I Hope You Fall On Your Face!

Every now and then it’s good for us Christians for fall on our face! But don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m hoping you will mess up royally and end up on your face. No. I’m talking about falling on your face like the priest and prophet, Ezekiel. 

Nebuchadnezzar was the monarch who ruled the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 605–562 B.C. During his reign, he destroyed the nation of Israel in three stages. The first stage occurred in 605 B.C.; wherein Nebuchadnezzar overtook Israel’s evil king, Jehoiakim (see II Chronicles 36:5-8). It was during this time that key Israeli leaders like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (a.k.a.: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were taken captive and carted off to Babylon. If you don’t know who these individuals were, or the significant acts God worked through their lives, then I invite you to read the book of Daniel, but if you don’t have time for that, then at least read chapter three. Eight years later, in 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar launched the second stage of destruction on Israel, this time extracting ten thousand prisoners from the land, including Ezekiel. Then, in 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar laid waste to the city of Jerusalem in his third and final stage of destruction.

Just prior to Nebuchadnezzar’s third siege, along the bank of the Chebar River, Ezekiel was given a life altering vision of God in His glory (see Ezekiel 1:1–3). I used to live in Texas, and during the Spring and Summer months thunderstorms would rise up and sometimes the sky would turn a dark, eerie green! It was both ominous and awesome to behold! One that gave me the sense that God’s forces of nature were incredibly large and powerful, while I was small and weak in comparison. I’m sure my experiences in this regard pale in comparison to Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory. Once you read through chapter one of Ezekiel you are likely to understand why his response to the vision was to fall on his face (see Ezekiel 1:28)!

Believe it or not, in my spirit, I long for these types of experiences with my Heavenly Father. I deeply desire to draw closer and closer to what the Hebrews called the shekinah (i.e., glory of God). God’s shekinah can be see in His people’s exodus from Egypt, especially on Mt. Sinai. The High Priest experienced it in the tabernacle where the shekinah of God rested upon the mercy seat. We see it in the incarnation of Christ, His transfiguration, along with His ascension. And many believers experience it by their personal transformation resulting from God’s indwelling Spirit (see II Corinthians 3:18; 4:6).

But I also must admit that this type of experience comes with a price. A price that I can pay, but am not always willing to do so! Crazy, huh? Why does this happen? Because of my attachments! Foremost, I am attached to my ego, my own sense of identity and importance. While I truly desire to be more like God and less like me, experiencing the shekinah of my Creator can be down right scary where my ego is concerned. Profound experiences with God’s glory cause my spirit to leap for joy! Yet, at the same time, in my psyche (i.e., my flesh) such experiences can feel too deep; as though a vitally important part of me is going to be overtaken! This internal distress is the price we all pay for being in the shekinah of our Lord. Consider the prophet Isaiah’s response to his vision of being present with God in His Temple: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). 

In many respects, this is likely a similar experience Ezekiel had during his vision of God’s glory, why else would he had fallen on his face? Some might say it was out of reverence that the prophet did so. I would agree that in the midst of such a vision, any of us are highly likely to feel a deep respect and profound sense of admiration for our Lord. But I assert that for any of us, Isaiah and Ezekiel included, this experience would also be coupled with a very real fear that we will be overtaken by the power of God, and that we might cease to be who we are in the end. That is why the apostle Paul exhorts us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (see Philippians 2:12). The Greek word used here for fear is phobos (fob’-os). While phobos does equate to fear, it also relates to reverence as well. So, it’s a mixed bag, filled with deep respect and profound levels of admiration, as well as fear.

So what are those of us who desire to experience the shekinah of God to do? Here is what I’ve concluded: 1.) At best we can only practice letting go of our attachment to ego; knowing that such endeavors will never truly be permanently realized in this lifetime; therefore, 2.) we must work to accept the tension caused by the presence of both joy and fear in such experiences with our Heavenly Father, and press forward from glory to glory.

Here’s to falling flat on your face! :-)

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Dr. Michael Mannia, D.Min. is Co-Founder and President of Kingdom Community Ministries, and is author of The Conditioned Mind.

A Christian Response To Current Events – Part III – Take Action!

In Part I of this series, I covered how we Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide. In Part II, I challenged readers to maintain hope because the Church is alive and well! If you have not read either of these posts, I encourage you to do so. Today’s third and final installment in this series is geared toward answering the question: What are we Christians to do in the face of such adversity?

Understand that the very Spirit of God indwells the believer! This provides us power, love, and soundness-of-mind (see II Timothy 1:7). While it is not a sin to feel fear, God’s will is that we would not allow fear to overtake us and sweep us off course of completing His will. Listen to the exhortation of Peter, one of the pillars of our Christian faith:

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13–16).

In Jesus, and only Jesus, lies the hope of this world! Humanity simply does not have the means to heal its broken nature. This being the case, there will be no lasting solutions coming from politicians, military leaders, or any other humanistic endeavor. But this does not mean we are to bury our heads in the sand. Peter challenges us to prepare our minds for action, to discipline ourselves! Here are some practical steps I believe we all can follow:

1. Watch less news and read more of God’s Word. No, I did not say watch no news, my approach is more realistic and practical than that. Simply, watch 30 minutes less news each day, and read God’s Word instead. Some of you might be asking where you should start reading? Any of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) are excellent, but you might also want to spend time in Psalms and Proverbs.
2. If you are not sure what your spiritual gifts are, I suggest you take time to assess the matter. Its likely your Pastor has an assessment you can take. But you can also go to Lifeway Christian Resources, they have a very thorough assessment: http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_MYCS_030526_Spiritual_Gifts_Survey.pdf If you don’t like to click on links, then go to www.lifeway.com, in the search field type in Spiritual Gifts Survey and follow the path from there.
3. Once you find out what your gifts of the Spirit are, then pray daily for God to place it on your heart as to where He wants you to begin taking action?
4. Next, pray each day for the courage to take whatever action God is calling you to.
5. Don’t operate in a vacuum. Galatians 6:2 tells us that we need the help of others. Start with your Pastor, they can help you discover and hone your spiritual gifts. They can also provide valuable resources for you to connect to so you are not attempting to reinvent the wheel.
6. Whatever you do in this regard, pray each day for the ability to do it in love.
7. Finally, never give up! Make it your goal to live-out your life in your gifting day-by-day; regardless of what is going on around you!

