Spiritual

The Body of Christ

The Body of Christ

The church is not an organization, although it requires structure and leadership. The church is a living organism, a living being whose divine life is fueled by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. After the resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of His Heavenly Father. Still, in a real tangible sense, He is continually manifested in the world through His body and, by which He fulfills His early mission. We read, “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16:19-20).

Adoption and Grafting

Adoption and Grafting

Adoption as a doctrine is not frequently discussed but is important for the believer to understand. The scriptures speak of adoption as both a present and future condition of the believer, the future inferring the return of Christ and our resurrection. Paul said, “We also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23); “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 1:5).

The Gifts of The Spirit

The Gifts of The Spirit

Three chapters in the New Testament are dedicated to the gifts of the Spirit, and over one hundred references to Spiritual gifts. These gifts were promised to the church, as we read: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you” (Luke 24:49). And this promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, as we read: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The ministry work of the Apostles was marked by the supernatural, and they were given divine power to perform it. Sharing the Gospel, delivering people from bondage, and guiding them in faith and repentance require the Holy Spirit.

Healing of The Nations

Healing of The Nations

We read about the New Jerusalem: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2).

Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains

“So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

How many times have I read this verse conjuring up images of large mountains plunging into the ocean? Now, I have never seen this happen nor witnessed my prayers causing even a pebble to move out of place. Or have they?

The Natural and Spiritual Realms

The Natural and Spiritual Realms

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he talks about the physical resurrection of the body— “[For] Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, NKJV). Paul’s evidence lay in the accounts of more than five-hundred credible witnesses.

Who is a Jew?

Who is a Jew?

The first mention of the Jews in the Bible occurs in the second book of Kings, which describes the fall and captivity of Judah. “Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.  2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah” (2 Kings 25:1-2)