Wayne's World...(7Aug08)

 

Daily Rhythms got this from Richard Oliver Port Shepstone...thought it might bless ya

 

Our Righteousness can't do it...

This is the issue every Christian must face: Our righteousness can't do it. What do I mean by this? Let me explain.

The Body of Christ to date has had access to more teaching and preaching than any church in history. Technology has made an overabundance of Christian tapes, books and TV available to us. All of these are a blessing. But, for many of us, our knowledge has outstripped our ability. If we are honest, most of us must admit that we're not applying what we have learned. We're not living up to Gods expectations. We're striving too much. Our righteousness is falling short of the mark.

Grace applies to every Christian, but many of us are in an especially good place to receive it. Perhaps you have gradually realized that the majority of your attempts at righteousness are falling short of the mark, and perhaps you are feeling quite confused and condemned about it. Perhaps you came to this realization many years ago and your zeal for the Lord gradually cooled, and you became more or less a nominal Christian, because you lost hope that you could live a victorious Christian life. Perhaps you gave up. You may think God gave up on you.

But something good is going to happen to you even if you don't expect it: You have finally come to a place where the Lord Himself can intervene powerfully in your life.

While the Lord has not caused you to fail, He has allowed failure in order to reveal to you that your righteousness can't do it. This usually happens thru a process (familiar with every generation of Gods people) where struggles continue, trying to be spiritual, trying to be holy, reading everybody's exhortations and formulas, and zealously applying new keys to true spirituality, or learning new principles which apply to the deeper life, or to healing, or to prosperity; and then, after all those years of striving, you discover that many of the standard formulas don't seem to work, and worse yet, your righteousness still has blemishes all over it.

Or, on the other hand, perhaps you are the sort of person that usually succeeds at your own righteousness. Then the Lord reveals your own spiritual inadequacy in quite another fashion, in that, even though you do manage to sustain your spiritual performance, nevertheless there remains a deep hunger for more holiness and power in your soul (mind, will & emotions). And there is recognition that, with all your success, the true spirituality and the abiding peace and the lasting satisfaction which you expected haven't been realized. Where are they? I thought Christians were supposed to have them!

You have them sometimes, maybe in worship or praise, but they are all to fleeting. You have tried to obey the biblical injunction to be holy as your Heavenly Father is Holy and you have usually tried to respond zealously to preaching which exhorted you to aim at perfection. But you are becoming discouraged, and exhausted!

Face it. Your righteousness and spiritual activity can't do it. God wants you to be totally convinced of this biblical and practical reality. Totally convinced. Why? Because the requirement of God is nothing less than His righteousness and His Holiness! Always. The Lord expects and accepts nothing less than His Own righteousness and His Own Holiness. The peace which you seek cannot be found in your own righteousness. The only sort of peace which can ever satisfy your soul is peace with God.

The standard in the Gospel is always God's righteousness. But how do we get this? Bible tells us.

 

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption

that came by Christ Jesus.   ROM 3:21-24

 

See, God's standard is always God's righteousness, and that is where you must find your peace, through faith in Jesus Christ and His righteousness:

 

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ROM 5:1

 

Perhaps you are a new Christian, or perhaps, up until now, you have not hit a brick wall. Thank God, because, if you learn grace now, you can avoid alot of the pain and confusion which the rest of us have suffered. Begin now to allow the Lord to show you how to live in His righteousness rather than your own.

 

newsletters@gracefortheheart.org

Unity

 

Someone told the story of a man who wandered into town on a Sunday morning and stood on a corner that had three churches.  He could hear loud singing coming from each of them.  The first church was singing, "Will there be any stars in my crown?"  The second sang, "No, not one.  No, not one."  At that the third church began a rousing chorus of "O that will be glory for me!" 

 

Well, that pretty much sums up the state of the church in America today, doesn't it?  Comparisons, competition, and controversies.  We are hardly one Church. 