Now: Go – Do – Enjoy!!!

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Dr. Michael Mannia, D.Min. is Co-Founder and President of Kingdom Community Ministries, and author of The Conditioned Mind.

A Christian Response To Current Events – Part II – Maintain Hope – The Church Is Alive!

In Part I of this series, I covered how Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide. We are hated for our faith, and the hatred is growing. As disconcerting as this is, there are other factors in this matter that we Christians must not loose site of. The following posts in this series are intended to answer the question: What do we do?

More and more I’m seeing inquiries on social media asking where the Church is amongst the rising tide of persecution? Allow me to reassure you that the Body of Christ is very much alive and active in the world today! Contrary to what others would have you believe, the Body of Christ has been, and continues to be in a mode of expansion. Not that any of us Christians welcome persecution, but it is a well documented fact: The persecuted Church always grows! Not so sure about my assertion? Consider this, in 1900 there were an estimated 10 million Christians living in Africa. By 2000 that estimate rose to 360 million, and by the year 2025 it is estimated there will be some 630 million Christians living in Africa! There are several key factors for this growth, one of which is persecution. Recall in Part 1 of this series I cited an OpenDoors report placing Nigeria No. 1 on the list of most hostile places for Christians, with more than 2,000 believers martyred between 11/2012 and 3/2014. Within that same period, Central Africa Republic ranked third with more than 1,100 Christian martyrs, Kenya ranked fifth with 85, and Sudan came in tenth with 33. More than 3,200 followers of Jesus Christ were murdered in an eighteen month period of time in Africa alone! One would think such horror would quickly shrink the Church; yet, as has occurred for two millennia, the persecuted Church grows.

Still not convinced Christianity is alive and well in this ever darkening world? Consider Latin America, where the number of Christians are expected to rise to some 640 million by 2025. In Asia, 460 million by 2025. By the middle of this century, there will be some three billion Christians worldwide. This figure is one and a half times higher the estimated amount of Muslims by 2050. And if we look beyond population, what we find is that Christians living in Africa, Latin America and portions of Asia – so called Southern Christians, are more stanch theologically and morally than Western Christians. With great expectation, the Bride of Christ is gathering, and preparing for her beloved Bridegroom!

Right now, as you read this post, millions upon millions of Christians around the globe are hard at work for the Kingdom of God! The hungry are being fed. Many in prison are experiencing the love of Christ through the visitation of faithful Christians. Believers are risking their lives to share the Gospel with those who are lost and without hope. Medicine is being administered to those in need by volunteer Christian medical professionals. Widows and orphans are being cared for. Churches, both above ground and under ground are meeting, teaching, and encouraging fellow believers. THIS is what the Body of Christ is doing right now! Today! Tomorrow will bring more of the same!

Consider the words of Jesus:

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:1–5).

What does this mean? In agrarian societies, shepherds will often pull their flocks together at night into what is called a sheepfold (an area designed to hold the flocks). Not only is there safety in numbers for the sheep, but for the shepherds as well, who take shifts standing guard at the gate watching for predators. But take note of what Jesus says, that the shepherd calls to his own sheep and they follow him. God created sheep to instinctively follow their leader. While there might be hundreds of sheep in a sheepfold that belong to other shepherds, whichever shepherd comes to the gate and calls to his flock, they, and only they follow him out, the rest remain behind.

So, one of the most significant things we Christians can do in this present age, is, work to become increasingly more sensitive to the voice of our Shepherd, and second to this point, tune-out the other voices that call to us and seek to lead us astray. I’m not suggesting you no longer watch news broadcasts, but one must admit that any such organization exists to make money. How do news organizations make money? Primarily, by selling advertising space. The higher their ratings, the more they make. It is in these organizations best interest to hype in order to entice viewers. Consider the following headlines that appeared in The New York Times some forty years ago:

• Scientist Fears Equable Climate Around World Could Be Ending (by Boyce Rensberger, October 31, 1972)
• CLIMATE CHANGES CALLED OMINOUS; Scientists Warn Predictions Must Be Made Precise to Avoid Catastrophe (by Harold M. Schmeck, Jr., January 19, 1975)
• Scientists Ask Why World Climate Is Changing; Major Cooling May Be Ahead; Scientists Ponder Why World's Climate Is Changing; a Major Cooling Widely Considered to Be Inevitable (by Walter Sullivan, May 21, 1975)
• International Team of Specialists Finds No End in Sight to 30-Year Cooling Trend in Northern Hemisphere (by Walter Sullivan, January 5, 1978)

See my point? Forty years later we see these headlines are sensationalist. Doom and gloom sells, because that which we fear tends to receive our attention. And you can bank on the fact, that, today’s headlines are just as sensational as in the past. Please understand, I, in no way, seek to minimize the horrors being persecuted against us Christians all around the world. Indeed, we believers must each be prepared to do two things: 1.) Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15); and 2.) Dying for our faith is gain (see Philippians 1:21). So, all in all, it is wise for each of us Christians to consider who we allow to speak into our life.

I encourage you to meditate on the words of our Shepherd:

• “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:25 – 34).
• “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33b).
• “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.” (Luke 12:4).

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Dr. Michael Mannia, D.Min. is Co-Founder and President of Kingdom Community Ministries, and author of The Conditioned Mind.

A Christian Response To Current Events – Part I – They Hate Us!

