Right From The Source

A few years ago I knew a guy that had, in his view, a bad experience at church. So, as is natural, he lost the desire to continue going. He still read the Word, prayed and had a walk with God. I was an avid church goer at that time and was excited at what was going on at church and didn't understand how anyone could not want to go. He told me he felt that God was more pleased with his life now and that he felt he was living a lie by going to a church where he didn't believe everything that was being taught and didn't agree with what was going on. Wow. That blew me away. 10 years or so later I understand where he was coming from.

I know now just a bit of what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat" By no means do I believe that all churches are wrong, and only those who believe like me are somehow saved or righteous - but I do see our modern American version of "Church-ianity" as something made for the masses. Palatable. Made for mass consumption. I see people believing without question everything taught and regurgitating teachings, learned on Sunday based not on the Word, but on human reasoning. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death. Solomon teaches this in Proverbs 16:25.

So I'm completely bored and over traditional church. Sundays mornings are the worst days ever to have a church meeting. I remember the years I went faithfully Sunday morning and Sunday night. I didn't have a family then, but I could tell by the exhaustion that was apparent in the expressions of those who did that for them Sunday was hardly a day of rest. Even without a family, it was hardly a day of rest. I'm over going and hearing a topical message that has no point that I could have put together in 5 minutes. I'm tired of when the presence of God begins to move in a service only for some "leader" to get up and starts giving announcements. I'm tired of human reasoning instead of someone who knows the Word teaching the Word! What a novel idea. Why doesn't that happen? Is it because those teaching it don't know it? Or is it that they think people will be bored? Is it that they fear people will think they aren't spiritual if they just crack open 1 John and start teaching? The times I've been around or watched on TV a real bible scholar it's life altering.

One teacher that amazes me is Dr. Melissa Scott. I don't totally get this youthful looking middle aged woman with striking features who wears a collar like a Catholic priest but has a command of ancient languages and teaches as the oracles of God. But I could listen to her for hours. Why is this so uncommon? I understand everyone may not have desire to learn ancient Greek, but certainly you can have strong grasp of the word. I recognized that I had been going to church for 20 years and had a weak grasp of the word considering the amount of time I've spent at churches. Now, I just long for the Word. I have it on my iPod and it's on CD in my car. It's on my mind and I want it to be a part of me! Oh yeah..and I can't go to another meeting where the guy is supposedly prophetic (I believe in the gifts and the prophetic) and all I hear is that someone has a headache or that this person or that is the "Apple of God's eye." (Don't we all and aren't we all? ) I mean, really!

It's like the grocery store. Along the outside where few seem to go is all the natural food. There is produce, fruits, juices then go a little further and you will see fresh meats and fish. Go a little further and you will see the milk, eggs and cheese. All things, made (somewhat) naturally. If you just ate from these parts of the grocery store, you'd be very healthy. Now, venture into the aisles. Here you find the garbage food. Oreos, Kraft Mac-N-Cheese made from powder and various sundry processed man-made food. These contain things like aspartame, preservatives and other cancer causing ingredients. From my view, that is what our American churches have become. Pre-packaged goods full of things that give the feeling of satiation but do not curb you real hunger.

Sometimes I wonder if we are all reading the same bible. I know that we are all in different places in our walks with God, but I really wonder where you go to have a more biblical experience among a group of believers? I've experienced this, but it is usually in a small group in a home. That is not a criticism of the more "traditional" means of gathering and worshipping. Merely an observation based on my own experiences. I wonder in a church of 1000 people how many people have teaching gifts, healings gifts, prophecy etc. Just say you have a teaching gift. When are every going to get a chance to teach in a church of that many people? I all reality you will sit frustrated in the pews wondering why God isn't "using" you.

So what does it mean? God is real. Jesus is real. His word is life and the Holy Spirit is our teacher and counselor. I know that I can go to the Father and get real nourishment for my soul that longs for truth and longs for Him. But I can't get it second hand. I must get it right from the source.

The Dry Fish In The Water

I know, you are all tired of hearing about tithing. I think I will have officially have beat this subject to death...after this post.

In many tithing arguments, (those that argue tithing is either a model of giving today or a law we are still under) it is Luke 11:42 that is bantered about like some sort of winning point. But alas, upon closer inspection, it reveals how wrong the modern New Testament "tithing" message is. Which is a ridiculous grouping of words - as ridiculous as "the dry fish in the water" since there is no tithing commanded.

