Recently I have been doing a verse by verse study of the book of Mark at my church. If you spend any time at all preaching from the gospels you have to deal with the subject of healing. To do otherwise would be to ignore a major portion of the life and works of Jesus. So I want to just take a second to share with you the three types of healing talked about in the Bible. These types of healing many times are interconnected. One type of healing leads or opens the door to another type. Many times spiritual healing leads to emotional healing, and sometimes physical healing leads to spiritual healing ect. So a biblical viewpoint on the subject of healing is important in the life of every believer. The three types of healing in the Bible. Man was created in the Bible as a triune being. What I mean by that is that there is more to a human being than meets the eye. He was created in the image of God and has 3 parts. He has a body, a soul, and a spirit. So since man has 3 parts to his make-u… [more]

As part of my continued effort to share with other Christian bloggers ideas to help them promote their Christian blogs and get a greater number of believers that are influencing their world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have decided to teach a bit about the power of guest blogging. At first you might think, as I did when I first started out, why would a person volunteer to write for another blog? Why not just write for your own blog and keep the original content for yourself? Well in this post I hope to show you the reason why it is a good idea to do some guest blogging on other blogs not only for traffic, but also for SEO. (Search Engine Optimization) The power of guest blogging. Guest blogging is a great way to build traffic and goodwill. Every smart blogger is always looking for new original content. Every blog post and page that you add to your blog builds it's reputation and ability to draw traffic from the search engines especially if you design the content towards what pe… [more]

It has been 4 years now since we started this season of economic downturn. So once again I am encouraging people by posting some uplifting Bible verses for hard times. Honestly, I see this as a season where what truly matters is revealed and what we made our paper gods out of is burned away. These inspirational verses will be comforting and encouraging to you as you work through the issues that have brought on these hard times. Adversity can either be your friend or your enemy. You can either allow it to make you into a stronger person, or you can let it destroy you. That choice is yours. These uplifting bible verses will help you make the right choices and take on the right values so that you too can rise up beyond the circumstances of the day and have a victorious life. My favorite uplifting Bible verses during adversity. Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. … [more]

In this final teaching on spiritual gifts we are going to look at interpretation of tongues. As I made clear in the last teaching on the proper use of tongues, the gift of tongues must be interpreted in a public meeting. If it is not interpreted then it is out of order and the uninformed or unbelieving person will think everybody is crazy. No one will be blessed by this gift. The gift of interpreting tongues is a pretty straight forward gift. As with the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues is a gift where you hear somebody speak in an unknown tongue, and you are given the meaning of that tongue. Both the one who speaks in tongues, and the one who interprets did not have this given to them by a natural ability, but by a supernatural gift given at the time. It does not mean that you have a knack for picking up languages, but it means that by the grace of God you were given the ability to understand the meaning of the tongue at the time given. What is an interpretation of tong… [more]

As I am writing today's bible study on the proper use of the gift of tongues, I can already hear both my Pentecostal/Charismatic brothers and sisters and my barely Charismatic and non-Charismatic brothers and sisters rummaging around in their garages to get a rope to string me up! There will be those that will feel that what I have to say either goes too far or not far enough. That is okay! Recently I had two different people in my own church complain the same way. To one I was too Charismatic, and to the other I was not Charismatic enough. To me that confirms that I am right where I should be. I am on a quest for the radical middle. However I hope to show you where and why I am taking the stands I am taking concerning this gift. The purpose of the gift of tongues in the modern church. In looking at the gift of speaking in tongues, (This gift is called glossolalia in the Greek), a person needs to discern that there are two very different aspects to this gift. There is the evangelisti… [more]

I would like to introduce to you a dear friend of mine. Caroline Gavin is the most talented Christian poet that I have ever known personally. I asked her specifically to write a couple of Christian Love Poems for this Valentine's day. This woman of God is multi-talented. Caroline Gavin is a Christian Life Coach, Speaker and Author with Purposeful Pathway. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, she has written for us the following Christian love poems. My prayer is that this Valentine's Day Couplet will encourage and inspire you!   2 Christian Love Poems to Inspire you! Christian Valentine's Day Poetry Couplet by Caroline Gavin Celebrate now we do  The season of Saint Valentine  A season of sharing our hearts  And expressing love divine   We commemorate the Saint in Rome Who with Valentine went by name A Saint martyred for Jesus Christ Giving all for love and not for fame   “Valens” itself in Roman times Meant worthy, powerful and strong Thus this worthy mart… [more]

The gift of speaking in unknown tongues has been one of the most controversial of all the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. It is not my desire to stir or spread controversy, so as I answer the question of what is speaking in tongues, I am reminded, so I remind you, of Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 13 where He says that even if he spoke with the tongues of men and angels but had not love, he would just be a clanging cymbal.  So as I try to approach the question of what is speaking in tongues, please hear my heart. This is not a subject or an issue that should bring division or cause us to loose focus on the mission we all have been given. We are called to witnesses to this world by loving one another. What is speaking in tongues? The gift of speaking in tongues is a gift that is unique to the New Testament church. You do not find this gift in operation at all in the Old Testament. The gift of speaking in tongues is the ability to speak in a language that was previousl… [more]

