If you've visited the home page of this site, you might have noticed the addition of 5 chapters on Truth and real Christianity. These were at one time going to be part of a book I've been working on, but I wanted to focus the book a little better and decided (reluctantly) to remove them from the text.

But that's good news for you! These 5 chapters are now available here, and they can be accessed from the home page.

Additionally, I've added a free Mp3 audio version of each chapter for those of you who would rather listen than read, so feel free to download those as well.

Happy New Year!
--Art--

A few hours ago, my friend Brian (who's part of my small group) called me up very concerned. He said that his 5-year-old son had to go to the emergency room a couple days ago because of a 103.5 degree temperature. What's worse, it was now Monday morning and the fever hadn't lifted in the least.

So he called and asked if we could pray on the phone just before the boy's appointment at the pediatrician. I could tell Brian had the faith to believe God for a miracle, and to be honest, that stirred me up. In less than 60 seconds, we asked God in the name of Jesus to cause the boy's fever to lift and set him free from his condition.

Guess what? Maybe this comes as no surprise to some of you, but about 90 minutes later, Brian called to tell me that when they arrived at the doctor, his kid had a regular 98.6 temperature! Praise God for miracles! And what an awesome gift for the end of 2007!

As January 1 approaches, a lot of us start making all sorts of promises for the next year. And yet, the running gag year after year seems to be that no one ever succeeds at a "new year's resolution." The will-power seems to last for a week or two (if that) and then we're right back in the same old rut we were in.

And this doesn't just happen at the onset of a calendar year. We've all tried--on any given day--to change something about ourselves and failed. We try to break habits, addictions, sinful thoughts, and more...but guess what? In no time at all, everything comes crashing back down.

So what's the deal? If the cards are stacked so violently against our success, why do we bother to continue making New Year's Resolutions year after year? If we're doomed to failure, why do we keep believing it's so possible?

Because it is...just not the way we would expect.

You see, God is very clear on the fact that we are meant to change and be more like Christ. But He is also very clear on the fact that "will power" is not the answer. Actually, it's the opposite: We must abandon our own will and start serving the will of God. We must come to terms with the cross of Christ and put our sinful nature to death so that the Holy Spirit can birth new life within us.

Want to be free from addictions? Start by asking the Holy Spirit what issues in your past might be the root issue. He'll likely show you one or more instances in which your subconscious came to believe something that was not true. He'll show you inner wounds. He'll show you bitterness.

And when He reveals these things, it's your job to respond. A good friend of mine recently came to Christ and a few weeks later was set free from her addiction to smoking. Completely, 100% FREE! How? The Holy Spirit showed her some areas in her life in which she was holding bitterness and resentment against her dad. And as soon as she forgave him, the addiction lifted. She was occasionally tempted in her mind for a while, but she was no longer ruled by it. She even had a friend smoking near her who offered her a cigarrette, and she was able to refuse without any struggle.

Jesus is the answer! It's not about how much you "make up your mind" to change--that will never amount to anything! But the power and presence of God are transformational and revolutionary! It's time to stop making meaningless New Year's Resolutions, and start jumping into the New Life Revolution!

Ask God for the ability to repent and put your old life to death with Christ. Then ask Him to give you new life by raising you up with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then start walking in victory by fostering your relationship with Father God, which Jesus made possible through His ascension into heaven.

This year, don't waste your time with another powerless New Year's Resolution. Rather, ask the Holy Spirit for a New Life Revolution! HE WILL ANSWER!

Yesterday was Christmas. And as much as the bulk of American Christian voices out there like to complain about how Christmas is suppressed and Christian values are in peril, I want to share a different angle. Namely this:

Christmas happened. That's right! The "liberal media" didn't get their way and destroy our celebration of Christ's birth; the atheists didn't burn down our manger scenes; and the pagans didn't toilet paper our Christmas trees. Nobody marched into our churches and shut down our gatherings. No one was hauled away and tortured.

No one, that is, in our country at least. The most recent issue of Voice of the Martyrs Magazine (Christmas 2007) had a story about Iranian Christians in a secret meeting huddled around a chocolate birthday cake to celebrate Christ. In Iran, Christians are heavily persecuted and risk imprisonment, torture, and even death for their beliefs.

