Several questions raised by the sovereignty of God

It's my wedding anniversary today. 11 years married to the girl of my dreams. Looking back at how we met and the ups and downs of our courtship I can clearly see the providential had of God at work and am overwhelmed with gratitude to him. But the sovereignty of God is a tricky thing to pin down.     

One of Bill Johnson's memorable one liners is that "God is in charge but not control - there is a difference". He also says that to think that God's will will always be done is irresponsible when it does also depend on us. Piper on the other hand, while recognising there is a profound mystery here, says God is "untimely and decisively" in control over all human decisions. But when you tell someone about Jesus does God want them to come to know him? If so will they? If not why not? When you pray for someone to be healed, does God want them to be healed? If so will they? If not why not? If God is sovereign and wants someone to be healed then why aren't they? If God is sovereign and someone doesn't get healed then doesn't he want them to?

Earlier I sat in the garden and opened God's greater glory by Bruce A. Ware. I am hoping it will help me think through some of the issues here. As I read the first chapter I got that feeling again of being so excited that I found it hard to continue reading. The reason for my excitement was that he begins by spelling out so clearly the problems that the belief in a sovereign God throws up. Let me give you his definition of sovereignty / divine providence and then summarise the questions it raises:

God continually overseas and directs all things pertaining to the created order in such a way that 1) he preserves in existence and provides for the creation he has brought into being, and 2) he governs and reigns supremely over the entirety of the whole of creation in order to fulfil all his intended purposes in it and through it. p17

He points out there are two parts to this definition: Providence as preservation and Providence as governance. It is the second part that causes the most difficulty. Here is his  definition of Providence as governance:

God governs and reigns supremely over 1) all of the activities and forces of nature and natural law, and 2) all of the affairs of his moral creatures, in all cases accomplishing in them and through them (at times by divine concurrence) his eternal purposes -- yet in neither realm does he govern in such a manner that it violates the integrity of creaturely moral responsibility and volitional freedom to choose and acts according to the moral agents strongest inclinations, nor does God's exhaustive governance justly implicate the impeccable and infinitely holy moral character of God by making him either the author or the approver of evil (Deut 32:39, Ps 5:4 Ps 135:5-7, Prov 21:1, Isa 45:5-7, Dan 2:21, Dan 4:34-37, Eph 1:11, James 1:13, 1 John 1:5)

So far so good, now for the questions:

1) If God is sovereign in this way are human agents free to choose one course of action over another

2i) "how are moral creatures rightly held morally responsible for their actions when God is sovereign over the world?"

2ii) "how is God preserved from being blameworthy for moral wrongdoing that takes place, while also being fully praiseworthy for all the good that occurs under his sovereign governments?"

3) Does God stand differently behind his sovereign working of good and evil? Can we speak of him permitting evil rather than ordaining it?

4) Does God create natural laws that then govern the way the universe works (except by his miraculous intervention) or

"does God regulate all things in a direct manner, giving merely the appearance of laws of natural functioning within the structure of the created order?... Is God sovereign over tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, droughts, famines, birth defects, and so forth, which bring untold pain and suffering to sentient life in this world? And yet, is God not also sovereign over the sun and rain that cause crops to grow, the changing seasons of the years, normal and healthy child births, and bodies that heal themselves from cuts and scrapes and bumps and bruises? What, then, is God's revelation to natural law and forces of nature, both beneficial and harmful to human life"

  

5) Exactly how is God is sovereign over and in salvation, prayer, evangelism, Christian service?

6) How are we to think about the very nature and character of God in the light of these things.

These are very, very, very difficult questions and so starting a book with them is a very brave and serious undertaking. I will read on and report back!

Bill Johnson conference (part 3) mainly on the sovereignty of God

The final part of my notes from the Bill Johnson conference in Tunbridge:

·         God is in charge but he's not in control. His will is not always done. He wants all to come to repentance but not all do.

·         Some of his will comes to pass only if we will in it and persevere to see it happen.

·         God hides things for us and not from us. He ensures that only the desperate people find them and take on the responsibility that is inherent in their discovery. God hides things out of mercy so that the right people find them.

·         Prov 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

·         To think that God's will will always be done is irresponsible when it does also depend on us.

·         The angelic realm in many countries has been bored for decades waiting for faithful pronouncements from God's people to send them on their assignments.

·         Satan is the Lord of the flies and Demons are attracted to decay. The spirit world follows natural boundaries. Words of criticism and complaining have a smell and they attract flies. Conversely encouragement puts a mark on someone "God strike them with your favour".

·         In John 15 Jesus says "ask", "I call you friends", "you will get what you ask for".

·         As you grow in intimacy with God's he is more interested in your desires. I think that's what he said anyway and I kind of get it.

·         Talking about the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine, Bill humorously noted that the wedding did not run out of wine until the disciples arrived!

·         Mary knew who Jesus was and what he was capable of. "You can only ponder things in a heart for so long!" So she persuaded Jesus to start his miracle ministry early.

·         Jesus said that his time had not yet come, therefore the time the father had appointed was not yet at hand, but the startling message of this story is that the a women on whom the favour of God rested succeeded in changing God's timing and plans.

·         Bill imagined Jesus, after re-consulting the father on the matter, turning to Mary and saying "apparently we have had a change of plan".