There is a lot of buzz in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles today concerning the gift of prophecy. There is a whole movement that has sprung up called the Prophetic Movement. We have men and women running around calling themselves prophets. When I was just a few years old in the Lord, I got involved with a "movement". I thought it was the latest and greatest thing that God was doing. It was only after a couple of years getting banged around and swallowing some pretty bad doctrine did I realize that there is only 1 movement that God is calling us to. That is to run your own race towards the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. Since that time I have seen at least 4 movements come and go. All of them brought an issue or an understanding of our faith to the conversation table, but they also brought a lot of baggage because of extremes that went along with the movement. In today's lesson on the gift of prophecy, I am going to try to remove the baggage, maybe bring some correction, but m… [more]

Today we are going to talk about what is commonly called the gift of discernment. The Bible actually calls it the gift of discerning of spirits. There is a big difference between what many people think is the gift of discernment and what is the gift of discerning of spirits. There have been a lot of people who have been taught that the gift of discernment is talking about discerning between right and wrong, sin and righteousness, and whether people are right with God or unsaved or backslidden. This is not the gift of discerning of spirits but more than likely stems from a critical or judgmental spirit. Rarely have I seen a person who claims to have the gift of discernment and using it in this way come from a motive of love but rather they seem to have a hidden emotional need to look better than others. The real definition of the gift of discernment. The gift of discernment, is not about discerning the hearts of people but about discerning the source of something. When you are operati… [more]

Today we are going to look at the spiritual gift of working of miracles. The gift of miracles is a unique gift because it really has no boundaries. What I mean by that, is that the very nature of this gift, supersedes natural laws and thinking. It is truly the gift that can be explained in no other way than it was a miracle. Now their are other gifts that are miraculous like extraordinary faith and the gift of healing, but the gift of working of miracles goes beyond these other two gifts and changes impossibilities into possibilities. This gift is probably the least seen gift in the modern church. I am not sure why this is other than it is probably the least expected of all the gifts. I think that we are so used to working things out, looking to science or reason for our solutions that we forget to look to God for miraculous solutions at time. I also believe that this is why there are more reports of miracles happening in nations and cultures that are not based on western civilization… [more]

Today in our series on spiritual gifts we are going to look at the gift of healing. Now the scripture actually does not say the gift of healing but says "gifts of healings". This is important because some people are under the impression that the gift of healing is just given to a select few that can heal the sick. This is not what the scriptures meant nor does it conform to the biblical text in 1 Corinthians. Remember that these are gifts of the Holy Spirit, not our gifts. They are given as He wills, not according to our ability or merit. Paul said that the manifestation of spiritual gifts are given to each of us for the common good, or to meet the needs as they arise. Thus, there is not one gift given to one person to the exclusion of all the other gifts or all the other people. It is based on the needs present and the will of God. That is why Paul used a plural form of the word for gifts and for healings. There are many times where more than one healing is needed and more than one ty… [more]

Today we are going to look at the gift of extraordinary faith. The reason I call it extraordinary faith is because every believer is given what Paul called a "measure of faith". This was the faith to believe that Jesus would save us. It was the faith that sparked being born again. In 1st Corinthians 12, Paul is not talking about saving faith, but about a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit. It is mountain moving faith. It is the type of faith that produces the miraculous. This gift is one of 3 gifts that are sometimes called power gifts because they demonstrate the power of God. The other two being the working of miracles and gifts of healings. The best way I have learned to discern when the gift of extraordinary faith is in operation is the profound absence of fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. It is at the polar end of the spectrum spiritually. So when you see something miraculous happen, coupled with the absence of fear, then you know it is the gift of extraordinary faith at w… [more]

In the book of Mark chapter 4, there is a story where Jesus calms the storm. He had just gotten done with a day of teaching people in parables and then He tells the disciples "come, let us cross over to the other side". So they hop in the boat, and start sailing over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the journey, the wind and the waves kick up in a huge tempest and are about to swamp the boat, yet Jesus is asleep in the boat. So let's take a look at the significance of this story where Jesus calms the storm. The Bible narrative where Jesus calms the storm. Mark 4:35-41 Wind and Wave Obey Jesus   35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a … [more]

This morning let's take a look at what is the word of knowledge. This spiritual gift is probably one of the most exercised gifts in the body of Christ today. When used properly it can be a powerful tool to demonstrate that God really is alive and well and living inside the lives of ordinary people like you and I. When used improperly it can look like charlatanry and fortune telling. I sometimes cringe at the notion of people running around seeking after "words from God". Trust me! God is a big boy. If He has a word for you, He is more than capable of sending somebody to you to give you that word. You don't have to go "seeking" after a word. About a year and a half after I went through the pain of divorce, I had an instance where I couldn't get away from some "words from God". I had been struggling with the issue if I would ever go back into ministry. I was truly wrestling with the biblical text of whether or not I was disqualified to be in ministry anymore. Well God had an opinion on… [more]