It is a cold, hard fact, that, as Christians, we are hated! There are those in this world who would thoroughly enjoy torturing us in the most horrific of ways, only to watch us die an agonizingly slow death. While some who hate Christians may not want to exact death, in their heart of hearts they wish harm upon us; that we would suffer in significant ways as a result of our belief in Christ Jesus. Such hatred is hard to fathom, but it is a fact that each of us must accept in order to fulfill the work God has already prepared for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10). 

Why are Christians hated? The answer is simple, but not easy to accept. We live in a fallen world. As God’s Word tells us, all creation (including humanity) groans under the system of darkness (see Romans 8:22). More to the point, we are hated because many love the darkness. Listen to the words of Jesus as He discussed matters with Nicodemus:

“…the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (John 3:19–21)

Who likes being convicted of their sins? Not I! But has a Christian, with awe and reverence for my Creator, I humbly open myself up to revelation afforded me through God’s Spirit about who I am (a sinner), and my absolute need to be saved by Christ. This ushers in a transformative process of sanctification involving God’s love, grace, and mercy; wherein, my modes of thought and behavior change to be more like Christ. Note that I stated more like Christ. In no way am I asserting that I have arrived in this endeavor. As much as I don’t like to admit it, my love is not perfect like that of my Lord’s; there are times (more than I’m even aware of) that I place conditions on my love. Yet, even with all my faults, it staggers my mind that God would find me within the midst of the vastness of the cosmos and love me enough to suffer for my sins; not to mention the painstakingly slow process He chooses to endure while my transformation continues on.

Such thoughts and experiences are foreign to the atheist. For the non-believer in God, determinism (the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will) is the crux by which they live their life. Indeed, some atheist philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions. Thus, for the atheist, ethics involve variables that change over time. No rules are set in stone. But if morals are relative, so too are behaviors. Fallen human nature dictates such individuals are more likely to become self-serving. Fornicators want to fornicate. Thieves want to steal. Killers want to kill. And haters want to hate. You get the point. Not a lot of willingness in the dark areas of such a soul to allow for light. The life lived by Christ is contrary to this type of mindset, so too, then, are the morals of Christianity. Thus, we Christians are the antithesis of such self-seeking endeavors, and for this reason we are hated.

Humanism involves the denial of any power or moral value superior to that of humanity; it is the rejection of religion in favor of a belief in the advancement of humanity by its own efforts. Humanists believe a major ill of humanity is oppression, and many appoint themselves champion of the oppressed. Their hatred for those they deem to be oppressors is vehement and selective. That’s right, you read that correctly. I stated their outrage over oppression is selective. Case in point: According to OpenDoors, an international Christian ministry supporting and encouraging persecuted believers: Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide. In a recent OpenDoors report of the top ten countries where Christians were persecuted between 11/2012 and 3/2014, Nigeria was found to be No. 1, with a total of 2,073 followers of Christ martyred, followed by: Syria (1,479), Central Africa Republic (1,115), Pakistan (228), Egypt (147), Kenya (85), Iraq (84), Myanmar (Burma) and Sudan (33 each), and Venezuela (26). This means close to 5,500 Christians were martyred for their faith within eighteen months time (or more than 300 per month). It also bears noting that sixty percent of persecuted Christians are children! Shockingly, an overwhelming majority of humanists are silent when it comes to the persecution Christians. In an article written for The American Thinker, Danusha V. Goska aptly points out these haters froth at the mouth over a supposed “war on women,” yet are perplexingly silent over such practices as: clitoridectomy, child marriage, honor killing, sharia-inspired rape laws, stoning, and acid attacks. Goska asserts, “The left's selective outrage convinced me that much canonical, left-wing feminism is not so much support for women, as it is a protest against Western, heterosexual men. It's an "I hate" phenomenon, rather than an "I love" phenomenon.” Those who hold such a mindset tend to add Christianity to the mix. For this reason we are hated.

As if this were not enough, a spirit of religion pervades this fallen world, and the result is more hatred directed at us Christians. On one side of the isle, you have those of other religions who believe they are called to persecute Christians. As noted above, Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide. On the other side of the isle we find haters within our own ranks. They are the Pharisees and Sadducees of our day. Instead of espousing love, grace, and  mercy as we are directed to do (see Matthew 22:34–40; John 13:34, 35; Romans 12:10; 13:8; Galatians 5:13, etc.), they boil inside with self-righteous indignation at other Christians who fall short of their unrealistic levels of performance. They hold fast to a “works” mentality which stymies love (see 1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 1 John 4:20). They scoff at the imperfections of their fellow brothers and sisters; yet, fail to deal with the log in their own eye (see Matthew 7:3, 4). Indeed, the enemy sits in our own pews on Sunday mornings. Worse yet, some even preach from the pulpit!

I’m sure the list of reasons for why us Christians are hated goes on and on. But I have a question for my fellow believers: Why should we be surprised that we are hated? After all, Jesus Himself said that we would be hated by all because of His name (see Matthew 10:22). Did you catch that? Jesus said all would hate us! This means everyone outside of Christianity, and, as noted, even some within Christianity will hate us. We are surrounded! What are we to do? I will work to answer this question in my next posts. Until then, I encourage you to meditate on the the following passage:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1–11)

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Dr. Michael Mannia, D.Min. is Co-Founder and President of Kingdom Community Ministries, and author of The Conditioned Mind.

Christian Rock Fight!

The other day, on a social media site, a friend of mine “liked” a post from a Christian organization that helps churches attract more congregants. Curious, I briefly perused the “comments” section and found some believers challenging this organization’s efforts. In effect, these individuals were asserting that what churches need to do is focus more on discipling congregants, and less on growing the number of attendees. Days later, I saw a post from another Christian organization addressing its concerns with a Christian leader who had written a book and appeared on television with Oprah. Again, checking the comments section I found Christians arguing if this author should have done such a thing, and how his book addressed the love of God, but did not address the matter of hell. The discussion morphed into an argument about if hell is literal or figurative, and if it is for eternity or not? Now, before you yell “Squirrel!”, and go running off half-cocked with your own opinion on these matters, I need you to sick with me here!