Quick backtrack - tithing in the New Testament is false because -

Biblical Old Testament tithing requires a temple to be in existence to support, a Levitical priesthood to accept the tithe and a need for sacrifices to be made. Since those three are not part of the New Covenant, tithing is not necessary, commanded or required by scripture. The Mosaic Law commands 10 percent of the increase of seed, not of the gross of all seed. In addition, "seed" is not money. In the New Testament, Holy Spirit led giving is the new model. Giving has not come to an end, but tithing under the Mosaic Law has. See older posts for more on that.

Okay - back to Luke 11:42.

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In order for this to be a command for the New Testament believers to tithe it would have to say "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and not tithe 10 percent of your personal income! I don't want your silly herbs I want your money!

Let's start with what is tithed. Mint and rue and all manner of herbs are tithed. Here is a perfect opportunity for Jesus to keep at least a scriptural Old Testament "tithe" in place. Why not say, "when you tithe in the future, don't don't forget judgment and love. Jesus does not condemn what he tithed, but that he passed over righteous judgment and the love of God.

Now lets look at the form and tense this is translated - it is the "Past Modal Active" tense. It is past tense! You should have done this when you were tithing - notice he does not use present or future tense. The same way we would say "When you were in 8th grade, you ought to have studied more." If there was still an opportunity to right this wrong, you would not use this tense. You would say "Don't waste your opportunity - make it right when you go to class tomorrow!" However, Jesus spoke in past tense of how it "ought to have been done" since he was the end of the law. Jesus even says "The law and the prophets were until John." (Luke 16:6)

Many take this passage as a command for the church to tithe. Notice the audience - a Pharisee that is still operating as under the law. It is correct to speak to him that he was wrong to pass over the weightier matters of the law. With all tithing that is discussed in the New Testament, it is used to make a point, not to re-establish this under the New Covenant.

How should we give and live in the New Testament? As the Spirit, who writes God's laws on your heart, directs you. The Holy Spirit will guide you to give radically and to be generous on every occasion. So give!

Conference On The Keeping Of Mosaic Law

Whenever a theological question arises and I don't know that answer, at first I have a rudderless, lost feeling. It is like the feeling you get when you are taking a test and read a question you have no idea the answer to. For too long I have taken things taught to me for granted and have not done any fact checking. Those days are over. I encourage anyone reading this to read the Word for yourself. Anytime I hear a message, I want to know where in the Word it can be found. Tithing and law keeping have been my latest subject, as was once the origins of the Earth and how the bible answers those questions. (No, the bible does not say the earth is 6000 years old.) As I continue to study, I continue to uncover what was plain before my eyes. Under the New Covenant we are not bound to Mosaic Law. Especially not to the practice of tithing.

So, on with the theme of the hour.

Acts 15 - I still have discussions with people regarding tithing and how somehow of all 650 Mosaic Law commandments, this one somehow is still in force. People would never dream of making a case for circumcision still being in effect, or animal sacrifce for that matter. But tithing is the sacred cow that can not be touched or challenged. I realize these questions have already been answered in a conference long ago. The answers to all of this were just waiting to be uncovered. So, If I am willing to look for myself, the answer is plainly there.

Acts 15 : 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses"

So the apostles wanted to decide if they needed to put the Jewish customs onto the new converted Gentiles. I happen to be a Gentile so I am ever grateful for the outcome of this conference 2000 years ago!

Acts 15:10 - "Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? ¹¹No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Can it be any more clear? Yes, I know that tithing is not taught as a way to salvation, but it is still taught nonetheless and from this chapter you can see that it was decided NOT to test God by putting on Gentiles the yoke that even the Jews could not bear. So, no tithing, no Mosaic Law keeping, no Sabbath day observation, no circumcision and no earthly priest that stands between you and God. This does not mean we are under NO law, just not under Mosaic Law. So ask the Holy Spirit, that is inside of you and is the sign of the New Covenant what you should give (to a ministry, the needy and those whom the Spirit lays on your heart) and be obedient to that. Give with a cheerful heart and not as one under compulsion.

Weightier Matters of the Law –

Weightier Matters of the Law –

After sitting through many teachings about “giving” and “tithing” I began to question the validity of this doctrine. I was always bothered by the way it was taught, the tactics used and the fact that scriptures supporting tithing were always found in the Old Testament. The text usually used before “tithes and offerings” are taken up is Malachi 3 where God asked through the prophet Malachi :

‘Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. 
 "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' 
 "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ‘

So what is usually taught, is that God wants 10% of your personal income, and that 10% is his and he lets you keep the other 90% and if you don’t give it, you will be under a curse and God will allow things to happen to you that eat away your income. But conversely, if you do tithe your bank account will be full.