·         This should redefine sovereignty not undermine it.

·         Servants focus on obedience. A friend's focus is the heart. Of course he is still obedience but his concern is the result of his actions on the heart of his friend and bringing joy to his master.

·         God wants to transform cities but that only happens when they are full of transformed people.

·         We want to create a peer pressure for righteousness.

Some very provoking statements here especially about the sovereignty of God. A crude picture in my head is of God's love and will being many layered. These layers are not on conflict as such rather they are notes making up chords and harmonies in God's sovereign will and purposes. That's a rather poetic way of saying I really don't understand it at all but I'm sure God is good and his thoughts, desires, and will are glorious! The fact that I don't understand must mean he is more wonderful than I can currently grasp not less. I've got a lot of work to do to try and understand some of these things a little better so that God is not misrepresented by my distortions of his word. I will start by reading God's greater glory by Bruce A Ware.

Bill Johnson conference (part 2)

Here is the next batch of points I wrote down from the Bill Johnson conference (as I said before I'm still processing them but here they are in raw form):

·         If several people don't get healed of something like MS I think "God just summoned me" to see breakthrough in this.

·         Nothing happens in the kingdom until first there is a declaration

·         most Christians repent (ie change their minds) enough to get saved but not enough to see the kingdom come in any great measure

·         Jesus said my words are spirit and truth, gods word releases the power of the spirit to bring the kingdom in.

·         The hidden Power of heaven is in the hands. Peter took the man's hands and he was healed.

·         Do not lower Scripture to experience rather raise experience to Scripture

·         we do not have the right to say it was God's will to take a child home to him when it dies prematurely. Not everything that happens is God's will.

·         In the process of learning we face disappointment but we cannot change the standard Jesus set. Everyone was healed.

·         We have no right to get into gilt and shame when we don't see people healed. That will only sets us back.

·         We need to cry out to God in the secret place and then take risks in a public place.

·         In releasing Gods power words are important (ie be healed), touch is important (ie laying on of hands), acts of faith are important (try walking on that leg now) and so are prophetic acts (throw an axe handle in after the axe head to make the axe head float - ie there is no direct link between the action and result).

·         There is a difference between principles and presence. We must never put people at risk because of the principle that we might decide to step out in such a way when we are confident of the presence.

·         Faith does not need to be proven. It just is.

·         Thankfulness is the atmosphere of faith.

·         Colossians 3 says fix your mind on things above. You seem world is more substantial than the visible world. Faith needs to be anchored in the eternal unseen realm.

·         We pray for the sick so that Jesus gets what he paid for

·         celebrating another person's victory is what qualifies us for our own

·         the church in England is afraid of blessing "what will people think if good things happen to me?" We feel the need to excuse or explain ourselves when God blesses us in some way what God wants to mark us with his blessing

·         to do all you have in your hearts to do for God you will need to prosper. If not your heart is not big enough.

·         To not seek the blessing of the Lord is one of the most selfish acts of the church.

·         It would be very difficult not to run to God if we really knew how good he is.

·         Romans eight describes the most powerful prayer meeting in the Bible. The holy spirit, Jesus, and creation are groaning and crying out.

·         Hell is plan B. Plan A is gods kindness that leads to repentance. We shouldn't scare people with hell, but motivate them by God's kindness.

·         Some people criticise the church when it is enjoying God's blessing by saying " you are just one big bless me club" to which bills reply is " and the problem with that is?"

·         Psalm 67 -> bless us, so that everyone knows how good you are and get saved - even the land will be miraculously productive.

·          John 1 : I pray that you will prosper and be in good health.

·         All the men and women whom God has used powerfully to heal the sick believe that " all sickness comes from the devil". The destroyer, the devourer. John G Lake. Aimee Semple McPherson. etc

A lot of very provoking statements here, especially the point about blessing made from Psalm 67. As my heart is broken over child trafficking around the world, I can expect God to bless me massively to bring the kingdom in there big time. 

Bill Johnson Conference (Part 1)

I had a great time at the Bill Johnson conference. Tonbridge is such a nice place, especially on a blazing hot day like Tuesday was. The worship was great with a really good band leading us in a mix of worship songs including lots of Jesus culture stuff. Bill Johnson threw out lots of gems which I will pass on in a moment and in one session he laid hands on everyone individually (over 600 people) after which we went into a fire tunnel. I love those! (for those that don't know - it's a tunnel of people praying for you and prophesying over you) You really experience the power of God on you as you walk or stagger through.

I had some more prophetic encouragement to step out in faith for healing too which was good. I might even have got a bit healed myself as my stomach didn't play up at all while we were there which is unusual. Lots of other people got healed from back problems, pain, damage from accidences, knee injuries, etc. We prayed for a chap with hearing problems and he said he got 70% better which was really exciting.

Got a few books, including culture of Honour and a children's version of heaven touches hearth called "Here comes Heaven ". Also some CD's on creating a Kingdom culture and a culture of honour.

Before I share with you the first part of my notes form the conference I should say they are very raw and I do not necessarily agree or even understand them all. They are defiantly thought provoking though and I think there is a massive amount of wisdom an insight here if I can make the effort to process it all. Anyway, here are some Bill J's gems:

·         We must be careful about developing and relying on formulas rather than hearing God and walking by the spirit. Faith comes from hearing present tense not having heard.

