Is it time to think outside the box

I woke up around 5.30am this morning, to watch the results of the UK referendum on our continuing membership of the European Union, like many I was surprised by the result, although as someone who actively supports the UK’s withdrawal from the EU., and I was praying and I had the phrase  “ it’s time to think outside the box,”

I’ve been actively seeking a new job for two years, and I have applied for at least several hundred jobs during that time, despite a lot of prayer both personal, including asking many friends to pray ,  nothing has come through in the Merseyside and Manchester areas, I’ve had many dozens of rejection emails,  about 3 months ago, I had an interview with BT, Lancaster House, Liverpool, and to be honest I thought I had the job, when I had an automatic email the next day to say my application had been unsuccessful, however I thought that the phrase Lancaster was important but wasn’t sure why? 

I’ve dealt with several employment agencies in the Liverpool , and some 4 weeks ago I spoke to well-known employment agency in Liverpool  and I was disappointed  by their response,  I was praying about this and a phrase come to my mind,  “ it’s time to think outside the box”  I had an email about a job which was permanent,  excellent salary and I then saw the location,  which was Lancaster,  it was the 3^rd time I had that email, the first two times I ignored the email, this time I decided to apply to test my cv and covering letter and I thought nothing more of it.

About 3 weeks ago, I was chatting to one of my friends at Church,   and I mentioned about the job in Lancaster that I applied for,  when we discussing the progress or lack of on the jobs front,  I mentioned this job I had applied for in Lancaster,  and said I had only applied to test my Curriculum Vitae and Covering Letter, but I  hadn’t received any news,   about 30 minutes after this conversation with my friend, my mobile phone rang and it was the HR department of this company in Lancaster to offer me an interview. 

In the last few weeks,   I have had an ongoing conversation via email and phone with this company, and I was offered an interview in their offices in Lancaster on Monday 21^st June 2016.   I spoke to several friends at Church on the Sunday, and many of them prayed for me, and I made the necessary arrangements to travel to Lancaster for my interview,   my interview went really well, and I kept asking the Lord,  “why He has provided me an interview in Lancaster, when I’ve been applying for jobs in Liverpool?” I had a phone call the next day from this company to offer me the job, which I accepted, today I received the employment offer letter and contract. 

Yes,   there are a lot of things to do and get ready, I have no idea why I have been offered a permanent role in Lancaster when I couldn’t get despite my best efforts,  I couldn’t get a temporary job with an identical CV. So I have prayed and prayed about it.


While praying I had the word again,  “thinking outside the box,” and the words Saul and David, for the context of the story,  I suggest that you read 1 Samuel:8 – 10.

1 Samuel 10:6-13 English Standard Version (Anglianised)

6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.

9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

Since,  the people of Israel had entered the promised land, they hadn’t wanted a  King and the Lord had been their King, and they had been governed or lead by a series of Judges,  the last Judge was Samuel, like some of his predecessors his family hadn’t followed the Lord, because of the behaviour of his sons,  see 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel demanded a King, The Lord bought Saul to the attention of Samuel see 1 Samuel 9 and Saul was anointed to be King.

Unfortunately, Saul had a moral failure although he had started well and had some military successes, he came to rely on his own abilities and strengths see 1 Samuel:11-15.

We see in 1 Samuel 15:24-35

35 And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

It seemed that all was lost, yes Saul had failed,  but that hadn’t stopped the Lord’s plan and purpose being fulfilled.

Proverbs 19:20-21

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

In 1 Samuel 16,  Samuel was commanded by the Lord to stop grieving for Saul because the Lord had rejected Saul, and he was sent by the Lord to anoint Saul’s replacement as King.

Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse,  and when Samuel saw Jesse’s sons,  he surely thought that this one must be the one to be King and each time, the Lord said no, did Samuel think what is going on or did he trust the Lord and His direction.

1 Samuel 16:7b

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Saul turned to Jesse, and asked did he have anymore sons,  Jesse replied yes, the youngest one, but he is looking after the sheep, they sent for David see
1 Samuel 16:11-13

11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

2 Chronicles 16:9a

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

David was God’s choice to be King, Saul was Man’s choice when the Lord had rejected Saul because of his sin, Men’s choice was to choose what they expected a King to be like they looked for someone similar to Saul, yet the Lord had chosen someone whose heart was/is fully devoted to him.