These posts got me thinking about another day and time in my life. As a kid growing-up in suburbia, there were other kids on the block that I didn’t always see eye-to-eye with. These differences led to arguments, and sometimes these arguments led to rock fights! What is a rock fight? Well, its when another kid on your block thinks or acts so different from you, that, in utter frustration, you pick-up a handful of rocks and start chucking (i.e., throwing) them their way. Of course, the other kid, equally as fed-up with you, picks up their own handful and begins returning fire! Yes, ladies, boys will be boys! Then again, growing-up I recall many of the girls engaging in their own brand of rock fights – if you know what I mean.

Now, as a Theologian and Minister of Christian Counseling, I sure do have my own thoughts about effective church growth. But what comes to my mind the most is, that, leading a congregation is, perhaps, one of the greatest challenges God could call any of us to do. I mean, think for a moment what James had to say about leadership: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1). Talk about pressure! Fact is, even with the best of intentions, as a Christian leader, I can really mess up the lives of those I’m leading if I'm not careful. Read Paul’s letters to Timothy, his young protégé, who had taken on the role of apostolic representative to the churches in the Asia providence, especially in Ephesus. I mean, come on, Timothy was dealing with false doctrine, safeguarding the public worship of Christ, and developing mature leadership within the congregations. The pressure to break through with the Gospel of Jesus Christ must have been enormous! Timothy lived during a time not unlike ours today; a self-serving, idolatrous culture bent of doing whatever it took to feel good. Pastoring a church in his day and time was no walk in the park; nor is it for those pastoring today!

Yes, discipleship is of great importance within any Christ-centered congregation. After all, our Lord commanded us to do so (see Matt. 28:19). Certainly, a significant part of a Pastor’s responsibility is to train-up new believers into mature believes (see 1 Corinthians 3:2). But show me a church that is not consistently growing in size, and I’ll show you a church that is likely in a slow process of dying – growth is the only evidence of life (see 1 Peter 2:1 – 3).

Simply put, it is a balancing act for Pastors! On one hand, those who already belong to the congregation need to be fed so they can mature; yet, new converts are needed in order to fulfill the Great Commission, and ensure the future life of the church. Too much focus on one or the other will ensure imbalance. For this reason Pastors rarely catch a break! The old saying is true: You cannot please all of the people all of the time. Although, it is believed that Abraham Lincoln was apropos in what he had to say about fooling the people some of the time – but I digress. Here’s a thought, for those who are most concerned about discipling within the church, why not go to your Pastor and ask how you can help out more in this regard? And for those more concerned about evangelizing, why don’t you do the same, ask your Pastor how you can help?

What’s my point in all of this? Well, it’s more of Paul’s point: “You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22 – 24). You see, back in the day, those that I engaged in rock fights with ironically became some of my best friends! I put away my old former ways and grew-up into a mature follower of Jesus Christ. This does not mean I am all that and a bag of chips! God continues His amazing work in my life. What I would like to know is this: When are we, as the Body of Christ, going to grow up and learn to take the fight to our real enemy (see 1 Peter 5:8), and stop being so concerned about what our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are up to? (See Matthew 7:3 – 4). When are we going to stop poking each other in the eye for the sake of proving our point? Let us build one another up (see Romans 1:8 – 15) instead of splitting hairs over matters that God promises to resolve in time. My Lord commands me to love Him with all I have; to love my neighbor as I love myself (see Luke 10:27); and to love my enemies (see Matthew 5:43 – 48)! I am not perfect at this, but it is something I strive for each day. I found it is impossible to accomplish such acts of love when I’m throwing rocks. My sincere prayer is that we ban together as beacons of hope in these darkening days, and stop hurling criticisms and insults at one another. Lets get our Jesus on and take it to the world!!

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Dr. Michael Mannia, D.Min. is President of Kingdom Community Ministries and author of The Conditioned Mind.

Repentance - Part III - Final

Folks, we've been on a wonderful journey of discovery these last six months. Through several blog series, you and I have walked through the importance of who we are in the eyes of God, and, how He seeks to set us free from acts of self-deception. No longer need we live in denial, or avoid dealing with life through repression, now we can stand firm on truth and not submit to the enemy's yoke by rationalizing lies. I'm looking forward to new directions the Good Lord is already planning for us. But today, I pray the intentional acts of Christ (Jesus is always intentional) where Peter is concerned resonate with you, and that you are filled with His love, grace, and mercy!

Recall from Parts I & II, Jesus had appeared a third time to His disciples following His resurrection. Peter, overcome with the guilt of his denials of Christ, could no longer stand to wait. Jesus had just given him what was likely the largest single haul of fish he'd ever seen in his entire career as a fisherman. It was so big that his compadres had to row the boat to shore dragging the net filled with fish in the water. Collectively, they could not pull the net onto the boat. Yet, in the middle of all this, Peter jumped ship and swam the length of a football field to reach his Savior! On shore, Jesus graciously had a fire started with some bread cakes and fish cooking for His tired and hungry friends.

There, in the midst of all of this, Jesus is found to be extending His grace and mercy toward Peter, asking him about matters of love. Three times he had denied his Lord, but now he was given three additional opportunities to profess his love for Christ. How Peter must have marveled at the patience of his Savior! What kindness. What gentleness. After all Peter had done, and as broken as he was, Jesus still saw fit to utilize him in the same manner He said He would. This was possible because Peter had been brought to a place in life where his dependency was strictly upon the Lord. In this place, he truly experienced the love, joy, and peace of being in Christ.

If Jesus was willing to meet Peter in his broken place after denying Him three times, then He will meet you in your brokenness as well. Indeed, I believe the Lord would have met Judas right where he was, but Judas decided his situation was hopeless. In the ultimate act of willfulness, he lashed out in anger at the world by killing himself. What Judas failed to see was that he, too, was a pearl of great value in the eyes of the Father. Christ did not want him to throw his life away; He wanted Judas to repent of his sins and take action so that he could get right with the Father.