·         We can be "biblical" and still be wrong! That probably needs a lot of unpacking, but basically means that just because we can quote chapter and verse on something doesn't mean we have got quite the right emphasis or understanding on it. I suppose its like a documentary that uses real footage of a person or event but puts their own slant on things.

·         It is illegal to aim for anything less than Jesus' 100% success rate in praying for the sick.

·         Jesus healed each person differently so we must be careful about reducing things to principles.

·         We must live from the presence of God, not just by principles from God.

·         Don't live in reaction to darkness but in response to God

·         people want the authentic. They are hungry for a demonstration of the kingdom in genuine signs and wonders.

·         Learn to become aware of God.

·         A renewed mind is seeing from God's perspective.

·         Mark 4 : The miracles of the loaves and fishes were intended to teach kingdom principles. Miracles should lead to a transformation of mind. Even though the disciples had seemingly done everything right in obeying Jesus their hearts had remained hard. Some kingdom principles would be:

·         i) You can do more with less. Less food to start with lead to more people fed and more leftovers.

·         ii) They could do it. The food was multiplied in their hands.

·         iii) The potential of the moment is defined by the size of the need.

·         He made his humorous point that the disciples were looking forward to a bit of R&R when the crowd that they had left on one side of the lake appeared on the other. Jesus did his "compassion thing" and began ministering to them. As evening came the disciples may have seen a way to get rid of them and suggested (very compassionately!) to Jesus that they be sent off to get something to eat.

·         The Lord's prayer is the highest and clearest definition of the kingdom of heaven: ie "On Earth as it is in heaven". Is there any sickness in heaven? Then there should be no sickness on Earth as God's kingdom comes.

·         Persistent pursuit of God changes us.

·         The son that hardens the clay melts the ice. We determine what challenge and hardship does to our hearts.

Although the statement about being biblical and yet wrong seems heretical, I think I know something of what he means. For example, we can produce a theology of healing, or God's sovereignty, that is supported by many good versus, yet when we step back and look at it in the light of the whole of God's word, it's whole tenor, or emphasis or application can be wrong. It is in part the danger of systematic theology. The comment is very relevant to the whole area of healing and God's sovereignty that I am currently exploring. I can listen to John Piper's very balanced theology of healing from Romans 8 (I will share my notes on that some time) and recognise it as very biblical, but not be provoked to pray for the sick. At the same time I can listen to Bill Johnson's exhortations from the Gospels and Acts and be full of faith to see the sick healed but wonder what God is doing when someone gets healed of a sprained ankle while someone with cancer remains sick.

I thought the comments about principles and presents were very helpful too, as was the idea that miracles should change our minds.

The slave trade has not been abolished

I have just got back from an amazing conference in Tunbridge. I will blog more on that another time but right now I am picking up on something God broke my heart about before I went: human trafficking and the child sex trade around the world. The advice from people working in this are for those who want to help is get educated about the problem. That's really painful but here's a start:

http://storage.cloversites.com/raphahouse/documents/Rapha_House_Resource_List.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zob-4F7O6rA

We celebrate the abolition of the slave trade by William Wilberforce and that's good but don't be deceived into thinking that its stopped. Human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity in the world. There are 27 million slaves in the world today. In 2004 there were more slaves than were seized from Africa during four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Almost 80% are used for sex . Just under 20,000 slaves are brought into the USA every year. 50% of slaves in the world are children. 70% are women. Nearly 2 million children are in the commercial sex trade. 2 children a minute are trafficked for sexual exploitation.   

The global scale and gut wrenching horror of this evil is totally overwhelming. If I am to face it and get involved I'm going to need to focus on doing the little I can do, the bit God has given me responsibly for, and then cry out to God for his Kingdom to come. Some principles of the kingdom I learnt recently was that though it stats small it will grow and work its way into everything. Bill Johnson said in the conference that the potential for the kingdom breaking out it the size of the need. The need of many millions of women and children around the world is huge.    

Children are sold as slaves for less than $2 in some parts of the world. It cost less than £1000 to get a family out of slavery, give them the ability to support themselves and get their kids in school. (www.freetheslaves.net)

Here's some organisations I'm looking at:

• Rapha House http://raphahouse.org/, http://loverescueheal.wordpress.com/
• Iris ministries with Heidi and Roland Backer http://www.irismin.org/
• Rahab Ministries http://www.rahabministriesthailand.com/

Father, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Q&A with John Piper and other leaders at Bethlehem Baptist church

Had a great time watching to John Piper tonight on youtube: The relationship between dad and daughter, what he would say to the Pope, evolution, birth control, what happens to infants that die, genocide in the OT, Halloween (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuNmrD0yljg) , capital punishment, liking the doctrine of election, the truthfulness of Christianity (the argument from the "subjective authenticity of the writers" is one I have not heard before but like), pastors conducting marriage ceremonies for unbelievers, weather Christians should take antidepressants, do miracles happen today (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgs38_x1XJg) etc.

On the last one Piper recognises that miracles are happing around the world today, especially in cutting edge missional settings but says that the miracles of Jesus were supposed to set him apart as unique and point to his Deity. His disciples had a power too but as it moves out from Jesus to them and to others it lessens.

