Tag Archives: Cross

Come Down From The Cross – Who?

By Ian D’Souza

The title suggests that this may be a Good Friday message.  It is the crucifixion scene for sure and the words “come down from the cross” we know were spoken by the soldiers, pharisees and the crucified thieves to Jesus, mocking Him to come down, save Himself and them too.  But, that is not what this message is about.  There is someone else who was crucified on that day together with Jesus.  That is the Christian believer.  Paul says in Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Continue reading →

God’s Catfish & Ours

By Miles Stanford

catfishOur Father would have us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet.3:18). He lovingly carries this out by delivering us “unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11). The natural tendency of many Christians who are seeking to advance is to avoid the Cross in every possible way, but that is simply to surrender all possibility of true spiritual growth and maturity. Continue reading →

How Deliverance Ministries Lead People to Bondage

deliveranceA Warning Against the Warfare Worldview

by Bob DeWaay

(Shared with Permission from the author)

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

In 1977 I was in a ministry that specialized in inner healing and deliverance. People came to us from all over the country seeking release from hearing voices, addictions, emotional trauma due to past hurts and abuses, and many other forms of spiritual bondage. At the time our ministry was considered “cutting edge” in the world of spiritual warfare. Ours was a Christian community where people could come and live with other Christians to find healing. Continue reading →

The DIVIDE of the CROSS

crucifixion-255x189In the crucifixion narrative of Mark’s Gospel in Chapter 15 verse 16 onward, we catch some important glimpses of the various people involved with and gathered around the Cross of Jesus.  Mark’s view is not the view of the crowd looking at Jesus, but rather the view from the Cross itself, looking at the crowd. Gathered around the foot of the cross were a great number of individuals, or groups of individuals, who he brings before us so that we might see their reactions to the crucifixion of our Lord. Let’s look at them one at a time: Continue reading →

The Bible Speaks Today – Possessed Possessions

And He said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

SMARTPHONES SmartphonesAll of us tend to get caught in the snare of owning things. The world assesses a person’s net-worth based on the quantum of assets he owns. And so there is that rat-race mentality to acquire more and more. It has been said, “he who dies with the most toys wins.” Even Christians often fall prey to this scourge that sweeps through all humanity. All over we find people striving hard to add to their possessions, to gain more, believing that more will bring happiness, security, peace and joy. We live in an age of consumerism. We consume food, drink, entertainment, knowledge, gadgets, etc. We network and live in a generation that is connected through technology, and we abound in information, possessions and connections. Is this what life is all about? Jesus once said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:36). Continue reading →

The Personal Prayer Walk – 2

(THE PROGRESSION OF PRAYER)

In part – 1, we saw the beginnings of prayer which was much like the honeymoon time enjoyed by a couple in love and 32371_10151347701303072_664792962_nquite often extends from months to years.  But then as the honeymoon period began to wane, there arose the difficulties of a receding love for God and a cooling desire for prayer causing much anguish and perplexity in the life of the young Christian. What the newly renewed Christian has failed to realize, is that just as in a marriage, the honeymoon time was only the starting point of the Christian walk.  His Christian walk had only just begun and those first ecstatic months or years were only a foretaste of God’s love.  He does not realize that it is these very same young and genuinely growing Christians that are moved to the next stages of growth. Continue reading →