All over the world--in 51 different nations--Christianity is illegal. Christians in these hostile areas don't waste their time with petty protests and boycotts. They just keep spreading the Gospel like wildfire. In fact, in the same magazine I just mentioned, it was reported that the lowest statistical conversion rate of people in Iran accepting the Gospel after hearing it is 70%! In countries like Iran, the Church faces a harsh, heartless government who is convinced that Christianity will undermine their rule. And they also face the Islamist extremists who hold the belief that "Christian pigs must be slaughtered."

But in America, it seems our greatest threat is that Lowe's is selling "Holiday Trees." What a great wave of persecution it is that we are facing! And what's this? The city won't set up a nativity scene on their public land? We're doomed! And, oh my! The restaurant we're in will only play "Frosty the Snow Man" and "Rudolph." What an assault on the Church!

I think not. To be honest, there are times when I wish there were more persecution in America. Then we would see more real Christians spreading the Gospel instead of spreading propaganda and aggravation. We would see Christians shining shamelessly for Christ rather than standing up glaringly for their religion's posterity. It appears that America uses our "freedom of religion" as freedom to be religious.

So next year, America, feel free to boycott all the companies that don't support Christmas. That's your right. Feel free to write your city a heartfelt letter about how much you would like to have a nativity scene in front of City Hall. And by all means, crank up the volume on your favorite Christ-centered Christmas CD and roll down your windows (no matter how cold it is)! But don't waste your time complaining! That's against the Bible, and it is anti-Christ.

Philippians 2:14-16--Do EVERYTHING without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...(NIV, emphasis mine).

Jesus is not revealed when we become obnoxious protestors. He is revealed when we reveal Him! People won't get saved because they see a nativity scene; but they will fall to their knees and repent if they start encountering the supernatural in our midst!

1 Corinthians 14:24,25--But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" (NIV).

What will you put more emphasis into in the coming year? Convincing the world to let you be a Christian, or convincing them that they should know Christ too? Is it more Biblical to ask God for the "gift of protesting" or the "gift of prophecy?" What will be your response?

I want to personally repent on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ who have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Not that Christ was born, but that He lives TODAY and His Spirit is alive TODAY because 2000 years ago He came to the earth, died on a cross, rose to life, and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father! I don't care how much you fight for the Christmas traditions to be maintained--if you're not living in unity with Him today, you have absolutely nothing.

As much as Christmas is a time to come to terms with the miracles surrounding the physical birth of our Lord and all the prophecies that He fulfilled, it is also a time to recognize that He is still alive today and has given us His Holy Spirit. It's more important that we reveal the current Christ than it is that we reveal the infant Christ. That's not to say that we shouldn't celebrate His birth; but it is to say that our complaining stands in direct opposition to His nature. It's okay to stand up for your beliefs, but don't try to take the speck of dust out of your brother's eye until you've removed that big ugly plank from your own eye!

Until the American Church repents for all the complaining, angry letters, strife-building e-mails, and judgmental exclamations that we spread around like dung every Christmas, Jesus will remain hidden and persecuted by those who claim to support Him most: you and me. But if we will cease from these sinful reactions, turn our hearts toward God, and start walking in true Christianity, our words will be effective and our actions will have the power of God to back us up. Why would we settle for anything less?

You were created to have a relationship with God. Everyone was. And that means that every single person on this planet has the capacity to hear His voice (even little ol' me and you).

God speaks in many ways. It could come in the form of a vision, a dream, an impression, a sensation, a thought, a sudden realization, or even an audible voice. Everyone "hears" Him in different ways.

For some reason, the most common way God speaks to me is in visions--mental images that either stand alone or seem somehow superimposed on whatever I'm looking at. But occasionally He speaks to me gently and quietly in my thoughts. Admittedly, I'm still learning to pay attention to these gentle nudges from the Holy Spirit, and today I learned a big lesson.

While driving to church this morning, the Holy Spirit told me to put some air in my right rear tire. That was a strange impression because I hadn't seen this tire, and I didn't think it was low. Anyhow, by the time I got to church, I had forgotten all about that passing thought and moved on.

