Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual Abuse can happen within a church when the following criteria is from the leadership of a church.

When leadership does not understand the purpose of a person then abuse is inevitable. God is the most purposable being in the universe.

Leadership is about falling in love with the people and people falling in love with God as they respond to the love shown them.

Leadership should not be using people as a tool to promote an agenda or program, God is more interested in the  person than what that person can do for Him, or what we become rather than what we've done.

Leadership is about serving the people with selflessness, sacrifice, and putting the people ahead of personal interest.

John 13:1-38; Matthew 20:25-28, Philippians 2:3-4; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-11

Backdoor Revival

Do you sense a depression in the body of Christ in America, as if something is badly wrong? We’re losing influence within our culture as the anti-Christian sentiment grows, yet you’d never know it in most churches—the media, lights, music and preaching rolls on as if all is well.

The situation is exacerbated by this simple fact: We don’t have our act together in the body of Christ. Too often people come to the church, are deeply disappointed and as a result are turned off from the gospel. The church promises solutions but only offers lip service. We’ve become excellent at giving people a show on Sunday but lousy at showing them how to actually live. In fact, most church members are as bound up as those in the world—they’re in financial bondage, struggling with addictions and their families are in disarray.

This includes leaders in the church. I believe, as John Maxwell says, that everything rises and falls based on leadership. So allow me to address the leadership situation within the church community.

Churches and ministries typically grow when leaders are passionate and have a vision. It doesn’t matter if they have seminary degrees; if they can preach the gospel and if people gravitate to them, they suddenly have a growing church! Anointing is more important than academics. That’s partly why our churches are growing while other areas of the body aren’t.

But there’s a dark underbelly to church leadership too. Often the leaders are theologically untrained and veer from biblical doctrine. What else can explain the numerous—and usually public—theological gaffes such as Benny Hinn preaching that God is nine gods or Eddie Long being paraded around his church as a crowned king (amid a sex scandal)?

As troubling as sloppy theology is, I’m equally disturbed by leaders’ behind-the-scenes attitudes toward their flocks. The church community obviously isn’t the only one with “my way or the highway” leaders. But I’ve heard far too many pastors joke in private about having a “backdoor revival” before their church could move ahead. Translation: They had to make some people leave. They feel that God is telling them they are not their pastor anymore. Then these same leaders question why so many people have come through their doors and no one is staying. The Holy Spirit is hampered and these leaders have a form of godliness but denying its power.

I recently spoke with four friends about why it’s hard to find a good church. They are successful financially and are passionate believers. On the surface, they’re what every pastor needs. Yet after being active in a local church, they both became disillusioned with what they saw and how they were treated. As they recounted stories of how pastors felt threatened by their powerful personalities and positions, I felt sorry for my friends (for never experiencing the community they sought) and for the insecure leaders they served.

Countless other mature Christians have been so wounded by leadership that they stay home on Sunday and “go to church” by watching Charles Stanley or Jack Hayford. They get a good message, some good music and an opportunity to “tithe” to that ministry. Sometimes this is a transitional period. Too often it’s not.

But this isn’t Christian community. Aren’t we supposed to assemble with other believers? Aren’t we supposed to bring a hymn or a Scripture or a prophetic word when we meet? In larger churches this need is met in small groups or in various ministries of the church. There are many examples of healthy churches where this happens. But too often it isn’t.

So what’s the answer? I believe more church leaders need to be pastored, mentored and discipled themselves. Like the rest of us, they need accountability and true relationship, which produces a spirit of humility and servanthood rather than an “I’m the bishop, serve me” mentality or follow the leader and if you don’t then create ways of alienation for them to leave.

Leaders are held to a higher standard. Paul’s letters are full of specific directives for Christian leaders. Jesus said it’s better for someone to be cast into the sea with a millstone around their neck than to cause one person to stumble (Mark 9:42). It’s time for us to wake up and see what’s happening. There is a lost world to be won. There are “sheep” who need to be nurtured, fed and discipled in the things of God. It’s the only way a believer can survive in this increasingly difficult cultural environment!

