tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49942191581004218502024-03-19T05:09:27.467-07:00On Things Above...As believers in Jesus Christ we are urged to set our hearts minds on things above (Col 3:1-2). Enjoy the essays and let's chat about it... Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-81719803399064269932023-10-02T22:19:00.001-07:002023-10-02T22:22:55.620-07:00Are you not entertained?<p><br /></p><p>Amos Chapter 8 is a warning to Israel about their dishonesty in raising the prices of the wheat, meaning the hungry cannot afford it. God is always championing the cause for honesty, integrity and truth. In God's rebuke we can see that not only are the prices being raised but the wheat has the discarded parts also. In other words it is the sweepings or the chaff that are added to the weighed portion. If you bought 2 kilos of potatoes and when opening the bag it had half a kilo of soil, I would be contacting the supermarket! How does this become important to us today?</p><p>In the Old Testament we find God speaks to Israel about matters that will impact believers in the New Covenant. Often what we see as Old Testament pictures become principles for us. In this story 'grain' is the word of God. An ox is not prevented from eating the grain while it works and Pauls likens this to the worker deserving to be paid. So what we have is the ox is the worker and the grain is essentially what feeds the ox. Here the word of God is 'food.' Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Peter and John all use the picture of food being the word of God. </p><p>God's worker 'eating' the word of God and passing on 'food' for the hungry is the picture of the modern preacher. In turn he gets paid for doing so. When many of todays preachers pass on 'food' to the hungry, that 'grain' is full of discarded chaff and sweepings up: dust. Most messages will contain some element of grain: God's word. But there seems to be lots of chaff / dust in the form of things that are not going to feed people. On top of this there are appeals for love offerings that increase all the time. </p><p><b style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;">5 saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">So<b style="font-size: 16px;"> </b>it does not escape God's scrutiny when the scales are off balance. Is this what we are seeing today? We definitely see preachers entertaining and talking about nonsense from the front. Those hungry for Gods word get hardly fed yet pay high prices for the ministry. I'm not saying humour and illustrations or being creative are wrong. I just wonder if these vehicles for a good message are now<i> the</i> message. Are you not entertained?</span></p><p>Gary Ward</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="20" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Of_jyeDZ3Sg" width="24" youtube-src-id="Of_jyeDZ3Sg"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-72552799665928754462023-09-25T22:25:00.000-07:002023-09-25T22:25:41.791-07:00What Jesus wants. <p> I suppose its a big claim to be able to relate exactly what Jesus wants. But it's not hard based upon the scriptures to get a ballpark of what he wants to accomplish in our lives. 'Discipleship' would be a sound byte that describes what he wants. Following Jesus with our hearts bowed low? Does that sound right? I think it does! However these terms are meaningless if applied wrongly. </p><p>25 years ago I began what would become an exit from systems and structures in 'church.' It started with the realisation that 'ekklesia' in the first century was not recognisable in our church practices. Here are just three things that are hard to do if 'industry' is our practice over 'family.' </p><p>1. Meeting in intentionally small groups in a home means close fellowship, brothers and sisters who are focussed on the welfare of the group more that expansion of the group. </p><p>2. Having the Lords supper as a meal also strengthens these bonds. Families drink and eat food together! </p><p>3. No prominent titles or ministries also removes the subtle spiritual hierarchies that emerge without scriptural reasoning. </p><p>This is a brief description of the difference we get when we return to the scriptural practices recorded in the first century by the Apostles. Why is this important?</p><p>If we are going to follow Jesus we must be carrying our own cross. That is 'discipleship' according to Jesus. It is my observation that church systems and structures offer elements that don't help a believer go 'to the death of self.' Instead they bolster identities and vocations that are pulling away from Christ centred following, towards 'self.' The first century ekklesia was designed to remain Christ centred and not raise the opportunity for the flesh to rise up. For a number of years I was in the system of church and I learned how to make things all about me and then simply paint 'Jesus' on it. </p><p>When we commit to the 'death of self' we place ourselves directly in Jesus hands. If He is spending the time trying to wrestle man-made practices off you there little room for His work through you. If Jesus is going to 'build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it,' we should probably let Him! Practicing church the way the Apostles did is not simply obeying what Jesus said, it is a revolution of what it means to give your life away to the Lord. So am I saying I'm a better disciple than those who go to 'system' church? No! I'm simply stating that because I don't do 'system' church I know how bad I am at being one. </p>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-89919766017985536712023-07-05T00:39:00.001-07:002023-07-05T00:39:13.742-07:00Hurt in the hands of the Lord<p>My dad died about two and a half years ago. Like with any death, it rattled me a little but I did not grieve. My grief was outplayed while he was alive because of his absent celebration of me as his son. He was uninterested and emotionally inert as a dad and it left me having to negotiate some wounds. Jesus can fix this but there are some tricky things to negotiate for anyone who has been deeply hurt in any way. </p><p>One of the things the lord has to do when he wants us to walk in authenticity is to have us experience the cross. The cross leads us to death to self and Jesus said to be his disciple we have to be carrying our own cross (Luke 9:23). This involves suffering and trials. About 24 years ago my journey got very bumpy and it looked like the heavenly Father was just like my earthly father. I had experiences that deeply wounded me and I couldn't reconcile why the Father would have me feel like He also has little regard for me or my wellbeing. I spent a lot of time in a paradox: I know that God is loving and caring and values me. My combination punch for feeling low is reading Ephesians ch1 and Psalm 139 - Boom! 'This is the actual truth despite how I'm feeling.' But if these glorious scriptures are true, how is it that the Father has allowed this? It seemed to be another father who, for no reason, chooses to have me feel alone, abandoned and wounded. 'What was happening?'</p><p>It turns out that what God was doing was taking me through necessary surgery! Unfortunately to do deep 'heart' work he has to pull out the rugs from underneath us and this looks like orchestrated harm from the Father. But the way to see this is through eyes of faith! The author of Hebrews speaks of the Word of God is like the implements that cut up the animals on the alter in the Old Covenant (Heb 4:12). When God gets to work there must be a dividing of us from the world. This is so God can work His will and purposes through us going forward. I've had a fair few experiences where the Lord gets down to business in this way. My hope is that Jesus who is inside of me can get out a little easier because of this work. </p><p>Of course the greatest example of this is Jesus' finished work at Calvary. It was brutal. Isaiah says God 'crushed' Jesus to gain the means for him to be able to rescue us. If Jesus did this and we follow him, it is a high calling to be treated seemingly brutally and to feel utterly crushed sometimes. If you feel like God is not acknowledging a deep hurt in your life because the hurtful things continue, always remember this: in Gods hands pain and suffering is a honourable high calling! Why? Because you are being treated as a son. It is an indication that God can trust you with pain and suffering because your love for Him is genuine (1 Pet 1:7). As we dwell on these truths, the emotional impact of feeling crushed is replaced with the Joy of knowing it pleases the Lord when He can do what's necessary in us then through us. Grace and Peace. </p><p>Gary Ward </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-76631304085283184602021-01-09T23:44:00.000-08:002021-01-09T23:44:05.125-08:00Where are you Jesus?A common issue with all true believers is seasons of feeling abandoned. This is common for everyone who has been called out to walk the Christian walk. There are tough times that can lead to despair and many tears. We know, somehow, that the Lord is near but we need that tangible sense of His presence... 'anything... just give me even a rebuke to know you are there.' The reason this occurs is to draw us back to a place where deep cries out unto deep and we approach our Lord with renewed passion. It is an act of love towards us who are so easily distracted and drawn away towards idols.<br />
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Still, its not an easy time. One thing I have done in times past is earnestly strive to connect with the Lord. It's like an instinct. "I have a lack. Now do all you can to solve it!" Seems logical to increase prayer times or read more scripture to somehow please the Lord into stepping out from behind the curtain. It never seems to work. After all a child doesn't have to perform to get Fathers attention. So what do we do when the lights turn off and Jesus seems far far away?<br />
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The Lord's perceived absence is actually a form of discipline. While this idea can send us into a tailspin, it is actually the best thing to underline our sonship. The Lord disciplines the one he loves (Heb 12:6). So as we press forward to strive, we would be better to sit back, rest and understand. Us Westerners often think that giving us stuff is what a good parent does, but actually providing boundaries and discipline is good parenting. The Lord is far more concerned for us then to spare us our feelings.<br />
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Is it tough? It will be for a while. But here is the true joy of our lives: We are chosen out of this world as Sons. The verification of this is <i>feeling any emotion about God at all. </i> That we care is blessing! Those who are not Sons care little about what God is doing. But our suffering underlines sonship and this can bring tears of joy where there are tears of sorrow. Where are you Jesus? He is where He always is: Risen and Glorified on His Fathers throne working our lives out and fixing the bugs!<br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-60913985827657641562020-05-08T20:27:00.001-07:002020-07-01T19:42:05.362-07:00God's 'yellow cake'Back at school I was given a choice to study nuclear physics or car maintenance. I chose nuclear physics. Guess which I've needed most in life? During my studies I learned that the amount of Uranium, for example, needed to make a nuclear weapon was multiple lorry loads! The engineers then have to refine the Uranium until it is down to about 15 kg. This refined uranium is ready for a nuclear trigger to be used and once detonated, you have a thermonuclear explosion. The refined Uranium made from tons and tons of Uranium is called 'yellow cake.' <div>
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In these last days we find many churches displaying the elements that say 'success.' Large numbers, great venue, talented ministers, community outreach and growth. If these elements are exponential you might even get a TV slot! If we have these things emerging or you have arrived in these spaces it seems <i>obvious</i> God is at work. After all, God wants to be visible to the unsaved public, right? It seems like the bigger the platform we can achieve for the Lord, the more he has <i>obviously</i> gone before us. This being the case, the person or people who began this work <i>must</i> be able to pass on the way this amazing thing happened? Now where can I get the book? They must have something to offer! Now a market is created. </div>
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What if God doesn't operate this way? What if, there are another set of values that God uses and He is not budging on His ways, no matter how contemporary and relevant we be? What if God is wanting 'yellow cake,' and there is no way any well resourced facility full of 'lean-mean praising machines' can achieve it? This idea has burned within my bones for over 20 years and stopped me doing the 'done thing' for church. In the UK I ran a business which got me in the hallowed halls of Westminster, the secretary of state's office. During this time I found out all business needs three elements: finance, marketing and innovation. Logically, if we have these in the area of church growth we will be successful. The world is impressed by scale. Big is always beautiful, size is always strength and let's face it, you can only write a book if you have solid answers, right! But it appears none of this is God's biblical way. </div>