Then on the way home, I turned on the local news station on the radio. Within five minutes of driving, they had a couple public service announcements. The first had something to do with heart attacks or something like that; but the second one was a reminder to make sure all your tires were fully inflated!

My mind went immediately to the thought the Holy Spirit gave me that morning, and I began to consider pulling over and pumping up that tire. But for whatever reason, I still was not convinced that it was the Holy Spirit! I shrugged it off as though it was nothing. Sure enough, five miles down the road, my right rear tire blew out.

I felt rather stupid as I knelt in the snow and changed that tire. But I learned a valuable lesson: even though we can't base every decision on our feelings or impressions, we should still be looking for the voice of God leading us and guiding us in love. The Holy Spirit speaks in whatever way He sees fit, and I should not limit Him to one method. Just because I didn't have a vision of that tire didn't mean I wasn't hearing from God. We need to test these impressions and allow the Lord to teach us to hear Him and know Him better.

I want to encourage you to practice hearing God's voice in whatever way He might choose to speak to you. When you hear, do a little mental check: (1) Is it in line with Scripture? (2) Is it in line with the nature of Christ? Sometimes you can't answer question 1--after all, there's nothing in the Bible about putting air in your tire! But that's where question 2 comes in. I would not have been compromising anything but my own comfort if I had pulled off the road and checked that tire when the Holy Spirit first told me to. Jesus won't ask you to sin, and it is logical for Him to be looking out for your protection. That's His nature.

Get to know Him. The better you know Christ, the easier it will be to discern His voice and obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

For further reading on this topic, I highly recommend Steve Thompson's book You May All Prophesy, which is perhaps the most practical book I've ever read about hearing God's voice and putting it into action.

This morning I was reading Messenger of the Cross by Watchman Nee. Published in 1980, this text holds some profound revelations that seem like they're both brand new and thousands of years old at the same time.

I'm only in as far as the first chapter, and already I'm sensing the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I want to share with you a few lines from this book that have been stirring me this morning:

• We are not to strive to be orators acclaimed by the people...; we instead ought to be mere channels through which His life will flow into human hearts. For example, when we preach the cross, we should be those who can impart the life of the cross to other people.
• Let us see that it requires a crucified person to preach the word of the cross
• To speak quite frankly, he who does not know the cross experientially is not fit to preach the cross.
• People who do not have the experience of the cross and hence lack the spirit of the cross are unable to impart the life of the cross to others.
• Let us therefore never be self-satisfied, thinking that our eloquence can sway the audience. Although they may be stirred momentarily, let us realize that what they get from us are simply thoughts and words. Failure to impart life contributes absolutely nothing to men's spiritual walk. What is the use in giving people only thoughts and words?
• ...what people lack is not good thoughts but life.
• But in ourselves we have no life to give that people may live and be nourished. For we are not the source, we are merely channels of life.
• Hence may the cross which we proclaim crucify us on it! May we bear the cross we preach! May we first receive the life which we intend to impart to others! May the cross which we proclaim be that which we experience daily in our lives!....Oh, let me remind you that sudden thought or knowledge obtained from books and study may please the audience temporarily, but it will leave no permanent impression. If our work is simply for human appreciation, then we have already done our duty by presenting mental and emotional source materials. Fortunately, though, our work is not for such purposes!

Are you catching the drift here? Those who wish to be "Christ's witnesses" must first of all witness Him! And if we want to convey the Gospel to others, then we must allow the Gospel to take hold of us first!

This morning I noticed how far I've been drifting from these principles. There was a season in my life when I was so intensely given over to the cross of Christ, but I've since allowed circumstances and earthly cares to distract me. So here I am this morning repenting yet again and re-setting my focus on the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ that must complete their work in me.

How about you?

Friends,

I came accross this vision on another e-mail list and have permission to post it here. Now, I want to preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of "doom and gloom" messages, but it is true that God's judgment is very much real. And just because I don't enjoy these messages doesn't mean they aren't true. I want to encourage you to take the same perspective and see how God might be speaking through this person's vision.

So when you read this, you'll have a choice to make: Either discredit it as heresy and take your chances that you're right, or choose to repent on behalf of our nation and pray for God's mercy on His people.