May you never reach such a false conclusion in your own life; rather, you should always see yourself as the pearl Christ sold everything for. God has loved you both inside and outside of time. His greatest desire is to have a deep, intimate relationship with you. It is for this reason He has set you free. Perhaps Christ is standing on the shore of your life. Will you jump ship and swim to Him as Peter did? No matter the consequences, are you prepared to face your Savior and repent of your ways? Love, joy, and peace await you. 

Delve deeper and overcome the crippling effects of sin and guilt in your own life by reading The Conditioned Mind! 

Repentance - Part II

Happy summer, one and all, I'm back at the blog after a bit of vacation. Today, we continue with our focus on repentance. Recall in my last post that Peter was facing Jesus for the third time following His resurrection. The disciple had jumped ship and swam the length of a football field to reach his Savior. This was the moment Peter anticipated. Now was the time for Jesus to render His verdict in the case of Peter's denial.

Instead of encountering an irate Lord eager to render judgment, he found a compassionate Savior who invited His disciples to sit and eat with Him (see John 21:12, 13). It was only after they had their fill that Jesus addressed Peter, but not in the way he most likely expected. At that moment, the Prince of Peace asked him three questions. Here is the account:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 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.” (John 21:15–17).

Note how Christ addressed him as Simon rather than Peter, the name He had bestowed upon him (see Matthew 16:18). Again, we observe how the Lord meets us right where we are. More than likely, Peter was not feeling solid like a rock in that moment, let alone part of the foundation on which Christ was to build his church. The weight of his guilt must have been enormous. Gone was his former sense of pride. The man who once stood before Christ and proclaimed he would die for Him was now broken and thoroughly humbled (see Mark 14:29–31). This was not a condescending address on the part of the Lord. Use of the name Simon, as opposed to Peter, would have allowed for a moment of reflection, back to a time when this disciple first received the revelation that Jesus was the Son of the living God (see Matthew 16:13–18). It was this understanding that led to his name change and a wonderful vision of what was to come. That time was now at hand.

Are you interested in the transformative process of repentance? Pick of a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind to delve deeper. 

Peace to you, and those you love!

Repentance - Part I

Throughout this year, all of my blog posts have led to this point––repentance! To repent is to feel or express sincere regret about our wrongdoing. This is otherwise known as being contrite. In such a state, we are most apt to turn away from our willfulness and head toward a willingness to live life God’s way. This mindset typically moves us beyond just feeling sorry for our actions, toward a true change of heart. Now that we've reached this point in our studies, let us take time to contemplate the importance of moving from recognition of our human condition, to transformation in The Lord.

Every act of sin involves a way of thought and behavior that is out of line with the Father’s will. Because this applies to all people, except Jesus, our Creator has tolerated billions upon billions of sinful acts from humanity—mine and yours included. Talk about patience! The apostle Peter wrote: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). Why is God so patient with us? The obvious answer is that He loves us.

The case of Peter offers an excellent example of the transforming power contained within a contrite heart. This disciple denied the Lord three times the night of His arrest. He, too, could have chosen the same route as Judas and ended his life, but instead he allowed his breakdown to usher in a breakthrough. Following His resurrection, Christ appeared to His disciples on more than one occasion. The third time happened after Peter and some of the disciples had been out fishing all night. When morning arrived, they still had caught nothing. But then Jesus appeared on the shore and instructed them to cast the net on the right side of the boat (see John 21:1–6). The result was an enormous haul of fish. But once Peter learned it was Jesus, he jumped overboard and swam the length of a football field to meet Him (see John 21:7–10). One can only imagine Peter’s angst. There on the shore was the Son of God, the One he professed he would die for yet ended up denying three times. Perhaps in Peter’s mind, he thought: This is it! This is where He really gives it to me for betraying Him. One gets the sense that he could no longer stand the distress of it all. In that moment, his occupation mattered little. The excitement of the big haul of fish was of no importance to him. The moment he anticipated since he first discovered Christ had arisen was now at hand. Irrespective of the consequences, he had to know what would become of him? Was there any hope?

I'm sure we can all relate to Peter. Who among us has not had every intention of following after The Lord, only to turn tail and run (to one degree or another) when matters went from bad to worse? But the account of this disciple does not end here, tune in for my next post to delve deeper with Peter!

Desiring to walk in the power, love, and soundness-of-mind of Christ? Pick-up a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind.

Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part VI

It is in our best interest that we learn to live in accord with God's Spirit. There must be a willingness on our part to conduct an honest inventory of our lives. With the discernment afforded us through God’s Spirit, we can move toward acknowledging the sin that inhibits our relationship with the Lord and others. This can be accomplished through the anointing work of the Spirit by which our thoughts are set aside for God. The Spirit of God is our Counselor and Advocate, the ultimate Source of comfort, especially as we struggle through the valleys of life.

The presence and anointing work of the Spirit ushers in the process of regeneration, through which we enter into the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit enables transformation of our conscious state by which we comprehend in greater degrees those areas of our life that the Lord desires for us to change. This is not because He is a dictatorial God. But He does desire for us to be healthy and functional, so that we can best relate with Him and allow His gracious love to flow into and through our lives. The Spirit of God invigorates our mind, empowering us to do the will of the Father. We can count on the Spirit to provide the resources needed to resolve our issues. Just as He did with Micah, the Lord can work in our life to bring about change. Inherent in such change is joy. As we are set free from the bondage of our mental and emotional pain, we experience an upwelling of cheer. In this state, we are significantly less inhibited to receive and extend the Father’s love.

