All rally around having already connected to Christ and each other.   This is not a new language for those from Poverty.  They have already understood that when things go wrong it is relationships that help.  Middle Class would struggle because they would be looking towards achievement, to be able to work their way out of issues.  'Wealth' is in dire straights!  They are Connections based, looking for those like them to form an exclusive club.  Jesus did say how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom!

An example of how the class system hindered Mission was with my observations around the Eden Project in the UK.  In the late 90's we felt led to live in officially the worst house on Manor, a Sheffield housing estate. We interacted with the community and people got saved etc.  A similar project came out from the Message Trust to plant families, long term in deprived communities.  Now the theory was that Christians will become part of the community and 'salt and light' would do it's work.  Lots of good was done but I observed from a distance a social phenomena.  Churches churn out mainly 'Middle Class.' So those up for the challenge of Eden were Middle Class, with some exceptions.  So those immersed in Middle Class thinking and savvy with the unseen 'rules' of their economic class, moved in with 'Poverty.'  One of two things happened:

Either the 'Middle Class' became imbibed with 'Poverty' or 'Middle Class' was unable to penetrate 'Poverty.' Because those on the teams were unable to bring the 'other than' it had less spiritual impact than hoped for.  It won many awards for social entrepreneurship and probably still does.  However, knowing the now CEO, he would prioritize a Revival-type scenario over seeing social parameters change in a breath.  The truth behind Eden and such mission movements is hard to hear and offensive:

Your churches do not deliver you into being 'not-of-this-world.'  Your message is excellent and maybe you're good at showing the  'together' side of yourself.  But no matter how polished, purposed, passionate... if you are dressed in this world you will not make a significance difference in it.  Only a reformation of the heart, then church practice, will start the process of overcoming the invisible societal and ecclesiastic church systems and structures we celebrate and often robustly defend.  Then you won't even need projects because the coming and going of everyday life will bring opportunities as God has something to work with.

Gary Ward.












Prosperity Gospel #1

If you have been around the social sciences for any length of time you may have come across the issues around poverty.  It's one of those fields where we can get as complex as we want in finding how people operate in response to 'resource.'  The class system that is embedded into so many Western countries is firmly based on resource.  Notice I did not say 'money.'  Poverty is tied in with money but it has a wide range of implications for a person.  Generational poverty involves mindsets, emotions and practices that are imbibed by spending time in that environment.  The same is true however of the other classes.  I'll keep it simple and call them 'Poverty,' 'Middle Class' and 'Wealth.'  Each are permeated by their environments.

When one finds oneself in one of these classes, they each have dependencies.  Wealth is dependent on 'Connections' to sustain its existence.  Middle Class is  dependent on 'Achievement' and Poverty is dependent on 'Relationship.'  To explore this we must ask 'what would a person rely on if they had a problem?'  We would find these to be correct dependencies.   Relationships, Achievements and Contentedness is the glue that holds each respective class group together.   But what has this to do with Spirituality?

The prosperity Gospel is preached by those who have amassed small or large resources proportionate to the people who have been giving or being the marketing tool for their ministry.  Their message is to demonstrate that God is real by the way you attain to Resource.  This is not just money.  It is right thinking, demeanor, self esteem, just as we see in the world.  It aims to make us 'TOGETHER' so we can demonstrate this to the world and ...er... impress them. Ministers spend much of their time fostering connections and focusing on achievements.   Status and rank in these churches are about firstly 'what you do' and then 'who you know.'   These are the two dependencies of 'Middle Class' and 'Wealth.'   An executive who dines with politicians will be on the front row of many churches.  His acumen is seemingly verification of God's favor. He has ticked the boxes of high 'doing' and wide 'connections.'  He is therefore esteemed by church leadership who have little clue as to what Jesus said:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit..."

Can a well connected executive be poor in spirit but be highly employed and connected?  Of course!  But when he comes to church his vocation and connections are seen as spiritual currency.  His profile in this world  invades the spiritual dynamic and is celebrated as 'God's blessing.'  Now not only has he achieved in this world but now that equates to validation with God. So people see Mr or Mrs "success'' and set about wondering how they can get on the front seat  (because now that is 'achievement' but this time supposedly with God's blessing).   'OBVIOUSLY' the answer is to pursue achievement and connections!  Where could this idea possibly come from?  Well, for those not connected to prosperity churches, these ideas fall from every page of every many a Christian book written or sermon preached.  " I did this and that,"  "When I was with #suchafamousbody..."  There are exceptions but all we read is the 'Achievement' and 'Connections' formulas.

Having created a culture of aspiration, people are hungry for anything that will aid the rise to the place where they think God wants them.  But what is the ACTUAL message we need to take from then Lord?  As previously stated "Blessed are the poor in Spirit..."  The idea that Jesus has achieved all you need and your connection with him is all you need IS spiritual poverty.  But... there's a flaw... what do you reach out for in your time of need....  Behold... I give you...

Relationship... the Body of Christ!  GENIUS... how to foster and forge FAMILY!

There is nothing more violently protected as a child in a family Poverty situation.  Poverty Parents walk into Principals offices and defend the silliest of defenses.  Why?  Because above all else relationship is EVERYTHING so you defend it.  That's what the Lord wants to produce in us.... a realization that our church systems and structures work counterproductive to spiritual poverty.  He wants us to deconstruct 'church' so we return to family.  This is about eating the Lord's supper together.  But more than that, as a consequence,  it is about forging deep connections with brothers and sisters where you would crawl over broken glass to maintain and service.  There is a beautiful place to dwell where others are your priority.  People walking in this are entirely met by the body and are insatiable to to those in this dark world.

The Prosperity Gospel sees achievement and connections lead to perceived success and as everyone scrambles to 'be somebody,' the need for one another diminishes.  Our walk becomes based on performance and we are back into 'works.' 'Family' becomes conceptual, an 'occupational hazard of being saved.'  Can you see how it wouldn't take much for those measuring spiritual currency by achievement and connections to fall in with the influential who offer promotion?

Many will fall away in the last days because what is coming can only be resisted by those who have subjected themselves to the Lord himself and not the church systems and structures that think spirituality is linked to this world. What is coming on this world to deceive?   I'm not sure, but if your values are based on spiritual success being based on worldly achievement, then even I could knock together a way to lure you in!  I'd just offer an academy, promise promotion, show you where you will be afterwards... BINGO! I have your fee and off we go!  You're well on the way to God thinking you're special!  I wouldn't be able to sell this to you if you were sold out to Jesus and not the idea that you have to aspire to that which you already have.

Did you know that the 'Antichrist' is not actually 'Anti'-'Christ?'  He is REPLACING Christ. So many are squared up to take on offers that promise what you've all been taught -that achievement and connections equate to God's Blessing, and lead you far from the mutual relationships founded in spiritual poverty.

And when all you have to lean on is others who are devastated because their lives have been based on some preachers ideas and not the Lord himself.... there are little resources that came about having spent time in spiritual poverty and being imbibed by it. They do not know those who have abandoned self to the Lord over the chance to be someone.

The reason why these are complex themes is because most people who embark upon these issues are good with a noble intent.  The idea that someone 'Just loves money over God' is a MUCH more complex issue involving the drivers of human nature.  It delves into the very nature of  who we are as fallen yet believing people.  It's about how a wide range of sociological, psychological and pretty much all the whatever-logical aspects of human nature meet the Jesus of the Gospels.  Basically it's the wisdom of man versus the wisdom of God.