"Just because people don't get healed when they walk though our shadow doesn't mean we should feel like failures...I don't think that God ordained that the same intensity and clustering of power for supernatural intervention was intended to be normative for the whole church. It can break out any time he please in order to demonstrate his power and so revival has often brought that kind of demonstration but I think already you see in the NT evidences that on the periphery out here it is beginning to be less. Take a little wine for your stomach  Timothy because you've got stomach problems...Paul himself suffering many things like lashes and stoning, ...[Miracles] are happening, they can happen, ...but they were meant to signify Jesus and the Apostles as unique".

This is in contrast to Bill Johnson who says that Jesus set the stands for us to follow. It also seems at odds with Jesus' statement in John 14:11-14  

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

   "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (ESV)

Now surely the works Jesus did includes his miracles (in fact the NIV translates "works" as miracles in this passage) and these are to increase rather than diminish among those with faith. I do not think that the Paul's advice to Timothy to take a little wine for is tummy (1 Tim 5:23) and the fact that he left Trophimus sick at Miletus (2 Tim 4:20) are to be taken as an acceptance of an inevitable decline in the miraculous working of God through his people. I don't think that the NT represents Jesus and his disciples as the high water mark for the works that God is to do in the earth with God's power gradually ebbing away through history. Signs and wonders were not there to authenticate the Bible as Gods word but the gospel as God's message of salvation. The bible does not replace signs and wonders, rather it testifies to them as continuing in people like Philip who preached the gospel.

Anyway, here are some more Q&A's from an mp3 I've just listened to where John Piper and other leaders from his church answer questions:

Q:Why have Q&A times?

A: Tradition, Transparency, feedback

Q: It is possible to know for certain that Christ rose from the dead?

A: Not historically. That gives you percentages. But as you encounter Jesus you know him and trust him with a certainty. It may come and go but it's there.

Q: Is my sister saved if she continues unrepentantly to engage in sinful relationships?

A: She has no legitimate claim on assurance of salvation.

Q: According to Romans 7 the command "Do not covet" can actually produce coveting in me. How does that effect how the Christian reads the dos and don't of the NT? Ie can the command to love God with all your heart mind soul and strength actually produce in us the opposite effect?

A: Only if we are a dead legalist without faith. If we approach the commands with faith in the grace of God, it will have a good effect. We have died to the law, to belong to another, Jesus, to bear fruit to God. The function of commands is different for the believer now in the New covenant. We belong to a person not a code. Live for the person and we will bear fruit.

Q: How can we continue to develop a relational culture?

A: They have a large groups of elders whose main responsibility is pastoral care

small groups! An elder talked about helping a family whose child was about to die. On leaving the hospital he bumped into their small group leader who had come to visit. So it's a partnership between elders and small group.

Q: I've been praying for years for my dad who's 91 to be saved. That's a good and Godly thing to ask for but he's not saved yet. What did Jesus mean when he said "whatever you ask for in prayer you will receive if you have faith"?

A : Piper - Short answer I don't know for sure. "If you have faith" may mean a gift of faith. The faith of certainty. My father experienced that twice in his life. This verse is not saying "every time you don't get an answer to a righteous prayer it's your fault". George Muller prayed 52 years and the person he prayed for got saved after George died. Paul in Romans 10 prays that the Jews be saved but in Chapter 11 he thinks that by some means he might save some. C S Lewis wrote and essay on the answered question of petitionary prayer, like in the garden of Gethsemane. How does "believe and you will get it" relate to Jesus' prayer in the garden?

Got onto N.T Wright a bit too. Again very thought provoking comments on evolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFTmZ9PFMx8&feature=related, women in ministry, heaven and hell. Oh and even found some video of J I Packer. There are some great Godly people around and much to learn from them.  

Monks and Miracles - 2000 years of Charismatic Christianity part 4

I thought I would share some more notes from the excellent book 2000 years of charismatic Christianity. It was great to see it on the book store at the Kings Arms church when I visited recently. I must remember to recommend some great books on healing and miracles to the church when I come back off sabbatical.

In the last part things ended pretty badly with the official church part of the Roman Empire under Constantine. However, as always there are pockets of spirit filled believers doing this stuff if only you know where to look, in this case in the monasteries. Individuals had previously separated themselves from the largely immoral or lukewarm Christian community and become ascetics, living as hermits to pursue the power and presence of God. Around A.D. 320, "they began to gather together in communities where they lived a totally self-sufficient lifestyle." p 38.

Antony 251-356 AD

After his affluent parents death Antony was about 18 he went to live in a cave. People came to him for deliverance and healing. Others were inspired by him to gather into groups and do the same so he "is usually considered the founder of monasticism" p39. He died, in good health (odd as that might sound) at the ripe old age of 105.

Pachomius AD 292 to 346

Probably inspired by Anthony, he lived as a hermit until an angel told him to gather others like him into a community. The result was the first monastery in about A.D. 320 at "Tabennisi on the east bank of the Nile". Pachomius worked miracles and spoke miraculously in other languages.

Athanasius A.D. 295 to 373

"Known as the father of orthodoxy", Athanasius the "Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt", was "best known for his writings against Arianism" (Jesus is a created being). This lead to him being exiled five times before Arianism was finally rejected by the church. He wrote about many of the miracles performed by Anthony and even new bishops that worked miracles.