Until this happens, people—like my friends—will feel as if they’re drifting. They’ll never really find their place in the body of Christ. And sooner or later, they will “vote with their feet” by going somewhere else—or worse still, nowhere.

New, new, new!

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)

A new idea, a new project, a new goal, or new adventure seems to come pre-packaged with a dose of adrenaline, anticipation, and excitement.  The residue of simply thinking about the possibilities can power an electric plant!

For some of us, it takes time to warm up to… or buy into taking on something new.  The fear of change, the thought of pouring energy into change, and the resistance that change brings – keeps many on the bench and far from those tingling nerve endings that emerge when embarking on a new path.

We can spend all of our resources inviting people to change.  We get caught up in their emotional highs and soak up the outflow of the energy they produce – and we push forward together.  Getting started… making change… easy.  Staying the course, pressing on, breaking through, and pushing beyond the re-boot… takes fierce persistence.

We consume our fuel and pour it all into new beginnings… hoping someone will refill the tank to help us continue.  In any new plan… we need gas!

As Christians, we can soak up the excitement of new beginnings with our buddies – that’s easy work.  But we should be prepared to encourage one another as our resolutions lose their resolve – and we hit the wall.  Reach out today – find someone who’s sluggish – give them fuel.  They are hungry for the boost.


by Jeremiah
Argument plus depiction still offer a potent combination. Argument without depiction risks being dull to all but highly motivated specialists, while depiction without argument risks confusion and even appropriation by contrary convictions. But argument and depiction that is worked out in life produces the abundant fruit for all to eat.

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf

Proverbs 11:28- "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf." A truly righteous man not only trusts in the Lord in all situations, but is patient in doing so.
God calms the storm in His time; knowing the exact duration of fire needed to perfect His work, for His glory; which in turn produces fruit in our lives richly. Praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for always being right on time!

Is it Politics or Is it the Church

John Adams, the second president of the United States, wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.... Free government rests upon public and private morality." It is not our government that has failed; it's the church that has failed to be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).

Read what Dr. Jedediah Morse said in 1799: "In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom...Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them." He was saying that Christianity, not government, is the driving force behind true freedom.

When World War II brought America back to her knees, a revival broke out that is still referred to as the era of the highest church attendance in recent history. A time of repentance and seeking God brought peace and a period of great prosperity. But sadly, the result was a church that was lulled to sleep. While it was sleeping, a generation of "baby boomers" became obsessed with materialism and freedom from moral constraint.

How did the church react? In a variety of ways, some of which were very good. People began seeking the Lord, and the Lord answered through what is often called "The Jesus People Movement," "The Charismatic Movement," "The Word of Faith Movement," "The Lay Witness Renewal," and others. These revivals were not spearheaded by any individual, yet they had worldwide impact. Truly these were mighty moves of God's Spirit.

Yet, as a whole, the church responded by promoting political involvement as the answer to society's woes. Make no mistake--Christians who live in a country that provides them the freedom to govern through voting or holding political office have a responsibility to participate. However, for many, politics has not been a weapon against the moral decline; it has been the only weapon.

The `70s and `80s saw the largest influx of Christians into the political process in recent history, and it did produce some good results. It influenced who was elected president and helped change the balance of power in Congress and the Supreme Court. Although some good came of it and the potential destruction of our nation was stayed off a little longer, it hasn't turned the tide. There are still millions of innocent children killed every year. Immorality continues to advance nearly unchecked. And some of our so-called "conservative" Supreme Court appointees defied logic by turning the government loose in ways that would have caused our Founding Fathers to mount a revolution.

Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth president of the United States (1923-1929), declared, "The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them [the foundations of society] if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country" (brackets mine).

Our society isn't sick because of the government; it's sick because the church has not made faith in the teaching of the Bible "practically universal in our country." Once we cease to win the hearts of man, it is inevitable that ungodly people will make their way into leadership and take the country with them.

If we change people's hearts with the Gospel, the people will change the government with their votes. Government merely reflects what people believe in their hearts; it does nothing to form those beliefs. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, wrote in the late 1600s, "Government seems to me to be a part of religion itself.... Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad."