This is a huge issue and if we are to master it we may have to further unpack its dimensions.

Gary Ward




Thursday 24 July 2014

A Message from a Ragamuffin...





Brennan Manning.  I think he gets it!

Gary Ward

Ps.  if you want more or less of these just leave a message! :)

Tuesday 22 July 2014

The Construct

I can tell you what Jesus is doing in your life right now.  Is it because I'm a prophet or I secretly know something about you?  No, its because the Scriptures says Jesus is sanctifying all of us.  He is wanting to get into deep places in our hearts to so we can be aware of them and re-calibrate our lives towards his ways. This process can be hindered by how you practice church.  

What we tend to do in church is adjust behavior so that we are seen to be a well rounded member of the community.  If we get good at this we can begin to be deceived about who we are.  I know leaders in the church who actually believe they are the constructed person they are in public.  All well and good if they are showing a good example I guess it's fine!  But wait.  If they are living a lie about themselves they will never be able to face the truth about the fractures and faults in their lives.  If we are behaving just for show that's one big problem.  If we start to think that's who we are we have bigger problems.

It is necessary for the Lord to show us who we really are at core level. It isn't to harm us but to have us properly measure ourselves against His Holiness and Righteousness.  Many churches fail to tackle these sorts of issues because who wants to be confronted with the wretchedness of 'self?'  I'm not in any way suggesting that believers should be spent wrecks when coming to meet together.  The answer to a 'holy construct' is not to conduct a guided tour around 'My Dungeon Self.'     A believer who escapes the construct and denies themselves the holy theater can allow the Lord to expose their core self.  Then they can go to the Lord and be transformed.  The difference is that the change of behavior comes from a transformed self not the outward measures to appear 'church fit.'

Why do we do this?  What drives that desire to be seen as 'of the Lord?' A born-from-above believer already is 'of the Lord.'  I think this exposes a deep problem us Westerners have.  Social rank has become part and parcel of church life.  Downton Abbey shows us how people had a 'place' in society decided by heritage and subsequent economic ability.  There's a lot of that in church but it becomes something more dangerous.  People try to out-rank people by demonstrating how 'of the Lord' they are.  This happens mostly in the mega-church set up where 'becoming' is synonymous with blessing.  To be 'added to' in life is portrayed as the more spiritual you are.  Of course God can add to you, but the basis of following Jesus is 'death to self.'

The yielding, abandonment and submission sounds like a load of limping around... not attractive to the lost. But it is what occurs when this is done properly that is attractive to the lost.  The 'glory to glory' that ensues from a life committed to walking in this 'death to self' leads to light and life.  There's no construct or theater needed... you are the genuine article!  This is another reason the Lord wanted the ekklesia to be simply a family meal together around the Lord... so he has a chance to get in and among our deepest issues to transform us.  In the sociopolitical environment the historical church has to be, there's less likelihood anyone would be exposed enough for this to occur.  In the churches I've been to if you had a suggestion of failure or struggle in your life it would relegate you to the bench.

Gary Ward


Where are you on "Israel?"

Whatever political climate in the Middle East is occurring, this post is about Biblical Israel not the secular state.  With that in view I'd like to offer why "Israel" is vital to biblical understanding.  Many church stream believe the church replaces Israel and there is no place in the future for them.  Paul the apostle makes it abundantly clear that Israel has a future and will be restored. Romans Ch 9-11 is clear and Paul writes this after writing the 'Gentile Book of Salvation' which is Romans essentially.

When I use the phrase 'Jewish' it doesn't mean those following Judaism but those of Israeli descent.  The Bible is a Jewish book written to Jews.   Gentiles are grafted into the New Covenant God made with Israel. There is no evidence at all that God has made a covenant with Gentiles!  There is 'one man in Christ' now but this doesn't mean Gentiles have become Jews.  All have become the New Man in Christ.

In AD70 the Jews were dispersed after Jesus warned them to flee Jerusalem when the armies surround the city (Luke 21:20).  Ezekiel said they would return (20:34) and Isaiah 11:11-12.  Not only that but it was foretold that this would happen in one day (Isaiah 66:8).  In 1948 at 9 am there was no Israel.  By 5pm there was!  This homecoming for the Jews is a significant prophetic event and to date we are 66 years ahead!

Astonishingly much of the work done by Satan throughout Scripture past, present and future is against Israel. The Messiah will come through Israel so the Enemy targets Israel.  The Second Coming will occur when Israel bow their knee to Messiah.  Therefore Satan is all out to destroy Israel.  Iran stated publically that when it gets Nuclear weapons it will fire on Israel!  Far fetched?  When the Hebrew people became too numerous in Egypt Satanic forces had Pharaoh kill children.  This also occurred when Herod found Jesus was born.  He ordered all children under two and a half be slaughtered.  Even the religious officials in the synagogue drag jesus to a cliff to kill him.  This was all the enemy trying to assassinate Jesus.   When he thinks he has done this on the cross  Satan had no idea that Jesus was going to be raised again.

All that before we mention Jesus will return and rule from Jerusalem!

There much more to say about this but many don't even take on board the 'Israel' question because they think the Church has replaced them.  Be careful!  In Jesus seven letters to the churches he mentions negatively 'those who claim they are Jews but are not.'  Is this a direct challenge to the 'replacement' crowd?

Gary Ward



Monday 21 July 2014

Awkward #6 Gay

That a person would be specifically singled out for God's condemnation for any reason is appalling.  The gay community get this treatment and the main reason is that Christians transfer their own thoughts about homosexuality onto God.  Then they report 'what God thinks' based on their own perceptions.  The Bible has instances where God deals with sin but we don't seem to see thieves being protested about and specifically identified as 'hell-bound.'  The Lord had a chance to be really clear by having a homosexual crucified next to Jesus being the one who viciously rejected Salvation.  However this is not the case.  God has made clear his intent for his Creation in the Bible. That people choose to do their own thing is common to all people, not just a group whose practices you don't approve of.

To defuse the whole issue we need to return to what becoming a Christian is.  Everyone on earth is born into sin.  Sin is not primarily an action or practice.  It is a condition.  Where that condition has you today is entirely and completely known by God.  But be absolutely clear that it is the sin condition that is the problem before it drives our practices. When someone becomes a Christian they are recognising God sent Messiah to pay the sin debt to God.  Jesus became sin itself!  The response to that involves a laying down of their life. Please note:  this is not a selection process of fessing up your wrongs or categories!  This is about laying down every aspect of self to God.  In response to this intent, the Lord begins showing us what it is to become free under his lead.  When we see this freedom there is no precious thing, including one's sexual practices, that will compare with freedom in Christ.

I'm not concerned that someone is gay at all.  I am concerned that they have the same sin condition as everyone born into this world.  I'm also concerned that in singling out 'gay' as being somehow at the top of the 'things-that-make-God-angry' list, we forget that every person is born into sin generally.   The argument that a person is born gay is complex.  But that deflects the issue once again.  It concentrates on the practice not the condition all people are born into.

God provided such an outrageous answer to the problem of the sin condition.  When we take on board that he came in the flesh and religious humans nailed him to a tree to shut him up, we have more problems than 'who someone chooses to have sex with.'   Pontificating about 'what God thinks about homosexuals' misses the point of the Bible message.  ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD and all have to remedy this while here.  The only answer is faith in the Risen, Glorified Lord Jesus Christ.