Hilarion AD 305 to 385

Hilarion visited Anthony and decided to follow the example of his life style and devotion to God. He too was known for performing miracles, including healing a paralysed man. Miracles continued at "the site of his death in Cyprus and at his tomb in Palestine". p42

Ambrose AD 340-397

Ambrose shared the gospel with Augustine and in A.D. 387 baptised him. He wrote about "gifts of healings" in the present tense showing that he was aware of the supernatural ministry of the spirit.

Jerome 347-420

Sometime after Jerome became a Christian in A.D. 360 Jesus appeared to him and encouraged him to focus his great academic ability on the Bible rather than on classical studies. This he did living as a hermit until he became head of the monastery in Palestine where he produced a number of works including the Vulgate. He wrote about miracles performed by Hilarion and gave "no hint in his writings that he expected miracles to cease" rather that they are accessible by faith to all who believe.

Augustine 354-430

Augustine was of the opinion, one point in his life, that "the holy spirit's presence is no longer known by miracles, but by the love of God in one's heart for the church" p 44. In later works however he talks about miracles performed in the name of Christ and describes healings, deliverances and resurrections that he is personally aware of. At one point he writes " I am so impressed by the promise of finishing his work that I cannot record all the miracles I know". p45 He also talks about "jubilant" speech which is probably tongues.

Sadly, many picked up on Augustine's earlier statements and he is probably largely responsible for Cessationism, the view that miracles ceased with the closing of the Cannon.

Benedict AD 480-547

In about A.D. 500, shocked by the immorality around him Benedict left his education and retired to a cave to live as a hermit. He later founded a monastery and became renowned for "power in prayer and facilitating miracles", including healing, deliverance and raising the dead p46. He also operated in the gift of prophecy and at one point, after predicting his imminent death and got his disciples to dig his grave. He died six days layer.

Gregory the great 540-604

Well educated and the son of wealthy parents, he gave away his fortune and entered a monastery. He became Pope in A.D. 590 and writes about miracles including someone successfully commanding caterpillars to leave their garden! (that's a good place to start stepping out but I wonder what the neighbours would think). He emphasises it was " holy men of God who performed ...miracles" p47 in line with "the mediaeval tendency to associate miracles with the ascetic and saintly lifestyle." p48.

Conclusion

Sincere believers pulled away from the mainstream church to follow God more fervently and subsequently saw more of the miraculous. While it could be that a moral and holy life dedicated to prayer produced the miracles, it could also be that these were the guys with genuine faith. To believe God for miracles and not to draw close to him and pray would be something of an oddity. To have faith for supernatural and yet live a life of immorality would be bizarre. Interestingly enough, at the conference on the supernatural that recently attended, intimacy with God was emphasised as the context for stepping out in supernatural gifts. Weather there is a connection is probably not that important as both intimacy with God and his supernatural power are both to be sought and eagerly desired. If I seek intimacy with God for the purpose of increased effectiveness in the miraculous then I run the risk of using God. Knowing God love is far better than operating in his power and is a secure base from which to serve and obey him.

More gems

Here are some more gems from the Heaven touches earth conference:

• The holy Spirit fell on the disciples just as the father "fell" on the prodigal son
• We need to be more concerned to connect to God's love than plugging into God's power. The former is the foundation for the latter.
• Philip was an ordinary person, a deacon, a servant in the church in Acts, not an apostle yet he did amazing miracles. That means we can too! His daughters prophesied. I wonder what it was like around their breakfast table. 
• Miracles and healing and the gospel can impact a whole city and bring joy to it.
• Its grace but there is a price to pay for miracles and healing
• You have to press and crush something to get the oil out. Jesus was crushed.
• Big difference between preaching the gospel to get someone into the kingdom, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom to empower you and change you and make you effective in the kingdom.
• You can see the Spirit. His effects are visible.
• The flow of the Holy Spirit in you is related to your heart.
• He's not called Holy Spirit for nothing. He loves holiness and being in and on  people who live right.
• It's not just the message of the gospel that is important it's the method. It's proclamation with power in signs and wonders.
• Revival must be related to and result in holiness.
• Jesus loves me this I know because the Spirit tells me so
• Take baby steps to God.
• The holy Spirit is not the butler of heaven
• If you have unforgiveness in your heart you will be tormented.  
• Look to cooperate with the Holy Spirit not coerce Him
• Less is not more in the Kingdom. Expect more as it's an ever increasing kingdom.
• Develop a friendship with the Holy Spirit
• The happiest command in the Bible is to be filled with the Holy Spirit
• The trinity is not Father Son and Holy Bible! Its Father Son and Holy Spirit
• It's not all about authority, or bible knowledge it's about intimacy.
• "stay on the floor and have some more!"
• Doing the works of miracles and bypassing intimacy with God is slavery.
• We are not looking for manifestations, we are looking for Jesus
• God's glory is the substance of his goodness
• The kingdom starts of concealed in smallness like a small flame in the heart of a pile of wood.
• Focus on what God is doing or has done, not on what he has not done
• Ex 40:34 everything was anointed with oil then the cloud came, Jn 17, 18, 2 cor 3:12
• God is omnipresent but loves to manifest his presence at certain times and places
• To someone after miracles: "there are ship wrecks where you are going" reply: "yes but that's because there is treasure there".
• Chew on the meat and spit out the bones

That's all of them! The process of writing them all down again helped me and I hope there are some nuggets for others there too. 

a day at the beach

Watched some more of James Maloney today via the BethelTV sight. Turns out he used to teach in Horsham not far from where I grew up.

