JESUS SAID, “GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTISING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” MARK 28:19
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO AND THEN ASK YOURSELF, AM I, IN A CHURCH THAT IS DOING WHAT JESUS COMMANDED?
Let’s Trade Our Titles for True Humility
Jesus didn’t play the religious game, especially when he was around the grand poobahs of His day—the long-robed, nose-in-the-air scribes and Pharisees. After accusing them of loving the best seats in the synagogues, He pointed out that they loved to be called “Rabbi” by men (see Matt. 23:7).
Then Jesus warned them: “But do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brothers … For he who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:8,12). People have quibbled over these words for centuries, insisting that pride is what Jesus was rebuking, not titles. I would agree that Jesus was going to the root sin. But He was also asking these guys if they’d be willing to ditch their labels and act like normal people.
This is an important message by J Lee Grady of The Mordecai Project:
Last week when I( J Lee Grady) was preaching in the nation of Iceland, I befriended three young foreign students from Africa who were visiting our conference near Reykjavik. I noticed these guys were sitting in the back of the auditorium, so I invited them to sit with me up front. They later admitted to me that I was the first preacher they’d ever met who greeted people before a service.
“In my country, most preachers come into the auditorium after the worship, and they don’t speak to anyone,” one of the brothers told me.
When I told these brothers they could call me Lee, they were shocked. They expected me to demand a long-winded ecclesiastical title.
I’m often asked if I have a title, and my answer doesn’t satisfy some people. I don’t consider myself a pastor because I travel so much. All kinds of labels have been pinned on me: reverend, prophet, apostle, even bishop.
Once I was introduced to a church as “Dr. Grady,” and I almost crawled under my seat. I only have a college degree. There are no letters after my name.
Today it seems we’ve developed a title fetish. For a while everyone in charismatic circles was becoming a bishop, and some were installed into this office with rings, robes and funny-looking hats. Then the same guys with the pointy hats started calling themselves apostles. Then the prophets got jealous and started calling themselves apostles too! I knew one lady who, not to be outdone, required people to call her “exalted prophetess.”
Now the latest fad is requiring church folks to address certain people as apostles. As in, “When apostle Holy Moly arrives, please only address him as, ‘apostle,’ and then make sure he is seated in a private room while his two ‘armor bearers,’ wearing dark glasses, guard his door.” I know of one popular preacher who sends his hosts a letter explaining that he must be called “apostle” anytime his name is used from the stage!
Some of these title-seekers have even invented an elaborate theology to go along with their ridiculous rule. They say you can’t receive the true anointing from a man of God if you don’t honor him with his right title.
Sounds so very oooh-oooh spiritual to the naive. But it’s charismatic garbage.
When I was in China several years ago, I met some amazing leaders who had planted thousands of congregations. They had also spent a lot of time in jail for their faith, and they’d been beaten with iron rods for preaching the gospel. They were the bravest apostles I’ve ever met.
But when I asked them if they used “apostle” as a title, one guy said: “We believe in those roles in the church. But we prefer to call each other ‘brother’ or ‘sister.'”
That settled the issue for me. If these Chinese giants of the faith—and true apostles—don’t require to be addressed with titles, then Your Worshipful Grand Master Rev. Dr. Bishop Big Deal Jones who claims oversight of maybe four churches shouldn’t wear his ministry role around his neck like a tacky neon name badge.
If people can’t see the anointing on your life through your character, then don’t cheapen the gospel by wearing a title you don’t deserve.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t use reverend, minister or even bishop to identify their roles in the church. One of my mentors is a bishop, and he is one of the most humble men I know. But can we please dispense with the insecurity and the childish “I’m more important than you” appellations and get back to the simplicity of the gospel? Let’s get over ourselves!
Jesus is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Son of David, the Prince of Peace and the Apostle of our Confession. Yet when He came into this world, He laid aside His heavenly glory and took on the lowly name of Jesus. He wore no fancy robes. He demanded no titles. He had no “armor bearers.” He even bore His own cross until He was too weak to drag it to Calvary.
If we want to serve Jesus honourably, we must forsake our need for fame and cast our crowns at His feet.
The monumental journey of writing this book (Rebuilding the Altar) began late one night roughly 20 years ago following a discussion about the altar. In May 1997, we were youth pastors at Calvary Assembly of God in Decatur, Alabama. The church and the youth ministry were in a state of revival. We were young pastors at the time, and we were zealous to see God pour out His Spirit in north Alabama. Secretly, though, something was stirring within us. We realised later that God was getting ready to move us to the next level, and part of His process was to create this stirring in our spirits. What used to satisfy our spirit just wasn’t working anymore.