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The characters of the bible were apprehended by God to do exploits. Today we miss that crucial element and assume because the work is done, we now just need to get on with it. But this is far from the truth. God wants yellow cake! He wants to have a people who are available to disconnect from the system and wait for Him to apprehend them. No-one gets away with it. Scripture can tell you a ballpark of God's will but only God Himself, right here, right now can apprehend and refine. Look at the scriptures, we see everyone taken through a process of refinement. David was a fugitive. Moses was a lowly shepherd. Jesus was a carpenter and if we see anything about Jesus from the gospels he is <i>opposing</i> the system at large! Jesus was ready to detonate all the time! All of this is the process of preparation... refining into yellow cake. When the time comes, God has something he can detonate and with the disciples we see the book of Acts... Boom! So how do we line ourselves up for the possibility that God wants to refine us to produce yellow cake explosive potential? </div>
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Firstly we need to walk away from the un-apprehended masses, the ones practising a 'rote' kind of faith. Jesus walked away from his religious peers via a cliff edge! Second we must be part of a church that fits with scriptural dimensions. This means meeting as Jesus directed, eat a meal together in a family home and share what is on your heart. Thirdly we must stop all mission activity. WHAT? Yes, stop all the meeting needs that <i>you </i>see to be needs and wait for the Lord to clearly apprehend and send. God wants people like this to meet together so he can refine and produce yellow cake. You are made for an individual purpose, not the bog-standard firecracker-faith of historical church. </div>
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Next time you look at a small group meeting simply without marketing, finance and innovation, remember, God may be doing a work you know nothing about. This may be more authentic biblically than anything that seems to show the elements of 'success.' These small home based groups are intending to reproduce ekklesia, the assemblies of the first century. Logically, big platforms and resources look like they are winning. But if God should choose to detonate a refined people we could see something we have not seen authentically since the first century. Anyone can fake stuff and prevaricate over the truth. Maybe He won't detonate our group? Maybe he will? <i>None of this is the point</i>. The point is that we make ourselves available in thought, practice and purpose to allow the Lord to produce yellow cake amongst His people. When we boil all of our Christian walk down, it is really to expend 'self' on Him. Basic calibration to what is written sets us on the pathway to becoming empowered to cause a mushroom cloud wherever God has placed us.</div><div><br></div><div>It's less about vision and more about fission. </div><div><br></div><div>Gary Ward</div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-79634960411887664422020-04-21T04:59:00.004-07:002020-04-21T04:59:53.386-07:00Why would God want the Church in homes?If God is in control, and He is, what is happening to churches during the Covid 19 lock-down? For some reason God has allowed believers to not to be able to meet as usual. As a result, believers are in their homes with their families. In case you didn't know, the church began in homes. When Jesus said, 'this do unto my remembrance,' those sat listening to him went and did what they were doing in that home. They met in homes and ate food together. This was called 'ekklesia.' Jesus gave no other instructions about what to 'do.' None of the disciples asked for clarity and Paul was given the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor+11%3A23-26&version=NIV" target="_blank">same instructions</a> to do it until the Lord comes. Because of the pandemic the church has returned home. My hope is that people take a step back from historical church and begin to see that biblical church is the way forward. Maybe this is what God is doing? Why would God want believers to gather in homes?<br />
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<b>We don't need special buildings</b><br />
The point of the New Covenant was that Christ will really be able to inhabit the life of a believer. Because of this shift from the Temple to people, there is no need for the scaffolding of ritual or a 'special place' to meet because God is inhabiting people. As the <a href="https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-5.htm" target="_blank">scripture tells us</a>, we are living stones. So without the need of all the trappings that went with God being in a building, we don't need the Temple style building to meet in. That era is long gone. Why have a high maintenance hall when you have homes? It costs a lot to maintain, it could be mistaken for being 'God's house' and as soon as persecution comes you are toast!<br />
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<b>We can do what families do</b><br />
All of the Old Testament was speaking one thing to Israel: 'Messiah is coming.' But we are on the side where Messiah<i> has been</i>. This changes everything. It means people can <i>really</i> be forgiven because Jesus paid the price for our sin. But the intention is that we are adopted as God's children. Meaning we are <i>really</i> brothers and sisters. So instead of a meet up around things that <i>anticipate</i> Messiah, we can do what families do, meet and eat in homes, now we have the completed work of Messiah that has made us a real family. Think about your church meetings. Do families do those things when they meet? Do you stand up, sit down, chip in to the mortgage, eat a small cracker and sip some juice? Of course not... The Lord wants his family to be... family!<br />
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<b>We can let Jesus lead us</b><br />
Many in the past have agreed that the New Testament does have the church meet in homes but it is much more that a change of address. It's easy to have the same sort of practices simply moved into a house. Most cell groups do this. Moving into a biblical house church like the first century requires leaders and everyone to give Jesus his church back. This means stepping down from the priest-like function and letting Jesus be who He is, our great high priest. Every believer has equal access to Jesus. But don't house churches have leaders? Yes, but in a local ekklesia they are only ever called Elders in the New Testament. And they are elected by the people who gather together in the house. The whole point of Jesus being given all power authority and dominion is so that he can be in charge. This is frustrated by the institutes of men that work towards Man stepping on the Lord's toes. See 1 Sam Ch 8 for this being a problem mankind has. Then read 1 Corinthians... it's what we do without the Lord.<br />
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<b>We can be changed</b><br />
The central point of meeting as family is so that genuine love and fellowship can take place. This brings change in a believers life to know that in meeting they are met at heart level. When the distractions and diversions of the old school type of meeting are eliminated, what we have is the Lord building the body together. Mainstream church can see <i>some</i> of this but the Lord's work is interrupted by the leaders who do things they think are good for 'growth' or 'building God's Kingdom.' Jesus said <a href="https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-18.htm" target="_blank">who would build His Church</a>? Only Jesus can build His church, His way.<br />
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<b>It can change the world</b><br />
What happens when people throw off history's version of church? God can work at the core of the persons being and bring authentic transformation. And you know what that means? Unbelievers see a believer who has been met by the Fathers love both through scripture and the family of believers they meet with. This brings a whole new level of 'different' and therefore brings more curiosity about believers. Our lives are supposed to be a witness to God's love, mercy and grace. So to return to the biblical home church set up directly affects evangelism. The more biblical house churches you have, the more ability to not just be in the same street as your neighbours who aren't believers. Authentic, Christ-led transformation plus lost unbeliever equals witness in abundance!<br />
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<b>The power of environment</b><br />
Winston Churchill said, ' We shape the buildings, thereafter the buildings shape us.' Jesus wanted believers to be particularly in homes so they would remain free from the shaping power of a building. Mainstream churches tend to shape people into being 'do-ers.' Homes promote 'family' and this is more about relationship - 'being.' This is the core of what Jesus wanted the Church to be like. In industry lots of 'doing' needs to be done to get the product out the door. Church is not like that... it's a family where we are valuing the human BEINGS around us. Homes and family and food are at the core of what God wants to produce on earth: genuine love for one another. That is attractive to lost hopeless people. Of course there's some doing to be done by the church but it comes AFTER a life has been touched by authentic fellowship and God's power.<br />
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<b>Is mainstream church 'wrong?</b>'<br />
To answer that question I would ask if the 5 days of creation was 'wrong' until it was complete? The answer is no, they were not wrong. But they were incomplete. God called the progress of Creation 'good' even though it is not where God wanted it to be. So the historical / mainstream churches of today are in a process of the Lord trying to get in amongst the people to show them we are the completed product in Christ so we don't need an incomplete way to practice our faith. A family home is fine! And smaller groups because of that works even better!<br />
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The only real reason we need to be biblical in our church practice is because Jesus told us to. I think that's a possible reason everyone's been forced home to reflect on what they do. Please share this to anyone who may be reflecting on 'church' since Covid 19 hit the normal routine of life. <br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-5478454647442611932020-04-16T02:12:00.003-07:002023-04-24T18:35:54.150-07:00Covid 19 one step closer...When asked about the end of days Jesus said quite a few things. These things can be found in Matthew Chapters 24 to most of 25. Mark 13 and Luke 21 also record this. Since Covid 19 has been around for a while now, we can observe the response from the nations of the earth to the Pandemic. Jesus told us these things will happen. The signs of the things that come before the end are: nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines, pestilences, earthquakes and persecution of believers including death. All of this has been increasing for years but not directly in <i>my</i> backyard.<br />
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Now just one aspect <i>is</i> in our backyards: Pestilence. What is the meaning of all this?<br />
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I suppose that's the big question right now and many are now observing some shift in thinking. I saw a police helicopter go past a landmark my wife and I were visiting just this morning. I gave them a thumbs up because they are monitoring the beaches for groups ignoring Covid 19 social distancing. I'm genuinely proud of the front-line workers right now... Bravo! I then stopped myself short. I am approving the government monitoring of people! I don't want this pandemic to spread so I want to cops to stop non-thinking people from spreading the virus. So here's the scenario: an external factor has got me to approve of the authorities tracking people (me). Hmmm. Let's upscale this.<br />
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Central to the end time will be an Antichrist figure, someone who heads the whole world up. Without doing a massive study on the Antichrist, suffice to say he is somehow able to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev+13%3A16-17&version=NIV" target="_blank">deceive the whole world </a>into buying into a scheme where you can't buy or sell without a mark of some kind. Again, lets stay away for now about what that mark is. The point here is how can massive amounts of people be herded into a mentality to give a thumbs up to government monitoring or tracking.<br />
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Just as World War 2 was an example of how a man could bring a whole nation to thumbs up attacking the entire world, so Covid 19 is a step closer to people seeing government tracking and monitoring as a good thing. Some nations have told people to stay indoors and only leave with urgent trips. There is mass compliance, willingly! Some have installed a police state and if there are any riots because of this I have not heard of them. People are compliant. It's a good thing to be compliant, we must cut the legs off this virus! Where could this go?<br />
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The reason I would be flagging up these things is because I am a believer in Jesus Christ and his completed atoning sacrifice. Because the Bible tells us about the end times, I am watching with balance and rational thinking about what is happening in the world. In centuries gone by, parts of the bible make no sense but now we are seeing a convergence of technologies, geo-political treaties and catastrophes just as Jesus said. A virus with, at present, nothing like the annual death rate of flu has us all cooped up in our homes. I'm not a sheep, I'm happily complying with the directives. But it would be no surprise in the future if people en-mass followed a one world leader because <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thess+5%3A1-3&version=ISV" target="_blank">safety and peace is offered.</a> <br />
