There are two words you would least likely expect to see or to hear used in the same breath. Those two words would be Charismatic legalism. It came to mind about a year ago when I was thinking about some of the things I was once taught over the years in a Charismatic church, things which were viewed as freedom but were really creating shackles. Few words tend to make a believer in Christ bristle more than the word legalism….
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Acts 21:10-11 ESV Recently, I was listening to an online discussion regarding prophecy in the Old Testament versus the…
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” Acts 17:1-3 ESV A few weeks ago, I was…
As I think about how to begin this blog post, I am reminded of the apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Now no one asked me a question per se when it comes to a recent document released concerning the prophetic movement, and I will be the first to admit that I am no theologian. I am merely a…
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV None of us want to suffer. None of us want to…
This is bound to stir the hornet’s nest. I realize that is probable, and though I do not personally enjoy confrontation, I am compelled to address certain topics of concern and to point myself and others back to Scripture. This is one of those topics. I wrote a post recently about Christian deliverance and how I disagreed with the premise that born again believers can be indwelt by demons and how Scripture does not support such a belief. This is…
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, , Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above. About a year ago, I heard this hymn for the first time in my life. You may be wondering if I have been living under a rock or something because of the lack of personal exposure to hymns, and the answer would be yes. I had been under a contemporary praise…
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 ESV “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.” Matthew 12:43-44…
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16-17 ESV When meditating on this passage of Scripture in Colossians, I am immediately drawn to the very beginning of this particular verse…
Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15:24 ESV Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jew. But my kingdom is not from this world. John 18:36 ESV Have you ever sat in corporate church gathering where you heard…