Before you read any further, do not for a second think I am making a case against GIVING. I am not. The New Covenant is full of examples of giving and of ministers of the gospel living off the gospel. There are examples of acts of radical giving. So, give as the Spirit leads, but you are not commanded in Scripture to give 10% of your personal income to anyone.

But there are some major scriptural problems with how the current Western church teaches tithing. The modern teaching of God commanding that you give10% of your personal income is purely fictional and completely made up. Not one example can be found of this in scripture anywhere! The roots of this incorrect doctrine probably began in the late nineteenth century when a Wesleyan Church in Cincinnati hosted multiple fund-raising events to erase its enormous debt. Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and devoid of options, a layman came up with the idea of, “storehouse tithing.” It was an instant success and soon the news spread like wildfire throughout Christendom and the practice of storehouse tithing caught on. At the time, it seemed the answer to the debts and financial woes of churches whose church members gave indiscriminately.

The problem is, those who teach this must not know what Old Testament tithing was. It can be explained quickly. Tithing, under the law of Moses, was 10% of your yearly increase of seed. In Deut. 14:22-29 “Thou shall truly TITHE all the INCREASE of thy SEED, that the field brings forth year by year." Key words here are “increase” and “seed.” The idea here is that if you had 200 bushels of seed the first year and the next year your had 220, you would tithe 2 bushels and this would be given once a year. Seed is not money. Yes, they had a money system in ancient times and can easily be proven by reading Genesis 37:28 where Joseph was sold into slavery for 30 shekels. In addition, you can see Numbers 18:24 “Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.' So, clearly we see here that tithes were not for every New Testament pastor but were for the Levitical priesthood and more specifically, the sons of Aaron. There were also many offerings given for sin for example and these were not considered the “tithe.” Thus the term tithes and offerings. So we see tithing commanded as 10% of an increase of seed and that it could ONLY be given to Levites. This is not what you hear in the modern western church.

But is tithing found in the New Testament? Yes, it is mentioned, but not commanded. And how could it be commanded to Gentiles and how are we held liable for our tithe if we cannot find a Levite to tithe to? A common “New Testament” tithing argument comes from Luke 11:42 which reads “"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone” This is used as an argument that Jesus commanded us to tithe in the New Covenant. If you read carefully this does not fit the “New Testament” tithing teaching. Jesus affirms that money was not tithed, but in this case it is mint, rue and all other garden herbs. Could it be anymore plain? What we should gather from this passage is that we should not neglect justice or the love of God; not that tithing is re-established in the New Testament.

“Tithing is God’s provisioning plan for New Testament believers.”

This is taken out of Malachi 3 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. “

So the idea is that you must tithe for God to meet your physical and financial needs. The irony of this scripture being used as evidence that God commands the New Covenant church to “tithe” is even more egregious when you look at who the book was written to! Was the audience Israel? Gentiles? No. It was written to the priests! Malachi 1:6 –

It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.

"But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'

And 2:1

And now this admonition is for you, O priests.

Also in 3:10 you see the passage “-the whole nation of you.” “You” what? You PRIESTS. This part is referring to the nations priests. If not why not just say “all the nation of Israel? However since Malachi is addressing the Levitical priests, “the whole nation of you (priests)” now fits.

I encourage you to read Malachi for yourself. It’s only 4 chapters. What is obvious is that whom Malachi is addressing does not change from chapter 1. Remember, chapters and verses where put in later! Malachi didn’t denote his writing in chapter and verse, and this is one continuous thought through chapter 3.

Now when you look at the 3:10 you see this “storehouse” mentioned. The “storehouse” was actually a physical room in the temple. (See 1 Kings 6:6 and Nehemiah 13:5) and was used to store the meat remaining from the sacrifices. Thus the “that there might be food (also translated “meat”) in my house.” Now to balance this, there was obviously more than one physical room in which these were stored as it would be obviously impractical for one room to hold all the tithe of Israel. (See Nehemiah 13:37. This verse also reinforces that money was not tithed.) The rebuke of Malachi 3:10 stems from the priests misusing the tithed meats and food that was given to THEM, not because Israel didn’t give it! That is why God called them robbers as he would if you went into your local church and stole the organ. It’s not that the organ wasn’t there, it was that someone stole it. The priests that are dressed down in this prophetic misused what was given to God. We see this misinterpreted as the New Covenant church being robbers because they didn’t give their income. It was because they took it for their own unlawful use and not as the Torah commanded.