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One chilling thought. In the last decade Christian values have been attacked and the last 100 years has seen the biggest cull of Christian believers in history. In China Christians are routinely chased down and are killed or imprisoned while the cross emblem is removed from all non government approved buildings. Let's not get started on Muslim countries!<br />
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A day is coming when a one world government will be headed by one very impressive leader who offers peace and security. This present Covid 19 issue has shown that we will willingly comply with directives that offer safety, peace and security. We will even suffer for it! My suspicion for these coming times are that Christians themselves will be made to be the virus. Portrayed as a non compliant entity that will be seen to be working against the peace, security and safety of the world by not joining the 'club' intended to fix things. In smaller ways Christians avoid certain 'clubs' now, and suffer social martyrdom, persecution or characterisation stigma. It is moving towards a bigger and much more deadly stage and Covid 19 is a massive step towards the end time scenario.<br />
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Let's not forget that as the darkness increases it is leading to the rapture of the Bride and the return of Jesus Christ who will destroy the Antichrist and his global empire. Brothers and Sisters, we win! But along the way let's keep vigilant in trying to articulate the times and enduring the sorrows that will come upon the earth before the end.<br />
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Since writing the main body of this blog three or so days ago the Prime minister of Australia has spoken today of a 'technology' that will track where everyone has been to tackle the spread of the virus. Its probably an app for now. We all know where this is going...<br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-88792934481027485242020-03-23T23:37:00.001-07:002020-03-23T23:37:33.070-07:00System Failure? Covid 19Anyone who lives in the Western context lives in a system. This is the way governments work to have a nation be safe, productive and healthy. Government parties wrestle over these very issues. If there is a glitch in any one of these there is a general unease / unrest. The Covid 19 Pandemic has the potential to hit all three of these in combination and as a 'pandemic' underlines, it's global. To be more peaceful and calm need to ask ourselves, 'is the system failing?' <br />
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Firstly, systems have rules. Those who keep the system going can break the rules. For example, in some cases, mortgage payments have been frozen. That is an enormous rule change that means money may be lost by financial institutions. Other rules have also been broken. People are being locked down in their homes, social distancing making people safe from one another. <b>We are controlling the system!</b> Maybe the President / King / Prime minister is making the decisions, but you and I can control the system by bringing it to a halt. The UK came to a halt last night, lockdown! Australia has not done this yet. But as the system grinds to a halt it is people IN CONTROL of the system.<br />
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Much fear and anxiety is because many feel everything is out of control. It isn't. <br />
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But isn't Corona Virus out of control? In some places who didn't control their system, yes. But the vast majority are now grinding the system to a halt, something Covid 19 cannot work with. A system shutdown will have an effect on the economy, jobs, incomes etc but when the system starts up again, we are still in control. I have things to lose in all this but money can't get sick! Every time we practice social distancing, lockdown, basically doing as told at this time, we control the system and therefore halt Covid 19 in its tracks. <br />
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The unemployed will get work. The sick can recover. Finance doesn't have mysterious forces controlling it. Exhale, take some deep breaths (a distance from anyone else) and begin to envisage a world in recovery and the part you are playing by simply doing what's right. You are IN CONTROL! <br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-20549283816785993292018-11-26T20:06:00.000-08:002018-11-26T20:06:09.998-08:00'Wood for the trees' 1 'Your heart is wrong?' John 8:43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.<br />
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If your calling is to speak out about certain things in the Church it is good to clarify some points. Sometimes people can't see the wood for the trees. When this happens people label and compartmentalise based on a broad assumption. It happened to Jesus. I've been on John 8 for a while now because it is remarkable how the Lord dealt with his detractors. The Pharisees could only hear 'this man is insulting us' when actually He was telling them they are not actually saved and need to change their parenthood. They missed what was being said because it was a higher priority to be seen to be a rock star for God than actually hearing truth. Anything that came to challenge their rock star status among the people is therefore obviously error.<br />
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In my own calling and sending I have to challenge the church system. There is a version of this going around that is against the system but cannot articulate why except for a few stories where the leaders did this or that. They don't like the system because they have a few scars. All that issues forth from this is 'anti' this or that. I get lumped into this crowd by people who have not heard the biblical position that I come from. It is the same one Jesus came from when confronting the man made version of God's truth... this I call 'the system.'<br />
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In every single case it is the church system I am stating is wrong, <i>not</i> the hearts of the people in it. I am in no position to judge a persons motives. If, however, they do things that show their hearts are focused on other things like 'rock star' status, money, church growth etc, then I am instructed to call this out to those whom the Lord has entrusted me. So to be clear: If you are in a man made church whose practices are born of history rather than the scriptures, <i>you are simply going to the wrong church</i>. No matter how blessed you feel or how good the preaching / attendance / fiscal / worship is, if it's not the practice that Jesus instructed the Apostles to do, it is simply un-biblical. Basically, good people are going to un-biblical churches. And that's it! God does things in these churches because a Father has to apply more care to babies. There's the first ouch!<br />
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If, however, you understand and see that your church practice is un-biblical <i>then</i> you want to stay in knowing it is un-biblical, you are wilfully ignoring God's will and purpose. You don't need me or anyone to show that this is a heart problem. The Pharisees' problem was that they assumed they were squarely in God's will and purpose and now some bearded miracle worker is tipping up the apple cart! Jesus had reason to be like the other anti-system people who had a tough journey with leaders. They tried to throw him off a cliff. I've experienced social martyrdom and excommunication from a denomination but never been dragged to a cliff yet! My experiences are a spring board for God setting me apart to articulate the problem.<br />
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Most cannot see the wood for the trees and label me in the angry / hurt / resentful / bitter / rebellious / box, completely missing the plea to be biblical. It's not my problem. Myself and others like me have a task: pour the salt into the unproductive waters (2 Kings 2). Those hearing can be healed and become biblically productive. But many are opting for the easy road. Many want to be part of the shiny church that offers much in width but not much depth. <br />
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In short, my point is not that your heart is wrong, but your church probably is, biblically. <br />
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Lets talk.<br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-64735166191045367232018-11-21T02:44:00.000-08:002018-11-21T02:44:15.690-08:00Was Jesus always 'nice?'When we think of the ways of our Lord Jesus we see outrageous love, mercy and grace. These poured out from Jesus as he healed, forgave and demonstrated who he was before Israel. Believers should be aspiring to these qualities, not by an act of theatre, but by the transformation of the core self as we submit, yield and abandon to Jesus, risen and glorified. We are given an overview of our fruitfulness and hopefully we desire to have love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, self control and faithfulness in wonderful abundance. I'm sure we all admit we are a work in progress.<br />
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The gospels record Jesus as the perfect model of divine attributes but then he confronts a particular bunch of people. These were the religious establishment of the time. Jesus' tact changed and we see love mercy and grace expressed in an entirely different way. The best example is John 8 when he is taken on by the Pharisees. Jesus wipes the floor with them, delivering truth straight from the hip. The motive behind this was love, grace and mercy but we should not miss the fact that he did not shy away from the hostility of the Pharisees. <br />
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Today it is frowned upon to stand up for truth or even engage anyone in what appears to be an argument. The overarching idea about Jesus is that He is a wet blanket, just being nice all the time. He called them liars! To tell someone their father is the devil and they wanted to carry out their fathers desires is not nice! But it<i> is</i> truth! To engage anyone in the way Jesus confronted the Pharisees is considered lacking in grace or missing the 'Jesus mark' somehow. <br />
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We must be careful that we are not in fear of being perceived lacking in grace or missing the mark just because we confront issues. BUT we must also make sure our motive for confrontation is love, mercy and grace. Often we confront out of poor motives and that is not good. But to slam confrontation itself as un-christian or graceless is error. Being like Jesus involves standing up for truth even when the society, culture or Pharisaical ministry fraternity don't like it.<br />
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The Pharisees were part of the corruption that misrepresented Gods word and therefore God. When we come across this today we may be expected to flag things up. This is being like Jesus. The Pharisees didn't take too kindly to Jesus because he scrambled their own self importance, status and rank. They valued their own profile as supposed 'men of God' in their community. Jesus' message did not prop up these self appointed popes and they plotted his murder because of it.<br />
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We don't see crucifixion in our societies but we do see social martyrdom where leaders with something to protect hate truth being issued forth. They shut out and exclude those who want to walk in all of Jesus' ways. They hate their words and actions and try to call them out on them like they did Jesus. Any attempt to address these Pharisaical claims is branded 'graceless' or failing to be 'nice.' We all want to be like Jesus unless it threatens our status among our peers. 'Truth' and 'nice' never really get on well in the arena of walking out God's truth.<br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-757780799685951402018-10-27T21:55:00.000-07:002018-10-27T21:55:18.330-07:00The problem with The Message 'Bible'The first thing that everyone must consider when approaching the Word of God is 'for what purpose am I using this translation?' If the use is clearly to see what <b>one </b>individual thinks the Word of God says then you are OK with The Message and other terrible translations like it. But anything else ranging from devotional readings or serious Bible study we need to use something that at least <i>tries</i> to have some dynamic equivalence. When someone takes a scripture and says it in a nice, different or poetic way, we must make sure it is not losing what the passage was supposed to mean. Worse case scenario is that believers take on board The Message and develop doctrine around this. This is happening now. Has this ever happened before?<br />
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Jesus slammed the Teachers of the Law because they had created the Traditions of the Elders. These were fence laws or oral law that had nothing to do with what God has said. The Scribes first did this. They produced sub laws to make sure people didn't break the 613 actual Laws from God. Then the Teachers of the Law came, around the time of Jesus, they made the scribes fence laws equivalent to God's Law. So they taught that the laws made up by men were as authoritative as Gods 613. Jesus was in all out war against this massacre of God's Word. Who do we think we are to take the Holy Scripture of the New Testament and declare it valid and authoritative when it has been reworded? Yet many church leaders are desensitised to this issue because church growth, public profile and personal status have become the goals and aims of 'church.'<br />
