{"id":142,"date":"2020-05-11T06:10:39","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T06:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/?page_id=142"},"modified":"2022-06-26T11:50:43","modified_gmt":"2022-06-25T23:50:43","slug":"articles","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/articles\/","title":{"rendered":"Articles"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"142\" class=\"elementor elementor-142\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e5ac97 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e5ac97\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8a275f1\" data-id=\"8a275f1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28318b7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"28318b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Mark-Preaching.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-362\" alt=\"Mark Banyard\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Mark-Preaching.jpg 800w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Mark-Preaching-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Mark-Preaching-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Mark-Preaching-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d9b14a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4d9b14a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Articles by Mark Banyard<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3265f26 elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"3265f26\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-accordion{text-align:start}.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item{border:1px solid #d5d8dc}.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item+.elementor-accordion-item{border-top:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title{margin:0;padding:15px 20px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;cursor:pointer;outline:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon{display:inline-block;width:1.5em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon svg{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon.elementor-accordion-icon-right{float:right;text-align:right}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon.elementor-accordion-icon-left{float:left;text-align:left}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon .elementor-accordion-icon-closed{display:block}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon .elementor-accordion-icon-opened,.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-accordion-icon-closed{display:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-accordion-icon-opened{display:block}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-content{display:none;padding:15px 20px;border-top:1px solid #d5d8dc}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title{padding:12px 15px}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon{width:1.2em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-content{padding:7px 15px}}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-accordion,.e-con>.elementor-widget-accordion{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5281\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5281\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">NEW! - Recognizing Problems That Arise In Church Planting<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5281\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5281\"><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-875\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/markus-winkler-aYPtEknQmXE-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my third article here:<a href=\"https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/recognizing-problems-that-arise-in-church-planting\/\"> https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/recognizing-problems-that-arise-in-church-planting<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5282\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5282\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Planting A New Church<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5282\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5282\"><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-836\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-300x172.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-1024x586.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-2048x1173.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my second article here: <a class=\"oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/planting-new-church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/planting-new-church\/<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5283\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5283\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What Every Lead Pastor Needs to Know About Church Metrics<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5283\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5283\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-831\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my first article here:\u00a0<a class=\"oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/church-metrics\/?fbclid=IwAR2yaGgrDALYsN8LySKJe6S-SN3Gzps84rx4prV3GUyCxUDVKpRk4lZYPKI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/church-metrics\/<\/a><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5284\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5284\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A sacrifice not wasted<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5284\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5284\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-341 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-1024x597.jpg\" alt=\"A sacrifice not wasted\" width=\"800\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-1024x597.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-768x448.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>This time of year Christians around the world remember the death of Jesus Christ, their<br \/>Saviour. The day is called Good Friday. Why do we call it good?<br \/>When you think about it, there\u2019s really nothing good about an innocent man being<br \/>crucified for a crime he did not commit. There is nothing good about a violent and<br \/>torturous death. There is nothing good about a crisis that devastated Jesus\u2019 disciples!<br \/>The only thing good about Good Friday is God. The Bible says that God is good and<br \/>his love endures forever. The Bible says he is holy and therefore perfect in every way.<\/p><h4><b>Good Friday?<\/b><\/h4><p>Good Friday is about death\u2014death by crucifixion. It was a form of execution, invented<br \/>by the Persians, perfected by the Romans, to put to death those who had committed a<br \/>crime punishable by death. It was considered one of the most brutal and shameful<br \/>modes of death, usually reserved for slaves or disgraced soldiers. In this case, it was<br \/>used on Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.<br \/>But, if you don\u2019t believe in God or believe that he is good, if you don\u2019t believe that<br \/>Jesus was the son of God who was entirely without sin (as the Bible says), then there is<br \/>nothing good about Good Friday. It should be called \u201cbad\u201d Friday!<br \/>If that\u2019s what you believe, like many in the world today, then all you have to remember<br \/>on Good Friday is a story about an innocent man who was put to death by the<br \/>Romans, who was thought to be a teacher and by some, even a prophet, and feared<br \/>by the Jews to be confused to be the Messiah.<\/p><h5><b>The Question<\/b><\/h5><p>If so, the question is, \u201cWhy then did Jesus have to die?\u201d<br \/>What was accomplished by an innocent man being put to death in this way, let alone<br \/>the son of God, pure and holy?<br \/>What was accomplished by such a gross travesty of justice resulting in a needless<br \/>death?<br \/>Was the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth a wasted death?<\/p><h5><b>The Answer<\/b><\/h5><p>The answer is not found in examining the details of the execution, or what immediately<br \/>led up to it, but rather in understanding God\u2019s purposes in it! Yes, God had a purpose<br \/>in sending his son to be put to death on a Roman cross. His purpose in this was: to<br \/>receive the payment for the sins of the world that would be so perfect that it would<br \/>once and for all pay our debt so that we\u2014a sinful people\u2014might be reunited with God<br \/>once and for all! The purpose of Jesus\u2019 death was because he offered himself as a<br \/>sacrifice to God for our sins. The Roman cross was an instrument execution, but God<br \/>used it as an altar upon which a sacrifice was given. Yes, that\u2019s right: Jesus was the<br \/>sacrifice that God provided for us. Jesus is, as John the Baptist declared, \u201cthe Lamb of<br \/>God who takes away the sins of the world!\u201d<\/p><p>Isaiah, in his messianic prophecy, wrote this:<\/p><p><i>Who has believed our message<br \/>and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?<br \/>He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.<br \/>He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,<br \/>nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.<br \/>He was despised and rejected by mankind,<br \/>a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.<br \/>Like one from whom people hide their faces<br \/>he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.<br \/>Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,<br \/>yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.<br \/>But he was pierced for our transgressions,<br \/>he was crushed for our iniquities;<br \/>the punishment that brought us peace was on him,<br \/>and by his wounds we are healed.<br \/>We all, like sheep, have gone astray,<br \/>each of us has turned to our own way;<br \/>and the Lord has laid on him<br \/>the iniquity of us all.<br \/>He was oppressed and afflicted,<br \/>yet he did not open his mouth;<br \/>he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,<br \/>and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,<br \/>so he did not open his mouth.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Isaiah 53:1\u20137<\/p><p>Jesus\u2019 death was not wasted! It was not a mistake. He understood from the moment<br \/>he came out of the desert to begin his ministry, having been tempted by the devil, that<br \/>his final goal was to get to Jerusalem, to Calvary\u2019s Hill, to die for you and me.<\/p><h5><b>But Why?<\/b><\/h5><p>Some may still asking \u201cWhy?\u201d Why did Jesus have to give his life for our sins? Could<br \/>not God, out of His mercy and grace alone, have just forgiven us? The problem of<br \/>course, was sin. Romans 3:23 reminds us, \u201cFor all have sinned and fall short of the<br \/>glory of God\u201d.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Simply, the BIBLE TEACHES:<\/span><\/p><p><i>Because of our sin, we are separated from God.<br \/>Because of our sin, we are sentenced to death.<br \/>Because of our sin, we don\u2019t go to heaven when we die; we go to hell, that is, to<br \/>a place of eternal separation from God, an enduring experience of eternal grief<br \/>and pain.<br \/>Because of sin, we live broken, dysfunctional lives resulting in a world of pain,<br \/>cruelty, and injustice.<\/i><\/p><p>And so, God sent his son to die on a cross for our sins so that we might:<\/p><p><i>Be forgiven \u2013 no guilt, shame, condemnation.<br \/>Be healed \u2013 physically, mentally, emotionally.<br \/>Be set free \u2013 of fear, demons, death, satan, and hell.<br \/>Have life, and have it abundantly.<br \/>Be reconciled to God, to know him, to be known by him, to be loved,<br \/>unconditionally.<br \/>Be filled with his Spirit\u2014his presence and his power.<br \/>Know the reason why we were created.<br \/>Walk in the destiny and purpose of God for our lives on earth.<br \/>\u2026 and much more!<\/i><\/p><p>And this is all because Jesus was willing to be sent by God, to offer himself as a holy<br \/>sacrifice to God for our sins! We read in Philippians 2:8,<\/p><p><i>And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself<br \/>by becoming obedient to death\u2014even death on a cross!<\/i><\/p><p>And so, what we remember on Good Friday is not simply the unjust and inhumane<br \/>death of an innocent man, but the sacrifice that he offered on our behalf to God for our<br \/>sins.<\/p><p>*I must emphasize that God\u2014our just and righteous and holy God\u2014required a perfect<br \/>sacrifice, a full payment for our debt, in order that WE COULD BE FORGIVEN! Jesus\u2019<br \/>sacrifice was all about fulfilling the legal requirement that was set by God.<\/p><p><i>When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God<br \/>made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the<br \/>charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he<br \/>has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and<br \/>authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the<br \/>cross.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Colossians 2:13\u201315<\/p><p>To be clear, because of Jesus\u2019 perfect sacrifice, the \u201ccharge of our legal indebtedness\u201d<br \/>has been canceled\u2014paid in full!<br \/>This is not about a loving and merciful father who is excusing our sin!<br \/>This is not about a redefinition of immoral behaviour to make it less offensive to God!<br \/>This is not about denying sin, death, the devil, or hell to make us feel safe and loved!<br \/>This is about God DEMANDING a perfect, holy, pure, full, complete, efficient sacrifice<br \/><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN!!!<\/span><\/p><p>In Hebrews 9:22 we read\u00a0<br \/><i>\u201cwithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.\u201d<br \/>In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and<br \/>without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 9:22<\/p><p>In the Old Testament, we know that God required a sacrifice from his people, which<br \/>was often sheep, and the blood of bulls and goats. However, that was never enough to<br \/>satisfy God! He required\u2014no, demanded\u2014a perfect sacrifice in order to establish a<br \/>NEW COVENANT with his people so that we might be \u201cmade Holy as our God is Holy\u201d.<br \/>And that perfect sacrifice was the blood of Christ!<\/p><p><i>The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who<br \/>are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How<br \/>much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered<br \/>himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to<br \/>death, so that we may serve the living God!<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 9:13\u201314<br \/>I am reminded of the lyrics of an old hymn,<\/p><p><i>What can wash away my sin?<br \/>Nothing but the blood of Jesus;<br \/>What can make me whole again?<br \/>Nothing but the blood of Jesus<\/i><br \/>\u2014Robert Lowry (American Preacher,1876)<\/p><p>Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was so perfect, and therefore so powerful, that his blood not only<br \/>cleansed us from sin but defeated the devil and hell.<\/p><p><i>Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that<br \/>by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death\u2014<br \/>that is, the devil\u2014 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their<br \/>fear of death.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 2:14\u201315<\/p><p>Good Friday is when we remember the death of Jesus of Nazareth. It was unjust and<br \/>inhumane, but nevertheless it was the plan of God. Jesus was willing to be the sacrifice<br \/>that God required and only he\u2014no one else\u2014could have met God\u2019s requirement.<br \/>Jesus\u2019 death was not wasted, because in death\u2014even death on a cross\u2014he became<br \/>that sacrifice that would \u201ctake away the sins of the world!\u201d<\/p><p>As single verse says it all:<\/p><p><i>For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever<br \/>believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 3:16<\/p><h5><b>A Crisis not Wasted<\/b><\/h5><p>A few weeks ago, my old friend Terry Somerville of Total Change Ministries asked if I<br \/>would be willing to be interviewed on the radio program he hosts. It was an honour to<br \/>be asked, and sounded like a fun thing to do. During the interview, after asking about<br \/>my background and current ministry, Terry asked me what my God-sense was, in light<br \/>of the global pandemic we are now in. For the remainder of the interview I shared the<br \/>things that God has put on my heart\u2014some things I had discerned, as well as some<br \/>things that had been revealed. I finished by saying this: \u201cI just hope we don\u2019t waste this<br \/>crisis.\u201d<\/p><p>Perhaps you have heard it said that what appears as a crisis to many looks like an<br \/>opportunity to some. To be clear, we are in a crisis that must be taken seriously by all.<br \/>However, in this crisis we have an opportunity as the body of Christ to reach out to a<br \/>world that is gripped with fear\u2014and in this case, to be specific\u2014gripped by the fear of<br \/>death. As I quoted earlier from the book of Hebrews, Jesus broke the power of the<br \/>devil who holds the power of death, to \u201cfree those who all their lives were held in<br \/>slavery by their fear of death\u201d (Hebrews 2:14\u201315). This crisis is a rude but real<br \/>confrontation of our mortality, forcing people everywhere to seriously consider the<br \/>consequences of death. The fear of death is the elephant that the room is too small for!<\/p><p>If there was ever a time for true believers of Jesus Christ to act, it is now! We can<br \/>redefine this moment with the life\u2014giving message and experience of the Gospel\u2019s<br \/>power. We can be a light to the world, a light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless,<br \/>models of true rest and peace, carriers of God\u2019s presence and power. However,<br \/>something that can blind us from perceiving this as a God-moment\u2014as a Godopportunity\u2014<br \/>is fear. If we believe in the one who has freed us from the fear of death,<br \/>yet continue to fear, then we will be immobilized from ministering to others in his power<br \/>and love. Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was not wasted! And so, remembering all that Jesus<br \/>accomplished by his finished work on the cross, let us cast off all fear so we can act<br \/>boldly in this unusual moment in the history of the world, and bring the Good News of<br \/>the gospel to the world!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5285\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5285\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Let all that can shake be shaken<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5285\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5285\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-339 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675.jpg\" alt=\"shaken\" width=\"596\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675.jpg 596w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675-300x181.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px\" \/><\/p><p>In January of 2017, I released a prophetic word that I received from the Lord with<br \/>regard to a reset that was coming. A hard reset. Often true of such words, there is a<br \/>now fulfillment as well as a then fulfillment of the word. It would seem, in the light of the<br \/>global pandemic we are in, that what we saw and experienced back in 2017 was only<br \/>the beginning of something that would shake the world and Jesus\u2019 Church.<\/p><p>Concerning his Church, this \u201cshaking\u201d can be framed in many ways, but the most<br \/>compelling to me is a Biblical one. In the book of Haggai 2:6\u20137, we read:<\/p><p><i>This is what the Lord Almighty says: \u2018In a little while I will once more shake the<br \/>heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what<br \/>is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,\u2019 says the<br \/>Lord Almighty.<\/i><\/p><p>Haggai makes it clear that the purpose of such a shaking is to release \u201cwhat is desired<br \/>by all nations\u201d so that God\u2019s house will be filled with glory\u2014a glory \u201cgreater than the<br \/>glory of the former house\u201d (Haggai 2:9). The context here is the rebuilding of the temple<br \/>by Zerubbabel. The shaking releases the wealth of the nations, flowing into the temple<br \/>in Jerusalem. Once the temple is rebuilt, adorned with riches of the world, then God<br \/>will fill it with his glory. But in these verses there is also a foreshadowing of the coming<br \/>of Christ. Jesus referred to his body as \u201cthis temple\u201d (John 2:19\u201321). His life, death,<br \/>and resurrection would fulfill what the temple pictured through its design, its<br \/>priesthood, its furniture, and its sacrifices. Whether they realize it or not, Jesus is what<br \/>all nations desire! He is the radiance of God\u2019s glory. What the temple pictured, Christ<br \/>fulfilled.<\/p><h5><b>The Intended Result: a Broken and Repentant Heart<\/b><\/h5><p>There is an unsettling\u2014an uprooting\u2014that happens in times of crisis. Things become<br \/>personal very quickly. What was previously avoidable becomes unavoidable. People<br \/>ask questions about life and death, before and after, heaven and hell. Intentionally or<br \/>not, these questions can be a springboard toward God and greater revelation of his<br \/>glory. This is the intention of God\u2014that in the shaking, the confrontation of false<br \/>realities, and the disturbing of all forms of human securities, the world cries out to God.<br \/>And for those who do this in repentance and with faith, there is forgiveness, healing,<br \/>freedom, relationship, identity, inheritance, destiny, purpose, and eternal life. In the<br \/>New Living Translation of the Bible it says this:<\/p><p><i>The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.<br \/>You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Psalm 51:17<\/p><h5><b>God&#8217;s Plans<\/b><\/h5><p>At times like these\u2014that is, in a global pandemic\u2014we, God\u2019s people, need to be<br \/>reminded of his word to his people when they were in exile in Babylon. His bottom line<br \/>to them? \u201cPlans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a<br \/>future.\u201d<\/p><p><i>This is what the Lord says: \u201cWhen seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will<br \/>come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I<br \/>know the plans I have for you,\u201d declares the Lord, \u201cplans to prosper you and not<br \/>to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 29:10\u201311 (NIV)<\/p><p>God had a plan and purpose for them, and being in exile was not the way things were<br \/>going to end. Nevertheless, seventy years is still seventy years to those who have to go<br \/>through it, just like there\u2019s no shortcut through the pandemic we are in now! No, for the<br \/>Hebrews, exile was not to be their end-game but would be for them a game-changer.<br \/>After seventy years in exile, they would be given another chance at listening to God,<br \/>trusting God, walking with God, and worshipping God alone. Seventy years in exile<br \/>would prove to shake enough people to turn back to God with all their hearts. They<br \/>would call out to him, pray to him, listen to him, and seek him. Then and only then<br \/>would they be liberated from their place of exile and be re-established in the land with<br \/>God.<\/p><p><i>Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You<br \/>will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by<br \/>you,\u201d declares the Lord, \u201cand will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you<br \/>from all the nations and places where I have banished you,\u201d declares the Lord,<br \/>\u201cand will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 29:10\u201314 (NIV)<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>We Will Not Be Shaken<\/b><\/h5><p>So what will sustain us in this moment we are in? As the Church of Jesus Christ\u2014a<br \/>light to the nations, a message of hope to the lost, a testimony of God\u2019s love and<br \/>power\u2014on what particular rock will we find ourselves standing when all the shaking is<br \/>over? God\u2019s love through his abiding presence alone is what will sustain us. As the<br \/>psalmist writes, \u201cI keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will<br \/>not be shaken\u201d (Psalm 16:8). And the rock? The only rock you want to stand on, both<br \/>now and then, is Jesus\u2014Saviour, Messiah, the Son of the Living God. This answers the<br \/>question Jesus asked Peter: \u201cBut what about you? Who do you say I am?\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>Planking the Curve<\/b><\/h5><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">During this global outbreak, health care systems have been overwhelmed, even<\/span><\/div><p>endangered, by the coronavirus. As a way of coping, they have come up with a plan to<br \/>prevent the exponential increase of new cases so as to manage further spread while<br \/>caring for those truly in need. In Canada, at least, this is referred to as \u201cplanking the<br \/>curve\u201d. Practically, it has entailed frequent washing of hands, practicing physical<br \/>distancing, not touching our faces, and staying at home and working from there, if at all<br \/>possible. Hopefully, this will result in \u201cplanking\u201d or flattening the curve, for now; but it<br \/>won\u2019t save the lost, who one day, without Christ, will face eternal punishment and<br \/>separation from God. That is not God\u2019s desire, of course. His desire is that all would be<br \/>saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Even in the shaking, God is exercising patience. Peter reminds<br \/>us,<\/p><p><i>Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to<br \/>come to repentance.<\/i><br \/>\u20142 Peter 3:9<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>It Ain\u2019t Over<\/b><\/h5><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As they say, \u201cit ain\u2019t over \u2018til it\u2019s over!\u201d And I believe that although we are all being<\/span><\/div><p>shaken, the time of grace is not over. Not yet, anyway. With Christ\u2019s return, there will be<br \/>judgement. In the Apostles\u2019 Creed, in speaking of Jesus\u2019 return, we declare,<\/p><p><i>[Jesus] is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.<br \/>From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.<br \/>And again, the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans writes,<br \/>You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them<br \/>with contempt? For we will all stand before God\u2019s judgment seat.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Romans 14:10 (NIV)<\/p><p>So let\u2019s not waste this crisis through lack of proper \u201cspiritual\u201d understanding, that is,<br \/>having a worldly understanding rather than the mind of Christ. The shaking that is<br \/>happening is meant to shake us from our apathy, unbelief, false sense of security, and<br \/>idols. For the peoples of the world, it is meant to disturb them enough that they cry out<br \/>to God and are saved. For the Church, it is meant to humble us and remind us of who<br \/>we have been made to be so we fully engage with our Kingdom mandate, the Great<br \/>Commission; and it\u2019s meant to deal with our fear of death once and for all so that we<br \/>might be bold and fearless in reaching out to the world in the fullest expression of<br \/>God\u2019s love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5286\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5286\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Misinterpreting the moment<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5286\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5286\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-340 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"534\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment.jpg 534w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment-300x177.