Also, some of you may not be familiar with the word "Interceding," which appears a few times in this vision. The word literally means to "go-between" or "mediate." In Christian-lingo, we use this term to refer to praying for someone else. In line with this, an "intercessor" is one who prays for another...or even for a whole nation or people-group. And the posture of an intercessor is one of humility because the true intercessor has a healthy fear of God and does not take their audience with the King lightly. Yes, God has called us to be His friends, but that does not mean that He isn't also fearsome and righteous. Listen to the podcast titled "The Truth about God" if you have questions about this.

Without further ado, here's the vision as it was relayed to me:

VISION: "PROSTRATE UNDER SACKCLOTH - The Only Safe Place"
-by Rosie Lovejoy.

"This is the vision I had during Praise and Worship on January 4th, 2003, the evening we were praying for a Pastor and his wife's departure to Israel...

It began with a vision of a huge lion, about ten to fifteen feet high. He was suspended about two to three feet off the ground. He was not a "cute" lion, rather His mane was large and shaggy, and He looked very virile and powerful. During the entire vision He was walking levitated two to three feet above the earth. The lion turned to me and thundered: "DO NOT MY PEOPLE KNOW THAT the TIME and the SEASON HAS CHANGED?" (I remember thinking that His grammar was odd, and that is not how we usually say things.)

After thundering the question to me, He breathed, and flames of fire came out of His mouth. I heard the words "LION OF ZION" reverberate through my Spirit. The lion began to walk, suspended above the ground, breathing fire. The fire that was coming out of His mouth was not the refining fire we have been taught about, rather a fire that destroyed and burnt up all in its path. I knew in my spirit that it was a fire of judgment.

I next saw a view of a downtown business district of a large city. I think it was New York City, but I cannot be sure. I saw a building that resembled the Empire State Building, and a few buildings that surrounded it, collapse. The image was similar to the collapse of the Twin Towers. I screamed in my spirit, "No LORD!! NO!!!!!"

As I was screaming, I saw the rubble and smoke from the collapsing buildings arise into a cloud that resembled a mushroom cloud. I do not know for sure if it was a nuclear mushroom cloud or a cloud of debris from the building. I was horrified and weeping in my spirit.

The lion reappeared and again turned His head and spoke to me. In a mournful voice He asked: "HOW ELSE am I GOING TO BRING IN the HARVEST?" (I instinctively knew that as a nation and people we are totally pre-occupied with our little lives and situations, and nothing short of calamity was going to bring us to question our existence and purpose for being. I knew it would take something of this magnitude to bring us to repentance.) The lion then spoke again: "I HAVE USED BABYLON IN the PAST to JUDGE MY PEOPLE, and I WILL USE BABYLON AGAIN to JUDGE MY PEOPLE."

The lion began to walk, and I saw groups of people standing and talking, some were joking with each other. Others were buying new cars and houses. Others were plotting financial gains and what to do with their assets during these uncertain times. I knew that this was the Church in America. Most were erect and oblivious to the approaching lion. A few were face down on the ground weeping and interceding. They were each covered with a coarse, brown cloak. There were very few on their faces.

THE LION THEN ROARED, and flames came out of His mouth, and burnt up the Christians who were standing. They became ashes and were no more. Horrified, I realized that I was standing to watch the unfolding scene, and I dove towards the dirt, skinning my chin as I landed. I was immediately covered from head to foot with the same coarse, brown cloak the intercessors on the ground were covered with. I raised my head to look out, and witnessed more and more erect Christians being burnt to a crisp.

It was clear to me that the only safe pace to be was on my face, in the dirt, interceding.
The Lion of Zion then turned to me again, and spoke. "DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT I will KEEP MY HAND of PROTECTION OVER YOUR NATION, WHEN it is WILLING TO DIVIDE MY HOLY CITY, JERUSALEM?" I knew in that moment that YAHWEH was lifting His hand of protection from our nation, and that judgment had begun. I clung to the ground, as the lion walked over me, and those of us who were prostrate on the ground, still breathing fire. By this time, the worship music had concluded and the Pastor's wife was speaking about the offering, and how giving our tithes and offerings was a joyful act of worship. Again the Lion thundered: "ARE my WAREHOUSES FULL? NO!!!! ARE MY PRIESTS TAKING CARE of MY WIDOWS and ORPHANS? NO!!!"