He told a story from when he was at "Christ for the nations institute" in Dallas where he placed his hand on a student's badly deformed face and felt his hands go into it like putty. God healed her face totally.  He made reference to verses like "by the hands of the apostles where many signs and wonders wrought among the people" emphasising the laying on of hands. He also talked about Acts 19:11  "And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul", (ESV) and made the point that there are ordinary miracles extraordinary miracles. I guess there are degrees of the miraculous, although I'd be happy at this point to see ordinary miracles!  

Another interesting comment was that God the father is a young father. He is not old, wrinkled, tired, slow, forgetful...he is strong, quick, ...Interesting point. Why do we picture God as old. I guess because of connotations of wisdom and the fact that Jesus was 30ish.   

Also "created to do good works" is not just helping old ladies across the road but "healing and signs and wonders miracles".

Heres a good quote : "I'm not going to stand here and say that the reasons you didn't get healed is because you have some sin in your life. Or some root of unbelief.  That's not cutting it with me anymore. That can be possibly a reason don't misunderstand me, but you know that gets lame after a while. Good hearted people come to our miracle services and my heart breaks ...to everyone that we see healed and delivered there are others that seemly [don't] we may say "what is it" and I'm pressing towards understand in that, ...its just possible that God chooses the time of greatest impact in their life and others..."

Thought that was really helpful in releasing people from feeling bad about not being healed.

And another (sorry this is a bit disjointed)

"you can be an anointed jerk...just because God uses someone to raise the dead does not mean he endorses their life style."

I ended up looking at a Benny Hinn interview on you tube "Scepticism is worse today than it was in Oral Roberts day....the biggest sceptics are pastors". Owch. Please God keep me open and believing but not gullible and undiscerning.  

Anyway, after all than I had a great time with Mike Betts walking and praying on the beach at Lowestoft. Maybe I'll write up some more quotes from the actual conference tomorrow. 

I have never seen anything like it in my life!

Yesterday I got back from an amazing few days away visiting Bedford for the "Heaven Touches Earth" conference. I signed up for it a few months ago (see 24th March) and boy am I glad I did. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it in my life. There was a guy there called James Maloney who prophesied to people in such an amazingly accurate way that you could almost hear jaws hitting the floor all over the auditorium.

This is the sort of thing we heard as he picked people out to prophecy over : "I see you at a little coffee table, on a big comfy chair by the window, is that right? (person nodes, yes), you have a big bible with verses underlined in it (yes). God has given you three promises recently that you have been thinking about (yes), you've underlined them, one is in the psalms. (yes). That will come true." He also prophesied what was wrong with people "you have a problem with your left knee" and then healed them. Although I guess it's always good to wait for confirmation of healings, the staggering thing is that he didn't say "who has such and such condition?" he said "you have this condition...God heals you right now".

I am sitting there watching this and it's like it's not real but I know it is. Every skeptical bone in my body wants to find some naturalistic explanation other than God, but there is none. I spoke to some of the people afterwards who said "every word was true".

My spirit is crying out within me "let this change you, reach out for this, break out of your  small definitions of what is means to live by the Spirit, press forward again for healing and prophecy and power, know that there is a God in heaven who loves you with a love that is so real and tangible that it will release rivers of joy into your life. Don't settle for trickles of the Spirit. Don't do 9 volt DC Christianity, plug in and do the 240 volt AC version".    

It was great to see Julian Adams there too who brought some great words of knowledge and released more of God's healing power. He had a word about a lump under someone's left arm and by the time the person had raised and lowered their arm in response the lump had shrunk. I think it was totally (or almost totally) gone by the next day.

The worship was good too with lots of new songs and some great Jesus culture stuff. Would love to have some Jesus culture worship songs at kings. They are so Jesus focused.  

As for the teaching the style was informing and engaging but a bit difference from what I'm used to. It was more Pentecostal (not sure if that's the right word) or how to explain it. It wasn't a standard three point structure or argument but lots of gems rolled out, like tipping diamonds out of a small black velvet back onto a table.  

Here are some gems from one of James Maloney's preaches:

• God is not just able to heal he is healing, he is called Jehovah  Rapha in the bible or Jehovah Raphael Spanish or in English Jehovah Ralf!
• this [impartation] is a gift of tremendous fruitfulness for you. The time of wilderness is coming to an end. He wants you to bear much fruit
• you are being transformed from glory to glory. Not from mess to glory but glory to glory. You need to find the glory in your current situation to move to greater glory in the next.
• What you adore emotionally, spiritual etc you become like
• Sonship is positional, friendship is relational and experiential. Jesus calls his disciples friends.
• The key to miracles is not prayer or fasting or morality, its intimacy with God.
• If God is first in your life your family will be first. All that God first, family second and church last is a bunch of bunk
• Many prophets suffer from PMS - prophetic mood swings.
• The gift does not endorse the person.
• Lakeland was not about Todd Bentley it was about the place.