I (Pat) remember praying early one morning in the living room of our small condo. As I lay there, I suddenly saw a vision of King David carrying the ark of the covenant back to Israel. I said, “Lord, why am I seeing this?” He replied, “Son, I am asking you and Karen to carry My mercy seat back to America.” I knew in that moment that God was calling us to be evangelists.
In fact, until 2015 our ministry was called Mercy Seat Ministries. We changed the name to Remnant Ministries International in 2015 after a new revelation came to us. As I lay on the floor praying that morning, our son, who was five at the time, came and lay on the floor beside me. “Daddy,” he said, “why do you cry all the time?”
I smiled at him and replied, “Because Daddy hurts for this generation.”
Suddenly the Lord spoke to me again. He said, “Son, you weep because you are mourning your own death.”
“Lord,” I replied, “what do You mean?”
“What I mean is this,” God replied. “If I am going to use you and Karen, you must die to everything. You must build Me an altar.”
Together we have travelled more than two million miles to the four corners of the earth. We have seen hundreds of thousands saved, renewed, filled with the Spirit and healed. It has not been easy, but we have been kept by God’s presence, which we experience only by being obedient to meet Him at the altar.
We are known for giving altar calls at our meetings, and we have seen thousands touched and transformed at the altar. Yet many have abandoned that place of surrender and obedience. The altars of our churches have become the steps by which man ascends the platform rather than the place to learn to walk in God’s steps! Sadly, we now live in a day when God would be treated as a stranger if He were to show up in many of our churches.
If we are to experience the trans-formative power of God, we must return to the altar. When Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, He was telling mankind, “Now you can have access to meet with God!” Jesus’ entire ministry on earth was established so that we could have direct access to heaven.
Do not read this if you are satisfied with a life of spiritual mediocrity, which will, in turn, cause God to simply be a stranger when you arrive to meet Him in heaven. God’s call requires a response as it takes you on an adventure in faith, freedom, authority, wisdom, blessing, spiritual identity and dying to self. Although we will discuss the physical church altar, this call of God is about a personal and deep encounter with the One who hung between the thieves. It is at the altar of the cross that we once again desire to see God more than we desire people, platforms or plaudits, where we become plaintiffs in the courts of heaven and not defendants in the inner circle of the religious.
This is not a call for the satisfied or those who recoil at the thought of God invading their space. It is a call to hungry hearts, a call to the realisation that the ultimate altar was a cross that held the jewel of heaven (Heb. 10:12–13).
Are you willing to run, walk or even crawl back to the place where your freedom awaits, to lay aside the day-to-day, nonstop busyness and dust off the altar of encounter? If so, then you might just be a prime candidate to become what we call “the altared “—those who have realised that without a daily encounter with God, life will never be complete. The altared have experienced Psalm 32:7, and that is their cry: “You are my hiding place.”
START LIVING ETERNAL NOW
So many worship songs are simple or cliche. This one from Hillsong will astound you. All three members of The Trinity are acknowledged in this worship song. How important it is we know the roles of each member of The Trinity.
Our heavenly Father sent His Son to pay the price of our redemption, to bring us back into a relationship with God. The Son made it possible for our heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our spirit.
“The spirit of a man is the lamp of God. Proverbs 20:27 and “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God.” 1 Corinth. 2:11.
All three members of the Trinity are involved in our salvation. It is essential we understand their roles. To know that the Holy Spirit is our counsellor, our comforter, our teacher. How often have we quenched His work in us and grieved Him. He is the third person of the Trinity. He will indwell us forever including our resurrected body. We cannot be holy with the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
As society turns its back on God, it naturally becomes more and more hostile towards those who believe in God and are unafraid to say so. The views of Christians increasingly stand at odds with those of our culture. As Christians, we nevertheless need to be courageous and unashamed of our faith and the teaching of God’s Word.
Christians need to stand up for their faith and be counted. If Christians don’t speak up to critique our culture and society, then others will, and Christians will increasingly be ignored. We need a strong voice for biblical values and morals to be reinstated in our society. The nation and individuals need to be called to account. This is not usually a popular role, but it is one that Christians in Britain today need to play.
Premier Christian Communications has published a survey of nearly 12,000 Christians about what it’s like to be a Christian in Britain today. Ninety-three percent of those surveyed said Christianity is being marginalised in society. Furthermore, half of those responding say they have personally experienced prejudice against their faith.