So the message to all people, no matter what you get up to, is -come to the Lord Jesus and be included in the greatest scandal of all time:  Jesus saw what you did because of sin, climbed onto a tree and allowed stupid people to hammer nails into his limbs so you would know its alright to come to God just as you are!

Your freedom from there is to prefer your life of sin over the Salvation Jesus the Messiah offers.  Now that is something you don't want to do.  Please believe me, this story is all true and rejecting this Salvation is the worst decision of your eternal life.  Jesus was sent by God to become your sinful condition and ensuing practices so that in life you could be forgiven and spend eternity in Heaven with your Creator.  Deal or no deal?

Gary Ward

email me to seek out more on this subject.
gary.ward.c1@gmail.com





Sunday 20 July 2014

The legacy of Priest and Pew

Although we see a nice suggestion,
The Bread, the Wine, Holy ingestion,
The Command is made to me, to you -
Remember me when you 'This do.'

Into the lands the sent one's go,
A passed on practice, a heart aglow,
Family meal, the Lord amidst,
Love abounds, the soul is kissed.

Homes with singing, prayer and peace
Joy with gifts for all released.
Family sourced in 'other than'
Was light and life to every Man.

In true tradition, as we were shown,
Men step in to take control,
Family is hung on its tree,
And slowly turns to industry.

The Christ, our Head is pushed aside,
A spiritual induced genocide,
The Cathedra - Throne, is man's desire
Homes replaced by Dome and Spire.

Special now are the kind,
Who can take part in bread and wine,
The ranked and robed officiates,
'Christ's leadership' are 'delegates.'

Hid in some lightened nook,
Meet those who have not forsook,
But keep as best they can "This do.."
They are but small, they are but few.

As soon as they show their face,
The Holy See moves at some pace,
They raise the sword, they strike "This do..."
'They have forsaken Priest and pew.'

Marching on throughout the world,
With war and conquest, flags unfurled,
"In God's name" the Papal home,
Looks like Caesar's Empire - Rome.

Born into this, Men now betrothe,
To raise themselves to hat and robe,
Telling all what God would say,
When to kneel, bow and pray.

As this man-led entity grew,
A stir among the Priest and pew,
Inspired somehow through flesh and bone,
Comes the cry 'Scripture Alone!'

Protesting forth men come away,
Something rising from this clay,
To walk away from all that has been,
The last of Rome's conquest has seen?

The hourglass tells of time and sands,
And sees a glimpse of Jesus' hands,
People free to make a choice,
To be broke by Rome or by Jesus' voice?

"This do!"  This do!" is still out-spoken,
Yet length and breadth there's still the token,
Priestlike leaders still preside,
The laity voice de-amplified

Sip of wine and edge of bread...
"Family! We have been led!"
But still we fail to do  "This do..."
With Pastor-Priest and plastic pew.

Strike up the band! Let's redefine...
A weekly tour of bread and wine,
God will speak through the special man,
'Ill pay as much as you say I can!'

You and I were born into,
A customised Priest and Pew,
Moulding our minds to stand in line,
To accept the church of our time.

Agape meal with loaf and drink,
Equal talking, freedom to think,
Brothers and sisters in a normal home,
Under Christ and free from Rome.

Homes with singing, prayer and peace
Joy with gifts for all released.
Family sourced in 'other than'
Is light and life to every Man.

There is a time for everyone,
To stand before the Son of Man,
To give account for what we have done,
Live for self or for the Son?

I can't know how this transpires
I'm just glad there are no fires!
What will you say, what will be true,
If he asks 'did you do- 'This do?''

Gary Ward.





























Saturday 19 July 2014

Why is Hell Hell?

The concept of God allowing people to be in eternal torment is a hard teaching.  For those who reject Messiah there will be a Judgement at the great white Throne at the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth.  This is when the Devil is thrown into to Lake of Fire and those who did not bow the knee to Messiah and take the free gift of Salvation offered.   The reason it is eternal punishment is a sober realisation and a gristly fact.

Every being ever born into the Earth will receive a Heavenly body.  This will be an eternal body and those who accepted Messiah will live forever in this body.  There will be no more pain, fear, illness etc.  However a little known or realised fact is that those who rejected Messiah also get eternal bodies. You cannot stand before a Throne in heaven without a body.  These bodies can never be destroyed and the sinner will experience the new body immediately prior to being thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Unless you have already guessed, here is the sobering and harrowing truth:

The bodies of the unsaved person will be in the lake of fire yet keep regenerating as they dwell in that horrific place. It was made for the Devil and the demonic realm yet those who reject the free gift of Salvation by ignoring Messiah also have to legally be assigned to the same place.  Legally their Father is Satan because they didn't take the adoption that God offered.

Another thing that makes Hell Hell is another realisation.  Each person getting judgement will see the radiant Glory and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ then realise their own arrogance and love of self turned away from him.    The response the Lord needs is for us to get before him and lay our lives down for him so he can shape us to be a person who can example Christ and have him work through us to save the lost.

Help me Lord to be such a person that you can save people through me.

Gary Ward

Friday 18 July 2014

Beyond Blogging.

I'm with my family in Margaret River in Western Australia.  The cause of reforming church practice and authentic discipleship rarely has things that interrupt it. 

This does.

Have a great day. More tomorrow.

Gary Ward

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Illuminati Hillsong?

Hillsong United have been criticised for using triangles repeatedly in their latest conference.  A few youtube prophets have labelled them in line with the Illuminati.   I'm sorry to say but you don't need neon triangles to identify Hillsong as worldly.  I went to Hillsong in 1998 and saw many things that helped me discern a bigger problem that symbolic signs.  Hillsong and the many streams that try to emulate it all fit into a certain category.  I call them 'shiny church' as they continue their campaign to be attractive to the lost.



I was part of a church that was heading this way but I jumped off in 2000.  Led by the Lord, I was shown that this is a way where many will fall away.  I had previously thought that 'falling away' was people walking away from Jesus.  Now I understand that falling away means believers falling for a version of 'church' that denies the core values of Christ.  So many churches have thousands of people following them and this is perceived as 'proof' that God is moving.  Christians want to be part of God's moving so they join the church stream.

As you will know from my writings I'm pushing for a review of what the Scriptures say about 'church.'  I'm all of this I must be careful to underline that my appeal to see how the Apostolic way works is a 'wineskin' issue.  The real point of all of my efforts is to be the 'wine.'  This 'wine' can be described as brothers and sisters together on the basis that they are family in Christ. The wine flows when the Lord has lead over these people and is able to have his way among them.  This results in a beautiful fellowship of submitted people loving one another and manifesting the Lord in their comings and goings.  This life contrasts this world and people are met by an authentic Christ-life lived out in dark times.  Jesus can do his works through these believers.

Hillsong and church models that have gone the other way, try to win people by packaging church as contemporary, relevant and something you would want to tell your next door neighbour about.  They would fail however at producing the 'wine.'  You will get real believers really passionate about doing good things and serving humanity but without something Jesus can work with, the wine, it is a spectacular effort of man.  the idea that church must become more and more relevant and contemporary sets believers up for calibrating themselves towards this world rather than exclusively Christ.