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><\/p><p>Have you ever wondered if you made the mistake of misinterpreting the moment? When your response to something you had seen or heard was based on a spurious interpretation of the moment? Even though most of these moments go unnoticed, often they leave us feeling embarrassed and a bit awkward!<\/p><p>I wonder if Peter considered that he had \u201cmisinterpreted the moment\u201d as he came down the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-35 (NIV)). They had gone up the mountain to pray, looking for a quiet place as well as a place away from the crowds where they were sure to have a private experience. On the Mountain of Transfiguration, Jesus revealed to his disciples a version of Himself that they had never seen before. When they reached that place, they watched something unusual happen to Jesus. It must have been both wonderful and terrifying at the same time. The Bible says that Jesus\u2019 face changed into something \u201cother\u201d. That is, His visual appearance changed so that he looked different than they were used to. Perhaps, if they had not seen it with their own eyes, they would not have been able to recognize Jesus!<\/p><p>His garments were also changed. They became as bright as lightning. Not something that the natural eye would have been able to look at for very long. And then, Moses and Elijah appeared and discussed with Jesus His upcoming death. Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (the prophets) were a picture of God\u2019s authority and power during the old covenant age. But now it was time for the new age to begin, and with Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection a new covenant was about to be established where all authority, power, honour and glory would belong to Jesus.<\/p><p>The wonder and the oddity of this supernatural unveiling of Jesus\u2019 pre-incarnate glory were not for Jesus, but for His disciples to see. Peter, always a man of action in the moment, suggested that they build shelters so they could camp out together longer, perhaps forever! What he failed to understand was the moment was just that: it was a moment. It was meant to foreshadow a reality that is, was and is yet to come. It was a window of revelation that he and the other disciples would need during the dark days of Jesus\u2019 arrest, trial and eventual death by crucifixion.<\/p><p>Peter\u2019s misinterpretation of the moment didn\u2019t ruin Jesus\u2019 plans but it must have left Peter wondering, as they were heading back down the mountain, \u201cWhat was that all about?\u201d Later, when he would receive the Holy Spirit on the day Pentecost, it would all make sense. Why? Because spiritual moments cannot be properly interpreted with the human mind! The revelation on the mountain required an interpretation that only the Spirit of God could give, and that was something Peter needed to wait for.<\/p><p>I wonder how much our need to make sense of things in the moment actually interferes with what God is trying to show us. That is, when our need for quick and clear discernment overshadows our call to \u201ctrust and obey\u201d. Peter\u2019s discernment was off, but God in his grace still led Peter and the others into the fulfillment of His destiny &amp; purpose for their lives.<\/p><p>Was Peter\u2019s suggestion of staying on the mountain, perhaps indefinitely, totally wrong? No, not really. It is only natural to try to prolong powerful positive experiences as long as we can. Peter\u2019s suggestion of building shelters on the side of the mountain was just that: an attempt to prolong the moment. But it wasn\u2019t meant to be. It was a moment of revelation which would have its true significance in the future. It happened. It happened quickly. But it was over. Were they disappointed? Sure they were. I know I would have been! Those moments are often life-changing, impacting us thoroughly. Most of us would live in them forever, if we could. But that\u2019s not what Jesus intended. It was to lead them, as it is to lead us, into a greater revelation of living our lives in the glory of His presence.<\/p><p>I believe as we draw closer to Jesus\u2019 return, we are going to have more \u201cup the mountain\u201d supernatural experiences, moves of God, spiritual awakenings, even revival! If we are to truly benefit from these kinds of happenings, we will need to wait for the Holy Spirit to give us not only the revelation in the moment but the interpretation during or after the revelation has been given. Waiting for the interpretation is the only way we can be sure that we do not, like Peter, \u201cmisinterpret the moment\u201d. Let\u2019s be honest: none of us want to wake up one day to find that Jesus has moved on and we\u2019re on our own, still camping out on yesterday\u2019s mountain!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5287\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5287\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">So What about Easter?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5287\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5287\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-356 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"easter\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>So what about Easter? For Christians around the world, it is a time when we remember<br \/>the death and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It would seem for the<br \/>rest of the world that it has become a three-day weekend filled with chocolate eggs<br \/>and Easter bunnies.<\/p><p>I\u2019m not really surprised that non-Christians would take an opportunity to have<br \/>something to celebrate. I don\u2019t mean that in a cynical kind of way. Just that, from my<br \/>observation, any opportunity to celebrate seems to be a good one: Christmas, Easter,<br \/>Valentine\u2019s Day, Hallowe\u2019en, St. Patrick\u2019s Day, whatever, take your pick, all of the<br \/>above. I\u2019m not really bothered by this because I remember before I became a Christian<br \/>I used anything as an excuse to party! And so, I really understand why the rest of the<br \/>world would celebrate Easter.<\/p><p>I guess what I\u2019m really saying is that Easter has become something other than a<br \/>Christian tradition. Much like Christmas, really. More and more a marketing retail<br \/>opportunity, taking advantage of what I\u2019ve already said, that the world wants to<br \/>celebrate something and the retail industry will take every opportunity to help,<br \/>regardless of what the holiday is called.<\/p><p>No, I\u2019m not bothered by the worldly reasons for celebrating at Easter time. I\u2019m more<br \/>concerned about the Christian perspective, that is, buying into the idea that once a<br \/>year we pull out all the stops to remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of<br \/>Jesus Christ. Is that our tradition, and if so where did it come from? And how has that<br \/>tradition perhaps been shaped by a worldly culture that is increasingly more hostile to<br \/>the Christian faith altogether?<\/p><p>For years now I have refused to tell my wife I love her on Valentine\u2019s Day simply<br \/>because the world of shopping tells me to do it. Moreover, I decided long ago, that I<br \/>would love my wife and tell her so every day of our married life together. I don\u2019t need<br \/>someone to tell me to buy flowers for my wife. (Sadly, some guys do!) Instead, I buy<br \/>flowers regularly, spontaneously to give them at times when there is no other reason to<br \/>give them except to say, \u201cI love you!\u201d<\/p><p>For me, Easter has been all the time, every day of my life since I decided to believe in<br \/>Jesus. Every day I remember His death. Every day I remember His resurrection, the<br \/>promise of new life. Every day I thank Him that He gave me something I did not<br \/>deserve. Every day I say to Him, \u201cI love you!\u201d<\/p><p>This weekend, I will celebrate with the rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ around<br \/>the world. This weekend I will remember His death. I will celebrate His resurrection with<br \/>my family and my friends. My celebrations won\u2019t stop next week or the week after, or<br \/>the week after that, because for me every day is a good day to give thanks to the Lord<br \/>for dying on the cross for me. Every day is a good day to say, \u201cJesus, I love you!\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5288\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5288\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Jesus' Return: What about the next Generation?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5288\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5288\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-351 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1024x698.jpg\" alt=\"Next Gen\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-768x523.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1536x1047.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-2048x1396.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>Last week I received a couple of emails with links to messages concerning Jesus\u2019<br \/>imminent return. Truthfully, I can\u2019t think of any \u201cbreaking news\u201d that could be better! To<br \/>think that tomorrow, Jesus is going to appear with the angelic hosts, coming on the<br \/>clouds in the fullness of His glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! What a day that<br \/>will be \u2013 the last day, in fact, as we know it.<\/p><p>There were, however, a few things I found disturbing about this \u201cgood news\u201d. Those<br \/>bringing it concluded that because of the shortness time there was no need to raise up<br \/>the next generation. In fact, one commentator insisted emphatically, \u201c\u2026don\u2019t waste<br \/>your time!\u201d Hmmm. Unwise advice, if you ask me. History shows that in every<br \/>generation since Jesus\u2019 ascension there have been so-called prophetic voices<br \/>announcing the Lord\u2019s second coming. Just for the record, so far, they have ALL been<br \/>wrong!<\/p><p>So, where does that leave us? Well, I for one DEFINITELY believe that Jesus is coming<br \/>back, because the Bible tells me so. But I think that we should leave the day and the<br \/>hour up to Father God, don\u2019t you? Here\u2019s what Jesus had to say about this:<\/p><p><i>But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the<br \/>Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming<br \/>of the Son of Man.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:36\u201337<\/p><p>Since the day that God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, He has been<br \/>working on a kind of reconciliation that would reinstate them into holy relationship with<br \/>Him. Also, throughout the Bible God\u2019s expressed intent is to have a people for Himself<br \/>on the earth among whom His Name will dwell. The Bible portrays His agenda as one<br \/>that spans generations. His covenant promise to Abraham was to make him a father of<br \/>many generations. Clearly, God\u2019s plans and purposes are cross-generational.<\/p><p>There will, of course, be a generation\u2013that is, a \u201cterminal\u201d generation\u2013in which Jesus<br \/>returns. However, until then, our call is to be His testimony until His work here on earth<br \/>is done. And who are we to say that it is done? Even more so, shouldn\u2019t we be like<br \/>Abraham, who pleaded with God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of<br \/>even 10 righteous people. Remember, \u2026the last day will be THE LAST DAY! No more<br \/>chances for the last 10, \u2026not even the last one!<\/p><p>Don\u2019t you think it would be worth postponing the great and terrible day of the Lord (\u2026if<br \/>we could) if there\u2019s a chance for 10 more souls to give their hearts to Jesus before His<br \/>return? And don\u2019t you feel it would be in the heart of God to put off His coming one<br \/>more day if a few more might turn to the Lord and be saved? The Father still gets to<br \/>decide the day and hour, and the day will come; but until then, today is NOT the last<br \/>day. Meanwhile, we can continue in obedience and faith to share the love of Jesus with<br \/>a broken and lost world.<\/p><p>Consider this: Jesus will come on the last day, that is, the last day of grace and<br \/>salvation. He will come without warning. He will come with those who have died<br \/>already. Those \u201cin Christ\u201d on the earth at His coming will be given a new glorified body.<br \/>They will join with him in the air, along with those people He brings with Him to judge<br \/>the un-saved. Those who died whose names were not found in the Lamb\u2019s Book of Life<br \/>when they died will be resurrected to damnation. It is appointed to man once to die<br \/>and after this is judgment. The unredeemed will be judged guilty and cast into hell.<\/p><p>So, what should our response be? Should we be delightfully happy, rejoicing in the<br \/>streets? Or should we be deeply sobered, even disturbed, by this seemingly finite<br \/>ending for so many in the world, it appears, who will find themselves condemned to<br \/>hell forever? I think both responses are not only appropriate but necessary. We need to<br \/>live every day of our lives, before Jesus\u2019 return, with a confidence of our salvation that<br \/>has been sealed into us by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of things to come. Our lives<br \/>need to be a testimony of the victorious life in Christ. And though we long for His<br \/>coming, we rejoice when we know that the delay of His return gives us another day\u2019s<br \/>worth of opportunity to share the love of Jesus with a lost soul. The Spirit and the Bride<br \/>say, \u201cCome!\u201d But to know Jesus is to know His heart, and His heart is one of<br \/>compassion for the lost.<\/p><p>He will come. No one knows the day or the hour. That\u2019s for certain! And so, while we<br \/>wait let us give ourselves to the destiny and purpose of God that is before us. In faith,<br \/>let us pass on the baton to the next generation, so that as long as \u201ctoday is called<br \/>today\u201d we will continue to be the testimony of God upon the earth until Jesus returns.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-5289\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-5289\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">The feeling versus thinking question<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-5289\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-5289\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-347 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1024x670.jpg\" alt=\"feeling\" width=\"800\" height=\"523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1536x1004.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-2048x1339.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>This morning I sat down at my computer with, of course, my coffee in hand and, after<br \/>waking it up from its sleep, I was staring at a Facebook page that said, \u201cHow are you<br \/>feeling, Mark?\u201d. It was as if somebody sitting right in front of me was asking me the<br \/>question. I found myself thinking of an answer, and, even worse, not being able to<br \/>come up with one. And then it dawned on me: It was the wrong question! If the<br \/>computer had asked me, \u201cWhat are you thinking right now, Mark?\u201d, I would have<br \/>quickly answered with a paragraph or two on my thoughts for the day. For whatever<br \/>reason, I wasn\u2019t thinking yet about how I was feeling; rather I was thinking about what I<br \/>was thinking.<\/p><p>Years ago when I was taking counselling training in grad school I was taught that<br \/>people can generally be sorted into two simple groups: They are either thinkers or<br \/>feelers. If you ask a thinking person how they are feeling, it\u2019s likely that you won\u2019t get<br \/>much of a response. Similarly, if you ask a feeling person what they are thinking, they<br \/>may find it difficult to express themselves. Of course this is a generalization, but I\u2019ve<br \/>found it helpful to remember over the years when wanting to know how a person is<br \/>doing, that is, thinking and\/or feeling. Of course, no one is purely a thinker or a feeler.<br \/>We are all a mixture of both to some degree. It\u2019s just that we tend to have a preference<br \/>with regard to collecting information, processing it and then expressing the results.<br \/>Because of this, we often experience people as either thinking types or feeling types,<br \/>and if we are not careful, we end up putting them in a box that may be helpful for us<br \/>but restricting for them.<\/p><p>If we can think of individuals in this way, we can also think of groups of people like this,<br \/>too. That is, that they are either thinkers or feelers. For instance, in most local churches<br \/>there are those people who typically experience God in a feeling\/sensing kind of way<br \/>and often express this with a range of emotions. They are referred to as \u201ccreative\u201d or<br \/>\u201cartistic\u201d or just \u201cprophetic\u201d types. There will also be those who experience God in their<br \/>thoughts. Typically they rely heavily on the study\/teaching, reading\/speaking and<br \/>application of \u201cthe Word\u201d to express their experience of knowing and walking with<br \/>God. Unfortunately, most thinking types are suspicious of the feeling\/sensing types,<br \/>often criticizing them of being subjective in their experience, and, therefore, selffocused<br \/>and superficial. Feeling types have their box, too, for the thinkers in the crowd.<br \/>Convinced they are disconnected from their emotions, thinkers are considered to be<br \/>low in faith as they require everything to \u201cmake sense\u201d before they commit. Feeling<br \/>types believe that thinkers are slaves to reason and rationale, prone to being<br \/>controlling, legalistic and unable to show a depth of compassion due to their inability to<br \/>empathize with real heart.<\/p><p>I believe that Jesus was both a thinker and a feeler. I don\u2019t think anyone would say of<br \/>him that he was either one or the other but rather, both. In fact, there was never a time<br \/>that his head and his heart were truly at odds with each other. In being fully human, he<br \/>experienced decision-making challenges that came from the conflict between the<br \/>heart\u2019s feelings and the head\u2019s thoughts. For instance, in the garden of Gethsemane,<br \/>Jesus was conflicted between the passions of his heart and the belief of his destiny.<br \/>His resolve was found in submission to his Father\u2019s will, \u201c\u2026not my will, but yours be<br \/>done\u201d (Luke 22:4).<\/p><p>And so, the true biblical picture of Jesus, the son of God, is a picture of oneness. He<br \/>was not only one with the Father (John 14:10), but also demonstrated a perfect unity<br \/>between his head and his heart. This picture of Jesus on the earth, I believe, is one for<br \/>us to reconsider when we think about the church in these days. In him, there was a<br \/>unity and harmony between both head and heart. He demonstrated a mixture of<br \/>thoughts and feelings throughout his life and ministry. Today he wants to bring us into a<br \/>reunion of heart and mind, of feeling and thinking, of the body and the head.<br \/>Separation and division in the church have too often come from a disunity that has had<br \/>its genesis in a mutual suspicion between those who think versus those who feel. Dare<br \/>I say, there have been whole denominations and movements that have come out of a<br \/>particular preferred way of knowing and experiencing God. It seems silly to me that<br \/>anyone would want a headless body, any more than they would want a bodiless head!<br \/>But yet, that is often what we have, perhaps not intentionally, but as a consequence of<br \/>our trusted preference of experiencing life and God.<\/p><p>Today we are standing on new ground. The Lord is renovating his house for the sake of<br \/>his glory. And he wants to bring the feelers and the thinkers of his body into a oneness<br \/>of knowledge and experience of his presence and his power. And the key to this unity<br \/>will be found in our ability to trust one another. Suspicion is the door through which the<br \/>enemy enters, bringing division through hard-heartedness and a judgmental mind. It is<br \/>only within a culture of honour and respect, built on the solid rock of his love and<br \/>grace, that we can know and experience the kind of unity that the Lord himself has in<br \/>mind for us. Not impossible, but like fine wine, rare and costly.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52810\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52810\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">I believe, Lord<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52810\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52810\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-348 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-1024x564.jpg\" alt=\"i believe\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-768x423.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe.jpg 1413w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>I have always thought it would be fun to walk on water, like Peter did. But I<br \/>don\u2019t need to walk on water in order to believe in Jesus. I don\u2019t need to see another<br \/>miracle to be convinced that he is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born<br \/>of a virgin, who died on a cross for the sins of the world, and who God the Father<br \/>raised from the dead on the third day.<\/p><p>No, I don\u2019t really need to see another sign or wonder in order to believe or follow<br \/>Jesus. In fact, Jesus said,<\/p><p><i>Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not<br \/>seen and yet have believed.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 20:29<\/p><p>Having said this, however, I can\u2019t wait to see another of the miracles or signs or<br \/>wonders that Jesus is going to do, specifically that he\u2019s going to do through us who<br \/>really believe. Why? Because when we do these things, in Jesus\u2019 name, through the<br \/>authority he has given us, then we are doing the will of the Father and drawing<br \/>attention to his son. But for what other good reason should we, as believers, want to<br \/>see more signs, wonders and miracles (SWMs)?<\/p><p>In understanding the Father\u2019s heart in sending Jesus to seek and save the lost (Luke<br \/>19:9), the SWMs he performed were to bring the lost to repentance and faith in him.<br \/>From reading the Gospels, I have come to believe, that the SWMs of Jesus are about<br \/>his Kingdom on earth. These manifestations of his power and love accredit him to the<br \/>hearts of those who are yet to be convinced of who is. On the day of Pentecost, in<br \/>Peter\u2019s Holy Spirit inspired message to a captivated crowd of onlookers, he wrote,<\/p><p><i>Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God<br \/>to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him,<br \/>as you yourselves know.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Acts 2:22<\/p><p>This makes it pretty clear that SWMs were about two things in particular: first,<br \/>establishing his true identity, that is, Jesus really is the Son of God, the Messiah!<br \/>Second, to confront people with the reality of his Kingdom through a demonstration of<br \/>his power. The apostle Paul wrote,<\/p><p><i>My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but<br \/>with a demonstration of the Spirit\u2019s power, so that your faith might not rest on<br \/>men\u2019s wisdom, but on God\u2019s power.<\/i><br \/>\u20141 Corinthians 2:4\u20135<\/p><p>And again in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians,<br \/><i>But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is<br \/>from God and not from us.<\/i><br \/>\u20142 Corinthians 4:7<\/p><p>There is something about the manifestation of God\u2019s power that confronts us with the<br \/>reality of who the Scriptures say he is. It often results in us believing \u2013 having faith \u2013 in<br \/>what would we normally say is unbelievable! That is, in things that don\u2019t make sense to<br \/>the human mind that is living and learning within the limits of natural laws. His power<br \/>confronts us with another realm of existence, that is God\u2019s realm, the realm of the spirit<br \/>and supernatural. Now, I know the word \u201cconfront\u201d might seem a bit strong but often a<br \/>confrontation of realities and beliefs is needed in order for our hearts as well as our<br \/>minds to be changed. And what is the sign of that change? Repentance.<\/p><p><i>Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had<br \/>been performed, because they did not repent.<br \/><\/i><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">\u2014Matthew 11:20<\/span><i><br \/><\/i><\/p><p>One purpose of the miracles that Jesus did then and is still doing today is to bring<br \/>people to repentance. True repentance is required so that we can appropriate God\u2019s<br \/>forgiveness through the perfect sacrifice for sin that Jesus has already made on our<br \/>behalf. Faith alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by sincere heartfelt<br \/>repentance; a kind of repentance that is rarely seen unless something or someone has<br \/>confronted us with a greater reality by which we can contrast ourselves and our<br \/>previous experience.<\/p><p>When Jesus first began his ministry, we are told that he continued to preach, as his<br \/>forerunner John the Baptist did, \u201cRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is near\u201d (Matthew<br \/>4:17). However, unlike John, he did not baptize the people in water for the forgiveness<br \/>of their sin but just forgave them, for He was God! He did, in fact, baptize people, but<br \/>in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, unlike his cousin John, \u201ca voice of one calling in the<br \/>desert, \u2018Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him&#8217;\u201d, Jesus moved in<br \/>SWMs.<\/p><p><i>Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the<br \/>good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the<br \/>people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who<br \/>were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demonpossessed,<br \/>those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large<br \/>crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the<br \/>Jordan followed him.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 4:23\u201325<\/p><p>Like any good pastor today, Jesus preached and taught the scriptures in a way that<br \/>often impressed his listeners. But he didn\u2019t stop there. He went on to move in<br \/>supernatural power, performing SWMs \u2013 and that\u2019s what got him into trouble!!! It would<br \/>either cause people to believe and repent or it triggered a religious spirit to rise up,<br \/>manifesting in threats and false accusations. They called him an impostor, a heretic, a<br \/>blasphemer, and even a satanist! Two extremes: one a response, the other a reaction,<br \/>but both resulting because the Kingdom of God manifested, and set God\u2019s divine<br \/>plumb line.