I then saw men I knew were pastors and priests, standing tall and erect. Some were standing in front of Mercedes, others in front of large, expensive churches. The Lion spoke again: "MOST OF My PRIESTS DON'T CARE ABOUT My WIDOWS AND ORPHANS. THEY CARE About THEMSELVES, THEIR CARS AND HOUSES, and the CHURCHES THEY ARE BUILDING.
THEY CARE About THEIR MINISTRY, NOT MINE."

"Oh no!" I thought. "These ministers are goners…" The Lion then opened His mouth and roared. Fire came out and consumed the "priests" who were standing beside their new cars and large, expensive churches. They became a pile of ashes on the ground next to their possessions. Many, many were consumed.

The Lion continued to walk, breathing fire. Anywhere Christians were standing, rather than prostrate on the ground in sackcloth, they were consumed and turned to ashes....."
{-PROSTRATE, INTERCEEDING - the only safe place to be amid the coming judgments....}

Hi friends, just wanted to alert you to a new podcast titled "True Christian Authority." You can download your free podcast from this link. There are a lot of false demonstrations of authority out there, and people are misrepresenting Christ--but you can be part of the revolution in which genuine demonstrations of Christian authority are the norm. Enjoy!

Tonight I went out to dinner with some friends, and someone mentioned how displeased they were with the Christmas performance at a local "mega church" they attended recently. If you're not familiar with the term, a "mega church" is an organized Christian fellowship whose membership has reached into the thousands. Unfortunately, this is often because something gets compromised. (By the way, I've posted a video about the ineffectiveness of seeker-sensitivity on this site).

As it turns out, this friend of mine said that the Christmas play was amazing and had some powerful scenes. It even included a crucifixion scene that brought her to tears. But when it came time for the pastor to pray at the end, he gave a very watered-down "altar call." Something like: "If you want to be happy and get out of your bad circumstances, come forward."

Jesus never promised happiness and peaceful circumstances. Rather, He offered us joy (which is a state of being that transcends emotion) and comfort in the midst of trials. Jesus said, "In this world you WILL have trials and tribulation; but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!"

The true "Good News" (or "Gospel") is not one of health, wealth, and happiness. It is indeed one of inner peace; divine love; supernatural power; uncompromised purity; and radical, unshakable faith. But it nevertheless includes trials, temptations, persecution, and sacrifice. According to Megashift, by James Rutz (see book reviews for more info), some 25,000 Christians are murdered every month as martyrs for refusing to deny Jesus Christ.

Real Christianity is not something to be taken lightly or toyed with. We need to present the truth. The more the Church at large lies to people about these false "results" of salvation, the less people will look for the true results: freedom from sin, freedom from self, freedom from the devil, and freedom from the world.

Every Monday night I gather with a group of friends my age for Christian fellowship. We discuss what God has been showing us, we share our struggles, we pray for each other, and we minister to and with one another. It's awesome! These are things that just can't happen in a big meeting on Sunday, so we really charish these times together.

This week during our prayer time, the Holy Spirit showed me a vision. God speaks to everyone differently, and I guess that's just the way I hear Him most often. I'm not sure why He chooses to give me visions, but I'm just content to receive.

In the vision, I saw a little child (maybe three years old) walking down a path next to their dad. The two were holding hands, and the scene was really peaceful. And yet, in the midst of the peace, these large, shadowy billows of darkness kept flying out of the woods at them only to be batted away by the calm father. Already, my mind started making connections to our role as God's children, but then I saw something that caught me off guard. Another dark force flew at them, and the small child reached up their own hand and batted it away.

At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: "You are not called to be My children in name only. It's time to start learning My trade."

In Bible times, people didn't choose their profession in the way they do today. It was much more common for a father to pass along their trade from one generation to the next. In the same way, we're invited to share in the work of Christ--carrying out our Father's business. 1 John 3:8 says that the reason Jesus came into the world was to destroy the devil's work; and John 20:21 shows us that Jesus has given His disciples (you and me) the same mission. I've added a PDF entitled "Destroying the Works of the Devil" to the "Documents" page for further information.