 

Awkward #5 Sabbath

When I first became a Christian I went to a Pentecostal church who were confused about the place of the Law in the New Covenant.  Like most Gentile gatherings they thought Jesus had made a covenant with the Gentiles and somehow this meant that some of the 613 Laws were transferred.  I was told I could not buy things on the Sabbath as this would be sinful on the day no-one was to work.  It always confused me how the Pastor worked on Sundays then had a day off in the week!  Anyway....

Gentiles are grafted into the covenant God made with Israel.  Israel rejected it in the fact that they rejected Messiah.  Israel will be brought back into right standing with God during the Tribulation period but meanwhile what do we do with the Sabbath day of rest? Ignoring for a moment that the Law was for God's chosen people, descendants of Abraham alone.  Ignore also that when the Apostles wrote to the Gentile church at Antioch they had no instructions about Sabbath (Acts 15).    We must try to isolate what Sabbath is for believers today.

When we look at Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4 the author is explaining exactly how Sabbath looks today. Remember that Hebrews is what it says it is... a book written to believing Jews.  We are told that God had set apart a day of rest after the finished model of Creation.  This was Saturday.  The author also tells us that the entry to the Promised Land was a rest after the people of God had fled egypt and eventually found their own nation.  The writer shows us that in the same way we can find rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross.  We can enter into a rest of Jesus having each and every aspect of Salvation under control.  Basically it is a completely done deal and nothing of our own contribution can assist or help any part of it.  We can enter a rest of walking in this truth.  That means ending all striving and works of the flesh.  And this Sabbath rest for God's people is...

TODAY!

This ceasing from all works of the flesh in complete and total trust in the Lord's Saving work is each and every day!  It is offered to those who walk with the Lord but as we are observing in the church the opposite is occurring.  The example given of those who 'will never enter my rest' are those who walked in unbelief in the desert and a generation were left to wander and die.   If we are in a place where for any reason we rely on the works of the flesh we are in unbelief.  This lack of complete reliance on the Lord means by definition that you cannot enter this rest intended for God's people... the grafted in Gentiles.

A technical point
So what has happened to Sabbath?  It's the intended rest given to God's people who have faith in Christ and turn from their own works.  At this point we have to differentiate what 'works' mean.   Theres works of the flesh which are acts of faithlessness and works Jesus can do through you.  In James 'faith without works is dead' is not your own efforts, projects, missions and ministries. It is how the Lord can work through a person and produce works.  There are several Christian groups claiming we should practice aspects of the Law.  This is deception.  Show them Galatians and Colossians Chapter 2.

Enjoy your freedom... rest in the completed work of Christ.

Gary Ward


Tuesday 15 July 2014

Awkward #4 OSAS

OSAS is not some fringe religious cult.  It is "Once Saved Always Saved."  I want to underline why, in no possible way, can a person who is genuinely saved ever lose their salvation.    I've had brothers walk from us on this subject. In every instance of brothers being offended by this, we found they enjoyed the idea that you could lose your Salvation and it therefore gives power back to the believer that they can affect their eternal security.  God has secured eternal salvation for believers and I want to tackle some of the awkward verses / principles that suggest we can be 'booted out' of heaven.

A Caveat. 
Before we begin we must learn something central to God's purposes.  Jesus came to speak to Israel.  That the Gentiles were recipients of the Kingdom was because firstly Israel rejected Messiah. When we interpret the New Testament we must firstly ask 'what is Jesus saying to Israel?'  When we do this we can divide what Jesus was saying only to them and what applies to Gentiles also. This is not rocket science. We are given Matthew's gospel which is primarily written to Jews.  Also when Jesus uses Jewish idioms we can guess he has Israel specifically in mind.  There are some instances where Jesus ONLY speaks to Israel and Matthew Chapter 25 is an example of this.

Severe Warning to Israel
In Matt 25 Jesus uses a picture of a Jewish wedding where the maidens from the bridal party would go out to search for the groom with lamps.  The groom had gone away to build or renovate a room onto the house of his Father.  He was due to come back around midnight to collect the Bride.  The text may refer to a Royal Wedding as the bridal party were virgins.  Five of them have oil when the Groom arrives and five do not.  All being of Israeli descent, the hearers would expect all the virgins to enter the wedding feast.  But no.  This is telling Israel that their national identity as 'God's chosen' does not secure their entry to God's Kingdom. They must have 'oil' which is the Holy Spirit meaning they have accepted Messiah, repented and followed.  I have heard non-Israeli preachers say that this passage is Jesus telling believers that if they aren't filled with the Holy Spirit or grieving the Lord when he returns they will be kicked out of heaven.  This sows fear among believers and leads to a works-based walk.  Be assured though that NOW is the time to fix any shortfalls we have in our relationship with the Holy One but your struggle, even purposed and planned sin cannot affect your Justification before God.

Israel had a unique status as being chosen yet still needing Messiah.  All of the cases where Jesus appears to make it possible for chosen people to end up outside the door or kicked out of eternity applies to Israel alone.  Israel are not saved because they are God's chosen nation.  They still need Messiah.  For a Gentile there is no heritage so it is straightforward to be 'in' or 'out.' Here are two more examples of how we apply the principle that Jesus was speaking to israel alone:

John 15:1-8  The vine and the branches
This appears to tell Christians that if you are unfruitful you will be cut off and thrown into the (lake of ) fire.  Firstly we have to see who Jesus was talking to.  These are Jews.  Jews are at the time Jesus was speaking, the chosen nation, the vineyard of the Lord (Isa 5:7).   If we read it in this light Jesus is saying to Jew that they must repent and follow Messiah to remain in the Vine because national Identity is not qualification. 
This is a transitional time as Israel were about to be rejected.  Therefore Jesus is appealing to the nation to remain in the vine.  Those who choose to remain in the vine will undergo the normal procedure of discipleship… bear fruit and then be pruned for more fruit.  Those who do not bear fruit ie.  Are of Israel but not saved…. Will be taken away and thrown into the fire.

Matt 25:12- The parable for the talent

This is a severe warning to the Jews.  The illustration is that some are given a lot and some are given a few but its extremely problematic to be the people who were only given one.  The Jews were given the Law and this is the nation that were given the one responsibility:  to keep the Law.  The Law and the Prophets were supposed to pave a golden road to Messiah and Israel recognising him, accepting him and repenting.  The others in this Parable are given various amounts but the factor that makes them have more and multiply what they have is that they have accepted Messiah. This accumulates in 25:29  Those who have (the gospel) will be given more but those who have not (got the gospel) even what they have (the Law) will be taken away from them.

Apply to other Scriptures the fact that Jesus was speaking to Israel with the unique status of being chosen yet still needing to be born again and you will find they are solved.  Here are some general reasons why You cannot lose your Salvation:

How to be Rejected
Because your sin was judged and wrath poured out on Christ on the cross, you can never be judged for sin. What has people become objects of wrath is rejecting Messiah.  If someone knows that Jesus was sent to become their sin on the cross and then refuses to repent... that is rejecting Messiah.  A person who has recognised Messiah, repented and followed can never be refused Salvation.  However they can be refused the intended reward in heaven as 1 Cor 3:10-15 clarifies.