<\/p><p>Jesus never took credit for the miracles he performed. He always gave the credit to His<br \/>Father in heaven: \u201c\u2026it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work\u201d John 14:10.<br \/>His words should have been enough for his disciples to believe, yet he knew that the<br \/>heart of man can be hard to convince, and so he added,<\/p><p><i>Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least<br \/>believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 14: 10<\/p><p>The \u201cevidence of the miracles\u201d tells us that Jesus is God\u2019s son and if we believe in him<br \/>with repentant hearts we will be saved! We must remember, though, that his miracles,<br \/>either reveal and clarify or hide and confuse. They are the divine plumb line that God<br \/>often uses to expose our hearts; the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, living and<br \/>active, which penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges<br \/>the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Even John the Baptist, in prison<br \/>in his last days, seemed confused by what he heard that Jesus was doing! So much so<br \/>that he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, \u201cAre you the one who was to<br \/>come, or should we expect someone else?\u201d Matthew11:3. Jesus, not bearing witness<br \/>to himself in his own defense, pointed instead to the manifestation of his Kingdom: a<br \/>true witness to his identity as the Messiah.<\/p><p><i>Jesus replied, \u201cGo back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind<br \/>receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear,<br \/>the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the<br \/>man who does not fall away on account of me.\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 11:4<\/p><p>I find it chilling to think that John the Baptist who knew Jesus so well, even in<br \/>prophesying his coming and recognizing him when he finally did, now was confused<br \/>about who Jesus was because of what Jesus was doing! And Jesus made it clear to<br \/>John\u2019s disciples, as well as to the crowd around him, that SWMs he performed would<br \/>be the very acts that would separate them into one of two camps: those who would<br \/>believe and repent and follow versus those who would not.<\/p><p>Every morning I pray that will do the \u201cgreater things things than these\u201d of John 14:12,<br \/>because I know that this is God\u2019s way of accrediting his son, Jesus, to the hearts of<br \/>men. I also know and believe that if we are praying for revival to come in our day it will<br \/>only come as we, the Body of Christ, move in the signs, wonders and miracles of<br \/>Jesus. Jesus said, \u201cBlessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed\u201d John<br \/>20:29, but yet, in his grace, he will confront us through a demonstration of his power so<br \/>that as many hearts as possible might be convinced.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52811\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52811\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Jesus' Return: Is he coming back soon?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52811\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52811\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-349 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-1024x800.jpg\" alt=\"Jesus Return\" width=\"800\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return.jpg 1231w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>From the gospels and epistles we know that Jesus is going to return one day. Most<br \/>commonly referred to as the \u201cSecond Coming\u201d, this is a widely embraced truth<br \/>throughout Christendom, though not without debate. My question is this: is his return<br \/>imminent? Jesus made it clear that although we should take note of the signs that his<br \/>return is soon approaching, no one except the Father knows the day or hour of his<br \/>return.<\/p><p>Well, now, that makes things a bit tricky, doesn\u2019t it! Be prepared, watch for the signs<br \/>but, ultimately, no one will know or be able to predict exactly when he is coming back.<br \/>In fact, when he does return, it will be at a time that we least expect. Here\u2019s how Jesus<br \/>said it:<\/p><p><i>So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when<br \/>you do not expect him.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:44<\/p><p>Predicting Jesus\u2019 return, however, is not really what this is about, as if knowing the<br \/>when of his return could better prepare us for it, albeit at the last minute. No, in<br \/>knowing that he will one day return without knowing the when, we are faced with a<br \/>choice: First, to live moment-by-moment, fully prepared for his return, like the five wise<br \/>virgins of Matthew 25:1\u201313. Unlike the foolish five, they made sure that their lamps<br \/>were filled with oil just in case the bridegroom came in the night. Alternatively, we can<br \/>gamble on having the time to make our preparations in the last moment. The struggle<br \/>in this choice, I believe, hinges on the idea that true satisfaction and significance<br \/>cannot really be found outside of worldly pursuits and pleasures. \u201cOne foot in the<br \/>world, one foot in the Kingdom\u201d, so to speak. Young believers, especially, have<br \/>expressed this by asking questions like, \u201cIf I really follow Jesus, does that mean I can\u2019t<br \/>be cool?\u201d \u201cDoes being a disciple mean I have to live a boring life?\u201d Or the simple<br \/>conclusion, \u201cWhy do the wicked seem to have all the fun!\u201d Even Jeremiah couldn\u2019t help<br \/>commenting:<\/p><p><i>Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 24:1<\/p><p>Whether young or old, the gamble is that we might forfeit eternal salvation if we<br \/>continue to live a worldly life after we have been saved. Leaving this discussion for<br \/>another time, that is, whether we are \u201conce saved, always saved\u201d, I will say that I have<br \/>come to know and believe that God\u2019s grace is not at all like the grace of man. His grace<br \/>extends and stretches far beyond anything we can either know or express to one<br \/>another as mere mortals through our own strength and power. But we should not take<br \/>his patience as permission to see how close we can come to the line of the world<br \/>before crossing over.<\/p><p>There is, however, another possible response to Jesus\u2019 return, which is to not respond<br \/>at all. That is, to live our lives as if he isn\u2019t coming back. Puzzling, for sure, but more<br \/>common than perhaps many of us are willing to admit. Like in the day of Noah, Jesus<br \/>said, so it will be when he returns.<\/p><p><i>As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For<br \/>in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and<br \/>giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing<br \/>about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is<br \/>how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:37\u201339<\/p><p>Was their fate due to ignorance? Hardly! Not with the lunatic Noah building the ark<br \/>under their noses for years on end! It was not for lack of warning that they perished.<br \/>What sent them to their deaths was a love of their own lives and a lack of the fear of<br \/>God. These are two things that we, who have been made one with Christ through the<br \/>blood of his New Covenant, must be rid of, once and for all, by the perseverance of<br \/>faith, if we are to be prepared for his return. In this way, we can be sure that the<br \/>testimony he has made us to be does not become tarnished.<\/p><p>I believe that Jesus is going to return again. When, I don\u2019t know. But what I do know is<br \/>that while we, his bride, watch and wait, by God\u2019s grace and power we will live a life<br \/>that is holy and pleasing to God. So that our salvation might be guaranteed? No! So<br \/>that he might know how incredibly thankful we are for the gift of grace we have<br \/>received \u2013 a gift, by the way, that neither you nor I deserved.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52812\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52812\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What about these five-folders? Todays Apostles<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52812\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52812\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-345\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg\" alt=\"5 Fold Min\" width=\"300\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold.jpg 1745w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>Talk of returning to the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4 is certainly not new.The history<br \/>of Christianity is peppered with reformers and reformations. Among believers it is a<br \/>subject that resurfaces from time to time, often with great passion and conviction. Over<br \/>my last 25+ years of ministry we have seen a re-embracing of the prophetic to where<br \/>there is now a level of comfort in talking about prophetic gifts and ministries, and even<br \/>those we call prophets.<\/p><p>And then there is the gift of apostle, more commonly referred to as apostolic ministry.<br \/>We have come a long way. Whereas once upon a time apostolic ministry was rarely<br \/>mentioned, now we talk openly about such things and, even speak of those who are<br \/>modern day apostles. In fact, in the 90\u2019s (1990\u2019s that is!) there seemed to be selfproclaimed<br \/>apostles popping up all over the place. Whether they were the real deal is<br \/>certainly not something I am going make a call on, except to say I did notice that there<br \/>appeared to be a lot of \u2018wannabes\u2019 who overtime were unable to produce sustainable<br \/>apostolic fruit. (By the way, I am not picking on anyone in particular, as we will all be<br \/>known and judged by our fruit.) This shouldn\u2019t be surprising, as with each renaissance<br \/>there is a surge of early adopters who suddenly appear on the scene.<\/p><p>Now that the dust has settled and the novelty worn off, we are left on the one hand<br \/>with institutional apostles, that is, those who take for themselves or are given the title<br \/>Apostle (not unlike being called Pastor), denoting rank, status, or a job description. On<br \/>the other hand are those who exercise their apostolic gifts and authority without the<br \/>need of title, and often outside the confines of institutional Christianity.<\/p><p>God works through most apostolic people to start new ministries. In talking of this,<br \/>Loren Cunningham comes to mind. As a youth pastor in his twenties he had a vision to<br \/>train and send out teams of young people on short-term evangelistic missions, but his<br \/>overseers were not enthusiastic:<\/p><p><i>The leaders were cordial enough to me, a young greenhorn, but they pointed out all the<br \/>inherent problems in my plan. Inexperienced young people would be an explosive<br \/>element overseas, they explained. With rising nationalism and political unrest, the<br \/>denomination had its hands full keeping the experienced missionaries from getting<br \/>kicked out. They pointed out that the complexities of different cultures presented<br \/>another set of challenges. And there were real dangers and diseases. The last thing<br \/>they needed was a bunch of thrill-seeking kids complicating the worthwhile job the real<br \/>missionaries were doing.<\/i> <br \/>(\u201cIs That Really You, God?\u201d by Loren Cunningham with Janice\u00a0Rogers, p.47)<\/p><p>Knowing he\u2019d heard from God, Loren responded by moving outside his denominational<br \/>boundaries and founding Youth With A Mission in 1960. Today, YWAM trains 25,000<br \/>missionaries a year, and has tens of thousands of full-time workers in over 1000<br \/>locations. Truly Loren Cunningham is and has been an apostolic father in our time.The<br \/>question remains, however: Will the Loren Cunninghams of the new generation, waiting<br \/>to be recognized and released, find a different kind of response from older church<br \/>leaders to their fresh apostolic vision and passion? Will they be forced to find the<br \/>fulfillment of their ministries outside of current church structures and systems? I have<br \/>often heard it said by YWAM leaders, though be it candidly in hushed tones, that when<br \/>the church re-embraces its Kingdom agenda of equipping, training and sending out<br \/>young missionaries around the world then YWAM will no longer need to exist. As a<br \/>friend and partner of YWAM I have to say that I am in total agreement. The gift of<br \/>apostle, as part of the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4, was given to the Church and is<br \/>essential for the whole body to attain the measure of Christ. Now, as an older leader<br \/>my prayer is that we may recognize, call forth, raise up, bless and release in our midst<br \/>new apostolic leaders. In this, I believe we will be aligning ourselves with God\u2019s plan<br \/>and purpose to restore the five-fold ministry so that the Church walk fully in her destiny<br \/>and purpose in these end times.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52813\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"13\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52813\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Becoming Mature, Attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52813\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"13\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52813\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-350\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"maturity\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-1024x763.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-768x572.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity.jpg 1075w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>I have no confusion with regard to my conclusion about Ephesians 4 being a Biblical<br \/>model, if not the model, for a gifted, appointed, God-anointed group of individuals<br \/>who, by their Christ-given gifts, are \u201cto prepare God\u2019s people for works of service\u201d v.12.<br \/>When this bunch of preparers (who I will herein refer to as Five-folders) fulfill their<br \/>divinely commissioned task faithfully, the results will be staggering, i.e., the body of<br \/>Christ will be built up, reaching unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of<br \/>God, becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ!<\/p><p>It equally seems clear to me, as it does to so many others, that in order for this result to<br \/>come to pass, it will require something supernatural to happen, that is, not just the<br \/>exercise of natural talents along with the cleverness of the mind, but a demonstration<br \/>of the Spirit\u2019s power to radically change our lives \u2013 individually, and even more so,<br \/>corporately. Any other kind of effort to accomplish the same result, if it could, would<br \/>only serve to lessen our sense of value of what it means to attain to the whole measure<br \/>of the fulness of Christ.<\/p><p>The truth, however, is that this is not yet the measure to which we have attained. For<br \/>the sake of being honest, and more likely to recognize the necessity of a shift in our<br \/>hearts and minds, we must be willing to be measured by the picture of ourselves as<br \/>one unified mature Body in God\u2019s Word. The height to which He calls us may seem<br \/>unattainable, but it is, nevertheless, the level of knowledge and experience He intends<br \/>us to have. And I believe we can reach this \u201cwhole measure\u201d by re-embracing the<br \/>ministry that Christ gave to His Church to be the Church.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52814\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"14\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52814\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Five fold ministry<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52814\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"14\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52814\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-345\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg\" alt=\"5 Fold Min\" width=\"300\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold.jpg 1745w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>And so, what about this five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4? Since Jesus appointed some<br \/>to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be pastors, some to be teachers, some<br \/>to be evangelists, then why is it that in most local churches leaders are pastors who<br \/>perhaps teach, and elders who perhaps are mature enough and wise enough to be<br \/>recognized as such?<\/p><p>Of course, the fact that we call local church leaders \u201cpastors\u201d does not really tell us<br \/>anything, except that they have likely been appointed to manage a branch of the local<br \/>church. In the most general sense, \u201cthe pastor\u201d is the leader even if the pastor does<br \/>not have the gift of pastoring. Confusing, right? For the sake of clarification, the Bible<br \/>portrays pastoring as a gift given to those who have been called by God to shepherd<br \/>the flock. They may be leaders, or perhaps not, but they know how to care for people<br \/>with the love and compassion of God.<\/p><p>Teachers, on the other hand, are those who have been gifted to teach. Sounds simple,<br \/>doesn\u2019t it? However, we often call these individuals pastors, too. Now it\u2019s getting really<br \/>confusing! And then of course we have apostles and prophets. We usually don\u2019t call<br \/>them anything. Well, that\u2019s not exactly true. We call them pastors, too, if they are<br \/>leaders in the local church. When they don\u2019t settle into local church ministry then we<br \/>call them missionaries. Hmmm\u2026this isn\u2019t getting any clearer now, is it? We do speak of<br \/>people being prophetic but rarely do we recognize those who have been called by God<br \/>to be prophets in our day and in our time. And what about apostles? Are there any still<br \/>around? It is rare that we refer to anyone as an apostle, but yet I believe there are many<br \/>men and women who function in this calling and gift but have had to find a release<br \/>outside of Sunday-centred Christianity.<\/p><p>And finally, the evangelist, or should I say the evangelistic gift? Like John the Baptist,<br \/>they\u2019re often a strange bunch of individuals. Of course, when they reach the stature of<br \/>Billy Graham, they are honoured, revered, and respected. But few get to this level, and<br \/>as a consequence, most become marginalized through others\u2019 misunderstanding of<br \/>their unique and often strange ways.<\/p><p>And so, since the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4 has been given to us by Jesus \u201c\u2026to<br \/>prepare God\u2019s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up<br \/>until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become<br \/>mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ\u201d, then can we, the body<br \/>of Christ, expect to reach this on a singularly based pastoral-led church? True, the<br \/>leadership tag \u201cpastor\u201d seems to be a catchall for a mixture of gifts and callings, but it<br \/>does not clearly recognize or embrace the fullness of these gifts that have been given<br \/>to some.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52815\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"15\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52815\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Maturity in the Body of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52815\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"15\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52815\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-167 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1024x293.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1024x293.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-300x86.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-768x219.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1536x439.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash.jpg 1802w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>If there is another move of God coming (and I believe there is), will it be sustainable? It<br \/>is one thing to pray in revival; it is quite another to sustain it over time. If unity is a<br \/>necessity, then what kind of unity are we talking about, and how do we experience it? I<br \/>believe this unity is above and beyond the social, organizational, political or national<br \/>kind. It is rarely brought about by ministerial meetings or local churches deciding to do<br \/>something together a couple of times a year. It is a unity that is \u201cof the Spirit through<br \/>the bond of peace\u201d. What we know about this peace is that it is a peace that the world<br \/>cannot give (John 14:27). And so, both the peace that binds us together and the unity<br \/>that comes \u201cof the Spirit\u201d are miraculous works of God in us through Christ Jesus, our<br \/>Lord! We are, of course, His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). The key in this for us is an<br \/>issue of heart. As Paul wrote so simply, \u201cBe completely humble and gentle; be patient,<br \/>bearing with one another in love\u201d (Ephesians 4:2). It seems that this is a prerequisite for<br \/>true unity.<\/p><h5><b>Unity and Maturity<\/b><\/h5><p>There is also another kind of unity, that is, \u201cunity in the faith and in the knowledge of<br \/>the Son of God\u201d (Ephesians 4:13). That\u2019s where the five-fold ministry comes in. It is<br \/>brought about when those apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists that<br \/>Jesus himself anointed and appointed do what they are supposed to do! And this is<br \/>their work:<\/p><p><i>\u2026to prepare God\u2019s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may<br \/>be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of<br \/>God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of<br \/>Christ.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Ephesians 4:12\u201313.<\/p><p>In the five-fold preparations of God\u2019s people, the Body of Christ receives more than just<br \/>an equipping \u201cfor works of service\u201d; in this there is spiritual unity and maturity that<br \/>cannot be reached any other way. If \u201cattaining to the whole measure of the fullness of<br \/>Christ\u201d is our ultimate goal, then unity and maturity in the Body of Christ are essential.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52816\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"16\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52816\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Unity in the Body of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52816\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"16\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52816\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-355 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"unity\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1536x942.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity.jpg 1559w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>When I think of leadership in the Church, several scriptures come to mind as key texts.<br \/>Ephesians 4 is one of them, in particular verses 11\u201316, often referred to as the teaching<br \/>on the \u201c5-fold ministry\u201d. This has been and continues to be foundational in our<br \/>understanding of the Christ-anointed\/Christ-appointed ministry gifts that have been<br \/>given to bring the Body of Christ into unity and maturity. These grace gifts are what I<br \/>and others call \u201cessential\u201d gifts rather than \u201coptional\u201d or even \u201cpreferred\u201d: in order for<br \/>the Body of Christ to come into \u201cthe whole measure of the fullness of Christ\u201d these<br \/>essential gifts, in recognized leaders with active and accepted ministries, need to be at<br \/>work.<\/p><p>That being said, Ephesian 4:1\u201316 is not really about leadership or the 5-fold ministry,<br \/>but rather it is about unity in the Body of Christ, His Church. Earlier in that chapter Paul<br \/>writes: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.<\/p><h5><b>A Shared Understanding<\/b><\/h5><p>Knowing that this unity hinges on a correct understanding of some key spiritual<br \/>realities, Paul goes on to say this:<\/p><p><i>4 There is one body and one Spirit\u2014just as you were called to one hope when<br \/>you were called\u2014 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of<br \/>all, who is over all and through all and in all.<\/i><\/p><p>It would seem that Paul is answering the question: \u201cHow many bodies are there?\u201d Or<br \/>perhaps, \u201cHow many Gods, or Lords, or faiths, or hopes, or baptisms are there?\u201d As<br \/>non-PC as it might be in our day and age to suggest that there could only be one of<br \/>each of these, the truth remains that there is only one. Not many, but one. One God,<br \/>one Lord, one Spirit, one faith, one hope, one baptism, and\u2026one body! Keeping \u201cunity<br \/>in the Spirit\u201d, then, requires us to be unified in a shared understanding of this truth. In<br \/>knowing and sharing this together Paul trusts that it will spur us on to what he exhorts<br \/>us all to be, that is, \u201ccompletely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one<br \/>another in love\u201d (v. 2).<\/p><h5><b>Unique Branches, One Vine<\/b><\/h5><p>Often when I am asked to speak in a place that I have never been before, I will ask<br \/>those listening, \u201cHow many churches are there here?\u201d They go quiet for a minute as<br \/>they do the mental math. Eventually, some get the nerve to speak up with the sum of<br \/>their calculations. \u201cMaybe 100\u2026possibly more?\u201d After thanking them for the answer, I<br \/>take the opportunity to tell them that they are wrong, that there is, in fact, only one<br \/>church! A trick question? Yes, but not meant to embarrass or shame, but rather to<br \/>make a point: too often our default, when it comes to the Church, is to think of it as<br \/>different, distinct and independent, therefore easily quantifiable. Arguably, there is<br \/>some merit to this. Likening our relationship to Him as fruit-bearing branches in the<br \/>Father\u2019s vineyard, Jesus did say that though there is just one vine, from that vine there<br \/>would be many branches. The key to being a high-yielding, fruit-bearing branch is to<br \/>remain in him, the one and only true vine. We can and should celebrate our individuality<br \/>and uniqueness as our Father in heaven does. However, to come into true unity as the<br \/>Body of Christ, we must take our eyes off ourselves and put them on Him. What we<br \/>see then is a picture of perfect unity.<\/p><p>As Jesus said himself, \u201cI and the Father are one\u201d (John 10:30). We hear this again in<br \/>John 14:10, but this time it is more than agreement or shared understanding but rather<br \/>a coexistence where the submission of the Son allows the Father to speak and act<br \/>through Him: \u201cDon\u2019t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?<br \/>The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is<br \/>doing His work.\u201d The uniqueness and individuality of Jesus are not lost in this, even<br \/>though by choice He delights in doing the Father\u2019s will. It is beyond contemplation<br \/>what would have resulted if Jesus had chosen differently! I believe that oneness would<br \/>have continued to exist but without the fruit that comes from unity. Unity, then, is<br \/>essential.