It's good to pursue legal action and political means to right wrongs. But the power of the Gospel has more power to change the hearts of man than all the military might and legislative bodies of any government. Billy Graham understood that when he was asked to run for president in the 1950s. He responded by saying he would not lower himself to that position. He was not attempting to diminish the office of the president; he was elevating the office of a minister of the Gospel.

Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress in 1783 and later congressman from New Jersey who served as president of the American Bible Society, said "the moral character of a people once degenerate, their political character must soon follow."

There is a civil war going on in America today, but it is not political. Sure, the courtrooms and congressional halls are the battlegrounds, but the war itself is between light and dark--the truth of the Gospel and the lies of the devil. It's between the people of God and the children of the devil.

In this war, the Enemy tries to hide his true objectives behind the mask of individual rights and personal liberties. But make no mistake: The real goal is the elimination of God and His influence from society so people can indulge in their carnal lifestyles without conviction or guilt.

The way to win this war and save the political character of this nation is to change the moral character of its people with the Gospel. Our Founding Fathers understood that. Dr. Benjamin Rush said in 1786, "Nothing can be politically right that is morally wrong."

The church needs to refocus its energies back to the Great Commission that our Lord Jesus Christ gave us: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:19-20).

God Is For Us! by Jack Hayford

God Is For Us! by Jack Hayford



God is for us, loved one!

Those words are His—found in abundance in His Holy Word. They are found in verses so clear, so Self-expressive of our Father's love, so totally supportive and so fully committed to us that there is no mistaking His intent that we firmly grasp the idea. The reason? Because doubts and fears too easily and constantly beset us.

We are all tempted at times to wonder: Is God's mind tuned to my heart-cry...my need? Is His eye focused on me now...on my present situation? Will God's hand reach my way...to cover me—in time? But His Word answers these questions for us. When we cry out, "What shall we say to these things?" His Word thunders in response: "If God be for us, who can be against us!" (Romans 8:31).

What kinds of "things" does this cover? What are the situations where we can expect we will find, "God is for us"? Here's just the beginning of a list:

He is for us when we are going through hard times.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God...Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you..." (Isaiah 43:2-4)

He is for us when we feel others have forgotten or forsaken us.

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands..." (Isaiah 49:15-16)

I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread... (Psalm 37:25)

For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

He is for us when physical or material needs press around us.

"I am the Lord who heals you..." (Exodus 15:26)

"For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds..." (Jeremiah 30:17)
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away..." (Hosea 14:4)

...[Since He] did not spare His own Son...shall He not with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know [and]... whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. (Jeremiah 33:3; Joel 2:32)

There is not a moment when we are out of God's mind, His gaze, or His touch. And there is not a moment when He is ever, ever anything less than completely for us!

Hear it once for all: He has made an eternal vow to His own, saying, "The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has mercy on you (Isaiah 54:10).

Let each of us settle it in our souls. What we read is what He wants us to declare: God is for us! So say it—then say it again.

Then let us move into our days, serving Him because He loves us—not working for Him in hope we might earn His love. Shout it with all your heart! Everybody deserves to know...God is for us!

Christian Growth only comes from the Combination of the Word and the Spirit

Mark 4:21-23
21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

There are a couple of things here that Jesus is pointing out to us. First, that His word should be prominent in our lives. As other scriptures point out that the word is the most important aspect and should be searched out as if it were gold. Secondly, is that the Word and the Spirit need to be used together? One cannot understand the Word without the Spirit. Here in this parable the candle would be representative of the Word and the Light would be representative of the Spirit.

With this in mind one cannot understand the Word unless Light is shed on it. Light alone cannot burn unless it has an accelerant, oxidation of combustible material. A candle (the Word) is that material illustrated in this parable. We need both a flame and the candle to produce a sustainable light. We cannot have one without the other, and so it is in our Christian walk.

If you’re wondering why the Holy Spirit is not working in your life maybe He does not have the word to produce a sustainable light. In John 14:26 Jesus illustrates the point that the Holy Spirit will illuminate only what Jesus has spoken.