The Last Straw
Later they can also reject Messiah, or rather, refuse to calibrate their lives to his ways.  What happens then? Well they can lose their reward.  Be warned also that there is a sin unto death as 1 John 5:17 underlines. After a very long time of Gods mercy and strategies to bring a person back, the Lord will allow death to come to that person.  They will scrape into Heaven but receive no Reward.  I have debated with those who simply don't think this is the case but it always appears that they are judging an apostate Christian by their own standards.  Our opinion about someone who ditches the Beautiful Saviour must submit to the Word of God.

God's 'chosen'
God's chosen people, the Hebrews, went through all sorts of measures and are right now presently temporarily rejected and under God's judgement.  However they are still God's chosen nation!  The New Covenant was made with Israel but handed over to the Gentiles.   God does not disown his own.  If you think he does you will need some pretty robust evidence because of the swathes of Bible stories that say "I will never forsake you" in multitudes of different ways.

 The 'Gospel'
The Gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ.  That God arranged it for us to be responsible for any part of our Salvation is NOT good news at all.  We are utterly foolish and wretched without Grace. It is by all stretch of the imagination ridiculous to claim we have some sort of stakehold in whether we get 'in' or 'out' based on behaviour.     Leading on from this... do you think God would have his own Son tortured by stupid humans if their stupidity would mean they can blow it?  Theres no ticking time bomb or booby traps brothers and sisters!  It is watertight.

For brevity I will leave this one here.  Feel free to show me my error if you still think you can lose your salvation once born again, sealed and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Gary Ward





Monday 14 July 2014

Awkward #3 Tithing

Tithing is presented by church leaders as a command for New Testament believers.  It was, in fact,  the Jewish taxation system and included mostly livestock and crops.  You have to do some study on Biblical Jewish culture to find this.  So unless you lived 2000 years ago in Israel, tithing is not a believer's responsibility. That said, giving is.  The difference being that our giving is managed by the Holy Spirit where Tithing is a calculated amount based upon Law. People who say 'Jesus mentioned tithing' forget that he was speaking to those in Israel 2000 years ago who were under Law.  We no longer need the Law as prescriptive command now we have the Lawgiver living in our hearts.  

Some claim that because Melchizedek was tithed to by Abraham before the Law so tithing predates Law. So based upon this we should tithe.   How many more Jewish customs and traditions do we replicate because they occurred before the Law?  This claim is a last ditch attempt by church leaders who need money to operate their church.  Making rules around money to suit the system and structure of 'church' is not new.  The Roman Catholics said that Priests couldn't marry.  The sole reasoning was because when the Priest died, the church could have their property.   So the leaders made up rules to dictate the financial security of the organisation.  

When a leader gets up to tell you tithing is a command for you today, it's the same thing. They have bills and wages to pay and the accepted system is to 'chip in.'  Scripture is used wrongly to have you fund the vision. However examining the Scriptures to find this is true, one would then be tempted with the other problem in all of this.  The other problem is shutting down sensitivity to giving altogether.  It is just as easy to declare our income well and truly "New Testament" and never seem to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts about giving.  

I'm not pretending for one minute that those who still tithe will recalibrate their giving based on biblical teaching.   The problem is way too complex for that.  Happily giving your tithe etc and never questioning it speaks of having been taken in hook line and sinker by a systemized approach to church.  I heard a well respected leader say that Jesus was a businessman and his ministry was wealthy.  What lengths will people go to twist the Scripture to justify amassing wealth!  I will cover the 'prosperity gospel' in another writing.  

Theres not much more to say about this except that the merging of men's ideas and Biblical truth always clash where money is concerned.  The traders in the Temple courts saw Jesus' reaction to inappropriate use of Holy things.  We have been warned.

Gary Ward




Saturday 12 July 2014

Awkward #2 Habitual Sin

In religious circles and church systems and structures a believer can be sin-free for all the wrong reasons. You may think 'what does it matter as long as we aren't sinning?'  This view suggests God is personally offended when we sin so we need to, at all costs, stop sinning.  Sometimes being in a community has us behave a certain way and not be seen to be in sin.  But if that is the reason you refrain from sin, it is the wrong reason.

The overarching plan for all of us is not that we behave, it is that we are transformed.  The mechanism God uses to show us how much we need Jesus is to allow us to see the real 'me.'  Being stuck in communities that are trying to be squeaky clean can sometimes speak back to the believer.  We can feel we are doing really well when we have times of successful behaviour management.  We come crashing down to earth when we find ourselves convicted.  If we didn't believe our own charade so much, the impact of sin would be less.  Of course, we do want to appear in public as a good Ambassador of Christ but we are dealing with motives... is it the Pastor, the people or pride what modifies behaviour?  This leads to a barrier in our sanctification.

Welcome to 'you!'
God knows we are wretched and sinful in our flesh.  It is us who need to be reminded of this.  In this mechanism of proper measurement against the Holiness of God we find ourselves able to actually articulate our own horrific self indulgence.  Having been made aware of our shortfall we are more able to render things up to the Lord as, by the Holy Spirit, he continues the work of sanctification he began.  This 'rendering up' is abandonment, yielding and submission.  This is what leads to our gradual transformation, not mere behaviour modification and management.  

Here we go again!
I make it all sound so simple but it really isn't!  There are some things that keep cropping up as weak areas in our lives.  We fully repent and receive forgiveness but find ourselves in the same old place.  These are areas where our sinful nature that resides in the flesh is particularly strong.  Part of the sin problem is that it has an identity crisis.  We are incapable of identifying the complexities of our faults.  We need the Holy Spirit to expose to us what we desire and seek over Christ.  "What is it about my *insert habitual sin* that I love it over my love for Christ?  That I love things more than Christ is the very point of breakage not the particular nature of the habitual sin.  The shattering truth about all sin is that we actually love 'self' over Christ! Your habitual *          * is because you love yourself.  I hope 'ouch' is the response to that observation.

I really do not like the fact that I love self over Christ.  And that God knows I love myself more and still wants to work with me is just....  It makes me want to throw my entire self upon his Grace, Mercy and abounding Love. When we get to that place it isn't the answer!  It just means God has something he can work with.  Part of the slow process of freeing us is that we quickly default to self sufficiency again. We think we have to do something to stop sinning.  But actually aiding the process of sanctification in our lives is more about remaining as yielded, submitted and abandoned as we can.  When we glimpse that outrageous love God has for us even as we completely lose the plot and *           *, we find ourselves hating sin more and more so we can walk in his love more.  This response has us plan to not place ourselves in a vulnerable situation where we will exploit our weakness.  This has started with a growing hatred for loving self over Christ and now we are planning to walk in the light.  That sort of behaviour modification has come from the right place, from the inside out.  When we try to change the inside by outward measures we will fail as it isn't a work of the Holy Spirit.

A less realised truth
The Lord committed himself not to just die for me but to 'roll his sleeves up' and patiently hang around this dungeon called 'my flesh.'  We know about the humility of God from Jesus' life but right now the Lord of the Universe has opted to work on the very parts of me that only offer a middle finger gesture to him.  This commitment to me draws me to further abandon self and this process leads to transformation. The first stage of our getting better at abandonment of self-love is to admit it isn't *        *  that is the problem, it is ME!  It's no use placing *          * on the cross as some tell us to do,  it is me, myself and I who needs to die.  This is never comfortable but better understood, we can embrace those painful and turbulent times knowing the Lord is working for our freedom.  

This is 'the cross' in your life.