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52817\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"17\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52817\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A remnant heart<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52817\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"17\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52817\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-354 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart.jpg\" alt=\"heart\" width=\"872\" height=\"957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart.jpg 872w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart-273x300.jpg 273w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart-768x843.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 872px) 100vw, 872px\" \/><\/p><p><i>Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?<br \/>He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol<br \/>or swear by what is false.<br \/>He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Psalm 24:3\u20135 (NIV1984)<\/p><p>The Bible uses the word remnant to describe a small group of people who remain<br \/>devoted to God. Kept by Him, they also are those who have chosen not to lift up their<br \/>souls to idols or swear by what is false (Psalm 24:4). Of course, we know that outside<br \/>of the blood of the Lamb, and therefore still under the law, we can not live at a level of<br \/>perfection that will allow us to ascend God\u2019s holy hill. The only way to \u201cclean hands<br \/>and a pure heart\u201d is through repentance and faith in the work of Jesus on the cross.<\/p><p>But a remnant heart is more that an individual\u2019s faith and walk with God in Christ Jesus.<br \/>It refers to a corporate heart \u2013 one that has been shaken and sifted to be purified<br \/>through testing. A remnant heart speaks of a fragment of what was once: a holy and<br \/>fragrant residue. Gideon\u2019s army is perhaps one of the strongest pictures of this. The<br \/>army was heavily pruned until it was no longer Gideon\u2019s army but rather the army of the<br \/>Lord!<\/p><p>Today, as always, it is often a remnant heart that first hears the Word of the Lord. But<br \/>hearing is not enough; the Word must be received, and an intentional, tangible<br \/>response demonstrated through steps of faith and obedience. In hearing and receiving<br \/>the Word of the Lord, a remnant heart finds itself activated in the purposes and plans of<br \/>God through the Holy Spirit. To put it plainly, \u201cstuff just starts to happen!\u201d<\/p><p>I believe that God is speaking today as He has in the past. I believe He is speaking to<br \/>everyone through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The question is, however, who is<br \/>hearing the voice of the Lord in these days? And of those who hear, who are those who<br \/>are receiving? The Kingdom of God is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those who<br \/>seek comfort and control above and before Jesus\u2019 kingdom and His righteousness. It is<br \/>a remnant heart that God will use to usher His presence into the nations and advance<br \/>His kingdom on earth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52818\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"18\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52818\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Positioned for God's purposes<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52818\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"18\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52818\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-353 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1024x583.jpg\" alt=\"positioned\" width=\"800\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1024x583.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-768x437.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1536x875.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned.jpg 1758w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>Joseph, Moses, and Esther are each known for marking a transition, for standing<br \/>against the flow of what was expected in order to prevent mass destruction. Joseph<br \/>provided refuge for the people of Israel when their survival was threatened. Moses led<br \/>that same nation out of a hostile situation. Esther prevented the annihilation of her<br \/>people by the king of Persia.<\/p><p>There\u2019s something conspicuous that shaped and defined all three: each was required<br \/>to spend a significant period of time estranged from his or her culture of birth, living<br \/>and working in a cross-cultural situation. The outcome in each case was the<br \/>positioning to bridge the gap between two cultures at a strategic time, for the<br \/>fulfillment of God\u2019s purposes.<\/p><p>Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt when he was seventeen. From then on he lived<br \/>among Egyptians, first as a household slave, then as a prisoner, and finally as secondin-<br \/>command to Pharaoh. God used the complexity of Joseph\u2019s cross-cultural situation<br \/>to position him to rescue the entire nation of Israel from death by famine.<\/p><p>Generations later, Moses was adopted as a baby into Pharaoh\u2019s family. At a time when<br \/>other Hebrew baby boys were hunted and killed, Moses was nursed by his own<br \/>mother, then raised as an Egyptian son in the palace. His cross-cultural upbringing<br \/>positioned him to go between two cultures and spearhead a massive international<br \/>move, returning the people of Israel to their home.<\/p><p>Esther was taken from her uncle\u2019s home in a Jewish community to become a Persian<br \/>queen. Her years of living in the court of King Xerxes positioned her to prevent the<br \/>murder of her people.<\/p><p>Similarly with us, we are changed in some significant ways when God leads us to live<br \/>among other nations or people groups. Quite apart from what we accomplish while<br \/>we\u2019re there, God\u2019s purposes are realized through divine positioning so that at just the<br \/>right time, in just the right place, we become the very instrument through which God\u2019s<br \/>purposes are fulfilled.<\/p><p>Let\u2019s not resist God\u2019s strategic call on our lives!<br \/><i>Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, \u201cWhom shall I send? And who will go<br \/>for us?\u201d<br \/>And I said, \u201cHere am I. Send me!\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Isaiah 6:8<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52819\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"19\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52819\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Dancing in Step<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52819\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"19\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52819\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-346 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1024x621.jpg\" alt=\"dancing\" width=\"800\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1024x621.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1536x932.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing.jpg 1691w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>The Spirit of God has been emphasizing to us lately the importance of keeping in step<br \/>with Him. \u201cIn step?\u201d Yes, just like Jesus \u2013 saying only what we hear the Father saying,<br \/>doing only what we see the Father doing, being about the Father\u2019s business and able<br \/>to say, \u201cIt is the Father in me who is doing the work.\u201d<\/p><p>In this, the picture that has come to me again and again is one of dancing \u2013 dancing<br \/>with Jesus. It is not a freestyle kind of dance where everyone does his or her own thing<br \/>regardless of what the dance partner is doing. But rather, it is the kind of dance where<br \/>we join with Him, the two becoming one.<\/p><p>Years ago, as a young single male, before I became a follower of Jesus, I frequently<br \/>visited discotheques and bars where there was dancing. I love to dance, even now. In<br \/>those days (the seventies) most people danced independently of their dance partners,<br \/>emphasizing personal freedom and individual expression. Of course, as the night went<br \/>on and after everyone had had a few drinks, it really didn\u2019t matter who you danced<br \/>with, perhaps no one at all! It seemed free. It seemed fun. But it was incredibly<br \/>egotistical and self focused. And for some of us, it was with great regret that we<br \/>remembered the next day our antics on the dance floor the night before.<\/p><p>In the days of renewal there was also a lot of dancing. This time, it was not a dance of<br \/>the unredeemed, but rather of those whose hearts were being rekindled with passion<br \/>through a revelation of the Father\u2019s love. A different dance, but similar in some ways. It,<br \/>too, often looked like the kind of dance we used to dance in days gone by, i.e., a kind<br \/>of independent, unscripted expression of unfettered joy. Mixed in with this dance were<br \/>also some pretty bizarre manifestations of the Holy Spirit. It was quite a powerful<br \/>cocktail for those of us who were drinking it at the time! In the moment, it was what<br \/>freedom looked like, without a doubt. It was right, it was appropriate, and it was God!<\/p><p>But that was then and this is now. For those of us who drank of those waters, who<br \/>swam in that river, our lives were blessed and changed forever. However, God always<br \/>meant us to be drinking with a purpose. Some of us understood that the place that we<br \/>entered the waters would not be the same place we got out. The river of life was never<br \/>a stagnant pond or an inland lake fixed by its surrounding environment. The springs of<br \/>renewal were dynamic and ever flowing for the purposes of changing us into the very<br \/>people that God wants us to be!<\/p><p>And so, today many of us are hearing again the Lord calling out, \u201cCome, dance with<br \/>me!\u201d But this time, it is a call to dance with Him, \u2026in His arms. It is a call to enter into<br \/>His loving grasp, trusting that He can lead us well around the dance floor. It requires a<br \/>kind of surrender that only those who are loved can give. And the dance He leads us in<br \/>makes us look beautiful! He makes us better dancers than we actually are. As He leads<br \/>us, we cover the whole dance floor, not just a postage stamp-sized spot where we<br \/>march in time to the music. In His arms, the whole dance floor becomes ours to enjoy!<br \/>Moreover, as we dip and dive, twirl and swirl in His arms, the Lord is going to be<br \/>positioning us exactly where He wants us to be. There is no question that this dance is<br \/>about the one in whose arms we trust, i.e., the King of Glory and His destiny and<br \/>purpose!<\/p><p>And finally, this call to dance with Jesus is a corporate call. It is a call to a kind of unity<br \/>that few of us have ever experienced. It is as \u201cone new man\u201d that we enter into the<br \/>arms of the bridegroom. It is not the \u201ceverybody doing their own thing\u201d dance of days<br \/>gone by, but rather it involves being \u201cin step\u201d with the spirit, unified \u201cin the faith and in<br \/>the knowledge of the Son of God\u201d (Ephesians 2:15; 4:13). This call to dance is to His<br \/>church, and it is a remnant heart that is first to respond.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52820\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"20\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52820\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Zerubbabel's Plumbline<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52820\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"20\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52820\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-352 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline.jpg 1346w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>The Zerubbabel plumbline speaks of the preparations of God prior to the building or<br \/>rebuilding of His house. When the plumbline appears, it tips us off that God is about to<br \/>do something. It also speaks of a \u201ctruing up\u201d of our hearts, that is, we are measured by<br \/>something that is true and holy. The divine plumb line reveals hearts, that is, to show us<br \/>what God already knows to be true! It also is used to divide or separate, giving strong<br \/>clarification or demarcation of kind, i.e., \u201cseparates the sheep from the goats\u201d (Matthew<br \/>25:32). Because our God is also loving, \u201ca compassionate and gracious God, slow to<br \/>anger, abounding in love and faithfulness\u201d (Psalm 86:15), the work of the plumbline is<br \/>to give us the opportunity to turn from our sin through repentance and faith followed by<br \/>the demonstration of a changed life. Of course, one day this opportunity in this season<br \/>of grace will be over and the divine plumbline will be used one more time in judgement<br \/>(see Matthew 25:31\u201346).<\/p><p>I believe \u201cthe House of the Lord\u201d is being re-established on a new foundation. He is<br \/>speaking to a remnant heart, that is, a corporate heart made up of individuals who are<br \/>pursuing God passionately and have given themselves to Him totally for His purposes.<br \/>Remnant, of course, refers to a small remaining quantity of something, that is,<br \/>something that was once big has now, in comparison, become small and, therefore,<br \/>purer or more suitable for God\u2019s purposes, e.g., Gideon\u2019s army. And so, we are being<br \/>or we are about to be measured by God\u2019s plumb line so that we might prepare our<br \/>hearts as well as count the cost of being used for the reestablishing of His House on<br \/>earth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52821\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"21\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52821\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Holding Patterns<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52821\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"21\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52821\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-623\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-300x111.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-300x111.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-1024x379.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-768x284.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-1536x568.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-2048x758.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p class=\"p1\">(Originally posted August 23, 2018)<\/p><p class=\"p1\">A few weeks ago, while in prayer, I had a clear vision of airplanes stacked up over an airport in a holding pattern. I asked, \u201cGod, why are you\u00a0showing me this?\u201d He said, \u201cBecause you haven\u2019t landed yet. I\u2019ve got you in a holding pattern&#8230;in the heavenlies.\u201d Needless to say, I was somewhat stunned by this revelation, but all of sudden everything made sense to me.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We landed back in Canada from Japan &#8211; physically &#8211; on March 7th. Now it was August 7th and we were feeling desperate to get back on the plane to head off to our next assignment in the nations. Apparently, we had never gotten off the plane, spiritually speaking. Just hovering, not being allowed to settle or put down roots. We knew before we left Japan that we were not coming back to Canada to resettle, but to wait to be reassigned. However, with days turning into weeks and weeks into months, with no home of our own in which to live out our lives, we found that the very thing that we were not to do, i.e., resettle, became a growing temptation.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">I am sure that during their days of wandering in the wilderness God\u2019s people longed to settle, too. No more moving! \u201cLet\u2019s just stay here, Moses!\u201d Sometimes, settling for second best seems like a pretty good option. Our need as humans to settle is more than just a survival instinct: it is a desire for a home&#8230;a place that we can call our own&#8230;in which to live our lives over time, raising our families, celebrating all the seasons of life together with the ones we love. These are not wrong things to want. In fact, I believe that this is the way God created us to be. However, there are times when our need to have these things is greater than our desire to know and to wholly belong to the God who created us.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Since the time we were married, Jane and I have agreed to pursue God together, as well as to offer ourselves to Him, completely. To this day our prayer remains, \u201cAnytime, anywhere, no matter the cost, here we are God: send us!\u201d He knows what we need as well as the temptations that might distract us away from the very thing we ask for: to find ourselves continually in the centre of His will for the sake of His Kingdom on earth.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">And so, we have been in a holding pattern, &#8230;a holy holding pattern. Physically landed, but in the heart and mind of God still in flight in the realm of His Spirit, according to His purposes for our lives. When the reassignment comes, I suspect it will come suddenly. And like the 10 virgins that went out to wait for the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13), we want to be sure that when the moment finally arrives there is nothing in our hearts or minds that will stop us from being on our way again, in full flight.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-52822\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"22\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-52822\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A Prophetic Word for 2017<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-52822\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"22\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-52822\"><p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-620\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">This time of year always seems rife with prophetic words for a new year. As well, there seems to be an endless flow of opinions, postulations and speculations &#8211; forecasts and predictions, along with real news and fake news. If there was ever a time to be discerning, it is now. We need to remind ourselves that information is not wisdom, nor does ability or giftedness equal spiritual or psychological maturity.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Prophetic words, in order to be \u2018prophetic\u2019, need to come from God, the Holy Spirit. Whether it is a prophetic word, picture, vision, dream or sense, it is not the prophet&#8217;s voice that gives the words life but rather the voice of God. And when it is God who is speaking, not only is there a witness in our spirits but also some kind of measurable result, over time, confirming that what was given was indeed the word of the Lord.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There should be no argument: social media is changing the world (or at least changing speed and coverage of the way in which the peoples of the world are communicating). This change is true for Christians, too. Social media, which by nature is neither good nor bad, is changing the way we \u2018do church\u2019. Much could be argued, of course, for and against the effect of the internet, however, with regard to the prophetic, it has given a platform to everyone who wants a voice on a global scale. The question is: Is it the voice of God? It is by the Word of God and the gift of discernment that we will be able to tell what is true and holy, and I believe that it is our discernment that is being tested.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There have always been false prophets &#8211; the Bible is full of them. And there continue to be those who speak falsely \u2018in the name of the Lord\u2019 today, with access to the internet, just like you and me. It is not, however, their words we need to be concerned about but rather our ability to hear and discern the voice of God. For it is written, &#8220;Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV)<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Having said that, mid-2016 I started to receive a word &#8211; a prophetic word &#8211; which I believe was from God for the Church in 2017. Words need to be discerned and tested, and so I invite readers to consider what I am sharing in this way.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There will be an unusual \u2018shifting&#8217;, a &#8216;recalibration&#8217; in the Body of Christ in 2017. He is about to hit the \u2018reset\u2019 button. For some it will be a soft reset, for others it will be hard. It will result in a &#8216;reallocation&#8217; of people and resources. With regard to shifting, there will be a significant coming and going of pastors and leaders &#8211; on both national and international levels. From some countries there will be a significant exodus of missionaries &#8211; some forced and some freely &#8211; some by the Spirit of God and some out of fear and frustration. On the other hand, new fields will be opened up and we will begin to see younger first-timers head to the nations. This will not, however, be a wave of new missionaries, at least, not at first. The Lord does not want us to be discouraged by this but rather understand that He is doing a \u2018reset\u2019 on missionary vision, passion and, therefore, effectiveness.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Concerning the reallocation of people and resources, this will be the Lord\u2019s doing as well, though it may seem that it is the effect of changing legislation and policies of countries and governments. Within a variety of Christian organizations and denominations this reallocation will have a major impact &#8211; for some it will bring reformation, for some renewal, while for others it will signal an end to their movement and mission.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The Lord, also, spoke to me about His Kingdom. In Jesus&#8217; government He has ministers with specific &#8216;portfolios of ministry\u2019: a Kingdom administration. He is about to shuffle His cabinet: a &#8216;reappointment&#8217;. Some will be reappointed, while others will be stepped down &#8211; sent to the back benches, while still others will be retired &#8216;to glory\u2019. There will be a few new appointments, too. (It should be noted that I received this word before the Emperor of Japan had announced his intention to abdicate, before Donald Trump won the election in the US and set his new administration in place, before the Prime Minister of Canada &#8211; Justin Trudeau &#8211; shuffled his cabinet, before the Brexit vote signalled the departure of David Cameron, and so on.) Again, the result will be an increased effectiveness of the ministry of Jesus around the world. In 2017 the Lord will expedite things promised that have been held back by a religious spirit in the church. We will see clusters of kingdom-hearted, kingdom-minded people come together and form foundations for new apostolic centres. Governmental authority, i.e., the authority of the King, through His five-fold leadership team, will be exercised &#8220;to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up\u201d, Eph.4:12.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Finally, 2017 will be a year of great testing. Western Christianity, in particular, will experience crisis. Not a crisis of faith but, rather, one of expectation, i.e., the expectation that God will preserve a standard of living encased within a unique Christianized cultural context.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We will know His goodness and see more signs, wonders and miracles than perhaps any of us have ever seen before, but the shifting, shuffling and shaking will not stop until we experience these three things: reformation, renewal and revival. These three will prove to be the needed preparations of His bride before the Bridegroom, Jesus, King of Kings returns.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Ephesians 3:20-21(NIV)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3bf10ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"3bf10ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6281\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6281\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Easter 2022: a 3-part message<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6281\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6281\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1217 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Jesus-on-Cross-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Jesus-on-Cross-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Jesus-on-Cross-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Jesus-on-Cross-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Jesus-on-Cross.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\n\n<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;\">Good Friday &#8211;\u00a0A Hill To Die On<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;\">I was talking with a friend the other day about one of the many serious issues we are facing today. (It doesn\u2019t matter which one.) When it came down to his own personal position, he said, \u201cThis is just not a hill I am prepared to die on!\u201d What he was saying was he had a choice and his choice was not to give his life by taking a strong stand, one way or another, on this particular issue. Fair enough.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;\">This Good Friday, I am thinking of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane before his betrayal. In anguish, he cried out to the Father, anticipating what was to come. He had a choice, though: in order for his death to be the sacrifice it needed to be, he had to willingly give his life for the sins of the world. His choice? \u201cNot my will, but yours be done.\u201d &#8211; Mark 14:36\/Luke 22:42. His choice was to do the Father\u2019s will. His choice was to die for us. When it came to Jesus, he decided that Calvary\u2019s hill would be the one that he would die on.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/The-Easter-Sunday-Special-278x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"278\" height=\"300\" \/><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Resurrection\/Easter Sunday:\u00a0 &#8220;I\u2019ll have the Easter Sunday Special.&#8221;<\/span>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">I\u2019ve got a question for you: If a man went into a restaurant and ordered the soup &amp; sandwich special but only wanted the soup, would it still be the \u201cthe special\u201d? Or would it just be soup? Hmmmmm. You might argue that if it is cheaper to buy the special than to order the soup alone, then it is still the \u201cthe special\u201d. On the other hand, regardless of the price, if all you want is the soup then that\u2019s what you\u2019ll get, whether it is \u201cspecial\u201d or not.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">So what is so special about the Easter weekend, that is, if you are like a lot of Christians who think of it as a Friday to Sunday event? Well, this past Friday we just remembered the death of Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. On Sunday, we will celebrate his glorious resurrection from the dead. In between, of course, there is \u201ctomb time\u201d, which, as weekends go, is Saturday. And so, what is so special about this weekend for you? Of the three days, is there one of the days you like better? Or should I ask, is there one the services, one of the events on this high holiday of the Church? Perhaps you\u2019re more old school, more traditional, and you\u2019re committed \u201cboots and all\u201d to the whole weekend agenda. Good for you.