As we continue on with our study of spiritual gifts, I’m going to go in the same order as the Apostle Paul. So today we are going to be looking at what is the word of wisdom? The gifts of the Spirit can be broken down into three main categories. These categories are speaking gifts, revealing gifts, and power gifts. The word of wisdom is a revealing gift. The word wisdom in its most simplified form means knowledge applied. So a word of wisdom is a small snippet of the knowledge of God applied. This is not human wisdom or natural wisdom but this is wisdom that comes from no other source than God revealing it supernaturally. Now there are some that teach that the word of wisdom reveals the future, but they are confusing the gift of prophecy with a word of wisdom. So in this lesson I’m going to show you both where Jesus operated this gift and where the early church operated this gift. Hopefully, when we’re done we will both have a better understanding of what is the word of wisdom an… [more]

As I sit down this morning to share with you my thoughts on what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit I am reminded by the still small voice of Jesus to once again make sure that everyone understands that this subject is not a subject that we want to allow the enemy of our souls to cause division or strife about. That although I believe that this subject is important for every believer, it is not something that is important enough to break fellowship with one another. It is not an issue pertaining to salvation thus it is not an essential, it is in nonessential. Because it is not essential it falls under the category of giving one another liberty. So with that in mind, I will do my best to explain to you to the best of my knowledge what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? The baptism of the Holy Spirit has been something that has brought a lot of confusion to many people. I believe that this confusion, at least in part, is due to the fact of mixed u… [more]

Before we go any further in the study of spiritual gifts, we need to stop and look at what is the Biblical motivating factor for the use of spiritual gifts.  There are those in today’s world that may have a perfectly valid spiritual gift but are using it in an invalid manner.  The spiritual gifts may be real, but the motivation of the person using the gift maybe carnal.  That is why before I go any further in teaching you about spiritual gifts I’m going to make sure that you understand that these gifts are meant to be used with proper motivation. Because spiritual gifts can be such a powerful tool in the propagation of the gospel, and because any tool used improperly can cause great harm, we need understand our own motivating factors that cause us to desire spiritual gifts.  I hope that as you read this lesson allowed the Spirit of God to search your heart and allow him to weed out any motivations that would not be proper. The motivation behind spiritual gifts. Spiritual gi… [more]

The first thing that we have to figure out in dealing with the subject of spiritual gifts is the question “are spiritual gifts for today”. There are two streams of thought concerning this question. There are those that believe that spiritual gifts ended with the death of the last apostle. They believe that the spiritual gifts talked about in first Corinthians 12 are not for today but that they were part of ushering in the church age. This theological viewpoint is called cessationism coming from the fact that they believed the gifts ceased. They base this viewpoint on a passage in first Corinthians 13 verse eight where it says that prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge will be done away with. They tie that verse with a belief that there are no recorded instances of spiritual gifts being used in history after the death of the apostles. The other viewpoint concerning spiritual gifts is that there was no “age of apostles” but that there is only the “church ag… [more]

In today’s world, there’s been much talk, much confusion and in all honesty, considerable abuse of spiritual gifts.  Because of that, I’ve decided to do this series on spiritual gifts.  As most of you know, I am on a quest for the radical middle.  I am not interested in hype or show.  I’m also not interested in Christianity as a mere intellectual exercise.  I am interested in that type of Christianity that Jesus modeled.     Because of this, I’m sure that there will be those in both the charismatic/Pentecostal camps and the more traditional fundamentalist/cessationist camps that will disagree with me, perhaps even strongly disagree.  That is OK!  I’ve always believed that in essentials we should have unity, and  in nonessentials we should have liberty and in all things we should practice a love.  So as you’re reading this series on spiritual gifts, please keep that in mind.  This is not an issue that should become divisive or problematic. What are spiritual… [more]

If you haven't figured out by now, I am a lover of Christian quotes. Christian quotes have spoken to my heart so many times over the 33 years I have been a believer, that I can't recall all of them. These Christian quotes about life have been some of the ones that have shaped my thinking and spiritual focus into what it is today. I have said many times that "I am on a quest for the radical middle".  That Christian quote about life comes from Bill Jackson who wrote a history of the Vineyard church. It has become my theme for my life. I truly am on a quest for the radical middle. These Christian quotes about life are some of the ones that have sent me on that quest. Christian Quotes About Life. Quotes about experiencing life. "It is fatally easy to think of Christianity as something to be discussed and not as something to be experienced." - William Barclay "If a person is what the world calls an honest moral man, if he deals justly, and is now and then good natured, and gives … [more]