It's time to share in the authority of Jesus Christ and carry out our Father's work!

I recently heard a story about a local woman whose child was in the hospitol with an incurable disease. A friend of hers, who practices a form of New-Age beliefs called "Reiki," came for a visit; and after "channelling the powers of the universe," placed her hands on the boy. Guess what? He got healed, and now the mother is studying Reiki as well.

Now, when this story was shared in a roomfull of Christians, you could sense the thick uneasiness and displeasure among the group. Why? Because they knew that any miraculous work that is not done in the name of Jesus Christ distracts people from God instead of drawing them to Him. And speaking from experience (not just doctrine), such activities regularly open people up to be influenced by evil, lying spirits.

But the chief problem didn't exist in the Reiki-follower's actions. That's all she knew, and you can't blame her for having compassion on the boy. The problem is actually with us. Where were the Christians who could have gone into that room and laid their hands on the boy in the name of Jesus Christ? Where were the Christians walking in supernatural power and relationship with God? Where were the ambassadors of Christ?

Now, let me tell you another story: A few months ago, a couple friends of mine and Robin's had been experiencing some bazaar demonic manifestations. The young man had two boys (ages 3 and 5) from a previous marriage who kept seeing things; and his girlfriend was living with him. There were audible voices in the house, things moving when no one was in the room, and the boys were having nightmares. It even developed to the point where the man was quickly awakened in the night with a sharp pain in his arm, only to find a bite mark.

Long story short, five of us (all Christian young adults who meet in a weekly small group) were invited over to their house to deal with the matter. The Holy Spirit showed us that the spirits would not go away unless this couple stopped living in darkness. In the same way flies are attracted to manure, demons are attracted to spiritual darkness.

Anyhow, we told them not to make a haphazard decision right away, but rather to talk it over and make the choice together because they would both be affected. Then we prayed in the name of Jesus that the evil manifestations would stop so that the two little boys wouldn't be terrified to be in the house anymore. But we warned them firmly that if they continued to live in darkness, the results would only be temporary.

That night, in a house that had become peaceful for the first time in months, the two of them talked it over and decided they needed to take this step with Christ. The two young boys--ages 3 and 5--came back from their mom's house and also commented on the change of atmosphere. The youngest--who had been seeing one of the evil spirits--kept walking around the house saying, "Where's the little girl? I can't find the little girl..."

Since then, the two of them come every week to our small group and sometimes even host the meeting at their house. I got to baptize the young man in our friend's bathtub a few weeks ago, and then the young woman chose to get baptized a couple weeks later! They both repented of sexual imorality and totally changed the ways they related to each other. Guess what? Their relationship improved dramatically. In fact, the young lady reads her Bible every night, and a couple weeks ago her boyfriend tied a ring to the bookmark ribbon for her to find. They're getting married in June!

And it doesn't stop there: As a result of God's power and the work of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, the young man got dramatically set free from an addiction to pain killers when he received Christ, and the young woman has been free from smoking for the past month and a half since she forgave her dad for things he had done to her family. They're an awesome testimony of God's power!

So here's the scoop: there are two distinct differences between Christian works of power and New-Age works of power. First is the source. The Christian's power comes from the Holy Spirit and is limitless; the New-Age-follower's power comes either from their limited human abilities or from weak evil spirits. The second difference is that when someone gets healed by someone in New-Age, they and their family are more likely to drift away from the one true God and get more and more entrapped in separation from Him. On the other hand, when God's power is at work, people get utterly transformed inside and out. Their hearts change, their addictions evaporate, and their physical circumstances are even affected.

Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble; but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!" Becoming a Christian doesn't mean the world suddenly becomes perfect. Rather it means that you have a relationship with the One who IS perfect! And He's the one for whom you get to be an ambassador. You too can have opportunities like my four friends and I--and you too can have a relationship with the One who is infinitely stronger than any demon, power, or circumstance!

My girlfriend Robin has a double major in computer programming and sign-language. They're diverse fields, but they fit her personality really well. Anyhow, she was asked to translate a children's Christmas production at a little church in Taylor, MI; and this morning was the day. This being her first "gig," I went along to support her.