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">However, I have observed over the years, somewhat quietly, that though Easter Sunday service is still, next to Christmas, one of the most attended services in the Church\u2019s calendar, not so much the Good Friday one. Is the death of Jesus on Calvary\u2019s cross too much of a downer? Or do we just like the good vibes that a \u201cHallelujah! He is risen!\u201d service offers us? Regardless of your personal preferences, the trend is undeniable. So how do we understand this, and how, if we think it is important, do we bring believers back to a biblical understanding and practise of one of the Church\u2019s most significant weekends in the whole year?<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">I believe that part of the answer to that question lies in understanding that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are inseparable. Without his death there can be no forgiveness of sin, no reconciliation to God; and without his resurrection there is no victory over death, and therefore no promise of the resurrection to come and eternal life for those who believe. Too simple? It was never meant to be complicated, especially for those who believe.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">What makes the Easter weekend special is that brings together, in a holy ordered way, the death of Jesus with his resurrection from the dead. You just can\u2019t have one without the other! (And by this, I am not talking about which services you attend). When we, as believers, pick and choose only the pieces we like \u201coff the menu\u201d, then we, albeit unintentionally, put a greater value on part of the Easter story than another. A gospel that deemphasizes Jesus\u2019 sacrificial death on the cross, which includes the way he died (by crucifixion), as well as what led up to it (his brutal and barbaric torture by the hands of the Romans), is not the true gospel and therefore can not give the desired assurance of faith to those who repent and believe.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">So, on this Easter weekend, is there one thing on the menu you like better than something else? Is it just Resurrection Sunday, or will it be the whole \u201cmeal deal\u201d? You see, there is no \u201cEaster Sunday Special\u201d. The \u201cspecial\u201d this weekend is: \u201cChrist has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again!\u201d It\u2019s all or nothing. Simple, right?<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/FB-Cover-TOMBTIME.pages-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"132\" \/><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Between Death and Resurrection? Tomb Time.<\/span>\n\nLast weekend was Easter. So what\u2019s next, you\u2019re wondering. Well, hang on a minute! Before we leave the solemnity of Good Friday and the joyful celebrations of Resurrection Sunday, I think it would be good to take a moment longer to consider what happened in between. What I mean is, between Jesus\u2019 death on the cross and the moment of his resurrection, what happened? Where did he go? Was he just \u201cin between\u201d?\n\nWell, as far as his physical body was concerned, the Bible says he died and was buried (John 19:38-42). More precisely, he was embalmed, in a manner, and then his body was placed in a tomb. With a stone rolled in front of the entrance and then sealed into darkness, he was, as we say, \u201cleft for dead\u201d. But wait! There\u2019s more to the story than this.\n\nApparently, while his lifeless body lay in the tomb, Jesus, in the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18), was busy doing some very important stuff in some very interesting places! First place, paradise (Luke 23:43). Second place, hell\/Hades where he preached to \u201cimprisoned spirits\u201d (1 Peter 3:18\u201320). Third place, as our Great High Priest he entered into the heavenly tabernacle, not made by man, to offer his blood sacrifice for the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:11-12). An impressive list.\n\nAnd so, although to onlookers it may have seemed like not much was happening during Jesus\u2019 time in the tomb, while he was waiting for the Father to raise him from the dead, this couldn\u2019t have been farther from the truth. Good to know, right\n<p style=\"margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #000000;\"><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6282\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6282\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Planting A New Church<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6282\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6282\"><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-836\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-300x172.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-1024x586.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/noah-buscher-x8ZStukS2PM-unsplash-2048x1173.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my second article here: <a class=\"oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/planting-new-church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/planting-new-church\/<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6283\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6283\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What Every Lead Pastor Needs to Know About Church Metrics<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6283\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6283\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-831\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/william-warby-WahfNoqbYnM-unsplash-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my first article here:\u00a0<a class=\"oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/church-metrics\/?fbclid=IwAR2yaGgrDALYsN8LySKJe6S-SN3Gzps84rx4prV3GUyCxUDVKpRk4lZYPKI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/church-metrics\/<\/a><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6284\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6284\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A sacrifice not wasted<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6284\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6284\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-341 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-1024x597.jpg\" alt=\"A sacrifice not wasted\" width=\"800\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-1024x597.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted-768x448.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/A-Sacrifice-Not-Wasted.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>This time of year Christians around the world remember the death of Jesus Christ, their<br \/>Saviour. The day is called Good Friday. Why do we call it good?<br \/>When you think about it, there\u2019s really nothing good about an innocent man being<br \/>crucified for a crime he did not commit. There is nothing good about a violent and<br \/>torturous death. There is nothing good about a crisis that devastated Jesus\u2019 disciples!<br \/>The only thing good about Good Friday is God. The Bible says that God is good and<br \/>his love endures forever. The Bible says he is holy and therefore perfect in every way.<\/p><h4><b>Good Friday?<\/b><\/h4><p>Good Friday is about death\u2014death by crucifixion. It was a form of execution, invented<br \/>by the Persians, perfected by the Romans, to put to death those who had committed a<br \/>crime punishable by death. It was considered one of the most brutal and shameful<br \/>modes of death, usually reserved for slaves or disgraced soldiers. In this case, it was<br \/>used on Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.<br \/>But, if you don\u2019t believe in God or believe that he is good, if you don\u2019t believe that<br \/>Jesus was the son of God who was entirely without sin (as the Bible says), then there is<br \/>nothing good about Good Friday. It should be called \u201cbad\u201d Friday!<br \/>If that\u2019s what you believe, like many in the world today, then all you have to remember<br \/>on Good Friday is a story about an innocent man who was put to death by the<br \/>Romans, who was thought to be a teacher and by some, even a prophet, and feared<br \/>by the Jews to be confused to be the Messiah.<\/p><h5><b>The Question<\/b><\/h5><p>If so, the question is, \u201cWhy then did Jesus have to die?\u201d<br \/>What was accomplished by an innocent man being put to death in this way, let alone<br \/>the son of God, pure and holy?<br \/>What was accomplished by such a gross travesty of justice resulting in a needless<br \/>death?<br \/>Was the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth a wasted death?<\/p><h5><b>The Answer<\/b><\/h5><p>The answer is not found in examining the details of the execution, or what immediately<br \/>led up to it, but rather in understanding God\u2019s purposes in it! Yes, God had a purpose<br \/>in sending his son to be put to death on a Roman cross. His purpose in this was: to<br \/>receive the payment for the sins of the world that would be so perfect that it would<br \/>once and for all pay our debt so that we\u2014a sinful people\u2014might be reunited with God<br \/>once and for all! The purpose of Jesus\u2019 death was because he offered himself as a<br \/>sacrifice to God for our sins. The Roman cross was an instrument execution, but God<br \/>used it as an altar upon which a sacrifice was given. Yes, that\u2019s right: Jesus was the<br \/>sacrifice that God provided for us. Jesus is, as John the Baptist declared, \u201cthe Lamb of<br \/>God who takes away the sins of the world!\u201d<\/p><p>Isaiah, in his messianic prophecy, wrote this:<\/p><p><i>Who has believed our message<br \/>and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?<br \/>He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.<br \/>He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,<br \/>nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.<br \/>He was despised and rejected by mankind,<br \/>a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.<br \/>Like one from whom people hide their faces<br \/>he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.<br \/>Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,<br \/>yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.<br \/>But he was pierced for our transgressions,<br \/>he was crushed for our iniquities;<br \/>the punishment that brought us peace was on him,<br \/>and by his wounds we are healed.<br \/>We all, like sheep, have gone astray,<br \/>each of us has turned to our own way;<br \/>and the Lord has laid on him<br \/>the iniquity of us all.<br \/>He was oppressed and afflicted,<br \/>yet he did not open his mouth;<br \/>he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,<br \/>and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,<br \/>so he did not open his mouth.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Isaiah 53:1\u20137<\/p><p>Jesus\u2019 death was not wasted! It was not a mistake. He understood from the moment<br \/>he came out of the desert to begin his ministry, having been tempted by the devil, that<br \/>his final goal was to get to Jerusalem, to Calvary\u2019s Hill, to die for you and me.<\/p><h5><b>But Why?<\/b><\/h5><p>Some may still asking \u201cWhy?\u201d Why did Jesus have to give his life for our sins? Could<br \/>not God, out of His mercy and grace alone, have just forgiven us? The problem of<br \/>course, was sin. Romans 3:23 reminds us, \u201cFor all have sinned and fall short of the<br \/>glory of God\u201d.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Simply, the BIBLE TEACHES:<\/span><\/p><p><i>Because of our sin, we are separated from God.<br \/>Because of our sin, we are sentenced to death.<br \/>Because of our sin, we don\u2019t go to heaven when we die; we go to hell, that is, to<br \/>a place of eternal separation from God, an enduring experience of eternal grief<br \/>and pain.<br \/>Because of sin, we live broken, dysfunctional lives resulting in a world of pain,<br \/>cruelty, and injustice.<\/i><\/p><p>And so, God sent his son to die on a cross for our sins so that we might:<\/p><p><i>Be forgiven \u2013 no guilt, shame, condemnation.<br \/>Be healed \u2013 physically, mentally, emotionally.<br \/>Be set free \u2013 of fear, demons, death, satan, and hell.<br \/>Have life, and have it abundantly.<br \/>Be reconciled to God, to know him, to be known by him, to be loved,<br \/>unconditionally.<br \/>Be filled with his Spirit\u2014his presence and his power.<br \/>Know the reason why we were created.<br \/>Walk in the destiny and purpose of God for our lives on earth.<br \/>\u2026 and much more!<\/i><\/p><p>And this is all because Jesus was willing to be sent by God, to offer himself as a holy<br \/>sacrifice to God for our sins! We read in Philippians 2:8,<\/p><p><i>And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself<br \/>by becoming obedient to death\u2014even death on a cross!<\/i><\/p><p>And so, what we remember on Good Friday is not simply the unjust and inhumane<br \/>death of an innocent man, but the sacrifice that he offered on our behalf to God for our<br \/>sins.<\/p><p>*I must emphasize that God\u2014our just and righteous and holy God\u2014required a perfect<br \/>sacrifice, a full payment for our debt, in order that WE COULD BE FORGIVEN! Jesus\u2019<br \/>sacrifice was all about fulfilling the legal requirement that was set by God.<\/p><p><i>When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God<br \/>made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the<br \/>charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he<br \/>has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and<br \/>authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the<br \/>cross.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Colossians 2:13\u201315<\/p><p>To be clear, because of Jesus\u2019 perfect sacrifice, the \u201ccharge of our legal indebtedness\u201d<br \/>has been canceled\u2014paid in full!<br \/>This is not about a loving and merciful father who is excusing our sin!<br \/>This is not about a redefinition of immoral behaviour to make it less offensive to God!<br \/>This is not about denying sin, death, the devil, or hell to make us feel safe and loved!<br \/>This is about God DEMANDING a perfect, holy, pure, full, complete, efficient sacrifice<br \/><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN!!!<\/span><\/p><p>In Hebrews 9:22 we read\u00a0<br \/><i>\u201cwithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.\u201d<br \/>In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and<br \/>without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 9:22<\/p><p>In the Old Testament, we know that God required a sacrifice from his people, which<br \/>was often sheep, and the blood of bulls and goats. However, that was never enough to<br \/>satisfy God! He required\u2014no, demanded\u2014a perfect sacrifice in order to establish a<br \/>NEW COVENANT with his people so that we might be \u201cmade Holy as our God is Holy\u201d.<br \/>And that perfect sacrifice was the blood of Christ!<\/p><p><i>The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who<br \/>are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How<br \/>much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered<br \/>himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to<br \/>death, so that we may serve the living God!<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 9:13\u201314<br \/>I am reminded of the lyrics of an old hymn,<\/p><p><i>What can wash away my sin?<br \/>Nothing but the blood of Jesus;<br \/>What can make me whole again?<br \/>Nothing but the blood of Jesus<\/i><br \/>\u2014Robert Lowry (American Preacher,1876)<\/p><p>Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was so perfect, and therefore so powerful, that his blood not only<br \/>cleansed us from sin but defeated the devil and hell.<\/p><p><i>Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that<br \/>by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death\u2014<br \/>that is, the devil\u2014 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their<br \/>fear of death.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Hebrews 2:14\u201315<\/p><p>Good Friday is when we remember the death of Jesus of Nazareth. It was unjust and<br \/>inhumane, but nevertheless it was the plan of God. Jesus was willing to be the sacrifice<br \/>that God required and only he\u2014no one else\u2014could have met God\u2019s requirement.<br \/>Jesus\u2019 death was not wasted, because in death\u2014even death on a cross\u2014he became<br \/>that sacrifice that would \u201ctake away the sins of the world!\u201d<\/p><p>As single verse says it all:<\/p><p><i>For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever<br \/>believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 3:16<\/p><h5><b>A Crisis not Wasted<\/b><\/h5><p>A few weeks ago, my old friend Terry Somerville of Total Change Ministries asked if I<br \/>would be willing to be interviewed on the radio program he hosts. It was an honour to<br \/>be asked, and sounded like a fun thing to do. During the interview, after asking about<br \/>my background and current ministry, Terry asked me what my God-sense was, in light<br \/>of the global pandemic we are now in. For the remainder of the interview I shared the<br \/>things that God has put on my heart\u2014some things I had discerned, as well as some<br \/>things that had been revealed. I finished by saying this: \u201cI just hope we don\u2019t waste this<br \/>crisis.\u201d<\/p><p>Perhaps you have heard it said that what appears as a crisis to many looks like an<br \/>opportunity to some. To be clear, we are in a crisis that must be taken seriously by all.<br \/>However, in this crisis we have an opportunity as the body of Christ to reach out to a<br \/>world that is gripped with fear\u2014and in this case, to be specific\u2014gripped by the fear of<br \/>death. As I quoted earlier from the book of Hebrews, Jesus broke the power of the<br \/>devil who holds the power of death, to \u201cfree those who all their lives were held in<br \/>slavery by their fear of death\u201d (Hebrews 2:14\u201315). This crisis is a rude but real<br \/>confrontation of our mortality, forcing people everywhere to seriously consider the<br \/>consequences of death. The fear of death is the elephant that the room is too small for!<\/p><p>If there was ever a time for true believers of Jesus Christ to act, it is now! We can<br \/>redefine this moment with the life\u2014giving message and experience of the Gospel\u2019s<br \/>power. We can be a light to the world, a light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless,<br \/>models of true rest and peace, carriers of God\u2019s presence and power. However,<br \/>something that can blind us from perceiving this as a God-moment\u2014as a Godopportunity\u2014<br \/>is fear. If we believe in the one who has freed us from the fear of death,<br \/>yet continue to fear, then we will be immobilized from ministering to others in his power<br \/>and love. Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was not wasted! And so, remembering all that Jesus<br \/>accomplished by his finished work on the cross, let us cast off all fear so we can act<br \/>boldly in this unusual moment in the history of the world, and bring the Good News of<br \/>the gospel to the world!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6285\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6285\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Let all that can shake be shaken<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6285\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6285\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-339 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675.jpg\" alt=\"shaken\" width=\"596\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675.jpg 596w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Let-All-That-Can-Shake-Be-Shaken-e1590628360675-300x181.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px\" \/><\/p><p>In January of 2017, I released a prophetic word that I received from the Lord with<br \/>regard to a reset that was coming. A hard reset. Often true of such words, there is a<br \/>now fulfillment as well as a then fulfillment of the word. It would seem, in the light of the<br \/>global pandemic we are in, that what we saw and experienced back in 2017 was only<br \/>the beginning of something that would shake the world and Jesus\u2019 Church.<\/p><p>Concerning his Church, this \u201cshaking\u201d can be framed in many ways, but the most<br \/>compelling to me is a Biblical one. In the book of Haggai 2:6\u20137, we read:<\/p><p><i>This is what the Lord Almighty says: \u2018In a little while I will once more shake the<br \/>heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what<br \/>is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,\u2019 says the<br \/>Lord Almighty.<\/i><\/p><p>Haggai makes it clear that the purpose of such a shaking is to release \u201cwhat is desired<br \/>by all nations\u201d so that God\u2019s house will be filled with glory\u2014a glory \u201cgreater than the<br \/>glory of the former house\u201d (Haggai 2:9). The context here is the rebuilding of the temple<br \/>by Zerubbabel. The shaking releases the wealth of the nations, flowing into the temple<br \/>in Jerusalem. Once the temple is rebuilt, adorned with riches of the world, then God<br \/>will fill it with his glory. But in these verses there is also a foreshadowing of the coming<br \/>of Christ. Jesus referred to his body as \u201cthis temple\u201d (John 2:19\u201321). His life, death,<br \/>and resurrection would fulfill what the temple pictured through its design, its<br \/>priesthood, its furniture, and its sacrifices. Whether they realize it or not, Jesus is what<br \/>all nations desire! He is the radiance of God\u2019s glory. What the temple pictured, Christ<br \/>fulfilled.<\/p><h5><b>The Intended Result: a Broken and Repentant Heart<\/b><\/h5><p>There is an unsettling\u2014an uprooting\u2014that happens in times of crisis. Things become<br \/>personal very quickly. What was previously avoidable becomes unavoidable. People<br \/>ask questions about life and death, before and after, heaven and hell. Intentionally or<br \/>not, these questions can be a springboard toward God and greater revelation of his<br \/>glory. This is the intention of God\u2014that in the shaking, the confrontation of false<br \/>realities, and the disturbing of all forms of human securities, the world cries out to God.<br \/>And for those who do this in repentance and with faith, there is forgiveness, healing,<br \/>freedom, relationship, identity, inheritance, destiny, purpose, and eternal life. In the<br \/>New Living Translation of the Bible it says this:<\/p><p><i>The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.<br \/>You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Psalm 51:17<\/p><h5><b>God&#8217;s Plans<\/b><\/h5><p>At times like these\u2014that is, in a global pandemic\u2014we, God\u2019s people, need to be<br \/>reminded of his word to his people when they were in exile in Babylon. His bottom line<br \/>to them? \u201cPlans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a<br \/>future.\u201d<\/p><p><i>This is what the Lord says: \u201cWhen seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will<br \/>come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I<br \/>know the plans I have for you,\u201d declares the Lord, \u201cplans to prosper you and not<br \/>to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 29:10\u201311 (NIV)<\/p><p>God had a plan and purpose for them, and being in exile was not the way things were<br \/>going to end. Nevertheless, seventy years is still seventy years to those who have to go<br \/>through it, just like there\u2019s no shortcut through the pandemic we are in now! No, for the<br \/>Hebrews, exile was not to be their end-game but would be for them a game-changer.<br \/>After seventy years in exile, they would be given another chance at listening to God,<br \/>trusting God, walking with God, and worshipping God alone. Seventy years in exile<br \/>would prove to shake enough people to turn back to God with all their hearts. They<br \/>would call out to him, pray to him, listen to him, and seek him. Then and only then<br \/>would they be liberated from their place of exile and be re-established in the land with<br \/>God.<\/p><p><i>Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You<br \/>will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by<br \/>you,\u201d declares the Lord, \u201cand will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you<br \/>from all the nations and places where I have banished you,\u201d declares the Lord,<br \/>\u201cand will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 29:10\u201314 (NIV)<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>We Will Not Be Shaken<\/b><\/h5><p>So what will sustain us in this moment we are in? As the Church of Jesus Christ\u2014a<br \/>light to the nations, a message of hope to the lost, a testimony of God\u2019s love and<br \/>power\u2014on what particular rock will we find ourselves standing when all the shaking is<br \/>over? God\u2019s love through his abiding presence alone is what will sustain us. As the<br \/>psalmist writes, \u201cI keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will<br \/>not be shaken\u201d (Psalm 16:8). And the rock? The only rock you want to stand on, both<br \/>now and then, is Jesus\u2014Saviour, Messiah, the Son of the Living God. This answers the<br \/>question Jesus asked Peter: \u201cBut what about you? Who do you say I am?\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>Planking the Curve<\/b><\/h5><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">During this global outbreak, health care systems have been overwhelmed, even<\/span><\/div><p>endangered, by the coronavirus. As a way of coping, they have come up with a plan to<br \/>prevent the exponential increase of new cases so as to manage further spread while<br \/>caring for those truly in need. In Canada, at least, this is referred to as \u201cplanking the<br \/>curve\u201d. Practically, it has entailed frequent washing of hands, practicing physical<br \/>distancing, not touching our faces, and staying at home and working from there, if at all<br \/>possible. Hopefully, this will result in \u201cplanking\u201d or flattening the curve, for now; but it<br \/>won\u2019t save the lost, who one day, without Christ, will face eternal punishment and<br \/>separation from God. That is not God\u2019s desire, of course. His desire is that all would be<br \/>saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Even in the shaking, God is exercising patience. Peter reminds<br \/>us,<\/p><p><i>Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to<br \/>come to repentance.<\/i><br \/>\u20142 Peter 3:9<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h5><b>It Ain\u2019t Over<\/b><\/h5><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As they say, \u201cit ain\u2019t over \u2018til it\u2019s over!\u201d And I believe that although we are all being<\/span><\/div><p>shaken, the time of grace is not over. Not yet, anyway. With Christ\u2019s return, there will be<br \/>judgement. In the Apostles\u2019 Creed, in speaking of Jesus\u2019 return, we declare,<\/p><p><i>[Jesus] is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.<br \/>From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.