Gary Ward

 




Friday 11 July 2014

Awkward #1 Shhhhh!

Women staying silent in churches is considered an awkward passage.  It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever if we lift this out of its context.  Paul was speaking to the Corinthian Church and in Chapter 14 says women should be silent in church.  Remember, every scholar of note will acknowledge that the first century church met in smaller groups, in homes around the Lord's Supper, a full meal.  There were leaders but not ranked and they had open and equal sharing.  In that setting we see Paul working on some fine detail.

 This has been leveled at me a few times:

"If you are going to be 'Biblical' then what do you do with 1 Corinthians Chapter 14?"

Submit to each other!
I will deal with the 'awkward' issue of women being silent.  To tackle this we must first go to Ephesians 5. Read the whole chapter but note verses 21/22.  Paul tells us that everyone should submit to each other!  We miss this in the clamor to work out verse 22.  The opposite of submitting is to resist each other.  Paul says all should be in submission to one another with a clause for wives.  Paul is explaining that the man is the head of the wife and in view of this, when everyone is submitting to one another her submission is first to her husband.

Simply... Don't form a sub-group
When we reach 1 Corinthians 14 and especially verse 34 / 35 the subject matter is women remaining silent in churches. If in the course of the gathering a teaching, gift or prophecy is not understood, the wife who is under submission to her husband may begin to pursue the answer with the husband in the gathering.  She would be doing the right thing in firstly being in submission to her husband but Paul is saying to not do this in ekklesia.  They must wait until they get home to pursue the issues.  Remember Paul is correcting a church here and we must allow for some over-statement to hit home this message to a particular church who was in chaos!

Submission means non-resistant!
Single women, as in those unmarried, have no husband to be in submission to so they are in submission to each other.   Scripture points out in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 that women should not usurp the authority of men in ekklesia. With 1 Corinthians 11:5 clearly portraying women as taking part in the gathering it is the observation pertaining to certain clauses not a blanket SHHHHH! .  Women take part normally but would give in to (submit) to the men dealing with interpretation.  This extends to Teaching.  Don't forget that ekklesia was NOT primarily for a monologue of Bible Teaching.  We only ever see dialogue in ekklesia as in Paul's dialogue in Acts 20.  Note the dialogue (see the Greek) and then the fellowship meal.

 In a nutshell:

  • Women can take part in the open and equal sharing as in 1 Cor 14:26
  • When interpreting gifts or needing clarity in an issue, which would implicate wives asking her husband... wait until you get home
  • Women can lead abut not undermine men
  • Eldership is male.  Unless the woman is a 'husband of one wife.' (1Tim 3:2) (Titus 1:6)

Leadership v leadership
To lead in the first century would have been a different story than in today's churches. Because it meant a lot more suffering and the dealings of the Lord most would be relieved to not be ushered into a leadership role.  Paul clearly underlines that his Apostleship is the low-life.  That women feel inferior or pushed aside by Paul's Epistles is a modern day phenomena.  Today's leadership offers status, profile, rank, rewards, applause, adoration and attention... who WOULDN'T want to lead?  But herein lies the problem.  I think everyone wants to sit in that convenient public position and being supposedly denied it by Paul makes a lot of women question the context, culture etc. 

The real problem is what lies within all our hearts.  Ministry today is opportunity to be exalted.  Our hearts are predisposed to exaltation because we are sinners.  We will go to extraordinary lengths to protect out status and profile among others. So to be denied even the opportunity sets female teeth on edge.  But the problem isn't Paul.  The mantle of first century leadership was not envied or hankered after.  It was danger, obscurity, beatings, unheralded, pain and persecuted.  The problem is modern-day church and a Western culture of equality.  In Paul's ekklesia you wouldn't want equality!  With the promise of being respected, valued and esteemed leadership in the church is something men and women will crawl over broken glass to attain and maintain  

There is nothing more needed than men to be men and women to be women in biblical ekklesia.   

Gary Ward  



Can you 'overcome?'

One thing that stands out in my writing and speaking is that I am anti Hierarchy where the church is concerned.  It does however beg the question: "how, in this Western-Roman culture can leaders lead?" The answer to that gets to the core of what the body of Christ was supposed to be.

Rank within organisations helps a job get done. If it's productivity you want then organisational rank is a good place to start.  Many who feel evangelism is the aim of the church would never question rank within the church because it exists to 'get a job done.'  I wouldn't agree that evangelism is the primary aim of 'church.'  The primary aim of church is to build up and encourage believers and have them grow in maturity.  Then, this being the case, they can go out into their lives and be the actual salt and light Jesus spoke about.  

People who are firstly being met by a loving family go out into the world and exhibit change.  Those in a program that wants to 'get people saved' exhibit a message.  To be able to facilitate being the substance of the gospel instead of just being able to talk about it requires a particular leadership.  It must be able to provide an environment where believers can be permeated by genuine, authentic family love.  Models that have hierarchy may speak of  'love' but brothers and sisters do not have rank.  "But Gary, families ideally have a Father ranked over them." True, but we have our heavenly Father over us.  This is the point... no brother or sister has been tasked to be over you in their church roles and functions.  It is Western society flowing from its Roman heritage that delights in rank. We don't know any better!

Can it be that the body of believers were to be so completely unique in the earth that they experienced the 'other than' where leadership was concerned?  Could it be that the whole idea of leadership was to bring people into a resonance with the Lord alone?  I think Paul was clear in his writings that rank was not the way forward but relationship through love was.  Jesus in Mark 10 responded to a couple of disciples' ambitions comments with 'not so among you.'

Its a pretty serious thing to exist within a hierarchy when there is no Biblical command to come under anyone except the Lord where our spirituality is concerned.  Yet many defend their church leadership and are mortally wounded to suggest it may be error to form spiritual oversight like the world.  I think this is a more deep rooted problem than we think, having been severely dealt with about it myself.

If you want a Scriptural treatment of 'what is biblical leadership' first you have to get beyond mere verses. You need to get the story of the church right.  then we can see what was being said in the Epistles to form a correct version of leadership.  As the masses impose their church structure and systems onto Scripture, we can see how those the Bible tells us about slipped into error.  I often wondered how 'stupid' some of those living in the Bible times were to go away from the Teachings.  However a process like I'm describing was the reason - people are unwilling to offer up to the Lord that which they are personally invested in.

That, I believe will be a theme when we finally have to stand before Jesus as recipients of his free gift of Salvation.

Gary Ward


Wednesday 9 July 2014

Why Jesus is indesputably God

If you are in and around the Bible enough you will soon grasp scriptures that say clearly that Jesus is God.    cults such as the Jehovah's witnesses will try to erode this by countering with rehearsed scriptures.  I want to present a rock solid proof that Jesus is God from the plain speaking of Biblical text.

Is this the time when Isaiah 44:6 tells us "I am the first and the last, and beside me there is no God" then appearing again in Revelation, saying the same thing yet "Behold I was dead but now I am alive?" Rev 1:17-18.  This is clearly Jesus who identifies himself to those who know Isaiah.

This is a good one to reflect on who Jesus said he was. The biggest proof for who he was is at the Last Supper.  God made a Covenant with Abraham (Gen 12) and instituted Passover at Exodus 12.  At the Last Supper he heralded the end of the Covenant and started the New Covenant with Israel.  Throughout the Bible we find that Covenant keeping is a serious business and God would not send another person to end or start a Covenant.  This is actually illegal.  Jesus halted the Passover and said he would drink the fourth cup when the Kingdom comes at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

Only God can do that.