 

Yet, the prayer of Jesus was that we would all be one.  He desired unity in the hearts of His people.  It shouldn't surprise us that His love desires unity.

 

And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  John 17:22-23

 

Our unity is an acknowledgment of His love for us.  Anything less than unity in the Church is evidence of a wrong focus in our hearts.  But how do we find unity when our doctrines differ so greatly?  And, even more pointedly, how do we find unity when our opinions differ so greatly?

 

This is where the message of grace in the Person and work of Jesus changes everything.  When we begin to understand just who we are in Christ and Who He is in us, the walls that divide God's people begin to fall.  In fact, there are no real walls between us in Christ.  (Romans 12:5; Galatians 3:28)

 

In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul asks, "What do you have that you did not receive?"  He wants us to understand that everything we have in Christ, which is everything we need, is a gift.  It was not our goodness or understanding that brought it to us.  The Lord gave us what we need as a gift.  That's what grace is all about.  We have received all things in Him. 

 

And, since we have received all good things as a gift, then we have nothing in which to boast.  It is Jesus alone Who saves us, sanctifies us, and glorifies us.  The very life that flows within each of us is His life.  There is no opportunity for us to pat ourselves on the back, to compare ourselves favorably against others, or to boast about our spirituality.

 

But there's more.  The life that flows in every Christian is the life of Christ.  Even when those Christians don't worship like we do and even when they don't interpret the Scriptures as we do.  You and I have been taught that doctrine matters, but are we prepared to condemn someone who trusts in Jesus just because he or she holds a doctrine that is different from ours?  Now that I understand grace, that everything I have is a gift from the Lord who loves me, I can no longer condemn any brother or sister in Christ.  I may not agree with their views, but we are still one in Him.  Little by little I am growing into "unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God."  (Ephesians 4:13)

 

Two things have convinced me.  First, the wonder and majesty of Jesus.  I have seen in Him an incredible creativity and variety that I dare not ignore.  He will not fit into my box, no matter how I define it.  And, second, my total dependence on Him.

 

Those who teach grace are accused of many things.  When we are accused of being too accepting and too loving, particularly toward other believers, I think we are on the right track

 

www.gracefortheheart.org

Wayne's World...(3Aug08)

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is superior to the ministry of man.

by Wayne Duncan

 

What I'm praying for, and what I'm trusting God for is related to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

 

Were contending in God for every member of this body to live a life out of the overflow of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

We could talk about this in many ways…

 

We could talk about being those who live by the Spirit.

 

We could talk about being people who live for substance and not structure.

 

We could talk about being those who prefer presence to principle.

 

We could talk about program as apposed to power.

 

We could talk about being those who want the wine more that the wineskin.

 

We could talk about experience as opposed to entertainment…

 

It's my dream for every believer, and every church to walk in the glorious life and liberty and power that the work of the Spirit brings. Not for a day, or a week or a month…no permanently…

 

Acts 1:8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere

 

I Cor2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

 

Were contending for a habitation, not a visitation.

 

Were contending for a ministry of power.

 

We don't want "wise" or "persuasive", we want power. Not token power, or a little power. Not just for one or two. We want high level, high volume, explosive Spirit power for every believer for the tiniest child to the most seasoned granny!!

 

I don't want to preach, go to the nations, lead a home group, be a dad, be a Christian, travel apostolically…without power. I don't want to be wise and persuasive…I want power.

 

That's why I run to those who have power. I want what they Got!!!

 

I want to partner with those who are seeing and longing for the same.

 

Rob Rufus, Fini and Isi De Gersigny, Bill Johnson…Ant Redman. They operate in power. I want it too!

 

I want their voices in my life. I receive their ministry. It changes me.