Discover more in my book, The Conditioned Mind. Have a blessed day! :-)

Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part V

We cannot do the things of God on our own; though we try and try, we fall short. But the Spirit of God brings logic and rationale where it is much needed. His power provides us with the mental energy that helps us see the way sin has conditioned us. Through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we come to see how illogical it has been for us to run from the issues of our past. As the Spirit of God anoints our mind, we are empowered with a rationale that brings about soundness. Is this not what we so desperately desire? To be of sound mind, having a firm, unshakable basis by which we can live free from the chaos brought about by sin? The peace we long for is made available through the love of our Father, who sends His Holy Spirit, imbuing us with His logic and infusing us with His powers, which ultimately bring about His lasting peace.

Delve deeper! Read my book, The Conditioned Mind. Click here and save 30 percent off the retail price. :-)

Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part IV

The word regenerate is derived from the Latin root regenerare, which means “to reproduce,” “to create again.” In Chapter Two of my book, The Conditioned Mind I investigate how humanity was originally intended to be most representative of God’s moral character, and that morality pertains to a right way of thinking. In Chapter Three of The Conditioned Mind, I assert that the mind is a component of the soul. Regeneration then brings about correction of thought processes and behaviors, resulting in a state of mind that aligns more with God’s right way of thinking. This, too, is part of the Holy Spirit’s work—to bring about correction of thoughts and behaviors that fall outside of the Father’s will. And it was what Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:1–5).

The Greek word used here for born is gennao (ghen-nah’-o), which figuratively means, “to regenerate” or “to be delivered of.” The Greek word used here for see is eido (i’-do), which is a primary verb and is generally used only in certain past tense applications. By implication, eido means “to know” or “to be aware of.” Through lexical analysis, we come to understand that Jesus was stating no one is going to know, or effectively be aware of the kingdom of God, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Which is what Christ goes on to clarify for Nicodemus: “[N]o one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and Spirit.” Note how Jesus first stated that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again, but on the second assertion He said no one can enter without the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit of God indwelling us and anointing our mind, we cannot effectively know God or be aware of His kingdom. Because the kingdom of God is not of this world, we can neither see it nor enter into it without the mind of God intersecting with our mind via His Spirit.

Go deeper by reading The Conditioned Mind, today! Get 30 percent off retail at DeeperShopping.com. Have a blessed day!

Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part III

Three times in the Gospel of John, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as our Parakletos (par-ak’-lay-tos), which in the Greek means, “intercessor,” “counselor,” “advocate,” or “comforter.” An intercessor is one who makes entreaty, an earnest request or petition for others who are in need. What a comforting thought! God’s very Spirit lives on the inside of us and is providing support in the form of intercession. But our Parakletos does more than intercede; He is understood to be our Counselor, advising us on all matters. The counsel of God is a great thing. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.” (Jeremiah 32:18, 19). The saying, “great are your purposes” is derived from the Hebrew expression of gadowl `etsah (gaw-dole’- ay-tsaw’), which means “great advice.” God’s advice is infinitely greater than any human being could give. We also learn from the prophet Isaiah that God’s counsel is faithful and wonderful (see Isaiah 25:1; 28:29). For the Christian, the counsel of God is rendered through His communing Spirit. The Parakletos is our Advocate, fighting for our rights as children of God. In all of this, the Spirit of God is the greatest source of comfort we will find in this world. As we prepare our minds to face the unresolved issues in life, we can rest assured the Holy Spirit will be there every step of the way, interceding, counseling, advocating, and comforting us.

Delve deeper into the ministry of the Holy Spirit with your purchase of The Conditioned Mind. Be blessed, my friends!

Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part II

Once the Spirit of God indwells us, He then sets to work on anointing our mind. This is really an act of consecration in which our mind is set apart for God. Such a matter also relates to veneration, which is precisely why we tend to experience a newfound reverence and heartfelt change toward the Father when the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. Regarding this point, the apostle John wrote:

[Y]ou have an anointing from the Holy Spirit, and all of you know the truth...the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:20, 27).

In this passage, John was addressing the issue of antichrists, opponents of Christ; hence, his point with respect to not needing anyone to teach us. In other words, the apostle was encouraging the followers of Christ not to lean on the understanding of those opposed to Him, but to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word John used here for remain is meno (men’-o), which means “to stay,” such as in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy. We are not to allow the forces of this world to push us out of our state of mind in Christ, which, again, is why we have been instructed to take every thought captive for Him (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). As we shift from our self-deceptive practices to those involving awareness and acceptance of God’s will, we increase in sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The more we can sense the will of the Spirit, the less likely we are to be pushed around by the happenings of this world. With such sensitivity, we can stand firm and not allow the enemy to enslave us again.

Like what you've read today? Want more? Pick-up a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind, and dig in deep! Peace.

Support KCM's Efforts To Help Vets

Hi, I'm not only the author of The Conditioned Mind, but I am President of Kingdom Community Ministries (KCM) www.kcmcounseling.com. We offer Christ-centered, Scripturally-rooted counseling services. One of the areas we specialize in is working with veterans.

In 2012, some 349 active-duty troops committed suicide. Even more staggering is the rate of suicide among non-active-duty veterans: Twenty-two per day, more than 8,000 per year! KCM is answering the call for help, but the need is great, and we cannot do it without your help! Please give what you can to support our veterans. Click on the Go Fund Me link below to be redirected to the Go Fund Me secure website to send your donation. Thank you!

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The Ministry of The Holy Spirit - Part I

In the eighth chapter of Romans, we find Paul’s exposition of a life lived through the Holy Spirit. The apostle opens hard and fast with the following assertion: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1, 2). Paul begins his statement with the adverb therefore, which signifies a consequence. This was in light of his earlier statement where he indicated: “I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25). In other words, (1) we are dichotomous—we have two opposing natures, but (2) as a result of being conjointly raised up with Christ Jesus, there is now no condemnation. Our Lord not only provides for our salvation, but His work on the cross ushered the office of the Holy Spirit into our lives. All we need to do is open our hearts and receive Him. In this, we find evidence of our unification with God through the joining together with His Holy Spirit, wherein we are set free from the law of sin and death. This does not mean that as believers in Christ we can no longer sin, but it does signify that our sin debt has been paid in full and we are now unified with God. Jameison, Faussett, and Brown put it this way:

As Christ, who “knew no sin,” was, to all legal effects, “made sin for us,” so are we, who believe in Him, to all legal effects, “made the righteousness of God in Him;” (2 Corinthians 5:21) and thus, one with Him in the divine reckoning....But this is no mere legal arrangement: it is a union in life; believers, through the indwelling of Christ’s Spirit in them, having one life with Him, as truly as the head and the members of the same body have one life.