<br \/>And again, the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans writes,<br \/>You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them<br \/>with contempt? For we will all stand before God\u2019s judgment seat.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Romans 14:10 (NIV)<\/p><p>So let\u2019s not waste this crisis through lack of proper \u201cspiritual\u201d understanding, that is,<br \/>having a worldly understanding rather than the mind of Christ. The shaking that is<br \/>happening is meant to shake us from our apathy, unbelief, false sense of security, and<br \/>idols. For the peoples of the world, it is meant to disturb them enough that they cry out<br \/>to God and are saved. For the Church, it is meant to humble us and remind us of who<br \/>we have been made to be so we fully engage with our Kingdom mandate, the Great<br \/>Commission; and it\u2019s meant to deal with our fear of death once and for all so that we<br \/>might be bold and fearless in reaching out to the world in the fullest expression of<br \/>God\u2019s love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6286\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6286\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Misinterpreting the moment<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6286\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6286\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-340 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"534\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment.jpg 534w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Misinterpreting-the-Moment-300x177.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><\/p><p>Have you ever wondered if you made the mistake of misinterpreting the moment? When your response to something you had seen or heard was based on a spurious interpretation of the moment? Even though most of these moments go unnoticed, often they leave us feeling embarrassed and a bit awkward!<\/p><p>I wonder if Peter considered that he had \u201cmisinterpreted the moment\u201d as he came down the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-35 (NIV)). They had gone up the mountain to pray, looking for a quiet place as well as a place away from the crowds where they were sure to have a private experience. On the Mountain of Transfiguration, Jesus revealed to his disciples a version of Himself that they had never seen before. When they reached that place, they watched something unusual happen to Jesus. It must have been both wonderful and terrifying at the same time. The Bible says that Jesus\u2019 face changed into something \u201cother\u201d. That is, His visual appearance changed so that he looked different than they were used to. Perhaps, if they had not seen it with their own eyes, they would not have been able to recognize Jesus!<\/p><p>His garments were also changed. They became as bright as lightning. Not something that the natural eye would have been able to look at for very long. And then, Moses and Elijah appeared and discussed with Jesus His upcoming death. Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (the prophets) were a picture of God\u2019s authority and power during the old covenant age. But now it was time for the new age to begin, and with Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection a new covenant was about to be established where all authority, power, honour and glory would belong to Jesus.<\/p><p>The wonder and the oddity of this supernatural unveiling of Jesus\u2019 pre-incarnate glory were not for Jesus, but for His disciples to see. Peter, always a man of action in the moment, suggested that they build shelters so they could camp out together longer, perhaps forever! What he failed to understand was the moment was just that: it was a moment. It was meant to foreshadow a reality that is, was and is yet to come. It was a window of revelation that he and the other disciples would need during the dark days of Jesus\u2019 arrest, trial and eventual death by crucifixion.<\/p><p>Peter\u2019s misinterpretation of the moment didn\u2019t ruin Jesus\u2019 plans but it must have left Peter wondering, as they were heading back down the mountain, \u201cWhat was that all about?\u201d Later, when he would receive the Holy Spirit on the day Pentecost, it would all make sense. Why? Because spiritual moments cannot be properly interpreted with the human mind! The revelation on the mountain required an interpretation that only the Spirit of God could give, and that was something Peter needed to wait for.<\/p><p>I wonder how much our need to make sense of things in the moment actually interferes with what God is trying to show us. That is, when our need for quick and clear discernment overshadows our call to \u201ctrust and obey\u201d. Peter\u2019s discernment was off, but God in his grace still led Peter and the others into the fulfillment of His destiny &amp; purpose for their lives.<\/p><p>Was Peter\u2019s suggestion of staying on the mountain, perhaps indefinitely, totally wrong? No, not really. It is only natural to try to prolong powerful positive experiences as long as we can. Peter\u2019s suggestion of building shelters on the side of the mountain was just that: an attempt to prolong the moment. But it wasn\u2019t meant to be. It was a moment of revelation which would have its true significance in the future. It happened. It happened quickly. But it was over. Were they disappointed? Sure they were. I know I would have been! Those moments are often life-changing, impacting us thoroughly. Most of us would live in them forever, if we could. But that\u2019s not what Jesus intended. It was to lead them, as it is to lead us, into a greater revelation of living our lives in the glory of His presence.<\/p><p>I believe as we draw closer to Jesus\u2019 return, we are going to have more \u201cup the mountain\u201d supernatural experiences, moves of God, spiritual awakenings, even revival! If we are to truly benefit from these kinds of happenings, we will need to wait for the Holy Spirit to give us not only the revelation in the moment but the interpretation during or after the revelation has been given. Waiting for the interpretation is the only way we can be sure that we do not, like Peter, \u201cmisinterpret the moment\u201d. Let\u2019s be honest: none of us want to wake up one day to find that Jesus has moved on and we\u2019re on our own, still camping out on yesterday\u2019s mountain!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6287\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6287\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">So What about Easter?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6287\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6287\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-356 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"easter\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/What-about-Easter-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>So what about Easter? For Christians around the world, it is a time when we remember<br \/>the death and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It would seem for the<br \/>rest of the world that it has become a three-day weekend filled with chocolate eggs<br \/>and Easter bunnies.<\/p><p>I\u2019m not really surprised that non-Christians would take an opportunity to have<br \/>something to celebrate. I don\u2019t mean that in a cynical kind of way. Just that, from my<br \/>observation, any opportunity to celebrate seems to be a good one: Christmas, Easter,<br \/>Valentine\u2019s Day, Hallowe\u2019en, St. Patrick\u2019s Day, whatever, take your pick, all of the<br \/>above. I\u2019m not really bothered by this because I remember before I became a Christian<br \/>I used anything as an excuse to party! And so, I really understand why the rest of the<br \/>world would celebrate Easter.<\/p><p>I guess what I\u2019m really saying is that Easter has become something other than a<br \/>Christian tradition. Much like Christmas, really. More and more a marketing retail<br \/>opportunity, taking advantage of what I\u2019ve already said, that the world wants to<br \/>celebrate something and the retail industry will take every opportunity to help,<br \/>regardless of what the holiday is called.<\/p><p>No, I\u2019m not bothered by the worldly reasons for celebrating at Easter time. I\u2019m more<br \/>concerned about the Christian perspective, that is, buying into the idea that once a<br \/>year we pull out all the stops to remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of<br \/>Jesus Christ. Is that our tradition, and if so where did it come from? And how has that<br \/>tradition perhaps been shaped by a worldly culture that is increasingly more hostile to<br \/>the Christian faith altogether?<\/p><p>For years now I have refused to tell my wife I love her on Valentine\u2019s Day simply<br \/>because the world of shopping tells me to do it. Moreover, I decided long ago, that I<br \/>would love my wife and tell her so every day of our married life together. I don\u2019t need<br \/>someone to tell me to buy flowers for my wife. (Sadly, some guys do!) Instead, I buy<br \/>flowers regularly, spontaneously to give them at times when there is no other reason to<br \/>give them except to say, \u201cI love you!\u201d<\/p><p>For me, Easter has been all the time, every day of my life since I decided to believe in<br \/>Jesus. Every day I remember His death. Every day I remember His resurrection, the<br \/>promise of new life. Every day I thank Him that He gave me something I did not<br \/>deserve. Every day I say to Him, \u201cI love you!\u201d<\/p><p>This weekend, I will celebrate with the rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ around<br \/>the world. This weekend I will remember His death. I will celebrate His resurrection with<br \/>my family and my friends. My celebrations won\u2019t stop next week or the week after, or<br \/>the week after that, because for me every day is a good day to give thanks to the Lord<br \/>for dying on the cross for me. Every day is a good day to say, \u201cJesus, I love you!\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6288\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6288\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Jesus' Return: What about the next Generation?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6288\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6288\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-351 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1024x698.jpg\" alt=\"Next Gen\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-768x523.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-1536x1047.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Next-Gen-2048x1396.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>Last week I received a couple of emails with links to messages concerning Jesus\u2019<br \/>imminent return. Truthfully, I can\u2019t think of any \u201cbreaking news\u201d that could be better! To<br \/>think that tomorrow, Jesus is going to appear with the angelic hosts, coming on the<br \/>clouds in the fullness of His glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! What a day that<br \/>will be \u2013 the last day, in fact, as we know it.<\/p><p>There were, however, a few things I found disturbing about this \u201cgood news\u201d. Those<br \/>bringing it concluded that because of the shortness time there was no need to raise up<br \/>the next generation. In fact, one commentator insisted emphatically, \u201c\u2026don\u2019t waste<br \/>your time!\u201d Hmmm. Unwise advice, if you ask me. History shows that in every<br \/>generation since Jesus\u2019 ascension there have been so-called prophetic voices<br \/>announcing the Lord\u2019s second coming. Just for the record, so far, they have ALL been<br \/>wrong!<\/p><p>So, where does that leave us? Well, I for one DEFINITELY believe that Jesus is coming<br \/>back, because the Bible tells me so. But I think that we should leave the day and the<br \/>hour up to Father God, don\u2019t you? Here\u2019s what Jesus had to say about this:<\/p><p><i>But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the<br \/>Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming<br \/>of the Son of Man.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:36\u201337<\/p><p>Since the day that God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, He has been<br \/>working on a kind of reconciliation that would reinstate them into holy relationship with<br \/>Him. Also, throughout the Bible God\u2019s expressed intent is to have a people for Himself<br \/>on the earth among whom His Name will dwell. The Bible portrays His agenda as one<br \/>that spans generations. His covenant promise to Abraham was to make him a father of<br \/>many generations. Clearly, God\u2019s plans and purposes are cross-generational.<\/p><p>There will, of course, be a generation\u2013that is, a \u201cterminal\u201d generation\u2013in which Jesus<br \/>returns. However, until then, our call is to be His testimony until His work here on earth<br \/>is done. And who are we to say that it is done? Even more so, shouldn\u2019t we be like<br \/>Abraham, who pleaded with God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of<br \/>even 10 righteous people. Remember, \u2026the last day will be THE LAST DAY! No more<br \/>chances for the last 10, \u2026not even the last one!<\/p><p>Don\u2019t you think it would be worth postponing the great and terrible day of the Lord (\u2026if<br \/>we could) if there\u2019s a chance for 10 more souls to give their hearts to Jesus before His<br \/>return? And don\u2019t you feel it would be in the heart of God to put off His coming one<br \/>more day if a few more might turn to the Lord and be saved? The Father still gets to<br \/>decide the day and hour, and the day will come; but until then, today is NOT the last<br \/>day. Meanwhile, we can continue in obedience and faith to share the love of Jesus with<br \/>a broken and lost world.<\/p><p>Consider this: Jesus will come on the last day, that is, the last day of grace and<br \/>salvation. He will come without warning. He will come with those who have died<br \/>already. Those \u201cin Christ\u201d on the earth at His coming will be given a new glorified body.<br \/>They will join with him in the air, along with those people He brings with Him to judge<br \/>the un-saved. Those who died whose names were not found in the Lamb\u2019s Book of Life<br \/>when they died will be resurrected to damnation. It is appointed to man once to die<br \/>and after this is judgment. The unredeemed will be judged guilty and cast into hell.<\/p><p>So, what should our response be? Should we be delightfully happy, rejoicing in the<br \/>streets? Or should we be deeply sobered, even disturbed, by this seemingly finite<br \/>ending for so many in the world, it appears, who will find themselves condemned to<br \/>hell forever? I think both responses are not only appropriate but necessary. We need to<br \/>live every day of our lives, before Jesus\u2019 return, with a confidence of our salvation that<br \/>has been sealed into us by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of things to come. Our lives<br \/>need to be a testimony of the victorious life in Christ. And though we long for His<br \/>coming, we rejoice when we know that the delay of His return gives us another day\u2019s<br \/>worth of opportunity to share the love of Jesus with a lost soul. The Spirit and the Bride<br \/>say, \u201cCome!\u201d But to know Jesus is to know His heart, and His heart is one of<br \/>compassion for the lost.<\/p><p>He will come. No one knows the day or the hour. That\u2019s for certain! And so, while we<br \/>wait let us give ourselves to the destiny and purpose of God that is before us. In faith,<br \/>let us pass on the baton to the next generation, so that as long as \u201ctoday is called<br \/>today\u201d we will continue to be the testimony of God upon the earth until Jesus returns.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-6289\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-6289\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">The feeling versus thinking question<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-6289\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-6289\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-347 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1024x670.jpg\" alt=\"feeling\" width=\"800\" height=\"523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-1536x1004.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/feeling-v-thinking-2048x1339.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>This morning I sat down at my computer with, of course, my coffee in hand and, after<br \/>waking it up from its sleep, I was staring at a Facebook page that said, \u201cHow are you<br \/>feeling, Mark?\u201d. It was as if somebody sitting right in front of me was asking me the<br \/>question. I found myself thinking of an answer, and, even worse, not being able to<br \/>come up with one. And then it dawned on me: It was the wrong question! If the<br \/>computer had asked me, \u201cWhat are you thinking right now, Mark?\u201d, I would have<br \/>quickly answered with a paragraph or two on my thoughts for the day. For whatever<br \/>reason, I wasn\u2019t thinking yet about how I was feeling; rather I was thinking about what I<br \/>was thinking.<\/p><p>Years ago when I was taking counselling training in grad school I was taught that<br \/>people can generally be sorted into two simple groups: They are either thinkers or<br \/>feelers. If you ask a thinking person how they are feeling, it\u2019s likely that you won\u2019t get<br \/>much of a response. Similarly, if you ask a feeling person what they are thinking, they<br \/>may find it difficult to express themselves. Of course this is a generalization, but I\u2019ve<br \/>found it helpful to remember over the years when wanting to know how a person is<br \/>doing, that is, thinking and\/or feeling. Of course, no one is purely a thinker or a feeler.<br \/>We are all a mixture of both to some degree. It\u2019s just that we tend to have a preference<br \/>with regard to collecting information, processing it and then expressing the results.<br \/>Because of this, we often experience people as either thinking types or feeling types,<br \/>and if we are not careful, we end up putting them in a box that may be helpful for us<br \/>but restricting for them.<\/p><p>If we can think of individuals in this way, we can also think of groups of people like this,<br \/>too. That is, that they are either thinkers or feelers. For instance, in most local churches<br \/>there are those people who typically experience God in a feeling\/sensing kind of way<br \/>and often express this with a range of emotions. They are referred to as \u201ccreative\u201d or<br \/>\u201cartistic\u201d or just \u201cprophetic\u201d types. There will also be those who experience God in their<br \/>thoughts. Typically they rely heavily on the study\/teaching, reading\/speaking and<br \/>application of \u201cthe Word\u201d to express their experience of knowing and walking with<br \/>God. Unfortunately, most thinking types are suspicious of the feeling\/sensing types,<br \/>often criticizing them of being subjective in their experience, and, therefore, selffocused<br \/>and superficial. Feeling types have their box, too, for the thinkers in the crowd.<br \/>Convinced they are disconnected from their emotions, thinkers are considered to be<br \/>low in faith as they require everything to \u201cmake sense\u201d before they commit. Feeling<br \/>types believe that thinkers are slaves to reason and rationale, prone to being<br \/>controlling, legalistic and unable to show a depth of compassion due to their inability to<br \/>empathize with real heart.<\/p><p>I believe that Jesus was both a thinker and a feeler. I don\u2019t think anyone would say of<br \/>him that he was either one or the other but rather, both. In fact, there was never a time<br \/>that his head and his heart were truly at odds with each other. In being fully human, he<br \/>experienced decision-making challenges that came from the conflict between the<br \/>heart\u2019s feelings and the head\u2019s thoughts. For instance, in the garden of Gethsemane,<br \/>Jesus was conflicted between the passions of his heart and the belief of his destiny.<br \/>His resolve was found in submission to his Father\u2019s will, \u201c\u2026not my will, but yours be<br \/>done\u201d (Luke 22:4).<\/p><p>And so, the true biblical picture of Jesus, the son of God, is a picture of oneness. He<br \/>was not only one with the Father (John 14:10), but also demonstrated a perfect unity<br \/>between his head and his heart. This picture of Jesus on the earth, I believe, is one for<br \/>us to reconsider when we think about the church in these days. In him, there was a<br \/>unity and harmony between both head and heart. He demonstrated a mixture of<br \/>thoughts and feelings throughout his life and ministry. Today he wants to bring us into a<br \/>reunion of heart and mind, of feeling and thinking, of the body and the head.<br \/>Separation and division in the church have too often come from a disunity that has had<br \/>its genesis in a mutual suspicion between those who think versus those who feel. Dare<br \/>I say, there have been whole denominations and movements that have come out of a<br \/>particular preferred way of knowing and experiencing God. It seems silly to me that<br \/>anyone would want a headless body, any more than they would want a bodiless head!<br \/>But yet, that is often what we have, perhaps not intentionally, but as a consequence of<br \/>our trusted preference of experiencing life and God.<\/p><p>Today we are standing on new ground. The Lord is renovating his house for the sake of<br \/>his glory. And he wants to bring the feelers and the thinkers of his body into a oneness<br \/>of knowledge and experience of his presence and his power. And the key to this unity<br \/>will be found in our ability to trust one another. Suspicion is the door through which the<br \/>enemy enters, bringing division through hard-heartedness and a judgmental mind. It is<br \/>only within a culture of honour and respect, built on the solid rock of his love and<br \/>grace, that we can know and experience the kind of unity that the Lord himself has in<br \/>mind for us. Not impossible, but like fine wine, rare and costly.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62810\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62810\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">I believe, Lord<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62810\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62810\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-348 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-1024x564.jpg\" alt=\"i believe\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe-768x423.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-believe.jpg 1413w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>I have always thought it would be fun to walk on water, like Peter did. But I<br \/>don\u2019t need to walk on water in order to believe in Jesus. I don\u2019t need to see another<br \/>miracle to be convinced that he is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born<br \/>of a virgin, who died on a cross for the sins of the world, and who God the Father<br \/>raised from the dead on the third day.<\/p><p>No, I don\u2019t really need to see another sign or wonder in order to believe or follow<br \/>Jesus. In fact, Jesus said,<\/p><p><i>Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not<br \/>seen and yet have believed.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 20:29<\/p><p>Having said this, however, I can\u2019t wait to see another of the miracles or signs or<br \/>wonders that Jesus is going to do, specifically that he\u2019s going to do through us who<br \/>really believe. Why? Because when we do these things, in Jesus\u2019 name, through the<br \/>authority he has given us, then we are doing the will of the Father and drawing<br \/>attention to his son. But for what other good reason should we, as believers, want to<br \/>see more signs, wonders and miracles (SWMs)?<\/p><p>In understanding the Father\u2019s heart in sending Jesus to seek and save the lost (Luke<br \/>19:9), the SWMs he performed were to bring the lost to repentance and faith in him.<br \/>From reading the Gospels, I have come to believe, that the SWMs of Jesus are about<br \/>his Kingdom on earth. These manifestations of his power and love accredit him to the<br \/>hearts of those who are yet to be convinced of who is. On the day of Pentecost, in<br \/>Peter\u2019s Holy Spirit inspired message to a captivated crowd of onlookers, he wrote,<\/p><p><i>Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God<br \/>to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him,<br \/>as you yourselves know.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Acts 2:22<\/p><p>This makes it pretty clear that SWMs were about two things in particular: first,<br \/>establishing his true identity, that is, Jesus really is the Son of God, the Messiah!<br \/>Second, to confront people with the reality of his Kingdom through a demonstration of<br \/>his power. The apostle Paul wrote,<\/p><p><i>My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but<br \/>with a demonstration of the Spirit\u2019s power, so that your faith might not rest on<br \/>men\u2019s wisdom, but on God\u2019s power.<\/i><br \/>\u20141 Corinthians 2:4\u20135<\/p><p>And again in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians,<br \/><i>But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is<br \/>from God and not from us.<\/i><br \/>\u20142 Corinthians 4:7<\/p><p>There is something about the manifestation of God\u2019s power that confronts us with the<br \/>reality of who the Scriptures say he is. It often results in us believing \u2013 having faith \u2013 in<br \/>what would we normally say is unbelievable! That is, in things that don\u2019t make sense to<br \/>the human mind that is living and learning within the limits of natural laws. His power<br \/>confronts us with another realm of existence, that is God\u2019s realm, the realm of the spirit<br \/>and supernatural. Now, I know the word \u201cconfront\u201d might seem a bit strong but often a<br \/>confrontation of realities and beliefs is needed in order for our hearts as well as our<br \/>minds to be changed. And what is the sign of that change? Repentance.<\/p><p><i>Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had<br \/>been performed, because they did not repent.<br \/><\/i><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">\u2014Matthew 11:20<\/span><i><br \/><\/i><\/p><p>One purpose of the miracles that Jesus did then and is still doing today is to bring<br \/>people to repentance. True repentance is required so that we can appropriate God\u2019s<br \/>forgiveness through the perfect sacrifice for sin that Jesus has already made on our<br \/>behalf. Faith alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by sincere heartfelt<br \/>repentance; a kind of repentance that is rarely seen unless something or someone has<br \/>confronted us with a greater reality by which we can contrast ourselves and our<br \/>previous experience.<\/p><p>When Jesus first began his ministry, we are told that he continued to preach, as his<br \/>forerunner John the Baptist did, \u201cRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is near\u201d (Matthew<br \/>4:17). However, unlike John, he did not baptize the people in water for the forgiveness<br \/>of their sin but just forgave them, for He was God! He did, in fact, baptize people, but<br \/>in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, unlike his cousin John, \u201ca voice of one calling in the<br \/>desert, \u2018Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him&#8217;\u201d, Jesus moved in<br \/>SWMs.