We expect the Lord to fulfil our desires/dreams that even when they come from the Lord, we have a dream partner/dream job/dream ministry, and the Lord tells us to look outside the box, we see what he has for us, rather than the limited expectations we have for ourselves.

Psalm 78:70-72
70 He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from tending the sheep he brought him
    to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
    with skilful hands he led them.

I love the story of Peter, we see in John 18,   that Peter rejected the Lord 3 times, just as Jesus told him, he would. When Peter realised what he had done, he ran away in shame,   many including Peter could have written him off, he had failed big time, yet

John 21
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish

21 Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 ‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’

‘No,’ they answered.

6 He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment round him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred metres. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’

16 Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’

17 The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’

22 Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’ 23 Because of this, the rumour spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Friends, many of us including myself, have prayed and prayed for ages for something,  maybe it’s time we looked outside the box of our limited expectations or experiences, and experience the fullness that the Lord has for us?

During my quiet time 5 weeks ago, the Lord bought my attention to this scripture and this one week before I had the email about the job in Lancaster.

Deuteronomy 8:1-10New International Version (NIV)

Do Not Forget the Lord

8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

And then, 

2 Timothy 3:16-17New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Be Blessed Today,

Blair Humphreys

Lancaster, Lancashire,  England

Ordinary Christians in the hands of the Extra Ordinary God Part 2

Ephesians 3:10 -12 and 16 – 21 NIVUK

 So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him…………… 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen

I grew up in the South Wales Valleys, were the common themes for many were Chapel, Rugby and the Colliery, the threads that would often hold those communities together would be those mentioned above, the hymns of the Chapel such as Guide me, O Though Great Jehovah would be sung with at least equal gusto on a Saturday Afternoon watching the Rugby.

In many ways, our lives would have been influenced and affected by the strong religious traditions of something best described as chapel culture, when we spoke of the church, we would often have of thought of the Anglican Church with their vicars etc., to many people from a chapel background the church was a strange place that could be described it’s church, but not as we know it!.

The traditions of Chapel Culture would be at least influenced by protecting and promoting Welsh Language and Culture, and to distinguish it against the English Language and Culture. I would say that in the Village where the Church I was raised in, half the Chapels would speak Welsh in all their services. I love Wales, its Language, Culture and its People but there aren’t The Lord who died for my sins and the sins of the entire World, and rose again in Victory and is coming back for us when He comes to reign and rule and establish His Kingdom in its full splendour and glory.

We have made idols of so many things in the Church, whether that be our traditions, heritage and our national or cultural identities, our churches have become monuments to past moves of God, or to the men who God raised up to move his Church forward.  The Church has become known to what we’re against rather than what we for, we fight battles and wars with society rather than supporting and encouraging society, yes there are anti-Christian influences and challenges facing us today, with the prospect of Gay Marriage and the attempts of our politicians to force change in the legal definition of marriage.

When people think of Church they think of a dying religion and something that is part of the establishment. We should stand against the enemy, the devil but our weapons aren’t the weapons or the strategies of the world, see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 .We try to convict the people we meet whose lives aren’t in accordance with scripture of their sin but we aren’t the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin and shows them God’s righteousness see John 16:-8-11 instead we’ve alienated those He sent us to show His Love and Compassion to.

When Jesus walked the streets of the lands of Bible Times,  he wasn’t part of the establishment, whether than was the political or the religious establishment, Jesus is God’s ultimate revolutionary, he isn’t some kind of Jewish Che Guevara, he was and is the Son of God, who came as  baby, lived a normal life, then for the last 3 years of his life, bought God’s message of transformation, hope, redemption, salvation, deliverance and peace to those he meet regardless of their  sexuality,  disability, cultural or ethnic background, he raised up normal men and women, that were often the lowest and sometimes the most despised people in society, like his ancestor King David, who’s mighty men came from those in debt, distress or the discontented, see 2 Samuel 22:3, he died an agonising death on the cross, of all the tens of thousands than were crucified by the Roman and other empires, only one death made a difference, Jesus took the entire sin of the entire world from that day until he day He returns, and died as the sacrifice for not only the sins of the church, but the sins of those yet to know Him. He arose Victorious from the tomb, and entered Heaven after preparing His early disciples and sending the Holy Spirit see John 20 so that His Church may go forward and see people saved, lives transformed, hope restored and renewed and salvation bought to the ends of the earth.