In his resignation speech last month, Tim Farron, Leader of the UK Liberal Democrats said that “we are kidding ourselves if we think we live in a tolerant liberal society.” The survey shows that the majority of Christians feel that their beliefs are being marginalised and that many have encountered prejudice against their own Christian beliefs.
Christian Concern has supported many Christians who have been discriminated against or disciplined at work for expressing their Christian faith. For example, Sarah Kuteh was sacked from her job as a nurse for talking about her faith and occasionally offering to pray for patients. Is it any wonder that most Christians feel that society considers it unacceptable for them to share their faith with others?
In other cases, Barry Trayhorn was forced to resign from his job at a prison after quoting the Bible in a prison chapel service, and Felix Ngole was expelled from university for posting on Facebook in support of traditional marriage. Sarah Mbuyi was sacked after responding to a question from a colleague about her views on homosexuality. I could go on to list many other similar cases.
The point, endorsed by this survey, is that the cases that we publicise are just the tip of the iceberg. We deal with dozens more of these cases that never reach the courts, where Christians have been discriminated against in one form or another. This survey shows that there are thousands more—Christians who have experienced some kind of prejudice against their faith.
We urgently need a mighty move of God. We need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which will awaken believers to the reality of people lost without God.
Urgency can be defined as importance requiring swift action. As such, one of the essential qualities of the kingdom of God is urgency. Let me suggest that if multitudes are going to receive the witness of Jesus Christ, there is a great urgency, which exists for the continual manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus tells his disciples in Luke 10 as they engage in the evangelism of their generation: “Say, … the kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:10b-11b). How were the disciples to demonstrate the nearness of the kingdom? Jesus tells them to heal the sick—a direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power.
Urgency in 21st century evangelism is the announcement that the kingdom is just as near today as it was then.
Why would the kingdom manifest in our generation with anything less than it was in Christ’s? Urgency means that the kingdom is of supreme importance and requires a demonstration of God’s power. Such kingdom urgency necessitates a kingdom message, coupled with kingdom power. How do we live in this place of urgency?
We need the Spirit’s presence! We must not allow the “tyranny of the immediate” in today’s culture to numb us from our need of “immediate urgency” for the Spirit’s presence.
Paul reminds us that the kingdom of God is righteous, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). Our ongoing fellowship with the Holy Spirit equips us to be kingdom ambassadors operating with kingdom urgency and power.
It is His holy and healthy power working in us and through us that draws the world around us to His transforming grace.
Let me offer two thoughts on this idea based on the internal and external expression of the Spirit’s presence in our lives:
His Grace Working Inward
There is an inward urgency of the Spirit within the lives of believers:
We see this in Romans 15:13. “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” The greatest need for every human being is hope. Paul tells us that no matter the obstacles or challenges it is possible to overflow with hope. This is the work of the Holy Spirit establishing the kingdom—righteousness, joy and peace—internally. Are you abounding with hope? Without it, urgency is impossible. Only the hope-filled recognize the importance of swift Kingdom action.
His Grace Working Outward
There is an outward urgency that the Holy Spirit release through the church to draw the lost to Christ’s transforming grace. This is found in
Romans 15:19: “By the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” This verse shows us Paul expressing the kingdom with urgency through his witness. The result was that throughout all the surrounding cities and provinces the Spirit manifested the message of the Kingdom.
The importance of the kingdom requires our swift and holy action. Our generation wants an expression of authentic kingdom urgency. Jesus the King is worthy of nothing less. 
Mikel French has challenged spiritual awakening all across America, where many celebrations extended into multiple weeks, and has conducted celebrations in France, Sweden, Russia, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, South Africa, Malawi, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, India and Thailand. He conducted an outreach celebration in Manila, Philippines, reaching 200,000 teenagers with The Book of Hope. Through the generous support of partners, he has presented the message of Jesus Christ to millions of people in the nation of Russia through televised citywide Soul-Winning Celebrations. Mikel considers it an honor to assist in conducting the annual pastor’s conference, where thousands of pastors from Russia’s 11 time zones come for training, teaching and equipping. Mikel and his wife, Marsha, reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
What an important question. Will the church face the Antichrist? What is your understanding of when the Rapture will take place, if at all? Listen to Joel Richardson interview Nelson Walters author of Rapture: Case closed.
I have read two of Nelson’s previous books: Are We Ready for Jesus – How to Prepare for His Return and Revelation Deciphered, both I can recommend. Nelson is on the Board of Power Point Sermons for the end times (www.powerpointsermons.net) which I set up late last year and which is shortly to be launched. I look forward to meeting up with both Nelson and Joel at the Understanding the Times – Israel, Islam and the Gospel Conference in Tyler Texas next week. I will give you a report week after next. Be blessed.