<\/p><p><i>Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the<br \/>good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the<br \/>people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who<br \/>were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demonpossessed,<br \/>those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large<br \/>crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the<br \/>Jordan followed him.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 4:23\u201325<\/p><p>Like any good pastor today, Jesus preached and taught the scriptures in a way that<br \/>often impressed his listeners. But he didn\u2019t stop there. He went on to move in<br \/>supernatural power, performing SWMs \u2013 and that\u2019s what got him into trouble!!! It would<br \/>either cause people to believe and repent or it triggered a religious spirit to rise up,<br \/>manifesting in threats and false accusations. They called him an impostor, a heretic, a<br \/>blasphemer, and even a satanist! Two extremes: one a response, the other a reaction,<br \/>but both resulting because the Kingdom of God manifested, and set God\u2019s divine<br \/>plumb line.<\/p><p>Jesus never took credit for the miracles he performed. He always gave the credit to His<br \/>Father in heaven: \u201c\u2026it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work\u201d John 14:10.<br \/>His words should have been enough for his disciples to believe, yet he knew that the<br \/>heart of man can be hard to convince, and so he added,<\/p><p><i>Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least<br \/>believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.<\/i><br \/>\u2014John 14: 10<\/p><p>The \u201cevidence of the miracles\u201d tells us that Jesus is God\u2019s son and if we believe in him<br \/>with repentant hearts we will be saved! We must remember, though, that his miracles,<br \/>either reveal and clarify or hide and confuse. They are the divine plumb line that God<br \/>often uses to expose our hearts; the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, living and<br \/>active, which penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges<br \/>the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Even John the Baptist, in prison<br \/>in his last days, seemed confused by what he heard that Jesus was doing! So much so<br \/>that he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, \u201cAre you the one who was to<br \/>come, or should we expect someone else?\u201d Matthew11:3. Jesus, not bearing witness<br \/>to himself in his own defense, pointed instead to the manifestation of his Kingdom: a<br \/>true witness to his identity as the Messiah.<\/p><p><i>Jesus replied, \u201cGo back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind<br \/>receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear,<br \/>the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the<br \/>man who does not fall away on account of me.\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 11:4<\/p><p>I find it chilling to think that John the Baptist who knew Jesus so well, even in<br \/>prophesying his coming and recognizing him when he finally did, now was confused<br \/>about who Jesus was because of what Jesus was doing! And Jesus made it clear to<br \/>John\u2019s disciples, as well as to the crowd around him, that SWMs he performed would<br \/>be the very acts that would separate them into one of two camps: those who would<br \/>believe and repent and follow versus those who would not.<\/p><p>Every morning I pray that will do the \u201cgreater things things than these\u201d of John 14:12,<br \/>because I know that this is God\u2019s way of accrediting his son, Jesus, to the hearts of<br \/>men. I also know and believe that if we are praying for revival to come in our day it will<br \/>only come as we, the Body of Christ, move in the signs, wonders and miracles of<br \/>Jesus. Jesus said, \u201cBlessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed\u201d John<br \/>20:29, but yet, in his grace, he will confront us through a demonstration of his power so<br \/>that as many hearts as possible might be convinced.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62811\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62811\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Jesus' Return: Is he coming back soon?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62811\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"11\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62811\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-349 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-1024x800.jpg\" alt=\"Jesus Return\" width=\"800\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Jesus-Return.jpg 1231w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>From the gospels and epistles we know that Jesus is going to return one day. Most<br \/>commonly referred to as the \u201cSecond Coming\u201d, this is a widely embraced truth<br \/>throughout Christendom, though not without debate. My question is this: is his return<br \/>imminent? Jesus made it clear that although we should take note of the signs that his<br \/>return is soon approaching, no one except the Father knows the day or hour of his<br \/>return.<\/p><p>Well, now, that makes things a bit tricky, doesn\u2019t it! Be prepared, watch for the signs<br \/>but, ultimately, no one will know or be able to predict exactly when he is coming back.<br \/>In fact, when he does return, it will be at a time that we least expect. Here\u2019s how Jesus<br \/>said it:<\/p><p><i>So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when<br \/>you do not expect him.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:44<\/p><p>Predicting Jesus\u2019 return, however, is not really what this is about, as if knowing the<br \/>when of his return could better prepare us for it, albeit at the last minute. No, in<br \/>knowing that he will one day return without knowing the when, we are faced with a<br \/>choice: First, to live moment-by-moment, fully prepared for his return, like the five wise<br \/>virgins of Matthew 25:1\u201313. Unlike the foolish five, they made sure that their lamps<br \/>were filled with oil just in case the bridegroom came in the night. Alternatively, we can<br \/>gamble on having the time to make our preparations in the last moment. The struggle<br \/>in this choice, I believe, hinges on the idea that true satisfaction and significance<br \/>cannot really be found outside of worldly pursuits and pleasures. \u201cOne foot in the<br \/>world, one foot in the Kingdom\u201d, so to speak. Young believers, especially, have<br \/>expressed this by asking questions like, \u201cIf I really follow Jesus, does that mean I can\u2019t<br \/>be cool?\u201d \u201cDoes being a disciple mean I have to live a boring life?\u201d Or the simple<br \/>conclusion, \u201cWhy do the wicked seem to have all the fun!\u201d Even Jeremiah couldn\u2019t help<br \/>commenting:<\/p><p><i>Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?<\/i><br \/>\u2014Jeremiah 24:1<\/p><p>Whether young or old, the gamble is that we might forfeit eternal salvation if we<br \/>continue to live a worldly life after we have been saved. Leaving this discussion for<br \/>another time, that is, whether we are \u201conce saved, always saved\u201d, I will say that I have<br \/>come to know and believe that God\u2019s grace is not at all like the grace of man. His grace<br \/>extends and stretches far beyond anything we can either know or express to one<br \/>another as mere mortals through our own strength and power. But we should not take<br \/>his patience as permission to see how close we can come to the line of the world<br \/>before crossing over.<\/p><p>There is, however, another possible response to Jesus\u2019 return, which is to not respond<br \/>at all. That is, to live our lives as if he isn\u2019t coming back. Puzzling, for sure, but more<br \/>common than perhaps many of us are willing to admit. Like in the day of Noah, Jesus<br \/>said, so it will be when he returns.<\/p><p><i>As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For<br \/>in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and<br \/>giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing<br \/>about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is<br \/>how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Matthew 24:37\u201339<\/p><p>Was their fate due to ignorance? Hardly! Not with the lunatic Noah building the ark<br \/>under their noses for years on end! It was not for lack of warning that they perished.<br \/>What sent them to their deaths was a love of their own lives and a lack of the fear of<br \/>God. These are two things that we, who have been made one with Christ through the<br \/>blood of his New Covenant, must be rid of, once and for all, by the perseverance of<br \/>faith, if we are to be prepared for his return. In this way, we can be sure that the<br \/>testimony he has made us to be does not become tarnished.<\/p><p>I believe that Jesus is going to return again. When, I don\u2019t know. But what I do know is<br \/>that while we, his bride, watch and wait, by God\u2019s grace and power we will live a life<br \/>that is holy and pleasing to God. So that our salvation might be guaranteed? No! So<br \/>that he might know how incredibly thankful we are for the gift of grace we have<br \/>received \u2013 a gift, by the way, that neither you nor I deserved.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62812\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62812\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What about these five-folders? Todays Apostles<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62812\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"12\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62812\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-345\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg\" alt=\"5 Fold Min\" width=\"300\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold.jpg 1745w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>Talk of returning to the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4 is certainly not new.The history<br \/>of Christianity is peppered with reformers and reformations. Among believers it is a<br \/>subject that resurfaces from time to time, often with great passion and conviction. Over<br \/>my last 25+ years of ministry we have seen a re-embracing of the prophetic to where<br \/>there is now a level of comfort in talking about prophetic gifts and ministries, and even<br \/>those we call prophets.<\/p><p>And then there is the gift of apostle, more commonly referred to as apostolic ministry.<br \/>We have come a long way. Whereas once upon a time apostolic ministry was rarely<br \/>mentioned, now we talk openly about such things and, even speak of those who are<br \/>modern day apostles. In fact, in the 90\u2019s (1990\u2019s that is!) there seemed to be selfproclaimed<br \/>apostles popping up all over the place. Whether they were the real deal is<br \/>certainly not something I am going make a call on, except to say I did notice that there<br \/>appeared to be a lot of \u2018wannabes\u2019 who overtime were unable to produce sustainable<br \/>apostolic fruit. (By the way, I am not picking on anyone in particular, as we will all be<br \/>known and judged by our fruit.) This shouldn\u2019t be surprising, as with each renaissance<br \/>there is a surge of early adopters who suddenly appear on the scene.<\/p><p>Now that the dust has settled and the novelty worn off, we are left on the one hand<br \/>with institutional apostles, that is, those who take for themselves or are given the title<br \/>Apostle (not unlike being called Pastor), denoting rank, status, or a job description. On<br \/>the other hand are those who exercise their apostolic gifts and authority without the<br \/>need of title, and often outside the confines of institutional Christianity.<\/p><p>God works through most apostolic people to start new ministries. In talking of this,<br \/>Loren Cunningham comes to mind. As a youth pastor in his twenties he had a vision to<br \/>train and send out teams of young people on short-term evangelistic missions, but his<br \/>overseers were not enthusiastic:<\/p><p><i>The leaders were cordial enough to me, a young greenhorn, but they pointed out all the<br \/>inherent problems in my plan. Inexperienced young people would be an explosive<br \/>element overseas, they explained. With rising nationalism and political unrest, the<br \/>denomination had its hands full keeping the experienced missionaries from getting<br \/>kicked out. They pointed out that the complexities of different cultures presented<br \/>another set of challenges. And there were real dangers and diseases. The last thing<br \/>they needed was a bunch of thrill-seeking kids complicating the worthwhile job the real<br \/>missionaries were doing.<\/i> <br \/>(\u201cIs That Really You, God?\u201d by Loren Cunningham with Janice\u00a0Rogers, p.47)<\/p><p>Knowing he\u2019d heard from God, Loren responded by moving outside his denominational<br \/>boundaries and founding Youth With A Mission in 1960. Today, YWAM trains 25,000<br \/>missionaries a year, and has tens of thousands of full-time workers in over 1000<br \/>locations. Truly Loren Cunningham is and has been an apostolic father in our time.The<br \/>question remains, however: Will the Loren Cunninghams of the new generation, waiting<br \/>to be recognized and released, find a different kind of response from older church<br \/>leaders to their fresh apostolic vision and passion? Will they be forced to find the<br \/>fulfillment of their ministries outside of current church structures and systems? I have<br \/>often heard it said by YWAM leaders, though be it candidly in hushed tones, that when<br \/>the church re-embraces its Kingdom agenda of equipping, training and sending out<br \/>young missionaries around the world then YWAM will no longer need to exist. As a<br \/>friend and partner of YWAM I have to say that I am in total agreement. The gift of<br \/>apostle, as part of the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4, was given to the Church and is<br \/>essential for the whole body to attain the measure of Christ. Now, as an older leader<br \/>my prayer is that we may recognize, call forth, raise up, bless and release in our midst<br \/>new apostolic leaders. In this, I believe we will be aligning ourselves with God\u2019s plan<br \/>and purpose to restore the five-fold ministry so that the Church walk fully in her destiny<br \/>and purpose in these end times.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62813\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"13\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62813\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Becoming Mature, Attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62813\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"13\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62813\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-350\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"maturity\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-1024x763.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity-768x572.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Maturity.jpg 1075w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>I have no confusion with regard to my conclusion about Ephesians 4 being a Biblical<br \/>model, if not the model, for a gifted, appointed, God-anointed group of individuals<br \/>who, by their Christ-given gifts, are \u201cto prepare God\u2019s people for works of service\u201d v.12.<br \/>When this bunch of preparers (who I will herein refer to as Five-folders) fulfill their<br \/>divinely commissioned task faithfully, the results will be staggering, i.e., the body of<br \/>Christ will be built up, reaching unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of<br \/>God, becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ!<\/p><p>It equally seems clear to me, as it does to so many others, that in order for this result to<br \/>come to pass, it will require something supernatural to happen, that is, not just the<br \/>exercise of natural talents along with the cleverness of the mind, but a demonstration<br \/>of the Spirit\u2019s power to radically change our lives \u2013 individually, and even more so,<br \/>corporately. Any other kind of effort to accomplish the same result, if it could, would<br \/>only serve to lessen our sense of value of what it means to attain to the whole measure<br \/>of the fulness of Christ.<\/p><p>The truth, however, is that this is not yet the measure to which we have attained. For<br \/>the sake of being honest, and more likely to recognize the necessity of a shift in our<br \/>hearts and minds, we must be willing to be measured by the picture of ourselves as<br \/>one unified mature Body in God\u2019s Word. The height to which He calls us may seem<br \/>unattainable, but it is, nevertheless, the level of knowledge and experience He intends<br \/>us to have. And I believe we can reach this \u201cwhole measure\u201d by re-embracing the<br \/>ministry that Christ gave to His Church to be the Church.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62814\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"14\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62814\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Five fold ministry<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62814\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"14\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62814\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-345\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg\" alt=\"5 Fold Min\" width=\"300\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-fold.jpg 1745w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>And so, what about this five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4? Since Jesus appointed some<br \/>to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be pastors, some to be teachers, some<br \/>to be evangelists, then why is it that in most local churches leaders are pastors who<br \/>perhaps teach, and elders who perhaps are mature enough and wise enough to be<br \/>recognized as such?<\/p><p>Of course, the fact that we call local church leaders \u201cpastors\u201d does not really tell us<br \/>anything, except that they have likely been appointed to manage a branch of the local<br \/>church. In the most general sense, \u201cthe pastor\u201d is the leader even if the pastor does<br \/>not have the gift of pastoring. Confusing, right? For the sake of clarification, the Bible<br \/>portrays pastoring as a gift given to those who have been called by God to shepherd<br \/>the flock. They may be leaders, or perhaps not, but they know how to care for people<br \/>with the love and compassion of God.<\/p><p>Teachers, on the other hand, are those who have been gifted to teach. Sounds simple,<br \/>doesn\u2019t it? However, we often call these individuals pastors, too. Now it\u2019s getting really<br \/>confusing! And then of course we have apostles and prophets. We usually don\u2019t call<br \/>them anything. Well, that\u2019s not exactly true. We call them pastors, too, if they are<br \/>leaders in the local church. When they don\u2019t settle into local church ministry then we<br \/>call them missionaries. Hmmm\u2026this isn\u2019t getting any clearer now, is it? We do speak of<br \/>people being prophetic but rarely do we recognize those who have been called by God<br \/>to be prophets in our day and in our time. And what about apostles? Are there any still<br \/>around? It is rare that we refer to anyone as an apostle, but yet I believe there are many<br \/>men and women who function in this calling and gift but have had to find a release<br \/>outside of Sunday-centred Christianity.<\/p><p>And finally, the evangelist, or should I say the evangelistic gift? Like John the Baptist,<br \/>they\u2019re often a strange bunch of individuals. Of course, when they reach the stature of<br \/>Billy Graham, they are honoured, revered, and respected. But few get to this level, and<br \/>as a consequence, most become marginalized through others\u2019 misunderstanding of<br \/>their unique and often strange ways.<\/p><p>And so, since the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4 has been given to us by Jesus \u201c\u2026to<br \/>prepare God\u2019s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up<br \/>until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become<br \/>mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ\u201d, then can we, the body<br \/>of Christ, expect to reach this on a singularly based pastoral-led church? True, the<br \/>leadership tag \u201cpastor\u201d seems to be a catchall for a mixture of gifts and callings, but it<br \/>does not clearly recognize or embrace the fullness of these gifts that have been given<br \/>to some.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62815\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"15\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62815\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Maturity in the Body of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62815\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"15\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62815\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-167 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1024x293.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1024x293.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-300x86.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-768x219.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash-1536x439.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Stock-images_0004_william-white-TZCppMjaOHU-unsplash.jpg 1802w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>If there is another move of God coming (and I believe there is), will it be sustainable? It<br \/>is one thing to pray in revival; it is quite another to sustain it over time. If unity is a<br \/>necessity, then what kind of unity are we talking about, and how do we experience it? I<br \/>believe this unity is above and beyond the social, organizational, political or national<br \/>kind. It is rarely brought about by ministerial meetings or local churches deciding to do<br \/>something together a couple of times a year. It is a unity that is \u201cof the Spirit through<br \/>the bond of peace\u201d. What we know about this peace is that it is a peace that the world<br \/>cannot give (John 14:27). And so, both the peace that binds us together and the unity<br \/>that comes \u201cof the Spirit\u201d are miraculous works of God in us through Christ Jesus, our<br \/>Lord! We are, of course, His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). The key in this for us is an<br \/>issue of heart. As Paul wrote so simply, \u201cBe completely humble and gentle; be patient,<br \/>bearing with one another in love\u201d (Ephesians 4:2). It seems that this is a prerequisite for<br \/>true unity.<\/p><h5><b>Unity and Maturity<\/b><\/h5><p>There is also another kind of unity, that is, \u201cunity in the faith and in the knowledge of<br \/>the Son of God\u201d (Ephesians 4:13). That\u2019s where the five-fold ministry comes in. It is<br \/>brought about when those apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists that<br \/>Jesus himself anointed and appointed do what they are supposed to do! And this is<br \/>their work:<\/p><p><i>\u2026to prepare God\u2019s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may<br \/>be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of<br \/>God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of<br \/>Christ.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Ephesians 4:12\u201313.<\/p><p>In the five-fold preparations of God\u2019s people, the Body of Christ receives more than just<br \/>an equipping \u201cfor works of service\u201d; in this there is spiritual unity and maturity that<br \/>cannot be reached any other way. If \u201cattaining to the whole measure of the fullness of<br \/>Christ\u201d is our ultimate goal, then unity and maturity in the Body of Christ are essential.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62816\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"16\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62816\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Unity in the Body of Christ<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62816\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"16\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62816\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-355 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"unity\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity-1536x942.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/unity.jpg 1559w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>When I think of leadership in the Church, several scriptures come to mind as key texts.<br \/>Ephesians 4 is one of them, in particular verses 11\u201316, often referred to as the teaching<br \/>on the \u201c5-fold ministry\u201d. This has been and continues to be foundational in our<br \/>understanding of the Christ-anointed\/Christ-appointed ministry gifts that have been<br \/>given to bring the Body of Christ into unity and maturity. These grace gifts are what I<br \/>and others call \u201cessential\u201d gifts rather than \u201coptional\u201d or even \u201cpreferred\u201d: in order for<br \/>the Body of Christ to come into \u201cthe whole measure of the fullness of Christ\u201d these<br \/>essential gifts, in recognized leaders with active and accepted ministries, need to be at<br \/>work.<\/p><p>That being said, Ephesian 4:1\u201316 is not really about leadership or the 5-fold ministry,<br \/>but rather it is about unity in the Body of Christ, His Church. Earlier in that chapter Paul<br \/>writes: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.<\/p><h5><b>A Shared Understanding<\/b><\/h5><p>Knowing that this unity hinges on a correct understanding of some key spiritual<br \/>realities, Paul goes on to say this:<\/p><p><i>4 There is one body and one Spirit\u2014just as you were called to one hope when<br \/>you were called\u2014 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of<br \/>all, who is over all and through all and in all.<\/i><\/p><p>It would seem that Paul is answering the question: \u201cHow many bodies are there?\u201d Or<br \/>perhaps, \u201cHow many Gods, or Lords, or faiths, or hopes, or baptisms are there?\u201d As<br \/>non-PC as it might be in our day and age to suggest that there could only be one of<br \/>each of these, the truth remains that there is only one. Not many, but one. One God,<br \/>one Lord, one Spirit, one faith, one hope, one baptism, and\u2026one body! Keeping \u201cunity<br \/>in the Spirit\u201d, then, requires us to be unified in a shared understanding of this truth. In<br \/>knowing and sharing this together Paul trusts that it will spur us on to what he exhorts<br \/>us all to be, that is, \u201ccompletely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one<br \/>another in love\u201d (v. 2).<\/p><h5><b>Unique Branches, One Vine<\/b><\/h5><p>Often when I am asked to speak in a place that I have never been before, I will ask<br \/>those listening, \u201cHow many churches are there here?\u201d They go quiet for a minute as<br \/>they do the mental math. Eventually, some get the nerve to speak up with the sum of<br \/>their calculations. \u201cMaybe 100\u2026possibly more?