Have you ever thought why Jesus asked for 'this cup' to be taken from him in the garden of Gethsemane?   In the Passover at Jesus time there were four cups to drink in a set format.  The third cup was the one to drink with the Passover which included the feast of unleavened bread.  This was where Jesus instructed the believers who meet to remember him (church) to eat a meal together in the same simple fashion.  This third cup was the cup of Redemption and in instituting the New Covenant it meant he was the Redeemer.   Obviously this meant being made sin and being ejected from the Godhead.  The Gospels tell us that the earth was dark for three hours and after this Jesus cried "The books are balanced.''  Then he gave up his own spirit.

The fourth cup was the Joy set before him.  This is how he endured the Cross.  Now we are encouraged to carry our own cross and partake in the third cup of Redemption.  We are all waiting for the return of the Lord so we can drink the fourth cup with him at the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Come Lord Jesus.

Gary Ward

 

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Agony v Arrogance

I'd like to communicate the tone in which my writings are set.  In the Bible the message was important but also the tone in which it is delivered.  This 'voice' would reflect from where the message is issuing forth.   Many are called to deliver the Prophetic but are not delivering the message from the place where it truly comes.  We must also underline that the internet cannot show you how the Man is doing the writing. It could come from a seething cynicism or a broken leading.  I want to try to articulate that My rendering forth of my message is in the voice of agony, not arrogance.

The component parts of the 'agony' are in the fact that to be able to discern the issues with church, the heart of Western people etc it has to have been addressed in yourself by God.  All of my observations are born from the reality that 'I am that Man.'   I would get entirely lost in being the head honcho of a church.  I would relish in the adoration and applause for my speaking gift or my clarity of vision.  I would trade books, media and speaking engagements and market my product.  I would grant myself treats and gifts based upon the perceived reach and scope of my profile.  I am that Man.

If you think you are not you are deceived.  Truly.

In an ongoing process I have to walk in the constant breaking of the "Saul'' who lies in my flesh like a tiger. 'David' also lies within my being. By the Grace of God I have been made able to perceive the Lord and allowed the privilege of pursuing his Glorious self.  In that pursuit lies the key to Saul being left neutralized. When the Lord starts the long process of stripping away everything, we find that the only thing we need is the Lord himself.  I think I've been on that journey to an extent and believe me, even the morsel of beholding Him alone is EXACTLY where every believer wants to be.  That said, it has involved a savage excavation of many 'me' faults.  This has me arrive at conclusions I try to reflect in these writings.  Long may it continue (and heaven knows it needs to).

The Agony
There's no point in trying to explain the Lord's dealings in me.  The Psalms do that for us.  However I am keen that the tone of these challenging writings is known.  "When you point the finger there's three pointing back" is a true statement here.  With that in view to write these things as general and specific truths about the church and believers... I am only speaking about myself also.  But here is the crunch:  When learning of these things I did separate myself from it when required.  

As a product of systematized Western church structures I was led to the slaughter by the Holy Spirit.  The 'systemectomy' that followed was with brutal accuracy and slow, painful deliverance.  It is extraordinary how deep the leadership fault lines go.  God has to bring about situations that seem recklessly severe to have us perceive and assess the truth about self.  

The Joy
The breakage is not an event, it is a lifestyle.  However, what emerges from it all is no less than unspeakable Joy.  When you find that the Lord has treated you like a beloved Son... the breakage and excavation of the heart is a lavish and abundant expression of love.  Some have indicated to me that I should be in some sort of public ministry and in essence 'there's more to me than this.'  They want to see me do what they do and go ahead with good ideas and thus validate their own work.  I'm not at all suggesting God is not in what they are doing.  But one thing is for sure, without the Agony, there is no broken vessel for the Lord to trickle from.  Works can do 'things' on earth but doesn't your heart beat for the works of the Lord issuing forth.  Don't immediately reflect on the congregation, the following, the sign-ups, the readership... all these could be generated by human ingenuity.  Find, at all costs, the authentic, genuine work of God and don't settle for less.

The final and most immovable object in our lives to be rendered up to the Lord is the concept that the Lord is working through us in ministry.  If you can render even that up to the Lord, honestly, and walk away... we are indeed getting somewhere.

Gary Ward

Monday 7 July 2014

Inchristness: Just a new word?


I've made up a new word that hopefully we can get to grips with.  'Inchristness' is the only way to express or explain.  The idea is that we meet together as 'church' for some great experiences and blessing.  I was trying to get to the bottom of what this was all about.  I mean, is it an exercise in singing to God together, praying, sharing some testimony and hearing the preaching / teaching?  Many people are blessed by this and rightly so.  It can be an amazing time and I for one have felt the presence of God in these times doing this.  For some years I went to churches that were great at doing church.  I believed that my sense of God's presence in the worship / prayer / preaching / teaching / testimony was because my church was anointed.  I'm not really sure about that terminology at all, and I'm certain the sense of God's blessing is less to do with a building and starting time. 

God interacts with us because of our son-ship, not because of my practices or efforts.  So, it is possible that we can feel a sense of his presence at any time, not just when we are doing the things 'to' him or 'for' him.  This somewhat basic realisation has other consequences.  It is no longer true that we need to go to church to meet with God or get a touch from the Lord.  We can 'get' this anywhere, any time!  It is our being in Christ that determines our interaction with Jesus, not our adherence to practices, services or meetings. AND... we don't have to 'get' anything.... he simply ...
 is.... so we are always, constantly and continually connected.  We can change what we do, feel and think, but we can't turn our sonship on and off... it just simply.... is.

So, if this is true of every Christ-follower, it is your... er... 'in-christ-ness'... that is the fundamental starting point of all we are and what we will do as Christians.  To be stood on the earth with another group of people who are also in Christ is so outrageous and phenomenal, it is hard to put words to.  I think we Westerners have lost what this means and fill the void with church related activity and works.  That is all right and good, but without the foundational truth and reality of our inchristness, we just look like good people doing good things.  I'm all for social action, but we give God something to work with when, first, we have prioritised what he prioritises. Try to find a mandate for mission or activity beyond 'go.'  All we get in the New Testament is what it is to be in Christ, living by the Spirit, keeping the bond of peace, unity, etc.  Have we made our Christian walk more about the 'doing' and less about who it is doing the doing?

"But surely God is all about lost souls?"  Of course he is but you can't fish without bait. What attracts lost people to 'the hook' is lives that are not of this world. When a person is internally met by the warmth, affection, love, affirmation and belonging of the body of Christ it oozes out of every pore.  We are good at good deeds and we are probably good at telling people the gospel.  These ignite and explode when the hearer detects a life that is
 met spiritually.  Many embark on programs to facilitate deeper fellowship, home groups etc.  If inchristness isn't the foundational rhyme and reasoning, we will risk  all our good intentions, programs and actions being just good intentions...  programs... etc ....