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Amos 8 speaks of our times. <br />
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<span class="text Amos-8-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Amos-8-11" id="en-NIV-22493" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">11 “The days are coming,”<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-22493AC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-22493AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> declares the Sovereign <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>,</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Amos-8-11" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">“when I will send a famine through the land—</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Amos-8-11" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">not a famine of food or a thirst for water,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Amos-8-11" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">but a famine<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-22493AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-22493AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> of hearing the words of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-22493AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-22493AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Amos-8-12" id="en-NIV-22494" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>People will stagger from sea to sea</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Amos-8-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and wander from north to east,</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Amos-8-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">searching for the word of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Amos-8-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">but they will not find it.</span></span></span></i></span></div>
In the same passage it speaks of the 'grain becoming less but the shekel high.' Today less leaders care about the quality of the grain (word of God) and care about the money. When the first coming of Jesus occurred, John the Baptist preached from the desert. Now, as we anticipate the second coming of Jesus the true Word of God will also be preached from the desert. You don't have to live in a literal desert to qualify, you just have to be preaching and teaching truth in the place what Amos describes, a place where the true Word of God is scarce. <br />
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I know the author of the Message will receive a glorious reward for the things Jesus was able to issue forth through him. I don't think Peterson was responsible for the way lazy church leaders allowed The Message to become a valid source of God's word. But what has come from the misuse of this commentary, wrong doctrine and practices, is a mess. <br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-87364047887900812992018-10-02T02:26:00.001-07:002020-07-01T19:37:42.937-07:00The blind spot of every church leaderIt was about 20 years ago the Lord started to stir me up about 'the church.' At the time I was in an aspiring mega-church with possibly the poorest examples of leadership I've encountered. Watching the egotistical pushing and shoving, and feeling drawn into it all, led me to evaluate this 'church' thing. It seemed that only the favoured few were happy and not-so-coincidentally, they were the best tithers. What is it that keeps people with seemingly good intent blind to what the scriptures teach, and unwilling to hear beyond everything that suits their purposes?<div>
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Once I had settled in my own heart that I wanted no part of the trappings associated with being a church leader, the Lord began showing me the truth about 'church' and 'Biblical leadership.' Standing back from the church system gave me a chance to observe what was going on without being implicated by it. It was also a chance to put space between myself and the things I had held valuable like status, profile and position among my fellow community of believers. I can honestly say I didn't go looking for these things consciously. But when I became a person of regard among other believers and beyond our own church, it sure felt good! It also felt wrong, and I saw that being significant and recognised in the church circles was addictive. Some even think it is their calling from God to be a christian celebrity! I thought this whole thing was about lifting Jesus up as we follow the Baptiser in radical humility before the Lord? Don't I become less, lowly and intentionally bowed of heart before Jesus? <br>
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Those around me still appear utterly blinded to any of this and have gone on to set themselves up as central figures in what they do. The adoration, applause and attention of their sycophants just feathers the bed for this 'drug'. It would be all well and good if the Bible underlines this as marks of successful Godly pursuit. But it doesn't, it says quite the opposite about anyone God is issuing forth through. Paul tells the Corinthians that his life is routinely battered and bruised for the sake of his sending. I'm sure we are all united in placing Paul in the 'successful Godly pursuit' bracket. Of course, not everyone has the addiction. Many struggle with the inevitability of being raised up by others yet do not activate the solution to the problem. The vast majority just accept their fame among others as 'going with the territory.' I call this the 'King Thing,' the problem Paul slammed in the Corinthian church (4:8f). God predicted this of Israel in Deut 17 and calls it idolatry in 1 Sam 8. <br>
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We live in the Western culture where hierarchy is the way to lead. But we must remember that the instructions given in the New Testament have little to do with western culture. Our culture derived from Rome and this constitutes the blind spot of every church leader. It doesn't seem to matter that we aspire to the 'winds of heaven' while employing the 'stuff of earth' to outwork its aims and objectives. Whether we are basking in the regalia of the 'King Thing' or struggling with it, everyone has to disengage it. The answer is to drag our hearts before the Lord and submit our crowns to Him, the only one who is worthy to wear a crown. We also have to do what Jesus told the Apostles to do: have a meal in a home. This is a covenant sign, a rehearsal for the wedding feast of the Lamb. It re-calibrates the assembled body as 'family,' brothers and sisters under one Father. In this environment, no one can become the big cheese. There's no CEO in a family. There's no rank among children. <br>
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Some have said to me over the years that I'm simply doing 'house church.' It's as if we all have options and I opted for this. I champion the case for Biblical church because it is ... Biblical! But it would be just like the genius of the Lord to have us meet a certain way so that our wayward hearts would not be corrupted. Attention, adoration and applause are sucker punches for church leaders. Satan can't stop a believer who wants to lead but the evil one can fill your life with the idea that you are significant, important and 'God's secret weapon in our times.' Searching people will dive right into that unbiblical way to lead, thus bolstering the myth that we 'should' be receiving the accolades. People have made doctrines to support this warping of all that is right and true. <br>
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The blind spot of every leader is tackling this problem. Jars of Clay said it well in 'Unforgetful You:'<br>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You never minded giving us the stars </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then showing us how blind and unaware of You we are </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You painted me a picture and showed me how to see </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Though I just won't behold it </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Unless it pertains to me</span><br>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gary Ward</span><br>
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</div>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-46145483638707023862018-09-28T20:23:00.000-07:002018-09-28T20:23:42.935-07:00Voices in the wilderness...You don't have to live in a desert to be a voice in the wilderness. Today many believers are experiencing isolation, abandonment and social martyrdom in their towns and cities. Their way of seeing Biblical truth seems to be less merged with fads, trends and the traditions passed on through history. When they speak it is standing for biblical truth, walking it out faithfully and calibrating their church practice to the teachings of Christ and the pattern passed on by the Apostles. When you determine to walk this way it can get very lonely, discouraging and often we eventually stop speaking out the truth. After all, whose listening? Many return to church projects they know are somehow amiss just to make sense of their faith. I want to try to encourage you to continue to be a voice in the 'wilderness,' to walk and talk this faith filled life in the name of Jesus.<br />
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The Apostles applied Jesus teachings to their whole life and practices. The lived in faith and repentance and also met with other believers according to the 'paradosis,' passed on patterns and traditions. 'Church,' for them, was meeting in homes around food and drink as a covenant sign. They shared the scriptures and the Lord issued forth through graces that we call 'gifts' to build up and encourage one another. When the Apostles died, the way believers met began to be more like any-old meeting where a spokesman stands up and everyone listens. In the 4th century Emperor Constantine started a process of merging the meeting of believers with the state. 'Church' began to look like the Roman Empire with central meeting halls, professional clergy and compulsory attendance. The church was squarely placed into the hands of Man. That which facilitated the moving of the Spirit was now Man's enterprise. But this is not the whole story. <br />
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Ever since the meeting of believers was made into a systemic institution there were always those who sat outside of it, walking and talking as led by the Spirit and not by the state. God always had his remnant who refused to recognise Rome. In Europe many groups were standing firm for Biblical truth and as Rome sent the Inquisitors, many were killed for standing outside the system and refusing to align with the Pope. Hermits and monks, although problematic in their own practices, came up from non alignment with the system. But any divergence from the Apostolic pattern for biblical ekklesia always found itself in a cul-de-sac where the enemy would manipulate and pervert. <br />
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As history continued The Roman Catholic church became the major force on earth. It was a political giant and entire countries were assimilated to its agenda. It continued to send unholy auditors to infiltrate who they saw as heretics and burn them, sometimes in the homes they were hiding in. Some willingly clamoured into burning bonfires rather than turn to the Pope. So many groups existed to live led by the Spirit of God outside the system and Rome was infuriated. Of course, we then had the Reformation and a clear distinction was made between Rome and the 'Protest-ants.' With it came the idea that we have only two camps... Rome and Protestants. But this is flawed thinking. <br />
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If we discard labels and categories for a minute, we can explore what it actually is what made Rome into a systematised institution and eventually a killing machine. The problem is when Man discards the biblical direction and tries to do it without the Lord. So when Roman Catholics throw away the scriptures it is easy to see. They will affirm that the Pope is Jesus' representative and he has final authority. No need to scratch your head there, right! What is new to our thinking perhaps is that many Protestants, when they discard biblical direction, they are also not to be aligned with. How do Protestants violate the direction of God? Surely to be separate from Rome is enough? <br />
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When the Pope sits on the Throne in the Vatican he has substantial power. This is the blatant refusal to bow his heart to the King of Kings, Jesus our Lord. When we truly submit, yield and abandon to the Lord Jesus, He can rule and reign, His will and His purposes issuing forth in the earth. Protestants may be vehemently against the Pope, Rome and the idolatry but many are still happy to create their own rule and reign on earth. Even though this may be with only a few people, the desire to be over other believers is still there. The whole point of Jesus risen and glorified is to be our sole King. Believers are supposed to be His hands and feet, not another enterprise of man. <br />