\u201d After thanking them for the answer, I<br \/>take the opportunity to tell them that they are wrong, that there is, in fact, only one<br \/>church! A trick question? Yes, but not meant to embarrass or shame, but rather to<br \/>make a point: too often our default, when it comes to the Church, is to think of it as<br \/>different, distinct and independent, therefore easily quantifiable. Arguably, there is<br \/>some merit to this. Likening our relationship to Him as fruit-bearing branches in the<br \/>Father\u2019s vineyard, Jesus did say that though there is just one vine, from that vine there<br \/>would be many branches. The key to being a high-yielding, fruit-bearing branch is to<br \/>remain in him, the one and only true vine. We can and should celebrate our individuality<br \/>and uniqueness as our Father in heaven does. However, to come into true unity as the<br \/>Body of Christ, we must take our eyes off ourselves and put them on Him. What we<br \/>see then is a picture of perfect unity.<\/p><p>As Jesus said himself, \u201cI and the Father are one\u201d (John 10:30). We hear this again in<br \/>John 14:10, but this time it is more than agreement or shared understanding but rather<br \/>a coexistence where the submission of the Son allows the Father to speak and act<br \/>through Him: \u201cDon\u2019t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?<br \/>The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is<br \/>doing His work.\u201d The uniqueness and individuality of Jesus are not lost in this, even<br \/>though by choice He delights in doing the Father\u2019s will. It is beyond contemplation<br \/>what would have resulted if Jesus had chosen differently! I believe that oneness would<br \/>have continued to exist but without the fruit that comes from unity. Unity, then, is<br \/>essential.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62817\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"17\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62817\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A remnant heart<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62817\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"17\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62817\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-354 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart.jpg\" alt=\"heart\" width=\"872\" height=\"957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart.jpg 872w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart-273x300.jpg 273w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Remnant-heart-768x843.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 872px) 100vw, 872px\" \/><\/p><p><i>Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?<br \/>He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol<br \/>or swear by what is false.<br \/>He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.<\/i><br \/>\u2014Psalm 24:3\u20135 (NIV1984)<\/p><p>The Bible uses the word remnant to describe a small group of people who remain<br \/>devoted to God. Kept by Him, they also are those who have chosen not to lift up their<br \/>souls to idols or swear by what is false (Psalm 24:4). Of course, we know that outside<br \/>of the blood of the Lamb, and therefore still under the law, we can not live at a level of<br \/>perfection that will allow us to ascend God\u2019s holy hill. The only way to \u201cclean hands<br \/>and a pure heart\u201d is through repentance and faith in the work of Jesus on the cross.<\/p><p>But a remnant heart is more that an individual\u2019s faith and walk with God in Christ Jesus.<br \/>It refers to a corporate heart \u2013 one that has been shaken and sifted to be purified<br \/>through testing. A remnant heart speaks of a fragment of what was once: a holy and<br \/>fragrant residue. Gideon\u2019s army is perhaps one of the strongest pictures of this. The<br \/>army was heavily pruned until it was no longer Gideon\u2019s army but rather the army of the<br \/>Lord!<\/p><p>Today, as always, it is often a remnant heart that first hears the Word of the Lord. But<br \/>hearing is not enough; the Word must be received, and an intentional, tangible<br \/>response demonstrated through steps of faith and obedience. In hearing and receiving<br \/>the Word of the Lord, a remnant heart finds itself activated in the purposes and plans of<br \/>God through the Holy Spirit. To put it plainly, \u201cstuff just starts to happen!\u201d<\/p><p>I believe that God is speaking today as He has in the past. I believe He is speaking to<br \/>everyone through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The question is, however, who is<br \/>hearing the voice of the Lord in these days? And of those who hear, who are those who<br \/>are receiving? The Kingdom of God is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those who<br \/>seek comfort and control above and before Jesus\u2019 kingdom and His righteousness. It is<br \/>a remnant heart that God will use to usher His presence into the nations and advance<br \/>His kingdom on earth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62818\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"18\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62818\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Positioned for God's purposes<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62818\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"18\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62818\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-353 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1024x583.jpg\" alt=\"positioned\" width=\"800\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1024x583.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-768x437.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned-1536x875.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/positioned.jpg 1758w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>Joseph, Moses, and Esther are each known for marking a transition, for standing<br \/>against the flow of what was expected in order to prevent mass destruction. Joseph<br \/>provided refuge for the people of Israel when their survival was threatened. Moses led<br \/>that same nation out of a hostile situation. Esther prevented the annihilation of her<br \/>people by the king of Persia.<\/p><p>There\u2019s something conspicuous that shaped and defined all three: each was required<br \/>to spend a significant period of time estranged from his or her culture of birth, living<br \/>and working in a cross-cultural situation. The outcome in each case was the<br \/>positioning to bridge the gap between two cultures at a strategic time, for the<br \/>fulfillment of God\u2019s purposes.<\/p><p>Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt when he was seventeen. From then on he lived<br \/>among Egyptians, first as a household slave, then as a prisoner, and finally as secondin-<br \/>command to Pharaoh. God used the complexity of Joseph\u2019s cross-cultural situation<br \/>to position him to rescue the entire nation of Israel from death by famine.<\/p><p>Generations later, Moses was adopted as a baby into Pharaoh\u2019s family. At a time when<br \/>other Hebrew baby boys were hunted and killed, Moses was nursed by his own<br \/>mother, then raised as an Egyptian son in the palace. His cross-cultural upbringing<br \/>positioned him to go between two cultures and spearhead a massive international<br \/>move, returning the people of Israel to their home.<\/p><p>Esther was taken from her uncle\u2019s home in a Jewish community to become a Persian<br \/>queen. Her years of living in the court of King Xerxes positioned her to prevent the<br \/>murder of her people.<\/p><p>Similarly with us, we are changed in some significant ways when God leads us to live<br \/>among other nations or people groups. Quite apart from what we accomplish while<br \/>we\u2019re there, God\u2019s purposes are realized through divine positioning so that at just the<br \/>right time, in just the right place, we become the very instrument through which God\u2019s<br \/>purposes are fulfilled.<\/p><p>Let\u2019s not resist God\u2019s strategic call on our lives!<br \/><i>Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, \u201cWhom shall I send? And who will go<br \/>for us?\u201d<br \/>And I said, \u201cHere am I. Send me!\u201d<\/i><br \/>\u2014Isaiah 6:8<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62819\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"19\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62819\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Dancing in Step<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62819\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"19\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62819\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-346 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1024x621.jpg\" alt=\"dancing\" width=\"800\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1024x621.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing-1536x932.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/dancing.jpg 1691w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>The Spirit of God has been emphasizing to us lately the importance of keeping in step<br \/>with Him. \u201cIn step?\u201d Yes, just like Jesus \u2013 saying only what we hear the Father saying,<br \/>doing only what we see the Father doing, being about the Father\u2019s business and able<br \/>to say, \u201cIt is the Father in me who is doing the work.\u201d<\/p><p>In this, the picture that has come to me again and again is one of dancing \u2013 dancing<br \/>with Jesus. It is not a freestyle kind of dance where everyone does his or her own thing<br \/>regardless of what the dance partner is doing. But rather, it is the kind of dance where<br \/>we join with Him, the two becoming one.<\/p><p>Years ago, as a young single male, before I became a follower of Jesus, I frequently<br \/>visited discotheques and bars where there was dancing. I love to dance, even now. In<br \/>those days (the seventies) most people danced independently of their dance partners,<br \/>emphasizing personal freedom and individual expression. Of course, as the night went<br \/>on and after everyone had had a few drinks, it really didn\u2019t matter who you danced<br \/>with, perhaps no one at all! It seemed free. It seemed fun. But it was incredibly<br \/>egotistical and self focused. And for some of us, it was with great regret that we<br \/>remembered the next day our antics on the dance floor the night before.<\/p><p>In the days of renewal there was also a lot of dancing. This time, it was not a dance of<br \/>the unredeemed, but rather of those whose hearts were being rekindled with passion<br \/>through a revelation of the Father\u2019s love. A different dance, but similar in some ways. It,<br \/>too, often looked like the kind of dance we used to dance in days gone by, i.e., a kind<br \/>of independent, unscripted expression of unfettered joy. Mixed in with this dance were<br \/>also some pretty bizarre manifestations of the Holy Spirit. It was quite a powerful<br \/>cocktail for those of us who were drinking it at the time! In the moment, it was what<br \/>freedom looked like, without a doubt. It was right, it was appropriate, and it was God!<\/p><p>But that was then and this is now. For those of us who drank of those waters, who<br \/>swam in that river, our lives were blessed and changed forever. However, God always<br \/>meant us to be drinking with a purpose. Some of us understood that the place that we<br \/>entered the waters would not be the same place we got out. The river of life was never<br \/>a stagnant pond or an inland lake fixed by its surrounding environment. The springs of<br \/>renewal were dynamic and ever flowing for the purposes of changing us into the very<br \/>people that God wants us to be!<\/p><p>And so, today many of us are hearing again the Lord calling out, \u201cCome, dance with<br \/>me!\u201d But this time, it is a call to dance with Him, \u2026in His arms. It is a call to enter into<br \/>His loving grasp, trusting that He can lead us well around the dance floor. It requires a<br \/>kind of surrender that only those who are loved can give. And the dance He leads us in<br \/>makes us look beautiful! He makes us better dancers than we actually are. As He leads<br \/>us, we cover the whole dance floor, not just a postage stamp-sized spot where we<br \/>march in time to the music. In His arms, the whole dance floor becomes ours to enjoy!<br \/>Moreover, as we dip and dive, twirl and swirl in His arms, the Lord is going to be<br \/>positioning us exactly where He wants us to be. There is no question that this dance is<br \/>about the one in whose arms we trust, i.e., the King of Glory and His destiny and<br \/>purpose!<\/p><p>And finally, this call to dance with Jesus is a corporate call. It is a call to a kind of unity<br \/>that few of us have ever experienced. It is as \u201cone new man\u201d that we enter into the<br \/>arms of the bridegroom. It is not the \u201ceverybody doing their own thing\u201d dance of days<br \/>gone by, but rather it involves being \u201cin step\u201d with the spirit, unified \u201cin the faith and in<br \/>the knowledge of the Son of God\u201d (Ephesians 2:15; 4:13). This call to dance is to His<br \/>church, and it is a remnant heart that is first to respond.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62820\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"20\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62820\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Zerubbabel's Plumbline<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62820\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"20\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62820\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-352 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Plumline.jpg 1346w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p><p>The Zerubbabel plumbline speaks of the preparations of God prior to the building or<br \/>rebuilding of His house. When the plumbline appears, it tips us off that God is about to<br \/>do something. It also speaks of a \u201ctruing up\u201d of our hearts, that is, we are measured by<br \/>something that is true and holy. The divine plumb line reveals hearts, that is, to show us<br \/>what God already knows to be true! It also is used to divide or separate, giving strong<br \/>clarification or demarcation of kind, i.e., \u201cseparates the sheep from the goats\u201d (Matthew<br \/>25:32). Because our God is also loving, \u201ca compassionate and gracious God, slow to<br \/>anger, abounding in love and faithfulness\u201d (Psalm 86:15), the work of the plumbline is<br \/>to give us the opportunity to turn from our sin through repentance and faith followed by<br \/>the demonstration of a changed life. Of course, one day this opportunity in this season<br \/>of grace will be over and the divine plumbline will be used one more time in judgement<br \/>(see Matthew 25:31\u201346).<\/p><p>I believe \u201cthe House of the Lord\u201d is being re-established on a new foundation. He is<br \/>speaking to a remnant heart, that is, a corporate heart made up of individuals who are<br \/>pursuing God passionately and have given themselves to Him totally for His purposes.<br \/>Remnant, of course, refers to a small remaining quantity of something, that is,<br \/>something that was once big has now, in comparison, become small and, therefore,<br \/>purer or more suitable for God\u2019s purposes, e.g., Gideon\u2019s army. And so, we are being<br \/>or we are about to be measured by God\u2019s plumb line so that we might prepare our<br \/>hearts as well as count the cost of being used for the reestablishing of His House on<br \/>earth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62821\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"21\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62821\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Holding Patterns<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62821\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"21\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62821\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-623\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-300x111.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-300x111.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-1024x379.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-768x284.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-1536x568.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Holding-Patterns-2048x758.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p class=\"p1\">(Originally posted August 23, 2018)<\/p><p class=\"p1\">A few weeks ago, while in prayer, I had a clear vision of airplanes stacked up over an airport in a holding pattern. I asked, \u201cGod, why are you\u00a0showing me this?\u201d He said, \u201cBecause you haven\u2019t landed yet. I\u2019ve got you in a holding pattern&#8230;in the heavenlies.\u201d Needless to say, I was somewhat stunned by this revelation, but all of sudden everything made sense to me.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We landed back in Canada from Japan &#8211; physically &#8211; on March 7th. Now it was August 7th and we were feeling desperate to get back on the plane to head off to our next assignment in the nations. Apparently, we had never gotten off the plane, spiritually speaking. Just hovering, not being allowed to settle or put down roots. We knew before we left Japan that we were not coming back to Canada to resettle, but to wait to be reassigned. However, with days turning into weeks and weeks into months, with no home of our own in which to live out our lives, we found that the very thing that we were not to do, i.e., resettle, became a growing temptation.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">I am sure that during their days of wandering in the wilderness God\u2019s people longed to settle, too. No more moving! \u201cLet\u2019s just stay here, Moses!\u201d Sometimes, settling for second best seems like a pretty good option. Our need as humans to settle is more than just a survival instinct: it is a desire for a home&#8230;a place that we can call our own&#8230;in which to live our lives over time, raising our families, celebrating all the seasons of life together with the ones we love. These are not wrong things to want. In fact, I believe that this is the way God created us to be. However, there are times when our need to have these things is greater than our desire to know and to wholly belong to the God who created us.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Since the time we were married, Jane and I have agreed to pursue God together, as well as to offer ourselves to Him, completely. To this day our prayer remains, \u201cAnytime, anywhere, no matter the cost, here we are God: send us!\u201d He knows what we need as well as the temptations that might distract us away from the very thing we ask for: to find ourselves continually in the centre of His will for the sake of His Kingdom on earth.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">And so, we have been in a holding pattern, &#8230;a holy holding pattern. Physically landed, but in the heart and mind of God still in flight in the realm of His Spirit, according to His purposes for our lives. When the reassignment comes, I suspect it will come suddenly. And like the 10 virgins that went out to wait for the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13), we want to be sure that when the moment finally arrives there is nothing in our hearts or minds that will stop us from being on our way again, in full flight.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-62822\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"22\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-62822\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zM92.5 220.5l123 123c4.7 4.7 12.3 4.7 17 0l123-123c7.6-7.6 2.2-20.5-8.5-20.5H101c-10.7 0-16.1 12.9-8.5 20.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-square-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M0 432V80c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h352c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v352c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48zm355.515-140.485l-123.03-123.03c-4.686-4.686-12.284-4.686-16.971 0L92.485 291.515c-7.56 7.56-2.206 20.485 8.485 20.485h246.059c10.691 0 16.045-12.926 8.486-20.485z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">A Prophetic Word for 2017<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-62822\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"22\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-62822\"><p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-620\" src=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Megaphone-BW-1.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">This time of year always seems rife with prophetic words for a new year. As well, there seems to be an endless flow of opinions, postulations and speculations &#8211; forecasts and predictions, along with real news and fake news. If there was ever a time to be discerning, it is now. We need to remind ourselves that information is not wisdom, nor does ability or giftedness equal spiritual or psychological maturity.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Prophetic words, in order to be \u2018prophetic\u2019, need to come from God, the Holy Spirit. Whether it is a prophetic word, picture, vision, dream or sense, it is not the prophet&#8217;s voice that gives the words life but rather the voice of God. And when it is God who is speaking, not only is there a witness in our spirits but also some kind of measurable result, over time, confirming that what was given was indeed the word of the Lord.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There should be no argument: social media is changing the world (or at least changing speed and coverage of the way in which the peoples of the world are communicating). This change is true for Christians, too. Social media, which by nature is neither good nor bad, is changing the way we \u2018do church\u2019. Much could be argued, of course, for and against the effect of the internet, however, with regard to the prophetic, it has given a platform to everyone who wants a voice on a global scale. The question is: Is it the voice of God? It is by the Word of God and the gift of discernment that we will be able to tell what is true and holy, and I believe that it is our discernment that is being tested.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There have always been false prophets &#8211; the Bible is full of them. And there continue to be those who speak falsely \u2018in the name of the Lord\u2019 today, with access to the internet, just like you and me. It is not, however, their words we need to be concerned about but rather our ability to hear and discern the voice of God. For it is written, &#8220;Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV)<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Having said that, mid-2016 I started to receive a word &#8211; a prophetic word &#8211; which I believe was from God for the Church in 2017. Words need to be discerned and tested, and so I invite readers to consider what I am sharing in this way.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There will be an unusual \u2018shifting&#8217;, a &#8216;recalibration&#8217; in the Body of Christ in 2017. He is about to hit the \u2018reset\u2019 button. For some it will be a soft reset, for others it will be hard. It will result in a &#8216;reallocation&#8217; of people and resources. With regard to shifting, there will be a significant coming and going of pastors and leaders &#8211; on both national and international levels. From some countries there will be a significant exodus of missionaries &#8211; some forced and some freely &#8211; some by the Spirit of God and some out of fear and frustration. On the other hand, new fields will be opened up and we will begin to see younger first-timers head to the nations. This will not, however, be a wave of new missionaries, at least, not at first. The Lord does not want us to be discouraged by this but rather understand that He is doing a \u2018reset\u2019 on missionary vision, passion and, therefore, effectiveness.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Concerning the reallocation of people and resources, this will be the Lord\u2019s doing as well, though it may seem that it is the effect of changing legislation and policies of countries and governments. Within a variety of Christian organizations and denominations this reallocation will have a major impact &#8211; for some it will bring reformation, for some renewal, while for others it will signal an end to their movement and mission.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The Lord, also, spoke to me about His Kingdom. In Jesus&#8217; government He has ministers with specific &#8216;portfolios of ministry\u2019: a Kingdom administration. He is about to shuffle His cabinet: a &#8216;reappointment&#8217;. Some will be reappointed, while others will be stepped down &#8211; sent to the back benches, while still others will be retired &#8216;to glory\u2019. There will be a few new appointments, too. (It should be noted that I received this word before the Emperor of Japan had announced his intention to abdicate, before Donald Trump won the election in the US and set his new administration in place, before the Prime Minister of Canada &#8211; Justin Trudeau &#8211; shuffled his cabinet, before the Brexit vote signalled the departure of David Cameron, and so on.) Again, the result will be an increased effectiveness of the ministry of Jesus around the world. In 2017 the Lord will expedite things promised that have been held back by a religious spirit in the church. We will see clusters of kingdom-hearted, kingdom-minded people come together and form foundations for new apostolic centres. Governmental authority, i.e., the authority of the King, through His five-fold leadership team, will be exercised &#8220;to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up\u201d, Eph.4:12.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Finally, 2017 will be a year of great testing. Western Christianity, in particular, will experience crisis. Not a crisis of faith but, rather, one of expectation, i.e., the expectation that God will preserve a standard of living encased within a unique Christianized cultural context.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We will know His goodness and see more signs, wonders and miracles than perhaps any of us have ever seen before, but the shifting, shuffling and shaking will not stop until we experience these three things: reformation, renewal and revival. These three will prove to be the needed preparations of His bride before the Bridegroom, Jesus, King of Kings returns.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Ephesians 3:20-21(NIV)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dbf90d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8dbf90d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Articles by Mark Banyard<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Articles by Mark Banyard NEW! &#8211; Recognizing Problems That Arise In Church Planting I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my third article here: https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/recognizing-problems-that-arise-in-church-planting Planting A New Church I\u2019ve been asked to contribute to The Lead Pastor. You can find my second article here: https:\/\/theleadpastor.com\/insights\/planting-new-church\/ What Every Lead Pastor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Articles | Words of Wisdom | Kingdom Advance Ministries","_seopress_titles_desc":"Articles by Mark Banyard - A series of articles and wise words from Kingdom Advance Ministries.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/142"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1264,"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/142\/revisions\/1264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingdomadvanceministries.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}