Today, we the Church are  like David’s Mighty Men and the early Disciples are God’s Mighty Men and Women of Faith, who have been tasked by our Saviour and Lord to advance His Kingdom and His Church into our streets, neighbourhoods, communities, regions, nations and the nations of the world.

When God commissioned the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6:8 see here for context. Isaiah 6:8-9 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

Throughout the History of the Church, God has called and commissioned Ordinary People just like You and Me,  he’s not called the seemingly best equipped or seemingly the most talented or indeed the best gifted, when God sent the Prophet Samuel to anoint Israel’s next King he sent him to the home of Jesse in Bethlehem, and when he looked at Jesse’s Sons he saw some great and talented warriors but they weren’t God’s choice see  1 Samuel 16:5-13, God is calling the Ordinary People to rise up for Him see 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 but let us not be like the Prophet Jonah, who when God called him to Nineveh went in the opposite direction!

1 Samuel 16:5-13 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,[a] but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

 1 Corinthians 1 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,^[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being^[c] might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰ And because of him^[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Today God is calling again  Whom shall I send, and who will go for us, will we say Here am I send Me, and will we ready to Go to those who sends us and where He sends us ?

Yours in His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Read part 1 of this series here:

Read part 3 of this series here:

Ordinary Christians in the hands of the Extra Ordinary God Part 1

Ephesians 3:10-12 &; 20 &; 21 ESVUK

10 so that through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places 11.  This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord 12, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him…………………20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us 21, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

I love the Church, I think it’s amazing; I love Jesus more and more each day and love looking at, reading and studying His written Word the Bible. and I love being a part of His amazing Church, When you think about it That the Church belongs to Jesus and His written Word the Bible explains to us how to live our lives as Christians who are the people who make up the Church, it can revolutionise your love for the Church and our Saviour.

I was raised in a Christian Home and both my dad and my late mum, with my late grandparents give me a love for Scripture, the Church and our Lord and Saviour Jesus, I was * saved or * born again or * accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour (*depends on your theological viewpoint!) when I was 11 in a Children’s Meeting, Easter Monday 1981. 

I was raised in a little church in Resolven, which is near Neath, South Wales now called The Resolven Community Church, which is part of a larger grouping also called the Apostolic Church which are part of the Pentecostal Movement here in the UK the others are The Assemblies of God and Elim, both of which are a real blessing to know.  I spent the first 13 years of the Christian Life within The Apostolic Church I thank the Lord for the privilege of being raised in that denomination and the grounding and foundation I had there, and the friends I have there today.

Those who know me know I love reading and one of the things I love reading about is the Church. I devour books at the best of times, but I’m always drawn to books about the Church. I’ve been inspired by many godly writers such as Alan Roxburgh, Neil Cole, Floyd McClung, Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton amongst others and have been challenged by what God has said through them.  I’ve also been inspired by some great Church Leaders.

When you think about it, there are various models of Church and different perspectives on what the Church are, and what it should or could be. My Spiritual grounding and heritage has been and still is the Pentecostal/Charismatic/ Restoration stream/s which are part of the broader Evangelical Spectrum although I admire and respect those whose Christian path has been or is different from mine.

My background is of someone growing up in the Welsh Valleys, although I now live in the North West of England, when I think of my younger days that Church more or often or not was somewhere we went, rather than something we are part of.  I thought of a Physical Building rather than a Spiritual Building, Yes Physical Buildings are important but they serve the Spiritual Building, by the way that’s you and me.

There are countless ways or models of doing and being the Church such as Missional church, Simple church etc. ,etc. there are large churches, small churches, medium churches, full churches, half full churches, empty churches, traditional churches, free churches, Baptist churches, Anglican churches, Pentecostal churches the list can go on and on   If you look in your Telephone Directory or search online, how many churches are listed in your City, Town or Village ?, * Note I use the word Church to describe the Church in general and the word church to describe churches, that is in the local church or the church grouping You or I are part of, and isn’t meant to diminish any one church or group of churches *

I don’t believe that there should only be model or type of church, I believe that each model or type of church is equally valid and has an important and relevant part to play in our role to Evangelise those who yet don’t know the Lord, The Lord has called us to work alongside in a sense of co-operation not to compete against each other in attracting unbelievers those who yet don’t know the Lord or have a relationship with Him.

I believe that different models or ways of doing and being the church can reach different types of people. For one person may feel comfortable in for example a more traditional type of church and for another person may feel more comfortable in a more lively church, then someone else may like a more simple way of doing church for example in a smaller setting, then someone may feel more comfortable being amongst a crowd.