Listen to Steve Strang of Charisma Media interview Loren Cunningham, Founder of YWAM and be encouraged. God is at work all around the world, especially where committed Christians are praying. Christianity is growing faster that the world population. Listen to what Loren is saying is needed to complete the Great Commission and play your part in these “last days”. What could be better than hearing Jesus say, “well done good and faithful servant, come and enter into the joy of the Lord”.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries provides us with a revealing testimony about the real state of the liberal church. Article from Charisma News.
“A few years ago I was engaged in a friendly spiritual dialogue with a former childhood friend on Facebook. The conversation was spawned from a status I had just posted on my timeline. What I shared was a diagram of two photos, exposing in a dichotomy, the hypocrisy of liberal values. The photo on the left portrayed two homosexuals in festive, colourful attire kissing each other in what looked like a gay pride parade. Below the photo was the word “encouraged”. The photo on the right portrayed two little children sitting at their desk in school with hands folded in prayer. Below that photo was the word “unacceptable”. In other words, Liberalism encouraged homosexuality while deeming school prayer unacceptable.
My friend pointed out that the photo of the children was upsetting to him as he believed that no one should discourage children from praying, but the one of the homosexuals kissing didn’t bother him.
Here is the exchange between us:
Friend: As for the picture on the left, get over it. Homosexuality has been around for hundreds of years, and it will remain for hundreds of years to come. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal.
Me: The loyalty of true devoted Christians is to the truth and testimony of the Word of God, David. The Scriptures, which you probably doubt are God-inspired, are clear on homosexuality. It is an abomination to God (Lev. 18), unnatural (Rom. 1) and in opposition to God’s nature and sacred order (Rom. 1). No one in this lifestyle can inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11), but will incur God’s wrath unless they repent and seek help and deliverance. Homosexuality has always been rejected throughout history. It is biologically abnormal and gay people know that deep inside. They are forever trying to get society to accept it in order to remove the heavy burden of guilt they are under. The good news is God loves them, did not make them this way and can change them and set them free. I know a number of people who were in that lifestyle but are living normal lives today. David, I say this to you with all love and kindness: To say that homosexuality is no big deal reveals to me that you are not a true Christian and have not yet been enlightened and come to repentance from sin and faith toward Jesus Christ. I also discern that because you know a number whom you say are “good” people in this lifestyle, you have concluded that it must be OK. But once more, this is error. Our loyalty must be to the truth of the inspired Scriptures, and not to men, be it loved ones or close friends. Do not be deceived. He that is born of God cannot practice a lifestyle of sin because his nature has been changed by the grace and power of God (1 John 3:9).
Friend: The church I grew up in, and continue to attend on a very regular basis is an open and affirming church. During my faith journey in this church, I have been a deacon, an elder and president of our church council. Since our church is open and affirming, and my Christianity has been brought into question, one can conclude that the faith of all 763 members of our church is in question based on your position. I choose to love and respect all people regardless of their own faith, culture or lifestyle. I have been married to women twice, and divorced twice. If two men or two women are perfectly content with each other, and truly love each other, I am perfectly content in that and would be supportive of them in any way I can. I often think the manual used in justifying our individual faith or agenda can be extremely damaging. We will agree to disagree, and I have enjoyed this little debate. I will forever choose to love and respect all people regardless of the journey they choose to take while on this earth.
Me: David, that is not my position, but the position of the Word of God and the Scriptures that I referenced. That is the manual! And not adhering to the manual is what is extremely damaging. Can anything be clearer than 1 Corinthians 6:9-11? Ephesians 5:5-6? Rev 21:7-8? And if time permitted, I could list a host of many other Scriptures. This is the great deception of Christianity in America today, and one that I am currently and passionately speaking on and writing about. I know of what I speak. I love and respect all people for they are God’s own creation, but I don’t respect people’s sinful lifestyles that are contrary to the Word of God. True love and respect speaks the truth, and warns people of death, hell and the judgement to come commanding them to repent. Be not deceived, David. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but God’s eternal Word will last forever. Our faith must be based on that Word.
My friend’s comments actually represent a large segment of professing Christians in America today, both on the liberal and even now on the conservative wing. His comments are also indicative of how secular humanism has penetrated in one form or another into the mainstream of our culture and infiltrated many of our churches; be it denominational, evangelical and even Charismatic/Pentecostal churches. This wide departure from the faith, in what has now become a sort of post-modern Christianity in America, signals the death knell for many. The celebrated philosophy of the day of “no absolutes, no right or wrong—whatever makes you happy—be tolerant and accepting of everything and everyone” is eroding the core of Judeo-Christian biblically-based values, and greatly weakening real Christianity in America and in other nations as well, especially in Europe. I fear for the multitudes of the deceived who shall soon be the deceased. This could indeed be the final acceleration of the great apostasy the Bible speaks of will happen in these last days.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim 4:1).