I stayed over for the Sunday meeting and that was great too. I have blogged more elsewhere on this so I'll leave it at that here. I may blog some more quotes I took down at the conference tomorrow. 

  

Merging of Church and state - 2000 years of Charismatic Christianity part 3

I am off to the "heaven touches Earth" conference this afternoon but before I go I thought I would write up a few more of my notes on the book "2000 years of charismatic history" by Eddie and L Hyatt.

In A.D. 312 Constantine was converted and in A.D. 313 issued be "Edict of Milan" permitting freedom of worship and granting special favours to the church. He "presided over the first general counsel of the Christian church" in A.D. 325, "adapted the church organisation to the state organisation", and "built facilities to accommodate the religious gatherings of Christians". 

"Prior to this, believers had met primarily in homes. Constantine, however, erected buildings in which the church was to meet. These he modelled after the architecture of the civic auditorium's of the Day. This architecture, with its elevated throne like seating at the front for the Bishop and its rows of seating for the congregation, made significant congregational involvement impractical. In addition, the liturgy and worship style, once plain and personal, became adorned with the pomp and practice of the imperial court." p34

"In AD 381 the new Emperor, Theodosius I, made Christianity the exclusive religion of the state." Other forms of worship "risked punishment" and so lots of non-Christians started turning up to church gatherings. This lead to increased immorality and a watering down of genuine faith. John Chrysostom describes the church as pickup joint, business centre, and gossip vine (my terms for his description) and writes of the "cessation" of spiritual gifts. p 35.

"The Bishop of the city of Rome began to be looked upon as of first among equals...the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper began to be looked upon as sacraments possessing inherent salvific value and able to impart the grace and gifts of God...only the bishop or his appointed representative had the right to administer the sacraments... these developments had devastating ramifications for the ministry of the holy spirit through the people of God. The gifts that had once flowed spontaneously among the whole congregation were now bound to the ecclesiastical office and transmitted by a sacramental act." Most of the church "now became passive spectators in a highly developed sacramental ritual presided over by ecclesiastical officials". p 36

With the lack of persecution from without, and everyone in the empire being by default in, the church began to focus its attention on internal matters of doctrine, and "many violent struggles ensued, producing sharp divisions in the church." p36 "It is not surprising that the spiritual gifts, which Paul taught were to function within the context of Christian love, became extinct in the institutional church." p 36

By the fourth century the gifts of healing and prophecy that had been widespread in the early church had all but died out. The activity of the holy spirit seems to have been quenched by:

• an emphasis on the role of bishops rather than everyone's gifting,
• a concept of the effectiveness of the sacraments over personal faith
• the linking of the church to the state, no persecution, perks for church-goers, lots of non-Christians in church, ...
• the jealousy and distrust of the gifts where they operated outside of the "official" church,
• an increase in immorality in the church,
• moving out of "homes" and into larger buildings with formal "auditorium" style layouts.

These points would therefore produce the following actions to encourage the work of the spirit amongst us in our churches, many of which I think we are already doing which is encouraging:

• Expecting and encouraging many of those in the church who do not necessarily have leadership roles to be active in prophesying and healing. While it is important that leaders press forward in this to teach and model it, we must be careful that we do not tie these gifts to any particular leadership role. Just like the Ephesians 4 gifts the role of leaders operating in these things must be to equip the church for works of service.
• We must never let our expectation for God to speak or heal etc be based on a particular way of doing things. Some structure in these things is often helpful but it's faith that God looks for in exerting his strength.
• I guess here we just need to be continually clear in the way we preached the gospel, and bring people into membership in the church. As we grow, to be careful  not to let large scale structures crush the life of the spirit beneath them. This has implications in the local church for things like small groups, but also for church streams in terms of how they are organised.
• We must maintain an openness to the gifts operating outside of our own sphere, while of course maintaining a good degree of discernment.
• We must not neglect matters of personal holiness, and maintain good and loving relationships with one another.
• There must be an expectation for the gifts to operate in small groups and other contexts apart from the large-scale church gatherings. Where we do gather in large buildings, we need to continue to find appropriate ways of expressing "body ministry", with a number of people having some contribution.

The next chapters are rather more exciting, looking that individuals who even through this dark time operated in signs and wonders.

She cried and cried

One of my children didn't want to be left alone at a fun activity day today. She cried and cried until Sarah said she would stay with her for the day. It was a shame as we missed a wedding we really wanted to go to but our daughter was distressed and needed us. I have just read a friends blog about the poor and been reminded that there are girls around the world trapped in poverty and prostitution. Abandoned in a very dark places with no one to stay and love them. I wonder how long they cried for before falling silent. What can I do? God please step in. Direct me. Equip me. Please draw close to those who need you.

Just found this: www.rahabministriesthailand.com. It's the web address of Rehab ministries, a Christian organisation that helps prostitutes in Thailand. Here's what their web site says:

"Over 4000 women work each night in the sex tourism area of Patpong. Rahab Ministries is situated in the middle of this red light area and for over 20 years they have been showing God’s love to these precious women.

Rahab Ministries takes these girls from the life of prostitution and employs them in either jewellery making, nail art or hairdressing while also teaching them English. Retraining them in a safe Christian environment where they learn about Jesus, allows a change to happen inside out."