When we see Malachi 3:10 applied to New Covenant believers, it is now out of harmony with Matthew 6 (condensed – but feel free to look it up!)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. … 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them…”

Does this mention anything that this promise was contingent on your “tithes” being paid up? No, it does not. This is simply a promise in which the only stipulation is faith.

In all my discussions, debates and deliberations about tithing, I kept running up against a very important scripture. The scripture in question is Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. If the meaning of this verse can be revealed, whether we tithe or not will not be in question.

The common interpretation is that Jesus does not annul the Mosaic Law, but he affirms that it is still in force. However, the Greek word here “Kataluo” is translated “destroy” (and in other versions “abolish”) This should read “tear down.” So Jesus says “I did not come to "Kataluo" or tear down the the Law and the Prophets. The word translated “fulfill “ comes from the Greek word Plerosai. However, if this were his meaning he would have used a different word – the word Histemi meaning to fulfill a prophecy. But he does not, he uses Plerosai and this word is more accurately translated "fill up" or in other words, bring to a completion. Better translation - I did not come to tear down the Law and the Prophets but to bring them to an end." Romans 10:4 supports this proper translation and reads:

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

The next verse, vs 18 of Matthew reads:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one stroke or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. “

I would argue that a better translation, and more literal would be "For truly I say to you, until the heaven and earth pass away, one jot or hook shall not pass away from the Law, until all (of it) happens"

Again, the common conclusion that so many come to is that Jesus did not come to do away with Mosaic law and that Mosaic law will not pass away until the end of time. However, when we apply the correct meaning to the Greek words, we see this passage come back into harmony with the rest of the New Testament.

Think of the ramifications and lack of harmony in the rest of the New Testament if Jesus was re-affirming the Torah in Matthew 5:17-18. Apply this incorrect interpretation to Galations chapter 3 starting in verse 10:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

So if Jesus re-establishes the Torah in Matthew 5:17, then he came to put us under a curse. Did Paul not say “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse?” But Paul says “Christ redeemed us from the curse” If the re-establishment of Torah is in affect, then Paul is making foolish arguments in this and most of his letters. I make this assertion: We can either be under the Law of Moses and the Prophets or be under the New Covenant of grace through Jesus. But we cannot be both.

Another point, If Jesus was coming to re-establish the Torah, then why does he go on to establish an even higher standard?

Matthew 5:28 - But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is BEYOND the Law of Moses. By giving us this additional dimension into the existing Law of Moses "Thou shalt not commit adultery" he is proving that is not here to re-establish Mosaic Law but to bring it to an end. Under the New Covenant we have the Holy Spirit in which his laws are now not written in stone, but on our hearts. It is because the Holy Spirit is on the inside that lust can be attributed to adultery. The fact that we can even have the Holy Spirit inside of us is part of the New Covenant, not the Old.

Everything in the Torah is a shadow of what was to come. Even the sin offering of a perfect, flawless lamb points to Jesus.

Hebrews 10:12 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; “

Again, we see the theme of finality to the decrees of the Old Covenant. We see the final sacrifce made, thus ending the need for an Isrealite to give a perfect calf, goat or lamb as we see in Leviticus 4,5 and 6. Since we have Jesus, there is no longer any need for animal sacrifice to cover a man’s sin, nor is the governance for the Levitical priesthood in affect. Does this mean we should toss out the Old Testament? No! It has many passages that have not come to pass yet. It gives perspective, relevance and context to the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus. It reveals much about God’s wisdom, character, the consequence for sin, reveals God’s judgement and much more. It is the framework in which God chose to bring the Messiah and is the prophetic utterance of Jesus before he came.

Consider what Paul says in Romans 8 –

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. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.

In reading the New Testament, I see Paul over and over making the argument for faith under the New Covenant makes the Law of Moses to no affect. (Even the 10 Commandments!) That is not to tear it down, but an acknowledgement that it is fulfilled. It is like Paul knew we would still be having these questions many years later. Think of Jesus saying this “I did not come to empty the glass but to fill it to the top.”