Inchristness has consequences when we think of our gatherings.  I've been to places and felt accepted, loved and valued.  However if this is based on anything but the fact that we celebrate being in Christ together as a foundational principle, we are in danger.  What replaces inchristness can be 'vision' and 'mission.'  Churches generally start to do things in order to champion change.  A person who wants to use their gift will serve the vision / mission and plug into the program.  If inchristness is not a celebrated, practised and promoted factor among the people, the gifted person risks becoming valued because of their gift / function / talent / ability.  Consequently, just 'being in Christ' becomes de-prioritised or forgotten as the church defines itself by its vision / mission.  I'm afraid when this happens we are in 'stuff of earth' territory.  Aren't we categorised, valued and classified by what we do in this world?  Whole economies are based on the measurement of one human against another and how that shapes our existence.  'I'm a product in the eyes of society and if I don't produce then  I'd better be ready for consequences!'  Our entire beings are swamped with such ideas so when we are challenged with 'inchristness' or similar thoughts, it is hard to grasp the concept.

What does 'inchristness' do? How does it work?  Can we program it in? Can we get an app?  So foreign is this from our thinking it is tempting to try to over-define, relegate to 'a time gone by' or simply reject as a less-progressive ideal.  Inchristness is 'being' in Christ and setting all our values around that.  People then recalibrate what meeting together is actually about and the need to do things to define 'church' becomes less.  The joy, peace and love of this type of fellowship leads to spontaneity around prayer, songs and stories as being
 spiritually met overflows among believers. 

Of course this kind of thinking has the potential to ask some awkward questions about church, our social constructs and how we have potential to settle for a cheap imitation of the real thing.  The New Testament epistles are full of celebrating and working towards what I have called 'inchristness.'  We find little about doing things... its almost like mission and activity is a by-product of gathering and interacting with inchristness as the foundational reason for being.  The Apostles all taught the same thing on how to facilitate this.

All over the world people are working out ways where inchristness, or whatever they call it, can occur among believers.  It will always lead to simplicity, smaller groups, family environments and leadership that finds joy when all participate.  Of course what this is about is the 'wine' and as we know from Jesus, all wine needs a wineskin.  Wineskin issues are about what we do to make the wine remain wine... the subject of my next blog

Saturday 5 July 2014

Taken For a Bride #2

Many believers tell me that they are 'blessed' so they must be practicing church correctly.  Allow me to describe how you can feel blessed yet not be following a biblical command:

King David was going to be King.  His heart was one 'after God's own.'  God chose David after Saul was exposed as corrupt.  God had said that the people will want a King in Deuteronomy 17.  It is important to note that this was the people's design and nowhere does it say that God wanted Kings.  The criteria for a King in Deut 17 was high expectations for a sinful man.  However it was inevitable.  In 1 Samuel Chapter 8 we see Deuteronomy outworked.  The people asked for a King.

Systems and Structures
The Lord tells the people through Samuel that the socio-political and economic nature of the land and its people would be affected by this move.  Nevertheless the people wanted to 'be like other nations.'  It's easy to minimize this occurrence but it is actually cataclysmic for the nation.  Please click this link for the principle of Mediatory Substitution.    Suffice to say that this system of Kings creates a structure that brings about oppression for people.  Because David was a 'good king' we think that having a mere Man leading the people was God's idea.  It seems to me from 1 Sam 8 that it was a compromise, yet an inevitability.  The ideal would be for God to lead them and in the course of time God does come as a man.  Jesus is King right now but this comes to fulness when he takes his Glorious Throne in Jerusalem.  What has this to do with feeling blessed yet not being obedient?

"Sonship v Practices"
David the man had a heart after God's own.  David the King was in a system chosen by the people and was therefore not the best idea.  So when David the man approaches the Lord he would feel blessed as he is deeply and comprehensively loved.  David's Psalms are 'a son' expressing his heart to his Father in heaven. So David the man/son is blessed.  However this all takes place in a context of appearing in a system that is just tolerated by the Lord.  What he was, a son, was not what he did, reign as King.  So he could mistakenly think God was underlining his Kingship by his sense of personal blessing.  To complicate things further God also blessed his Kingship because it involved war and managing the Kingdom.  We must divide between the two and be clear about what God is blessing and God uses what he can work with.

Today
What we find today is blessed people serving in a church system and structure that is not ideal.  I think the Lord works with what he can and some blessing is seen in this kind of church.  However it would be error to discern personal blessing and take it as a big green tick for everything we are about.    You are blessed as a son but the minimal blessing you see in your church is just tolerated.  Plus we are so easily satisfied with the trickle of blessing we see in most gatherings.  Of course there are those who make the church into something attractive and see much growth but thats another topic for another time.

Now lets expose the 'elephant in the room' here.  Ive tried to divide how God blesses but the aim of our walk is not personal blessing anyway!  We must be obedient to the Lord even if it involves a level of distress, which the process of moving towards Biblical church does.

Gary Ward


Friday 4 July 2014

The Judgement

One of the most terrifying things in the Bible is the final Judgement by God.  If we are not clear about Judgement, we can even think that somehow a believer is caught up in this.  To fully lay this Teaching out you'll need to do some home work about the timeline for the future.

Judgement 1:  God Judged Jesus
Legally God has to Judge sin.  God gave the Law to Israel to reflect what sin actually is: having knowledge of a Just and Righteous God yet choosing not to obey Him.  Judgement for sin is not just a Father punishing a child for misbehavior.  It is sentencing for a crime against the Creator of the Universe (Nahum 1:3).   God has made it that the Messiah would come from the chosen people and take the entire sentence for all sin for all time.  The cross is God's Judgement on Jesus.  Instead of each one of us receiving the sentence, Jesus willingly took it and was made sin itself.  That God did this for you, and your identification as a sinner is the foundation of recognizing that you need to be forgiven by God.  The Lord allows this to happen and as a result we are given new life in Jesus.

Judgement 2: God Judges believers
I see the work of sanctification as a type of Judgement by God but for the purposes of this writing Ill go straight to the believers Judgement (Romans 14:10-12).  This is when Jesus Judges our faithfulness to him.  There's no condemnation here because God's Judgement already fell on Jesus and we aligned ourselves to that in life.  This occurs during the seven year period of which three and a half of them is the Great Tribulation. Right now the next thing on the calendar is the Rapture.  This begins the seven years while the church is in heaven (I'm Pre-trib with sympathies for Mid-trib).

Judgement 3:  The Sheep and the Goats
After the Tribulation Israel turns to The Lord and Jesus returns in his Glory.  He takes his Glorious throne in Jerusalem and before him are the 'Sheep and the Goats.'

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 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.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 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.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
I underlined the first verse as this is where we are told this will happen.  Because of the Tribulation, the Jews are ferociously persecuted.  This is the 'day of Jacobs trouble' (Jer 30:7).  Those who have become believers during the Tribulation turn to help the Jews and this is how Jesus divides the believers from the non-believers who survive the Tribulation to see Jesus return and take his Glorious Throne.  The Thousand year Reign of Christ on earth begins here.  
Judgement 4:  the Great White Throne
Lastly we see the all the unbelieving dead raised to life.  These are all cast into the Lake of fire having rejected Messiah.  Note that their sins were paid for but they rejected this Salvation and thus the Messiah who bought them.  The harrowing and brutal truth of this is that all who are in the lake of fire have their resurrection bodies that cannot be destroyed.  It was never the case that God sets up an eternal punishment for people.  It just is how it works and Jesus warned mankind of this factor in rejecting him. This occurs after the 1000 year reign.  After this there is a New Heaven and New earth and the City of God descends upon the Earth.  
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see.  

Gary Ward