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Rome has one Pope, and as I've said before, Protestantism has millions of Popes! When we consider the simple, home based ekklesia, meeting around food and drink as brothers and sisters, we can see how it would be more difficult to become 'Father!' I can't see and assess a man's heart so I'm not sure anyone sets out to be over other believers in Protestantism, but as long as the structure of meeting together is 'special people doing special things in special places,' it will always lead to systematised institution. While it may not be subduing governments and killing its opponents today, there is denominational-ism and social martyrdom for anyone refusing to take part in man made systems. <br />
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So if you find yourself a voice in the wilderness, unable to associate with 'whats out there,' you are not alone. You stand with the many who, by the grace of the Lord, stand outside of the systems and structures made by men. Before we even get out of bed in the morning we are already standing against the world system that pressures us to assimilate, whether by sword or by the pain of loneliness, abandonment and accusations. Like those who ran towards the flames of the inquisitors, embrace the life, or death, that you find yourself in. It is much more significant, important and productive that you could ever imagine!<br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-46375054449728943612018-07-26T21:15:00.000-07:002018-07-26T21:15:25.597-07:00Jesus the Mercy SeatWhen we explore Romans we will come across God presenting Jesus as the Hilasterion (3:25). This word has been translated 'propitiation' or 'sacrifice of atonement.' While these translations speak of the result of God presenting Jesus, it doesn't say what the word means. Hilasterion means 'Mercy Seat. The Mercy seat is what covered the Ark of the Covenant. What can we observe about Jesus being presented as he Mercy Seat covering of the Ark of the Covenant?<br />
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The Ark of the Covenant was in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Only the High Priest could go in with some very specific instructions from God. Leviticus Ch 16 speaks of the procedure. In short the High Priest transfers the sin of the nation (there are a few sin categories) into the animal and the animal is killed. The blood from the resultant wound is thrown onto the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant. This act brings about God's approval to forgive the sins. Iv'e simplified this ritual because at every turn it is rich and loaded with meaning. What is of my interest is to think INSIDE the box.<br />
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Inside the Ark of the covenant were three things. One was the tablets with the ten commandments on it. This is a story of lawbreaking by the nation (Exo 32). Another artefact was Aarons rod that budded. This was a story of rebellion by some who rose up against Moses leadership, in effect, against God's express will (Num Ch 16and 17). The other item was Manna. Manna fell when the Israelites had no food. At one point the people complained and roused God's anger. They wanted meat so God showered the camp with quail, so much that they had trouble collecting it all. It was a picture of ungratefulness (Numbers 11). So in the Ark was Lawbreaking, Rebellion and Ungratefulness. All of these things were covered by the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.<br />
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God presented Jesus as the Mercy Seat and as we will know from the Cross, Jesus had the sins of the world transferred to Him, just like the animals. Then his wounds bled all over him as thorns tore his scalp, his scourged back bled down his legs and crucifixion wounds turned him into a dripping bloodbath. So we have the sin transfer, the blood and the covering all in Jesus on the cross.<br />
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This sacrifice covers our lawbreaking but also our ungratefulness and rebellion. God presents Jesus as the Mercy Seat and in doing do not only covers the fact that we sin but also the wretchedness of our ungrateful rebellion. All of this is known to God yet he took the initiative to fix the whole thing for us at infinite cost. Simply:<br />
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God's got you covered! Shalom!<br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-62795407776836574152018-07-14T21:11:00.001-07:002018-07-14T21:11:33.558-07:00How do I know when... *1How do I know when... I'm being oppressed by the enemy?<br />
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Spiritual oppression is when the enemy is allowed to get close enough to affect a believer. It has a purpose in God that we are not always clear about. One thing is clear: we can get into all sorts of problems if we don't detect a spiritual attack. Here are 5 indications you are being oppressed spiritually. Its not the only 5 and certainly not a defining comment. <br />
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<b>1. The 'skies' are not clear. Eph 6</b><br />
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Often a believer can readily think of the Lord, their church family and the blessings they have and rejoice. Even in trials we can think of the way the Lord has blessed us, firstly with salvation. The readiness of this sense of joy, I call 'clear skies.' When we experience this sense disappear and it's hard to even muster up a prayer, it could be spiritual oppression / attack. We all have flat days but when oppression is occurring we feel genuinely fogged up about how we relate to the Lord and peripheral matters. The skies are not clear! Many churches teach that we can somehow make a difference by binding this and that but the Biblical response to all this is to 'stand.' Paul tells us in Ephesians that a day of evil will come and we must set ourselves up to wear God's armour. This armour is steadfast understanding and assurance of 6 things:<br />
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<li>Truth</li>
<li>Righteousness</li>
<li>Peace</li>
<li>Faith</li>
<li>Salvation</li>
<li>God's word</li>
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These things need to be understood as second nature by believers because these are the focus of the enemies attack. When we stand in steadfast surety of these elements it is like armour. The enemy wants these elements to become unclear and foggy and when we are being attacked it will be these elements that come into his cross hairs. Paul says to 'stand' and pray. Clear skies are coming!</div>
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<b>2. The devil tries to form division Phil 4:8</b></div>
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For no reason we can think of, we experience a nagging negativity about others. It's a niggling sense of discomfort often coupled with accusations forming in our heads. Sometimes we have thoughts about others and come to wrong conclusions based upon how we feel during spiritual attack. The aim of the devil, who is basically a frustrated politician, is to bring about disunity and fractures within the family, be that actual, or spiritual family. </div>
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One of the best tricks the devil uses is half truths. There's no point telling an absolute whopper that you can see straight through! The enemy can craftily have us concocting stories and conclusions from strands of truth. When we find ourselves coming to dark conclusion about others, we need to examine our thoughts in the light of 'loving our neighbour' or we are being lied to. The Lord does not deal with others by bringing us into dark conclusions or accusations. It is the enemy who weaves his plans to steal kill and destroy into our minds. How do we combat this? When we find ourselves in a cul-de-sac of negativity turn to scripture... Philippians 4:8</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3. We are accused and lied to about self Eph 1</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Another strategy of the enemy is to lie and accuse us about us! Often we don't need the enemy to give ourselves a hard time but it is his speciality to have believers defeated by accusing them of their sinfulness and things from the past. This is one of the destructive things about sin... it gives the devil ammunition! The devil has a field day ripping into us about our failures, our devotion to the Lord and our daily walk. One way I defend myself against this is by reminding myself of the truth about my salvation: </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">When I became a believer I was accepted and adopted by the Father and he did this with total awareness about what he was taking on. The Father has been pleased to give me the kingdom and has done so with all wisdom and understanding. So when I find myself in need of forgiveness because of sin I take it very seriously and keep short accounts with the Lord. But what I don't do is imagine the Lord is impatient and fed up with me. God knows the total dimensions of my sinful potential, much better than I do! So the Lord is not surprised that I have messed up. The enemy will give the impression that I'm a total failure and have damaged the relationship with the Father incalculably. What the Lord expects is for us to go to Him and repent. Then pick up our cross and carry on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><b>4. We are being utilised by the Lord 2 Tim 1:11-12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">If you are being utilised by the Lord, we should expect the attack of the enemy. One believer said the enemy has no authority to attack them! Seems strange to me that the Apostle Paul was attacked from 'outside forces' right there and then as he wrote 2 Timothy! The greater the calling or sending, the bigger attack! The honour of the Lord involving us in His work is amazing and we can rise up with thanks and gratefulness that he can and will issue forth through us in some way. Don't fall into a trap thinking its only the leaders who are being utilised. Being a Christian is, before you've done anything, a pushing back of the forces of darkness. As we walk in the Spirit we are resisting the Spirit of Antichrist that has gone forth into the earth. Being on God's side is enough to get the dark forces riled. Good!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"><b>5. People say or do things that are really odd! </b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Where the devil tries to divide us as in (2) above, he can also cause people to do and say things. On more than a few occasions people have said or done things that add to the occasion of being attacked by the enemy. I've had people say things that could never have been in their knowledge, yet they come forth with words to make the burden even harder. With the weariness and exhaustion that comes with spiritual attack, it feels right to unleash on the people but we are not at war with people as Ephesians 6:12 affirms. It is also tempting to live in fear of people and their words. We may also get an option of a person who has clearly been manipulated by the enemy. A whole world of drama can come from building a profile of a person based on this. Resist! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Much of this comes in on the blind side. Being in proximity to the Lord, praying, imbibing God's word and being around your brothers and sisters is God's plan for survival during these times. The enemy's strategy varies person to person but it will always include stopping you going to church, neglecting the Bible, distraction away from praying and feeling like the Lord can't help you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: times, times new roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Hope this helps. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: times, times new roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Gary Ward</span></span><br />
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-57146189901010326312018-07-14T03:14:00.001-07:002018-07-14T03:14:16.219-07:00Critical / Cynical / Biblical?One of the more significant challenges when wanting to follow the Lord and obey His word is being misunderstood. One of the best examples of Jesus being misunderstood is in his death! He was Messiah, Israel knew this yet had him killed. One of the reasons for him being set up for death was John Chapter 8. Here we find Jesus absolutely ripping into the Pharisees and leaving no margin of 'whatever could Jesus mean by that?' Jesus was responding to the accusations with basic facts which when understood could lead to their salvation. So Jesus used hard truths in love.<br />
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Today there are hard truths around just like in Jesus' day. If a believer delivers hard truths to other believers there are boxes available to be placed in. 'Cynical' and 'critical' are two of the boxes that people get put into. It is true, however, that there are critical and cynical people around and their 'truths' can be easily measured against the word of God and debunked. Also truth can be delivered in the wrong way to appear that there is an agenda. To speak hard truth today is tricky because of the many boxes there are and believers ready to assign if they don't like what is being said. The other side to this coin is that ideas that are offered as truth but are un-biblical are assigned to the 'acceptable' box and the body of Christ wanders down any old cul de sac.<br />
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Recently I was talking to a believer about mega churches not seeming to have discipleship as a priority. This person said I was critical but I asked what Jesus meant when he said 'you compass the land and sea of the earth to win a convert then make him into twice the son of hell that you are.' The believer asked if Jesus really said that! It was a hard truth in Jesus time and a hard truth today... some churches are focused on looking good... filling seats. Yet the aim of all of this, 'making disciples' is signed off with church attendance and service. Discipleship is facilitating a believer to source themselves in their risen Lord and draw upon Him.<br />