John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Also in John 15:26 and John 16:13-15
John 15:26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

If you really want to change, if you’re tired of not seeing God working in your life, than the word is the missing portion in your life. You see the Holy Spirit always wants to help you grow, wants to help you be transformed into Jesus’ likeness, but He may be lacking the Word in your life that He can use as kindling, as combustible material. The greater part of your life should be spent reading and meditating on the word, when you do so you shall be planted by streams of living water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (Psalms 1)

The Holy Spirit needs a candle (the Word) in order to burn brightly and as the parable in Mark 4 says then it will not be kept a secret anymore but be manifested through your life.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

John 16:5-11
5 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

The disciples had asked Jesus this very question just moments before (Joh 14:5), and their reaction in John 16:17-18 shows that they still didn't understand what Jesus was saying to them. They must have at least understood that Jesus was speaking of leaving them, and that's why sorrow had filled their hearts (Joh 16:6).

Jesus had spoken of His death and the ensuing persecution against His disciples. Most of us would think this couldn't produce anything but sorrow. But if they had fully understood what was happening, they could have rejoiced. The departure of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each one of their hearts was better than having Jesus there in His physical body (John 16:7). What a revelation! What could be better than having Jesus physically present with us? The answer is having the Holy Spirit indwell us. When Jesus was in His physical body, He was limited to being in one place at one time. Therefore, He wasn't completely available to every believer all the time. But through the Holy Spirit, He now indwells each one of us and will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5).

Also, Jesus' physical body was natural. It wasn't sinful, but it was plain (Isa 53:2). The disciples constantly missed who Jesus really was on the inside, because they were so dominated by their senses. But now that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, whose primary purpose is to reveal the true Jesus to us, we can know Jesus in a more intimate way and with more understanding than His first disciples knew Him.

We know Jesus made it to heaven and the throne because He sent back the Holy Spirit. He said He would do that after He was back with the Father.

Notice the terminology that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. Jesus called Him the Comforter.

Jesus physically with you?

When Jesus walked on this earth in His physical body, He was subject to many physical limitations. For instance, He could not always be with every one of His disciples all the time. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He could. Instead of Satan getting rid of Jesus, 120 "little Christs" (that is literally what the word "Christian" means) came out of the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost.

Jesus had taught His disciples as no teacher ever had, but they had very little understanding because they had not been born again yet (1Co 2:14). However, when the Holy Spirit came, He would lead them into all truth (Joh 14:26 and 16:13) and even show them things to come (Joh 16:13).

The list of advantages of having the Holy Spirit in us, as compared to having Jesus with us in His physical body, goes on and on. The advantages can all be summed up in the fact that Jesus' power is now complete (Mt 28:18) and no longer confined to one physical body.

This is not a negative ministry as many people think. The Holy Spirit doesn't convict us of "things" we do that are wrong but of the fact that we aren't believing on Jesus. The person who doesn't tithe or give will not be convicted about their lack of giving but about the fact that they aren't trusting Jesus with their finances. All our acts of sin come from the one act of not believing on and resting in our relationship with Jesus.

Adam and Eve's sin wasn't eating of the fruit, but rather not believing in the goodness of God. They bought the lie that God had withheld something good from them (Ge 3:5). They doubted God and believed the devil. David said, "Against thee, thee only have I sinned" (Ps 51:4). The Lord said to David in 2Sa 12:10 that when David committed adultery and murder he despised God. The real root of David's sin was against God, not Uriah and Bathsheba. Joseph kept his virginity because he told Potiphar's wife that he could not sin against God and do this great wickedness in His sight (Ge 39:9).

The reason not to steal is because that action reveals a lack of trust in God as our source. The real reason not to commit adultery is because that act reveals that we do not believe the Lord when He said that from the beginning God made them male and female and they two are to become one flesh (Mr 10:6-8). We are not content with the one the Lord has given us, and we are not full of God's love. If we were, we would not be looking to someone else to fill that void.

The real temptation against Jesus was not to turn the stone into bread, etc., but to disbelieve God. His Father had just told Him in an audible voice that Jesus was His Son and that He was well pleased (Mt 3:17, Lu 3:22). Satan said, "If you be the Son of God..." The devil was trying to get Jesus to establish His identity outside of what God said about Him. This is the same way he tries to tempt us today. The question most of us are asking is not the real question. Therefore, the answer we are getting is not the real answer.