It was a small church as far as the building was concerned, but the sanctuary quickly packed out to capacity as the meeting neared its start time. The band started their first song, and everything seemed really traditional. I didn't see people closing their eyes, raising their hands, dancing, or otherwise posturing themselves for worship, but they sure did sing! With passion!

And then I was taken by surprise--before the last song was sung, a whole line of white-haired men in suits lined up across the front of the room, and another gentleman came to the microphone and read a series of profound scriptures about Jesus Christ. Then he invited everyone in the congregation who was sick or otherwise in need of physical healing to come forward for prayer while the worship team sang the last song.

And so, there was James 5:16 in action--people who were sick were going to the elders of their church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus Christ. It was awesome to see!

Now, admittedly, it's not like I saw people jumping out of wheelchairs; and I was a little bothered that the man who was deaf (who Robin was translating for) remained in his place. But it appeared to me that this was a regular thing they did at this church--and chances are that if the prayers were ineffective, the place wouldn't have been packed out like it was.

How often do we read something in the Bible and say, "Yes, that's what a Christian ought to do," and then we just keep doing things the way we've been doing them? This church read something in Scripture and applied it right there in their Sunday morning meeting! Now, I don't want to sound hard to please, but I've got another bone for you to chew on: what about the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians where He says, "You may all prophesy." Or what about all the other supernatural gifts of the Spirit of which "all of these must be done..."? Is there a way to implement more than just healing in a church service? Or is this just further proof that "church" cannot be confined to a Sunday morning meeting?

Spiritual Power and the Nature of Christ

I've got to shoot straight with you: In the Bible, God spoke through prophets, and He spoke through a donkey. He spoke through Apostles, and he even spoke through Pharisees (religious leaders).

One does not need to be perfect or holy to be used by God. Take a look some time at chapters 9 through 11 of the Gospel of Luke. First you'll find Jesus sending out his 12 disciples, giving them authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse people with leprosy. And guess what? They do it!

Nevertheless, in the next several paragraphs we find Jesus rebuking those same disciples several times. In one case He points out their lack of faith. Then they start arguing over who will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Then they start getting exclusivistic and forbidding other people to cast out demons in the name of Jesus. And worst of all, they revealed their murderous thoughts by asking Jesus if they should "call down fire" on a villiage who didn't welcome them. That's all in Chapter 9.

At this point, one might think Jesus would learn His lesson and think twice about the calibre of people he's sending out to represent Him. But guess what? As soon as Chapter 10 starts, He sends out 72 of them! Sure enough, they work miracles too! And then guess what happens? At the start of Chapter 11, one of them asks, "Lord, teach us to pray." They weren't even confident in their prayer lives yet!

Now why do I bring all this up? Well there are two reasons. First, it means you have no excuses if you're not being used by God on some level. Second, it means that even if you are being used by God, that doesn't prove that you're perfect!

It's so common for us to see people in ministry who have flaws in the integrity department. Whether it's Catholic Priests molesting children, Ted Haggard engaging in sexual immorality, or Joyce Meyers using ministry money to buy a $20,000 toilet, the principle is still the same. Unfortunately, what we often do as a culture is equate their teachings and ministry with their integrity. In our minds, if the person is flawed, it must mean their message and methods are flawed too.

But who apart from Christ Himself is without flaws? The whole Bible was written by people with flaws! Whether you like it or not, many of those pages were penned by murderers, adulterers, and liars.

We've got our perspective backwards. If someone has flaws, it doesn't mean their message is necessarily flawed. Rather it merely proves the message of the Bible: that God uses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise. He uses the humble--not the perfect. He uses the willing--not the immaculate. I only say that because apart from Christ, no one is perfect or immaculate.

The key here is simply that we must be humble, obedient, willing, and faithful; and God will be able to use us well. But don't let ministry become a mask behind which you hide your flaws. Power does not equal perfection, and it should not be treated as such. Rather, confess openly and remain transparent before God and man. Allow God to transform you inwardly. Let people know that you're real and not manufactured. Nobody likes a plastic smile. Continuously seek the transformational power of God and not just the demonstrative power of God. Stay humble, and don't think of yourself more highly than you ought.