Paul moves forward with his line of reasoning declaring:

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Romans 8:5–8).

To live in accord with God is to conform to Him; it is us living in agreement with our Creator. All of this sounds good and well, only we fall short of agreement when we practice self-deceptive modes of thought and behavior that do not align with God’s will. Because we tend not to challenge the validity of our premises, we need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Left to our own vices, we are hard pressed to arrive at the truth of matters (see Proverbs 14:12). We deny certain facts, avoid reality, and construct justifications as to why it is all right for us to remain in sin. But when the Holy Spirit comes and lives in us, He gives life and peace by pointing us toward the supreme reality, the ultimate meaning and value of our existence.

Go deeper by reading my book, The Conditioned Mind! Peace-out, brothers and sisters in Christ! 

God Never Doubts His Love For You!

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - King - Part II

The kingdom of Christ will be a righteous one: “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.” (Psalm 45:6). The Hebrew term used here for scepter is shebet (shay’-bet), which means “to branch off.” However, shebet is also indicative of a scion, a descendent or heir. While shebet is literally understood to be a stick used for a myriad of things, such as fighting, punishing, walking, and writing, it could be asserted that the scepter of justice pertains more to the branch from which true justice will be derived, namely Christ Jesus. Isaiah wrote: “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.” (Isaiah 32:1). The prophet was writing about Christ. The Hebrew word used here for righteousness is interesting. It is tsedeq (tseh’-dek), which means “right,” i.e., natural, moral, or legal. Abstractly, tsedeq means “equity”; figuratively, it relates to prosperity. The reign of Christ will feel natural to us. We will come to see that this is the way God always intended it to be. As our King, Christ demonstrates the Father’s moral character, which is forever good and virtuous. King Jesus rules with a just, impartial, and fair disposition. Through His rule, we will experience a life of prosperity—a life filled with an abundance of love, joy, and peace. Listen to the words of our Father, spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, a king who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 23:5).

We need not wait for the Second Advent; Jesus can rule as King in our life today. We can break with our fears and anxiety that stem from unresolved issues and present troubles, and follow His lead. Because Christ is just in His kingly duties, we can entrust ourselves to His leadership. If He calls us to break through our denials and accept truth, then we can trust He does so for good reason. We can trust in our King; no longer must we maintain our repressive ways and avoid reality. Our attempts to rationalize dysfunctional behavior break down at the throne of Christ. In the end, we will come to see that He has come to set us free.

With this entry, we conclude this series on four splendid typologies of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. To go even deeper, I invite you to purchase a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind. May you be filled with the power, love, and sound-mind afforded us through the Spirit of God!

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - King - Part I

Much can be learned about a king by studying his kingdom. In this regard, the Scripture reveals that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world. In the eighteenth chapter of John, we find Pilate questioning Jesus on some key points:

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:33–37). 

In this passage, the Greek word used for kingdom is basileia (bas-il-i’- ah), which means “royalty”; abstractly, it relates to rule, but more specifically it pertains to a realm. When Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world, He meant it in every sense. Jesus’ human lineage may have been from a royal line (see See Isaiah 9:7 and Luke 1:32, 33), but His authority to rule is not of this world; it is from a source infinitely more powerful than any human government could establish. While Satan is permitted to rule here for the time being, Christ will one day return and take up His rightful place on earth, and the devil will be dethroned (See Ephesians 2:2 regarding Satan’s level of rule, and Revelation 12:9 for the devil’s dethroning).

Today, we can find peace in the fact that God is working out His plan, in His time. Regardless of what might come our way in this lifetime, our heavenly Father is in charge!

Learn more about Jesus as King in my new book, The Conditioned Mind.

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - High Priest - Part III

Through the intercession of our High Priest, we are judicially represented in the highest court of all—before the throne of God Almighty. Standing at the throne, each of us is examined by the Father, every deed in our life exposed. In effect, we are asked the question: “What did you do with My Son Jesus?” In other words: “Did you believe enough to invite Him into your life?” Understand that our Creator does not ask this question in hopes of punishing us; rather, He does so more along the lines of: “Please, tell Me that you believe in My Son. Tell Me that your mind and heart are open to Him, because if this is so, then I can call upon Him this very moment to make things right in your case. I so desire for that to happen—I want the record to be set straight so that we can move forward with an eternal relationship!” What a wonderful concept—our High Priest standing before the throne of the God Most High, interceding on our behalf. In turn, God declares us to be forgiven of our sins and justified in the strictest sense of the Law, all because our High Priest was able to offer the perfect sacrifice—Himself. Thus, we see the workings of our Creator in ways beyond our comprehension. Yet, one day, we will actually stand before the throne of our heavenly Father, and we will know love like we never have before. We will comprehend completely the price that was paid for our sin. In that moment, we will fully experience the blessings of our Father’s grace and mercy. Viewing things from the eternal perspective, all of our struggles in life and all of the trials we endured will make sense, and we will finally be home!

To discover more about the love of God, pick-up a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind. Blessings to you, and to those you love!