Our Lord, Saviour & Redeemer Jesus Christ says in Matthew 16:18b ESVUK.

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it.”

The Apostle Paul, says in Ephesians 4:1-7 ESVUK

 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift

Our Lord, Saviour and Redeemer give his life for One Church and He’s coming back for One Church,  regardless of what part of the Church You or I belong to we are One Church.

In part 2 onwards I will look in more depth into the Book of Ephesians mostly and other books of the Bible to see what it means to be the Church and how we go about being The Church, I’m hoping to expand in more depth at a later point Ordinary Christians in the Hands of the Extra –Ordinary God.

Yours in His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Read Part 2  of this series here:

Church Leadership, The Load Bearing Walls of the Church

Can you imagine the scene ?,  the young, eager and very enthusiastic disciples gather around the young anointed leader, and they discuss amongest themselves and through pray and prophecy that they will become a new but different expression of church in the location they live,  they continue to prophesy  to themselves that God has called them and He will bless them,  and off they go.

They decide that the expression of Church that they spent their formative years in, is no longer relative and is outmoded, they criticise that expression of church, and say we’re better than them because we’re God’s Joshua Generation,  and we will unlike our forefathers or the Moses’s generation  will cross into the promised land, and they continue to prophesy to themselves.

We don’t need another “ new “ expression of Church, being built  out  of people’s own sense of importance ,  and because of their misguided zeal  they will attempt to draw followers after themselves  from established churches, offering false promises and prophecies and they tell  people that if join us, the grass will be greener, unfortunately these “ new “ expressions of  church have no foundations and no covering,  because they think that we will build our own foundations and we will become our own covering,  we need to be built up together as one church,  and not be separated into another tribe or grouping. 

People start coming and joining in,  because they want to be inclusive all are welcome,  and it seems there is an “ anointing” from the Lord there, so  other Christians from various other church backgrounds join them , some fully commit to this wonderful new church and others have one foot in this new expression of church and keep one foot in their home church.

Perversion of the Gospel

Galatians 1 6F

 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you ^[c]by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷ which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel ^[d]contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be ^[e]accursed!⁹ As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel^[f]contrary to what you received, he is to be ^[g]accursed!

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the favour of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

¹¹ For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹² For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

How many new churches are planted out of people’s need or desire for fame and/or recognition and is built not on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, but built on the people’s selfish ambition?

We, the Church are the visible representation of God’s Kingdom Rule and Reign here on Earth, we are his messengers of hope, love and compassion, salvation & restoration, the people we see every day are the people for whom Jesus died on the Cross for, we are the ones who are to bring hope and healing to our communities.

I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years, having been raised in a Pentecostal Church in South Wales  and for the last 20 years I’ve been part of the New Church/Restoration movement because when I was a student in Bible School saw something about Church in my Bible and couldn’t see that expressed in that Pentecostal Church at that time,  I stayed for as long as possible and I tried to see things changed, but I felt increasingly like a square peg in a round hole, feeling frustrated and confused , I visited another church in my home town during the Toronto Blessing phase that was happening at the time, just to get refreshed and go back to my home church,  however the Lord had other plans for my life,  and I’ve been part of the Restoration Movement and the Pentecostal Movement for just over 30 years,  in many ways the Pentecostals and the Restoration Movement are very similar and time will not allow to go through the differences.

A number of years ago, some good friends of mine, decided to launch an evening service from the Church we were part of, into a nearby town, I wasn’t keen and said I would pray for them, but I wouldn’t join in,  I noticed that for the want of a better word, misfits and other people who felt that the churches they were part of weren’t recognising their gifting/ministries/anointing or calling joined in the new service my friends were leading.  I visited a few times, and I noticed at one service,  two ladies who had a “ prophetic gifting”  were having a” prophetic dual “to see who could bring the most “ anointed prophecy” ! I and several others had concerns and so did the elders of my church, and they later  pulled the plug for various reasons on this new service ,  two of our elders visited the service to explain why it was being closed down,  one of the ladies who was having the prophetic dual a few weeks earlier,  while we were praying for each other and my friends who were disappointed that what they thought were God’s plans had ended before they saw success,  this lady prophesied over my friend to say God had called him to shepherd the people of the new church,  my elders were there, and in fairness to them,  they didn’t take offence over this prophesy although both of them have pastoral gifting and serve as Pastors,  nothing came of this new church and my friend left the church sometime later  the church over personal issues.