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That said, it is also easy to become cynical and critical as we see the unbiblical practices of the church. If you love the idea of God's people coming together to grow and encourage one another, when others make a mockery of this and clearly make it into a means of gain, it's hard to contain the frustration. The answer is to figure out biblically why this is not sitting right in your heart. Ive met so many people who are for 'this' and against 'that,' yet cannot tell you why biblically. It's just their opinion based, again, on their own criteria for serving self.<br />
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It appears to me that Jesus was unconcerned about gaining a fan club so he said it as it is. It is a precarious position to sit between a scriptural stance and the affections of Mankind. So many don't want the hardship of standing for Gods word that will inevitably lead to being isolated, alone and misunderstood. Does that life sound familiar? Jesus would identify with it and so would the Apostles and Prophets. As the aspirations to build mega church increase, there is one who is building His church with the remnant who will not bow the knee to status, profile and personality cult.<br />
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The way ahead is to be constantly calibrating self to God's word. That's what the Lord is doing as we offer our lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Rom 12:1-2). As we join in His program for us we will find ourselves understanding that all of the corruption we see around us has all happened before in Israel. As Paul tells the Corinthians a ballpark, ' learn from the journey of Israel' because all of that occurred for our observation. Yet millions of believers continue to repeat the mistakes made by the leaders, even in Jesus' time, raising up a platform for self and using the ministry for personal gain. The way to stand firm and resist error is to steadfastly avoid these ministries and make sure as they reap their rewards now, we are nothing to do with it. <br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-34450374673713548992018-07-13T21:30:00.002-07:002018-07-13T21:30:54.575-07:00God's love for the orphaned heart 1As many people will know, you don't need to be lacking parents to be an orphan. So many people like myself have experienced parenthood that was positional. The ideal is that parents are functional and walk out the responsibility of parenthood. Sadly, there are those who can interact with a person who was part of their being born but not engage the love and joy of having functional parents. I have had this experience where my dad has been present-absent all my life. As an adult I can pretty much live life without my dad but have to say it impacts on my relationship with my heavenly Father. It turns out a few from our church also have issues in this area. So how do we navigate these waters when 'father' was not exampled?<br />
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For many the main issue lies around believing that the heavenly (F)ather is not like your (f)ather. I can readily accept this as a fact but it all gets snarled up when I have to go to the Lord when troubled. My father caused much of my trouble so to go to my Father when troubled seems impossible. The unlearning old patterns of thinking seems exhausting when you can't muster the faith to believe Father loves you. Some have written books about their intimate relationship with their heavenly daddy and quite frankly it frustrates me. 'Thank you for telling me how cuddly you are on His knee!' My experience is not that and I have to believe the unbelievable to even think he cares.<br />
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So I do my 'orphan therapy.' I put myself in the shoes of the prodigal son. Then I put myself in the place of the woman caught in adultery. I'm then in Ephesians 1 seeing the Father has pleasurably, with all wisdom and understanding chosen me to be in the New Covenant. Psalm 139 comes in handy and I am starting to feel better. This is about me. My Father has been pleased to give me the Kingdom. All of this is great and helps but one thing slips through the confusion:<br />
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God made an independent free will decision to adopt me personally.<br />
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The Creator of the Universe chose me before anything was put on the clock. This has to eclipse any absent parenthood that was also trying to recover from the fall. God, in the most lucid state anything could ever be, saw every particle of your being, including the very bad bits, and elected you for eternal life. Still not moved?<br />
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Now consider that the Father could not do any of this unless his own Son was crushed... and the Father had to do the crushing! To rescue me and you, the Father went to ultimate personal expense such is His regard for you and me. He had to inflict torture and pain on His Son to rescue us after it was us who willingly choose to rebel. God took the hit for you, and it was of unimaginable proportion.<br />
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With this in view we can conclude that no father has ever done what the Father has done! So you and I can take the component of 'I don't understand the love of the Father' and re-examine. NO-ONE can fully grasp the whole nine yards of this love! If anyone says they do then they either don't understand it or are fooling themselves. Would I crush my Son for anyone or anything? NO!<br />
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Let us with orphaned hearts re-calibrate towards the Father and encounter this Joy!<br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-31860266111987590752018-07-13T21:24:00.003-07:002018-07-13T21:24:44.513-07:00The Inst-Abram age...Media platforms are useful in many ways but it doesn't take much to see how dangerous they are. Providing a snapshot of our lives doesn't tell of the whole nine yards of what's actually going on. It's not like everyone who uses social media is deceptive, its just that we don't tell the whole story. Many of the false teachers and teachings offer something useful but the error is always that they don't tell the whole story. In this age we live in it is more like Inst- Abram ... just seeing the good bits of someone like Abraham's life instead of the issues. <br />
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Reporting on just good parts of something provides perfect marketing. If we did it in our own small biblical house group we could say some really good things. There's been healing amongst us, we have sweet fellowship, lovely times of worship and amazing times of sharing. Sounds great... and it is! But also we have times of brokenness, spiritual attack and oppression and real, earthy needs amongst us. What I am describing in the sunshine and rain is reality! Rather than make false promises like the prosperity gospel does, we just promise a biblical journey with all it's ups and downs.<br />
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So what happens if we only report on the good things? People would be misled in believing that we have some sort of utopia. I think it is human nature, especially us over catered for westerners, to avoid suffering. And the more I promise continual ease, the more we buy into it. Then... the problems come in churches who promise the ideal. There are several ways to maintain the illusion that all is well and that is to tell the person that they are still in utopia but <i>they are the problem</i>. Many Christians have been made to feel condemned, maladjusted and in some cases demonised for simply stumbling along in their walk. It is normal to falter and fail and in the ekklesia the Lord wanted, people are there to support and assist. Having a family to lean on when the going gets tough is the plan but in so many cases 'tough' means 'lack.'<br />
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If the gospel is presented in such a way that normality is constantly being swept along by the gentle breeze of the Spirit of God, any 'snagging on the barbed wire' would be seen as personal failure. Obviously wrong to see snags as failure but even worse, we have entered in to 'performance mode' as believers. It matters that we are intending a holy walk but the whole self assessment must be offset by Jesus completed work and his glorification right now. The Lord knows the potential of our weakness yet still works with us to nudge us towards transformation. So because he sees all, there is no surprise (to Him) when we falter and fail. The problem is, we do like to 'post' the good bits, the perceived successes and the impressive performance. This speaks back to us and reinforces the idea that we are not all that bad. When the snags occur we are again shocked and appalled that we are indeed wretched.<br />
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The only way to see a joyful and peaceful walk is to fix our eyes on things above all the time and attribute the good, the bad and the ugly to our risen and glorified King.<br />
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Yours in the struggle,<br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-50002606689519381532018-03-15T20:24:00.001-07:002018-07-13T21:38:52.802-07:00Understanding 'contending for the faith'Jude's letter was clear about the dangers facing Christians, especially in the last days. That there would be those who 'slip in among you' and masquerade as believers was a problem then but now denominations are <i>based</i> on this calamity. The issue here is that the practices and false doctrines of these impostors are adopted by believers and we see it every day in churches. It is my responsibility to firstly walk out the faith in obedience but <i>then </i>to discern where the rot has set in. Then I will make all those I am walking this out with aware of the error. In this way I am again doing what Scripture teaches: 1 Timothy 4...<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span class="text 1Tim-4-1" id="en-NIV-29749" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Spirit<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> clearly says that in later times<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and things taught by demons.</span> <span class="text 1Tim-4-2" id="en-NIV-29750" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29750D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29750D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-NIV-29751" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>They forbid people to marry<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29751E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29751E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and order them to abstain from certain foods,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29751F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29751F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> which God created<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29751G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29751G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> to be received with thanksgiving<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29751H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29751H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> by those who believe and who know the truth.</span> <span class="text 1Tim-4-4" id="en-NIV-29752" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>For everything God created is good,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29752I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29752I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and nothing is to be rejected<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29752J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29752J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> if it is received with thanksgiving,</span> <span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-NIV-29753" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>because it is consecrated by the word of God<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29753K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29753K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and prayer.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Tim-4-6" id="en-NIV-29754" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29754L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29754L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and of the good teaching that you have followed.</i></span></span></div>
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If however the 'pointing out' or 'making aware' is actually a cover for bitterness or revenge then it is a whole other matter. I would have to examine <i>my own heart </i>(see, you don't have to!) for motives in calling out an individual or a church et al. I have personally been part of churches that have publicly lied to their congregations, mismanaged money, built a 'kingdom' for themselves etc. All these things are explicitly reasons for repentance. Where repentance is not evident the person or church are in danger. God gives churches or individuals over to 'it,' whatever 'it' is for that group. We see this in verse two above and in Romans chapter 1 just as two off the cuff examples. </div>