Heb 4:15 says Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Jesus wasn't tempted with cocaine, but He was tempted with unbelief. That is the root of all sin, and Jesus endured that in all its facets.

There are just three main areas that Satan can tempt us with unbelief: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1Jo 2:16). Jesus endured these three temptations.

It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to reprove of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is not our ministry. We are simply witnesses (Joh 15:27 and Ac 1:8). Witnesses are not the judge or the jury. They simply testify of what they have seen or what has happened to them.

In their zeal, some people have gone beyond the witness stage and tried themselves to bring people under conviction. This is assuming a job that belongs to the Holy Spirit alone. This not only frustrates the witness, but it also drives many people away from God. We make a very poor Holy Spirit; therefore, we should stick to our job of being witnesses and let the Holy Spirit do His.

It is always an evil heart of unbelief that makes us depart from the living God (Heb 3:12). Our actions are not the real problem. They are just the results and symptoms of our evil hearts of unbelief. That is what the Holy Spirit convicts us of. People don't go to hell for their individual actions. The sins of the whole world have already been paid for (1Jo 2:2). Individual sins are not the issue. The sin that sends men to hell is rejection of Jesus, and that is what the Holy Spirit convicts us of.

The Holy Spirit doesn't convict believers that they are going to hell for the rejection of Jesus. That is not the case. All of their sins are paid for: past, present and even future. But the Holy Spirit will convict believers about their trust or lack of trust in Jesus. That's what it is all about, relationship.

If believers commit adultery, the Holy Spirit will speak to them about their lack of relationship with the Lord. Why aren't they satisfied with Jesus and the mate He has given them? That's exactly what the Lord spoke to David (2Sa 12:8). Christians who are having problems with drink or dope are actually having problems with trusting in Jesus. They are using some substance to cope instead of turning to Jesus. The underlying issue to all individual sins, believer or non-believer, is not believing or trusting in Jesus.

Our actions of sins are just the manifestations of the single, inward heart condition of unbelief. Adam and Eve's eating of the forbidden fruit wasn't the real sin. It was the fact that they weren't trusting God anymore. They believed a talking snake (Ge 3:1-6) more than their heavenly Father who had only treated them well. Satan's real temptation against Jesus wasn't to turn the stone into bread; it was to doubt what the heavenly Father had just said about Jesus (Mt 3:17). That's why Satan said, "If thou be the Son of God" (Mt 4:3 and 6). The Father said in an audible voice that Jesus was His Son. Would Jesus trust the Father's word or do something to prove to Satan He was the Son of God?

Most people read this in a way that really means the Holy Spirit convicts us of unrighteousness. But that is not what it says. The Holy Spirit convicts us that we are righteous through the new birth. How many times have we seen people stand in church and say how the Holy Spirit has shown them how unrighteous they are? But we should be having people stand and share how the Lord has convicted them that they are the righteousness of God in Christ. That's normal Christianity.

It's the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict us that we are righteous through Jesus. Not many people receive that ministry because of religious tradition and doctrines that have made the Word of God (and this positive ministry of the Holy Spirit) of none effect (Mr 7:13).

There could be two ways of interpreting this. First, the Holy Spirit will now have to reveal to mankind what is righteous in the sight of God because Jesus is no longer visible to illustrate true righteousness to us.

Second, this could mean that just as Jesus assured people that the goodness and mercy of God made them righteous by faith, not works, so now the Holy Spirit has taken over this ministry of bearing witness to their righteous relationship with the Father (1Jo 5:13).

This is not saying that the Holy Spirit tells us we will be judged if we don't repent. It is speaking of the Holy Spirit showing us that Satan has been judged. The devil is the one who is judged, not us. We are the ones with the authority, not the devil. The Holy Spirit will remind us of that to encourage us.

This is not referring to the Holy Spirit revealing to people that they are going to hell if they don't repent. That would fall under the category of reproving the world of sin (Joh 16:9). Rather, this is speaking of the Holy Spirit assuring us that Satan has been judged and stripped of all authority over us. The Holy Spirit will assure us of our victory. Praise the Lord!