 

Even some stranger guys, who's theology I cant totally endorse, but I would gladly place my head under their hands for an impartation of anointing. Todd Bentley, Kobus Van Rensburg, Benny Hinn and others. I want what they got. They carry powerful anointing, and see powerful moves of God. More than I see at my hands. We need to be aware of criticizing and condemning those who do what we can't. Humility causes growth. Pride restricts it. We see movements and organizations condemning people like this, yet they have no power themselves. They should be running to these guys to learn!

 

You know friends, everything comes alive when God comes on the scene.

 

The impossible becomes possible…

 

The thirsty satisfied…

 

The hopeless sees opportunity…

 

The weak become strong…

 

The gifts spring to life…

 

People change…

 

Churches change…

 

Communities change…

 

There is revival…

 

There can be no revival without a powerful move of God.

 

There can be no move of God without the ministry of His Spirit.

 

Rick Joyner says "the goal of the church is to fill people with God"

 

Take the ministry of the Holy Spirit out of the church, and it will become dry, cerebral, principal based, religious, traditional and powerless.

 

For me there are two types of revival. The one is a supernatural, spontaneous move of God where entire cities are transformed almost instantly in a sweeping glory move of God….bring it on Lord.

 

The other type of revival is the revival where Christians discover who they are in Christ. They become bold, confidant, spirit filled.  Christians who understand their authority, and have power to heal and minister. They begin to live in the freedom of the new covenant. They enjoy God and let God enjoy them. They live in grace. They effect every situation they're in (without striving). Every environment they enter is effected and infected positively by them. If you get a bunch of people like this. Dare I say A church, a community of people like this…you'll have revival.

 

This is my prayer for this community, and for the communities we effect. I'm trusting God for revival on the East Coast of South Africa. A fire that will sweep churches and communities. Where every believer in each community becomes empowered, and catches the fire of Gods Spirit. Where every person is transformed and empowered by the Spirit of God, to do God will.

 

Check this quote from Bill Johnson.

 

"You've gotta hear the heart of God in this folks. It's the passion of the almighty God, it's to find people and fill your being with His presence. It's called being filled with the Spirit of God Himself. Filled, saturated, overflowing, every molecule, every fiber of my being, every thought, every ambition, every part of me dripping with God Himself. Coz I've taken advantage of the opportunity that all the prophets of old never had access to I've taken advantage of the fact that when I was born again, I was put at the entrance to the kingdom, I didn't just camp at the entrance and say, "I made it" but I started to emerge, I started to break forth into the things of God, says God, I've gotta have more, I've gotta have you fill me, I've gotta have you demonstrate your life in me, and through me like you did your son Jesus. I know that's the pattern, I know that's the realm, the signs and wonders he walked in, is the call for me. I'm not satisfied to sit here. I've gotta get filled up. I've gotta get filled up."

 

This demonstrates a passion for the Spirit in and through us.

 

A passion to be filled, and the need to be filled if we are to consistently operate in power.

 

This point is important. It's not that we would have to "work at" or strive for this ministry of the Spirit in and through us. That type of pressure to perform will lead to a works driven mentality, rather it's that it would naturally be an extension of who we are in Christ. It's not that we "have to" do this. It's that were totally excited coz we "CAN" do it. Were allowed, were empowered. Were right with God thorough the finished work of the cross, and we "CAN" do incredible things with Him. We don't have to, we want to. Who would not want to operate in anointing and power, if they could? We all want to. It's not a question of "want"..it's a question of…we CAN!!

 

"Naturally supernatural and supernaturally natural."

 

This is a simple message. Lord we want more of you. IN us and through us. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is superior to the ministry of man. May we be those full of the spirit. Operating from the overflow of knowing, and being known by God.  Dripping with anointing from God. Full of power, full of grace. Living in the spirit and infecting and effecting our every environment. Come friends lets invite the Holy Spirit…Lord we want more of you!!!

Good advice

Hi All

 

I have just listened to a teaching by Rob called

"Attitudes that attract the empowering grace of God Part 1" at

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/mp3_2/2008_07_20.zip

 

Please download and feel refreshed.

 

Love

Gregg