I was watching a TV programme called Rip Off Britain some time ago,  and in this particular programme,  a  young couple had bought a cottage in the town of Ifracombe in North Devon,  due to unforeseen circumstances they have been unable to move into their new home because it was uninhabitable , the previous owner had decided unwisely to make the separate kitchen and dining room into one room and had removed a wall,  the only problem this was a loadbearing wall, and the first floor of the house indeed the entire house could collapse . Some of us have decided to remove the loadbearing walls of the church because we want to be relevant and inclusive.

The Church is built on Biblical Foundations and Principles see  Luke 6:46-49 New American Standard Bible,

46 “(AW)Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 (AX)Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and [ac]acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who [ad]dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the [ae]torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the [af]torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

1 Corinthians 3 New American Standard Bible.

Foundations for Living

3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to (A)spiritual men, but as to (B)men of flesh, as to (C)infants in Christ. 2 I gave you (D)milk to drink, not solid food; for you (E)were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is (F)jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking [a](G)like mere men? 4 For when (H)one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere (I)men?

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? (J)Servants through whom you believed, even (K)as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 (L)I planted, (M)Apollos watered, but (N)God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will (O)receive his own [b]reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s (P)fellow workers; you are God’s [c](Q)field, God’s (R)building.

10 According to (S)the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder (T)I laid a foundation, and (U)another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a (V)foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, [d]precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 (W)each man’s work will become evident; for (X)the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test [e]the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will (Y)receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet (Z)so as through fire.

16 (AA)Do you not know that (AB)you are a [f]temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the [g]temple of God, God will destroy him, for the [h]temple of God is holy, and [i]that is what you are.

18 (AC)Let no man deceive himself. (AD)If any man among you thinks that he is wise in (AE)this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For (AF)the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is (AG)the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “(AH)The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” 21 So then (AI)let no one boast in men. For (AJ)all things belong to you, 22 (AK)whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or (AL)life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and (AM)you belong to Christ; and (AN)Christ belongs to God.

Acts 2:42-47 New American Standard Bible

42 They were (BF)continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to (BG)the breaking of bread and [ao](BH)to prayer.

43 [ap]Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many (BI)wonders and [aq]signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed [ar]were together and (BJ)had all things in common; 45 and they (BK)began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 (BL)Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and (BM)breaking bread [as]from house to house, they were taking their [at]meals together with gladness and [au]sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and (BN)having favor with all the people. And the Lord (BO)was adding [av]to their number day by day (BP)those who were being saved.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 New American Standard Bible

16 (AU)All Scripture is [h]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [i]training in righteousness; 17 so that (AV)the man of God may be adequate, (AW)equipped for every good work.

Yes, our Foundation Is Christ,  yet there are Biblical Leadership Structures set forward in Scripture,  Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers and Elders and Deacons,  these are what I like to call the load bearing walls of The Church, if we remove these structures because they don’t fit in with our views/opinions/perspectives of the church or with our accepted modern or indeed post  - modern perspectives of the Church, we can end in trouble such as heresy,  erroneous teaching and practice or deception.

Ephesians 4:11-16 New American Standard Bible

11 And He (V)gave (W)some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as (X)evangelists, and some as pastors and (Y)teachers, 12 (Z)for the equipping of the [d]saints for the work of service, to the building up of (AA)the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to (AB)the unity of the faith, and of the [e](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a (AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature [f]which belongs to the (AE)fullness of Christ. 14 [g]As a result, we are (AF)no longer to be children, (AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by (AH)craftiness [h]in (AI)deceitful scheming; 15 but [i]speaking the truth (AJ)in love, [j]we are to (AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the (AL)head, even Christ, 16 from whom (AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together [k]by what every joint supplies, according to the [l]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself (AN)in love.

2 Peter 1:16-21 New American Standard Bible

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised (AP)tales when we made known to you the (AQ)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were (AR)eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honour and glory from God the Father, such an [h](AS)utterance as this was [i]made to Him by the (AT)Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this [j]utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the (AU)holy mountain.

19 [k]So we have (AV)the prophetic word made more (AW)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to (AX)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (AY)day dawns and the (AZ)morning star arises (BA)in your hearts. 20 But (BB)know this first of all, that (BC)no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for (BD)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men (BE)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.