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Over the last year or two I have seen people I know lie to my face about the lies they told to their church. I didn't expose this beyond some trusted friends to whom I have some accountability. Recently a church was on national UK TV because of a scandal involving the head of that organisation. One of the reasons aspiring mega churches pat themselves on the back is because of the social action they get involved in. The un-biblical practices they employ to get people in, and get their money, is always justified by 'helping the helpless.' Got to say... if you have a load of people doing anything... helping the helpless is a good thing! But if the helpless become subject to the same business-like tactics as everyone else we have a problem. Control, megalomania and the such like are ugly in every context. Its no problem for me to let my church family know that this is wrong and can never be right. Biblically, I'm doing my job. </div>
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My concern is for the believers who have fallen into the cult of personality. Some people can do <i>anything</i> and the followers wont see it as sin. This is concerning because it shows the word of God is coming second to the vision of the movement. Believers buy into the proposals of the leaders and if they happen to violate the word of God... who cares! As long as the movement is moving and I'm part of it... let's not tip up the apple cart! This is exactly what Israel were castigated for... the widespread acceptance of sin as being all well and good because "WE ARE GODS CHOSEN." </div>
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What could go wrong... turns out everything!</div>
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This is not a shock to anyone who has read the Prophets and takes the Apostles seriously. The growing problem is acceptance of this unrepentant behaviour. The VAST majority are taken in by the key performance indicators of 'what works' church wise. As long as they are a part of the hive, all is well.</div>
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It isn't well. It is everything the Apostles and Prophets warned about. </div>
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Gary Ward </div>
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-48595401182400232082018-01-15T18:51:00.001-08:002018-01-15T18:51:59.002-08:00Managing appetites...Paul to Timothy:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-1" id="en-NIV-29749" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;">1Tim 4:1 The Spirit<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> clearly says that in later times<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29749C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29749C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and things taught by demons.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-4-2" id="en-NIV-29750" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">How do we know what is the demonic teaching and which is Godly? Paul offers two examples of what demonic teaching does. The underlying theme is <i style="font-size: 16px;">restriction.</i> But the devastating other side to this coin is the works associated with it. They forbid people to marry when marriage is the very core of God's plan that is patterned through the Bible. The true church is a bride! They also forbid certain foods. Food is a blessing! God loves feasts! What are the demons trying to do in being behind such teachings and practices? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">When people become Christians having been implicated by the rescue plan of God, they enter more freedoms than restrictions. This is not what people think about Christianity but it is actually true. Paul goes on: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">When someone brings about extra rules and regulations that God has not sanctioned they create a false religion. This misrepresents God and people get an impression of God that is not accurate. As a younger man I HATED being misrepresented. It has happened so much that I've seen it as God's hollowing out process. I have also seen more clearly the reason people do it. Nevertheless God is misrepresented. That is not a great idea but it is devastating to the people led into the doctrines of demons. Central to our growth, maturity and even salvation is seeing God for who He really is. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The whole problem with all of God's dealing with Israel was misrepresentation. This led to carving Idols and in the same way, creating restrictions is also Idolatry. This has been<i> clearly</i> said by the Holy Spirit! The big question has to be whether Paul's observations have taken form. I mean if you claim the Holy Spirit is <i>clearly</i> saying something you'd better be right, right?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm sure there are other examples but two huge examples remain of restricting foods and marriage. Firstly it is the Roman Catholics that forbid their priests to marry. This has serious repercussions in society. Roman Catholics re-enact Jesus' sacrifice at mass, denying the Lord's once and for all sacrifice. Secondly there is the devastating error of returning to Law. This proclaims the work of the cross as being ineffectual and sets the person partaking into observing prescriptive Law. Practically it means restrictions in what is eaten as Mosaic Law banned certain foods. Interestingly, Judaisers and the Roman Catholics have this in common: Ignoring the completed work of the cross. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jesus fulfilled the Law for us so that we can have access to God by believing on Him. Once truly following Jesus by faith we are not required to tick boxes or refrain from what God has given as pleasurable blessings. Although these blessings can be abused, doing or not doing something to help God fix us is not required. When the Apostles wrote to the gentile believers at Antioch, the main areas they advised to be aware of was managing food and their sexual practices. In no way did they says stop eating and enjoying intimacy in marriage. Our appetites are God given and to be met with thanks within the holy boundaries of God's graces. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Gary Ward</span></span><br />
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-91001372272377355692018-01-12T00:27:00.001-08:002018-01-12T00:27:27.951-08:00Song for the strugglingAnother day, another way, to limp out this walk<br />
Identified as God's light, but struggling with the dark<br />
Fighting with my go-to's, this much determined flesh,<br />
Heart bowed low confession, to straighten out this mess<br />
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Who turned out the light? Scraping for a prayer<br />
Voices to accuse me, lies from everywhere!<br />
I handed ammunition to the hater of my soul<br />
Half truths leave me numb, and now they feel like whole<br />
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My tears fall onto the ground in a self inflicted rain<br />
A voice says, 'time and time and time and time again!'<br />
'These fractures are not healing', 'a son who can't do good'<br />
'God must now reject me, I know for sure I would!'<br />
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But what is this, a memory of a boy who lost his way?<br />
Took the contents of the safe and partied every day?<br />
Ventured back to his home but someway down the path<br />
His Father came to meet him and he expected wrath<br />
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The Father's joy was beaming, the son taken aback<br />
Dad wrapped his arms around him not one word of his lack<br />
Robes and ring, the best food, a very noisy celebration<br />
Father goes the extra mile to mark this restoration<br />
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How can it be that I receive that which I do not merit?<br />
While what I'm owed is judgement, but I just don't get it?<br />
Can it be that all my wrongs are totally outshone<br />
By Fathers unrelenting love and joy at His returning son?<br />
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This story is the truth for all who wholly trust<br />
That Jesus took all God's wrath, for me He said He must<br />
So when I fall and fail and choose me above my King<br />
The Father wants me to come to him and tell him everything<br />
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With love and joy my Father cancels out my debt<br />
This act of going to Him is how His plan was set<br />
'Lost sons returning home' is the genius intent<br />
To rescue me from me and why His own Son was sent<br />
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I'm not planning sinful ways but I know they will be true<br />
The thing to understand is Father knows it too!<br />
I'm starting out again with eyes on things above<br />
My failings overshadowed by my Father's boundless love. <br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-16385674094824707582017-12-31T23:14:00.000-08:002017-12-31T23:14:03.193-08:00Rage against the age? Its been about 6 months since I posted a blog. It's not that I haven't written them, its just trying to articulate the blindingly obvious and finding a post-able compelling angle. Anyone following these ranting attempts at sanity would hopefully detect an out-of-the-box-ness. Sometimes they are out of the room that the box is in! Well its a new year... lets hope things get better.<br />
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So many issues occurred in 2017 that it was hard to meaningfully write about. By far the scariest thing that came to be the thing was <i>'indifference.'</i> Many political, social and theological issues were raised but underneath the narrative was a devastating sub-text. When people don't care about their own lives and society, we have an issue. But when people actively move to change society to accommodate moral and ethical dysfunction, it spells disaster. Often overlooked, Genesis 6:5 tells us that the reason God Judged mankind was because the people were utterly corrupt:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span><span style="background-color: white;">And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that<i> every</i> imagination of the thoughts of his heart was <i>only</i> evil <i>continually. (Italics mine.)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jesus tells us that 'as in the days of Noah, so shall the end times be.' When people turn towards combative and hostile reasoning to make society into moral depravity we see Genesis 6:5 outplayed. Working towards making ungodliness the norm indicates an indifference that should shake believers to the core. That we don't see that with many believers is another issue for another time. However, we need to take note of the times and prayerfully seek the Lord for strategies. For the main part my own stance is to see it as the signs of the end times. Another part of me wants to rage against the age. What do I do?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I often overlook the way my intrinsic self is already pushing against the rot. Before I have even got out of bed I am pushing back the spirit of the age. Paul tells us this is the spirit of Antichrist and the restrainer, the Holy Spirit within, is holding back evil. Of course, my own evil and wicked leanings falter and fail, but I am not seeking to make my failings the norm in society. Believer, before you even think of protesting, the fact that you are not advancing the cause of moral and ethical decay is of high value to the Lord. It matters that we stand in a Godly way! Making a stand to not be like the societies we live in is an amazing testimony as the lure of the flesh beckons us to another dark cul-de-sac. It's not finding ourselves scratching around the mud and the mire that screams 'failure!' It's when we stop getting up, brushing ourselves off and picking up our crosses. A lifestyle of repentance is faithfulness, and I for one commit myself to walk well in 2018. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Maybe this intent before God can see Him issue forth through us into this world? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Gary Ward</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-63753214225748174752017-07-28T20:53:00.000-07:002017-07-28T20:53:17.926-07:00The 'gateway drug' to false teaching?If you work in the welfare sector you will be faced with the drug issue in our fallen world. People try to find escape through substances as the high offers temporary escape from their nightmare. The nightmare is always associated with no hope, no peace and no security. It manifests in different ways but a human life disconnected to its Creator is always at the centre of the problem. The enemy is having a field day locking people in prisons of addiction. On the way to hard addiction a person will engage 'gateway drugs.' These are seemingly less dangerous yet can lead to the life consuming 'top-shelf' drugs. Drugs alter the senses while slowly killing the core of the person. We have a problem and the answer is Jesus. <br />
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I was recently challenged on my firm stance to not tolerate even a hint of false teaching. It is largely based on Jesus' instruction, 'do not be deceived.' I have a Red / Amber / Green system for the teachers that are visible in our media. Red is obviously danger, and there are a lot of bible Teachers in there. Amber is where there is a nudge of caution and Green is where the differences are minor and they generally have a good articulation of the Whole Council of God. There are plenty of people in Green so there's no reason to have anything to do with the Red or Amber designations. Too harsh a system? I have to stand alongside the writers of the Prophets and Apostles who, in the name of God, slammed false teachers and all kinds of falseness. With this in view, I'd like to outline something that is occurring spiritually all over the world. <br />