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - High Priest - Part II

Through the sacrificial offering of our High Priest, we have been reconciled with our Creator and can now freely approach His throne (see Hebrews 2:17). Christ empathizes with our plight in life: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18). The Greek word used here for tempted is peirazo (pi-rad’- zo), which means “to test,” i.e., endeavor, scrutinize, entice, or discipline. To endeavor is to make a conscientious or concerted effort toward an end. Jesus endeavors in His priestly duties, interceding with the Father on our behalf, and teaching us the truth about God and His plan for humanity. Clearly, Jesus was scrutinized. His every move was critically examined by the religious leaders of His day. Christ was enticed by Satan, and He was brutally disciplined for false accusations leveled against Him. But the criticisms did not stop there. Jesus continues to this very day to be criticized; yet He remains unthwarted in His priestly duties. In this lifetime, we cannot escape our flesh, the side of our nature that is full of our own will. For this reason, we are in continual need of Jesus to make intercession with the Father. We need the atoning work of His priestly duties to cover our continuing violations of the Father’s will.

In all of this, our High Priest seeks to bless us. Consider the words of the apostle Peter: “When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (Acts 3:26). While Peter was addressing a Jewish audience, it can be seen that God not only sought to bless the Israelites, but all of humanity as well. (see Romans 3:29, 30). The word used here for bless is eulogeo (yoo-log-eh’-o), which means “to speak well of.” Indeed, our High Priest does speak well of us to the Father, and His words are a literal blessing upon us. Coffman put it this way: “The great blessing Jesus came to deliver was not a re-establishment of the old Solomonic empire, but a spiritual blessing marked by the forgiveness of sins, the reception of God’s Spirit, and a turning of the people away from their wickedness.” (Coffman, J. Commentary of the New Testament).

To delve deeper into this topic, pick-up a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind.

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - High Priest - Part I

In the fourteenth chapter of Genesis, we find Abram encountering Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of God Most High:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18–20).

In this passage, we find a typological precedent being set for Christ, namely, that He is both King and High Priest. To better understand the significance of this typology, we’ll need to look at the seventh chapter of Hebrews. Here we find that Christ, as our High Priest, is superior to all who preceded Him: "If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?" (Hebrews 7:11). The answer to this question is that perfection could not be attained through the Levitical priesthood, because it was made up of men who suffered from a sin condition themselves. While their duties in serving God and His people were not insignificant, they could not propitiate for their own sins, let alone the sins of God's people.

The system of sacrifice God had put in place was a means by which the Hebrews could come to understand their complete and total need for Him. They offered animal sacrifices as an expression of their understanding that they were born of a sinful nature and needed God's redemption. They needed God to deal with what they themselves could not. The system of sacrifice brought home the reality that sin is costly. An individual's time and resources were required to raise a suitable sacrifice to offer for one's own sin. Bringing the living sacrifice to the tabernacle, participating in the actual act of sacrifice, and witnessing the immense bloodshed of the sacrifices would have been a sobering experience, a significant reminder of the price to be paid for sin.

The opportunity to experience humility as a result of sacrifice is a key factor in our walk with Christ. It affords a sense of humility with respect to our place within the Father's creation. Such a sense allows for the opportunity to drop our pride and submit to the ways of God. Through submission, we come to more clearly understand the significance of God's grace and mercy. We are then able to experience greater degrees of our Father's love, joy, and peace. When we experience His love on deeper levels, pathologies—the manifestations of disease—are diminished. As we rest more upon God and submit to His will, we sin less and become reflections of His love to a world in desperate need of such light.

Don't miss the opportunity to go deeper with your High Priest, purchase a copy of my book, The Conditioned Mind, and save 30%!

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - Mediator - Part II

The apostle Paul wrote: “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6). The Greek word used here for ransom is antilutron (an-til’-oo-tron), which means “ a redemption price.” To redeem is to recover ownership of something by paying a specified sum. The sum owed for humanity’s sins was a perfect sacrifice:

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27, 28).

Christ, as the representative Man, holds tremendous importance with respect to His mediation on our behalf. By taking on the nature of man, Jesus is best able to empathize with our plight. Who better to understand the specifics of our struggles than the One who has walked a mile in our shoes, who knows the burdens we carry in life (see Isaiah 53).

Discover more in my book The Conditioned Mind. Blessings upon you and those you love!

Four Splendid Typologies of Christ - Mediator - Part I

A powerful example of Christ's mediation can be found in the words He spoke to Peter: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31, 32). Note that Jesus did not say He would prevent such an act; rather, He prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. The reference here to sifting wheat is significant. To do so, the stalk, along with its head, must first be cut off. Peter experienced a cut off from Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. This must have been a frightening and confusing event for him. He understood Christ to be the Messiah, (See Matthew 16:13–17) so why would Jesus allow these men to take Him captive? Why would the Son of God, with all of His power, allow such a thing? We can all relate to Peter in this matter. We, too, often ask ourselves similar questions. But we do not always realize that Christ is doing something. In Peter’s case, Jesus not only prayed that his faith would not fail, but also that he would serve as a source of strength to those who followed him.

In relation to wheat, chaff is made of dry bracts known as husks that enclose the mature grain. Before wheat is processed into eatable forms, the chaff must be separated from the grain through a process known as threshing. Here the stems and husks are vigorously beaten. No doubt, Peter felt the threshing of his soul as he denied Christ not once, but three times. One can only imagine the fear and utter confusion Peter felt as he was being threshed by Satan.

But the attack did not stop there. Remember, the devil had asked to sift Peter, the implication meaning to be ground down and screened into a fine power. In Jesus’ time, this involved grinding grain between stones. Once the grinding occurred, the ground wheat would then be set out to dry and later passed through a sieve, an instrument with a mesh or perforated bottom that further separated the coarse parts from the fine parts.

Satan's intent was to sift Peter into a finely ground powder, and God allowed it! In His infinite wisdom and power, God used this trial to refine Peter into what He desired him to be: a source of sustenance for the first century church to feast on! The same holds true for each one of us. God uses anything and everything to refine us. Nothing gets wasted. Right there in the middle of it all is Christ Jesus, our Mediator, interceding on our behalf, praying for us that our faith will not fail, so that one day, we, too, might turn and strengthen our brothers and sisters.

Learn more about Christ as Mediator in my new book, The Conditioned Mind.