And to think I was excited about getting some new gismos and gadgets for my birthday. I would much rather use the money to extend God's kingdom. Money is such an amazing thing. A few clicks on the internet, my bank balance changes on a computer somewhere, and half way round the world lives begin to change.

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion 2 Cor 9:11

The reason I have money is to be generous. Thank you Jesus for all you have given me and for reminding me of the purpose of riches. You're kingdom come!

2000 years of Charismatic History Part 2

I have finished my short paper on Divorce and Remarriage for the moment. The key passage is Matt 19:1-12 which emphasises the permanence of marriage while making some provision for the devastating effects of sin. There are many more things to consider about it but for now I will move on.

And now for something completely different!

There were loads of miracles and healing and prophecy in the NT and this continued and was documented by the early church fathers as I mentioned before. So where did they go? What lead to their demise in the life of the church? Here are my notes and quotes from the next chapter of "2000 years of Charismatic Christianity". In it Eddie L. Hyatt puts it down to two things. The increase of institutionalism compounded by a negative reaction towards a movement called Montanism that for a time enjoyed the gifts of the Spirit.

"Spiritual gifts continued to be manifested after the first century. As institutionalism increasingly dominated the life and ministry of the Church, however, their prevalence and influence gradually diminished. Institutionalism is an emphasis on organisation at the expense of other factors. In the church, such an emphasis, or over emphasis, on organisation always comes at the expense of the life and freedom of the spirit. Prof James L. Ash, Jr. Says that virtually all historians of Christianity agree that the institutionalisation of the early church was accompanied by the demise of the charismatic gifts." Eddie L Hyatt page 24

One of the structural shifts staking place was the evolution of the office of the Bishop who had authority over several churches and authorised things like baptisms and breaking bread. The thinking was that if you had been made a bishop then surly you must be spiritual and gifted and have insight in to the word of God. You didn't need signs and wonders or even other people to help.

outward ecclesiatical forms of both office and ritual came to be valued over personal, spiritual experiences... Spontaneous manifestations of the holy spirit became less and less desirable, especially by those in authority. Hyatt p 26

The bishops, not the canon, expelled prophecy. Ash, The decline of ecclesiastic prophecy in the early church p 228 quoted on p 26 of 2000 years of Charismatic Christianity

A guy called Montanus came on the scene who was "distinguished in working signs and miracles", and began in 172 AD to

"assert the importance of the supernatural ministry of the spirit, insisting that Christians practice a morally strict lifestyle.... The qualifying factor for ministry in the Church, according to Montanus, was possession of a spiritual gift rather than appointment to ecclesial office.... The emphasis on spiritual gifts brought Montanus into sharp conflict with many church leaders who contended that the newly developing ecclesiastical office held preeminence over any spiritual gift.... Several regional councils or synods held in the latter half of the second century censored Montanus and his followers.... These were the first church councils in the history of the church except for the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.... In North Africa, the Montanists were defended by Tertullian, who joined the movement around the year A.D. 200...." Pages 26-28

Tertullian persuaded the Bishop of Rome to accept the Montanist churches but then a guy called Praxeas, who taught the doctrine called monarchanism (Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and the same person), persuaded him to withdraw his letters of piece.

Tertullian says that Praxeas did a twofold service for the devil: "He drove away prophecy, and he brought in heresy; he put to flight the Paraclete, and he crucified the father."... After the death of Montanus, his followers became more strict in their athleticism,....[and eventually by the third century] they also began to institutionalise, setting up their own ecclesiastical system of bishops and deacons. Pages 26-28

John Wesley wrote in 1750 :

The grand reason why the miraculous gifts were so soon withdrawn was not only the faith and holiness were well-nigh lost, but that dry formal orthodox men began even then to ridicule whatever gifts they had not themselves, and to decry them all as either madness or imposture. p29

The institutional church obviously over reacted to the movement and accelerate the trend of disregard and disdain towards spiritual gifts. It also began the trend, as Philip Schaff has pointed out, wearin a sharp line was drawn "between the age of the apostles, in which there had been direct supernatural revelations, and the later age, in which such revelations had disappeared" McDonnell says, "the church never really recovered its balance after it rejected Montanism" p29

It's so sad that this vital power destined to be wielded by the church in mission was short circuited so early on. The challenge still remains today of how to have structures that effectively steward the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church rather than snuff it out. Its makes me think of keeping a fire alight in an oil drum. If you simply light a fire in the bottom it will go out quite quickly but if you pierce it all over with holds it will burn and give of immense heat. Some structures oxygenate and some suffocate. Here are some thoughts on how to make sure that a structure intended to contain what God is doing has enough holes in to allow the Holy Spirit to continue to blow in.

1) Keep it contact with God through Prayer, Prophecy, worship, and his word.
2) Make sure our faith, confidence and expectation is not in the structure but in God. Making sure as someone once said that we are doing things that will fail unless God is in them.
3) Respond to what God says. The first two are obvious and in a sense straight forward. This is the hard one as we some structures are for the long hall, and some are for the moment. Some will need strengthening and some taking down. Much wisdom is needed to know which is which. Small groups seem to be a long term structure, but we need to be flexible within that to respond to what God is saying and doing.