“ For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths” (2 Tim 4:2-4).
By the world’s standards, my childhood and now Facebook friend, is a good church-going citizen. I can tell you that he is nice and kind to people, willing to go out of his way to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it, well-liked and even esteemed by others, but he is still deceived. His stand on homosexuality and sin is not Biblical, ungodly and most of all eternally fatal. His beliefs are the product of a false gospel.
Think of it: Here is a man, now in his 50s, who’s been in the same church all his life, has held various positions in the church and still has not been converted and entered into the real faith. Like millions in America, he is a product of a liberal theology birthed from secular humanism that can’t tell you for sure, or won’t tell you for sure, if there’s a heaven and a hell, but will try and keep you happy while you’re still alive, all in the name of God and love.
This is why a person can be a member of a church and yet be living a gay lifestyle. He can carry a Bible and be in an adulterous affair. He can adhere to a form of doctrine but have no peace. This is the sad state of things in much of America.”
Scientists have long been able to make specific changes in the DNA code. Now, they’re taking the more radical step of starting over, and building redesigned life forms from scratch. Boeke, a researcher at New York University, directs an international team of 11 labs on four continents working to “rewrite” the yeast genome, following a detailed plan they published in March.
I wonder how God views man’s efforts to be the Creator. Is this another “end time” indicator?
NYU School of Medicine Professor Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Jef D. Boeke speaks during an interview in his office at the Alexandria Centre for Life Sciences in New York.
Their work is part of a bold and controversial pursuit aimed at creating custom-made DNA codes to be inserted into living cells to change how they function, or even provide a treatment for diseases. It could also someday help give scientists the profound and unsettling ability to create entirely new organisms.
The genome is the entire genetic code of a living thing. Learning how to make one from scratch, Boeke said, means “you really can construct something that’s completely new.”
The research may reveal basic, hidden rules that govern the structure and functioning of genomes. But it also opens the door to life with new and useful characteristics, like microbes or mammal cells that are better than current ones at pumping out medications in pharmaceutical factories, or new vaccines. The right modifications might make yeast efficiently produce new biofuels, Boeke says.
Also on the horizon is redesigning human DNA. That’s not to make genetically altered people, scientists stress. Instead, the synthetic DNA would be put into cells, to make them better at pumping out pharmaceutical proteins, for example, or perhaps to engineer stem cells as a safer source of lab-grown tissue and organs for transplanting into patients.
Some have found the idea of remaking human DNA disconcerting, and scientists plan to get guidance from ethicists and the public before they try it.
Still, redesigning DNA is alarming to some. Laurie Zoloth of Northwestern University, a bioethicist who’s been following the effort, is concerned about making organisms with “properties we cannot fully know.” And the work would disturb people who believe creating life from scratch would give humans unwarranted power, she said.
“It is not only a science project,” Zoloth said in an email. “It is an ethical and moral and theological proposal of significant proportions.”
Rewritten DNA has already been put to work in viruses and bacteria. Australian scientists recently announced that they’d built the genome of the Zika virus in a lab, for example, to better understand it and get clues for new treatments.
At Harvard University, Jeffrey Way and Pamela Silver are working toward developing a harmless strain of salmonella to use as a vaccine against food poisoning from salmonella and E. coli, as well as the diarrhea-causing disease called shigella.
A key goal is to prevent the strain from turning harmful as a result of picking up DNA from other bacteria. That requires changing its genome in 30,000 places.
“The only practical way to do that,” Way says, “is to synthesize it from scratch.”
The cutting edge for redesigning a genome, though, is yeast. Its genome is bigger and more complex than the viral and bacterial codes altered so far. But it’s well-understood and yeast will readily swap man-made DNA for its own.
Last year, Boeke and others announced a separate effort, what is now called Genome Project-write or GP-write . It is chiefly focused on cutting the cost of building and testing large genomes, including human ones, by more than 1,000-fold within 10 years. The project is still seeking funding.
In the meantime, leaders of GP-write have started discussions of ethical, legal and social issues. And they realize the idea of making a human genome is a sensitive one.
“The notion that we could actually write a human genome is simultaneously thrilling to some and not so thrilling to others,” Boeke said. “So we recognize this is going to take a lot of discussion.”
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 