The Bible warns us not to look back or yearn for the past [See Luke 9:62].  We are not to be afraid of the unknown in our future but go forth, confident of the Lord's provision as we walk in His purpose.

However, sometimes it is good to review past prophetic words so that we are strengthened and encouraged to go forth into the future.  The key is not to turn back [as Lot's wife did] yearning for the past pleasures found in evil or because we fear the future. 

In the Bible verse referenced above, Jesus told a man that shallow commitments to the Kingdom of God were worthless.  Jesus was looking for men and women who would not let their past lives or personal ambitions distract them from their course any more than someone plowing should be distracted. A person plowing a field in Jesus' day had to fully concentrate on his task so that he could plow in a straight line.  If the plowman was distracted, the animal leading the plow would wander off...

Here is a "blast from the past" updated for today...

Just got back from the grocery store. At the checkout, a sign was posted which read, "Cashback limit $100.00 per customer." Since I was buying only $65.00 in groceries, I said, "Well, since you are giving all your customers cash, I'll take my $35.00 and be done with it."

My cashier laughed.

Now, the sign at the grocery store was making a true statement, but my interpretation of the sign was wrong.

Every now and then, folks point to an unusual event as being a portent of the immediate return of Jesus or the onset of some horrible event.

Since I have a doctorate in Theology and have studied some of these signs in detail, I can—with great confidence—state:  I DON'T know exactly what is all these signs mean.  I DON’T know exactly what is going to happen or when it’s going to happen. I DO know God is displaying His power and glory to a world that really doesn’t want to pay much...

Church, You Don’t Know Who You Are

Dear Church--Brothers and Sisters, so many of you are hurting because you feel isolated and alone, cut off because church services have been banned in your location, or fearful because of the turmoil we are facing in the world.

But I say to you, Arise!  Arise and be who you are really called to be!

I say to you:  the Church is not a building.  You’ve heard that before, but my brothers and sisters—if you consider yourself part of The Church of Jesus Christ, you are mistaken.  You are not the church!

You have heard it said that in Mathew 16:18, Jesus said, “upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

My brothers and sisters, Jesus did not say this!  He said, “upon this rock, I will build my ekklesia, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

Oh, beloved of God, I am not just splitting...

There is a supernatural component to mankind that the Church must acknowledge. If the Church does not nurture this part of man [known in church talk as "the spirit"] then men and women will seek fulfillment outside of the Church. The high interest in vampires, witchcraft, Eastern religions, and other supernatural entities is a reflection of this. The failure of the Church to address this is reflected in any bookstore. Browse the aisles and look at the type of book that is selling to teens/tweens/ and adults. 

The Church must realize that she is more than a political voice, more than a social agency; She is the supernatural Bride, Who has been called to engage in the supernatural realm. If She fails to realize this, She dishonors herself and her Lord. She also places the souls and spirits of millions in jeopardy. 

Prayer must be revisited; it is not a "boring, fuddy-duddy" activity; it is the spiritual language for romance, warfare, transformation, ... As the Church, we...

Before we can fix what is broken, we must know two things:  We must know that what we are dealing with is broken, and we have to understand how it was to look and function.  

If we look at the Church--at least in the Western World--the scandals and headlines dealing with sexual and financial improprieties and the on-going controversies about so-called "gay" marriages, Biblical interpretation, and the Christian's role in society all point to a Church who has lost her fundamental identity and has become divided and fractured.

However, we cannot begin to fix the Church--to fix ourselves--unless we know who we, as the people of God, are supposed to be. Over the next series of blogs, I hope to explore who and what the Church is.

Let us begin with casting the vision of the Church Triumphant:

The Triumphant Church is often referred to as "The Bride".The Triumphant Church has made herself ready to stand in the presence of God.  She is dressed...