So, if we are under the “Old Covenant” think of how absurd and contradictory the following passages would be –

Galtions 2:15-21 "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Galations 5:18 - But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Colossians 2:16 - Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ

Even as I write this, I see now how clear it is in Scripture, but it is the traditions of men that have made it appear cloudy. I notice that tithe teachers will use Matthew 5:17 as their excuse for extracting just this one Mosaic Law to teach and put their people under. However I am reminded of Jesus talking to the Pharisees in Matthew23:4-6 where he is admonishing the Pharisee’s and says

They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

If you are reading this please note that I am not “against” pastors or teachers who teach otherwise because I realize that many have never considered anything other than the traditions that were taught to them. So if you are reading this, consider the case I have laid out. I have attempted to be concise, to the point and lay out as much scripture as seemed to fit. It never seems a good use of time to make a scriptural argument without actually using scripture.

Another scripture to consider – Galations 1:8

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned

What is the “New Covenant?”

To preach that we are under any part of the law, and co-mingling the two covenants is to preach a different gospel. Over and over Paul argues that we are NOT under Mosaic Law, but under the law of the Spirit. This IS the new Covenant, that because of the final sacrifice for all, the veil between man and God is torn down and the Holy Spirit comes to live in side of us. If you have the Holy Spirit inside of you, you are NOT under the law as we see in Galatians 5:18. I know that many teach tithing and law keeping out of tradition. Many pastors fear that their budgets will not be met and their ministry will crumble. I know many well meaning Pastors who do not teach this out of malice or to gain “filthy lucre” but simply because that is how tradition has taught them to operate. Let God judge men’s intentions and I pray that God be merciful because I know many have lived under this teaching and have not considered any other way.

Friends, continue to GIVE as the Spirit leads you. We do this to further the Kingdom! Be wise in whom you give to and don’t forget the widows and orphans. Find a ministry that is advancing the Kingdom of God and give to them that the gospel might be furthered!

Worship Songs Posted

Click this link to download to free mp3s! http://www.ilike.com/artist/Tim+Spencer

Just in case you missed this on Facebook, I have posted two worship songs, recorded recently and posted up for your listening pleasure. I tried for a few weeks to do it "right." I tried to record just the guitar, then lay down some vocals but it never sounded "real." It sounded forced. I just decided I would do as many takes as I needed to and just do it live. After all, it's worship. So they didn't turn out perfect, but I like the rawness of the takes. So two songs so far, and both I think require some explanation.

New Mirror -

During worship one night, while leading, I heard the Lord say "Look into the mirror of the image of Son and throw away your old mirrors." So, naturally I wrote a worship song called "New Mirror." Lyrics -

I need a new mirror

one that only shows me You

the image of how You see me

In the light of Your truth.

I need to be a reflection

of Your holy son

not a glimpse through human eyes

that only sees the things I've done

And in Your light there is

no shadow cast

I'm through wasting my life

chasing crowns that just don't last

Now for the first time I see me through Your eyes

so tell me God, what do You think of me

when You look at me? ...You see your Son!

I realized when I was 25, through a divine intervention in my life, God peeled back the layers of my self-image the lie that others had put on me as to what I really was and what He could do through me. I'm not one for self-esteem or being obsessed with my self image. Self-esteem? What is that? In our modern world it is a way of deluding ones self into thinking you are a great wonderful person. A true self image is seeing yourself as God sees you, not as the world sees you. This is a message that needs to be taught, re-taught and become part of your being.

Throw away your old mirror and look into the image of His Son!

Recognizing the Impact We All Have

So it's good to hear there are a few readers of this blog. Posting here is a sporadic thing for me. There is just something that is too self-indulgent for me personally to write about myself. My goal has always been to write down ideas, prophetic visions, dreams and teaching ideas here if for nothing else but for an exercise in organizing my ideas and giving people a place in which to I can refer them if discussions on tithing or other issues emerge. So in this post I might just be breaking my own rule, writing about myself.

So to those who have been reading, thanks.

So we've been going to a neat fellowship called "Eastgate Creative Fellowship." The pastors and many of the people who worship there are kindred spirits, and many I have known since I first moved to Nashville in 1997. I love the outlet they have for artists, prophecy and worship. They also have a grasp on something that has been so lacking from charismatic churches: a strong emphasis on the Word! So we are going through the gospel of John, systematically, which I love and also digging into Ephesians.