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It seems to be a distinctive that every Mega Church organisation has a music ministry aspiration. It also seems that those who, like us, are wanting a pure declaration of God's word, see no (need for?) big music ministry. It could just be that the aspiring Mega Church outfit wants to gain more resource by selling albums and see it as a business model. But I see something that looks like the drug problem in society. The Churches that are peddling false teaching tend to have a music ministry that is very organised, highly produced and distributed widely. It looks good, sounds good and draws people to a close walk, when it isn't worshipping worship, that is. Can it be that the music is a sensual hook that is being used to have people lock into a certain church? Could it be that once people are seduced by the worship they won't question the teaching? I mean, 'how can something so beautiful and Jesus-orientated be false teaching?' But this happens all the time! Is this music the 'gateway drug for false teaching?' <br />
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We have come across people who are worship addicts. They stay in churches who falsely teach because they can't do without the worship experience. They seem to lift the experience of worship over the Lord Jesus Christ. When it is pointed out there is false teaching they weigh it against the worship experience or kudos with being part of 'what's working.' The New Testament teaches that the last days would be an increase and concentration of people living off natural instincts, sensuality, and not living in step with the Spirit of God. Music is just a vehicle by which a heart of worship can express itself. For many years we have rightly called out Christian music for its style. Now, I believe, we need to call it out for its production that is aiming to be 'of this world.' For some time people have asked me what I think of 'such-a-body.' This is a comment on style and production. The truth is I don't think about them.<br />
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The irony is that much of the mainstream worship music celebrates being triumphant over this world while leading a person to dependency. Once that happens, a person will reduce the importance of sound doctrine to get a 'fix.' Of course there are people who are fixing their eyes on Jesus and are aware of the sensuality and potential seduction in world around them. The corruption of music and messages coming from churches are well known to them. I would just caution that the gateway drugs to false teaching are subtle and crafted by that serpent, the deceiver. Be discerning. <br />
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Gary Ward<br />
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<br />Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-15685088918008571462017-07-27T19:18:00.001-07:002017-07-27T19:18:43.461-07:00Is Rev ch's 2 and 3 the church age?The seven churches of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 are real churches that were on earth at the time of John's exile. A fascinating study is to examine whether they are a chronological overview of the church age from Pentecost to the harpazo, or 'rapture.' An examination of each church corresponds to seven distinctives of church history we can look back on. It is really compelling data, but what seals the whole deal and say's 'this IS a chronological overview of church history given before it happened?'<br />
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Firstly, the seven churches correspond to real eras in the near 2000 years of church history. Some have outlined how freakishly accurate the journey of the church has been whilst tracking the seven churches in their order of appearance in Revelation 2 and 3. It isn't so surprising though, seeing as the book of Daniel outlined the great empires of the gentile world history, including our times of fragmented unions and incompatible politics. If Daniel is the heralding of the first coming of Jesus it stands to reason that God would unveil the events around the second coming of Jesus. <br />
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Secondly, in Daniel chapter 4, The Babylonian king has a dream interpreted where it appears to tell the story of a tree that gets cut down, leaves stripped and fruit scattered. This seems to be a 'remez,' or a hint of something else that is being said. The tree is locked down for seven seasons and after is restored. In a few places the journey of Israel is outlined and emerges through something that is not associated at first glance. The Jews are scattered through out the world only to be restored eventually. The King represents that state of unbelievers in a time when grace has been extended. After 7 years he turns to God-an instruction for all who are in rebellion against Him. What is important here is the use of seven seasons or 'times.' Let's not forget that this is contextually a gentile history, very significant!<br />
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Thirdly, Jesus outlines what we are supposed to do with the text. In Chapter 1 verse 19 John is told to write what he has seen. So John writes about the risen and glorified Jesus in Chapter 1. The he is told to write 'what is.' What is, at the time of writing was the church age. With this in view he writes to the seven churches. At the beginning of chapter 4 he writes 'what must come after these things.' If the only intent was to deliver the writing to the seven churches that existed then logically the things from chapter 4 onwards should have occurred on delivery of the letters. They obviously didn't, so we must ask what the 'after these things' actually means. Revelation goes on to describe the seven lamp stands (churches) being in heaven, having previously been on earth. So 'after these things' the churches are in heaven... snatched away as the Bible teaches.<br />
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Lastly, we have to examine the way the seven churches are written. The last 4 churches have a slight adjustment in how they sign off. It is easy to dismiss this, but if we assume the seven churches are times of church history, we find something interesting. Thyatira seems to be the journey of the Roman Catholic church, Sardis the protestant reformation churches, Philadelphia - the non affiliated faithful church and Laodicea the prosperity gospel church. All 4 of these have some reference to the Lord's return meaning they are all on the earth at His return. This is what we see on earth today!<br />
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There is another amazing structure in the way the last four churches were written. In Thyatira and Sardis Jesus instructs them to wait for his coming, indicating it isn't for a while. In Philadelphia the Lord is 'coming soon!' When we see Laodicea we have to deal with a word 'idou' in greek. This word has a few renderings because it is hard to articulate in English. It carries the idea of, 'something needs to get your attention because it is special.' So we see 'behold!' We also have, 'see!' or 'listen!' In Revelation 3:20 we find idou and the Hebrew Bible have paired it with the Hebrew word 'hineni' which means 'here I am!' The NIV also does this with 'idou.' <br />
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If we are rendering the seven churches as a historical overview of the church age, the last four churches exist on earth before the Lord's appearing. So if we detach 'idou' from the next statement we find the Lord saying of the last 4 churches:<br />
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'1) hold on... 2) hold on... 3) Im coming soon... 4) HERE I AM! <br />
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As we can all see, there is a church on Earth that is Laodicean. It teaches that God wants to bless people with worldly things despite Jesus saying He does not give as the world gives. Wealth and material things are valued as evidence for God's authentication of a person, church or movement. The letter to Laodicea exposes this as error and calls for repentance. This church we can see is the one where Jesus says, 'Here I Am!' Even if we place 'idou' with 'I stand at the door and knock' and dismiss it as in indicator of His return, we are still at the last stage of this chronology so we can rejoice. <br />
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How amazing is it that we are at the very end of 'the things that are' and could very well be involved in the snatching away of the church from the earth. Come Lord Jesus! <br />
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Gary WardGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994219158100421850.post-75756332543676393922017-02-12T22:33:00.000-08:002017-02-13T00:30:32.266-08:00Where does God live?I very recently heard a sermon that said the church where Christians gathered was God's house. It was useful to get people who were there to take responsibility for where they gather. However, it was not what the Bible teaches. It turns out God has moved house through biblical history. God lives in his house right now! So where does God live?<div>
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<b>Temple, Tabernacle</b><br><div>
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During the Old Covenant it was the Temple. Jesus points this out when he flips the tables in the outer courts of the Temple. "My house shall be a house of prayer..." was the cry as coins flew through the air and livestock made way for the Prince of Righteousness. God's house was the temple and his presence was in the Holy of Holies. Previous to this God went camping with the travelling desert dwellers. God's desire however has not been to dwell in buildings that are constructed by men. </div>
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<b>Believers!</b></div>
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An easy way to answer this is to simply say that God lives in heaven. That would be a right answer but not right in totality. In the New Covenant God lives in a believer. 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 1 Peter 2:5 are clear that since Jesus finished work at Calvary God dwells in Believers! So, if a number of believers meet together in a physical building, does that building collectively become God's house? Ephesians 2:22 tells us we are being built together as a dwelling place<i> in the spirit.</i> So the building is the people and is never the bricks and mortar, even when meeting together. </div>
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The greek word that has been translated 'church' is 'ekklesia.' This described 'the called out assembly' is the common understanding. So the people are exclusively God's house, one He is building together. People have often said to me, a house-church advocate, that it doesn't matter where people meet, the house of God is being built. The whole idea of people meeting in homes rather than auditoriums is not to define where God lives, but to rather define<i> the nature</i> of the building. We obviously don't stack on top of each other like bricks so what does it mean when God is 'building' His house?</div>
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<b>The nature of the building</b></div>
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If I designed a house it would be to my specific requirements. It would have elements that I see as being useful for my purposes. The same is true of God. He is building in the sense that he is making His people the way He wants them. Firstly believers are being built up in the Fathers love. This creates belonging and a deep sense of son-ship. Secondly, God wants to have us issue forth into this world and be salt and light. My own house would have rooms for my family because I want it to be a house where love resides. Then I would be looking at 'function.' God is building believers together to firstly be a people who love and are loved. Then a people who are inwardly met can go and meet the needs in this dark world. </div>
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<b>The building site</b></div>
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The process of believers basking in the Fathers love and becoming fulfilled in this way rises and falls on the nature of the gathering. If the gathering is all about serving and saving then it greatly neglects the foundation of God's unconditional love forwarded to our hearts. Knowing that He loves you is not not the same as walking in the reality of the love, and that is where many gatherings of believers miss. God has instructed that the family is the place where we can experience the love of the Father as agenda-less people come together is a place where families meet: the home. Auditoriums, halls, cathedrals start off on an institutional / fraternity footing and more often than not bypass the relational flow of authentic family. </div>
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God's genius in living in each believer is clear. Only together can we be build up to fulfill the plans and purposes of God. I'm a brick and so are you! Let's facilitate the building of God's house by clearing the way for the foundations and walking with the plan to be bound together with cords that cannot be broken.</div><div><br></div><div>Gary Ward</div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01231105704975101830noreply@blogger.com0