I have an "orange" personality type and can take input very quickly. Most messages, though well done, do not come at a fast enough rate of input. Though riveted on the inside, I may be fiddling with my phone or looking up another scripture while listening. In the past this has been pointed out to me as if I was doing something wrong and was distracting the speaker. Don't know what to say about that, other than I can relate. I would hate to be speaking in a service only to have me sitting in the congregation playing with my phone looking bored. I can assure you, it's the opposite. I just require faster input. Especially since I figure I've been in over 1200 services in my lifetime and each message is generally about the same subject, I'm not hearing most of this for the first time.

One thing I have realized over the past week is the impact we all have. I remember one day in the late 90's, maybe 1998, the teenage son of a friend seemed as if he was at the crossroads and I felt a strong leading to go over pick him up and take him to lunch. This was a very unusual thing for me to do. However, I saw so much of me in him at that age, I could see the wisdom in God's leading.

Like many teenagers, he had earrings, but had the ones that stretched the lobe out to the point where they were almost a half-inch in diameter. I wondered if, when he got older, if they would ever heal and not look like Dumbo.

I don't remember anything that ripped the sky open for either of us during that lunch, but sometimes it's just showing up that makes the impact. The fact that out of the blue I came by picked him up may have been all that the Lord was looking for. I recently ran into him (now at least 12 years later) and saw a man of God, walking in His fullness as a husband and father, who married a woman full of faith and seems to be heading in a direction pleasing to God.

Another friend whom, though the effort was so small on my part, sent me a note on Facebook saying what an impact I've had on his walk with the Lord. I have to shake my head because there are people I've fasted and prayed for, labored in the flesh and Spirit for and would seem to have gotten nowhere, but someone whom I invited to a ministry mountain bike ride in which 4 people showed up seems to have made life changes based on that one encounter.

I guess Paul summed it up best when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. ⁷So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. ⁹For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

So I say all this to say, been enjoying life lately. It's one of those wonderful times where the bills are getting paid, kids are good, job is good and life is good. However, I'm sure it's just a calm between storms. Blessings

The Way It's Always Been

I'm learning to live JUST what the word says, I can tell you, it's liberating. We have such freedom available to us that the current church structure can't allow. Why? I hate to say it, because it would be bad for business. I pray for so many pastors and ministers that I know because I see this foundational flaw in their ministries. How are they going to unhook themselves from that wagon? How do you allow God to move when you are having to get another $1000 out of the congregation so you can make the mortgage or rent? I've seen pastors have to take two offerings because the first one wasn't enough. How do you love your people when you have to do that? And God is in that? Sorry, he's not and you can not find a scripture that describes or commands his bride to be treated that way. I know, we've been taught to give our money like good little disciples and if we don't, Satan will devour our finances to punish us for our disobedience. So much for "better" promises.

Perhaps this message is similar to Martin Luther's of his day. It was unpopular and perceived as radical, something as simple and plain as salvation through faith. I pray that a veil is pierced and that men of God would be free to pursue their callings instead of pursuing the money of their flock. I also know that this won't get me a lot of church speaking opportunities.

Don't misunderstand me, I love the bride! I love the church, but the church structure I believe has a fundamental flaw that causes well intentioned men of God to fall prey to the temptation of pleasing man in order to maintain a living. God did not intend this!

When is the last time a minister or traveling singer, evangelist or teacher came to your congregation and said "I have a tape table and all of them are free!" Or "I recorded a worship CD and I want all of you to have a copy of it, free of charge." Now THAT would be truly serving the bride. However, what happens? They come and give you a sales pitch before or in the middle of their worship, ministry or teaching. Is this wrong? I would not say it's wrong, but I know it's not ministry when you have to buy something. (Yes, I said it.) But is it serving the bride to sell your ministry? Personally, I could not nor would I do that. My gifts are for the bride. They are to serve the bride, My gifts are not to serve me. How will a minister make a living if he doesn't sell tapes, collect tithes or take up an offering? He probably won't, but perhaps he should not be looking to the bride to support him. Perhaps he/she should support the bride. I believe that any minister of the gospel that God wants to have a platform, he will supernaturally make that happen.

Imagine if a wealthy Spirit-filled person came up to a prophet, evangelist or worship-leader and said - we will give you the money you will need to support yourself. Open up your calendar and say yes to every request (being led of the Spirit of course) that you can. And tell them you will come at NO CHARGE! Why can't that happen?

Imagine if "money" was removed from the church going experience? Imagine if there was nothing impeding us from walking into a building, a service and being 100% totally led of God to give, worship, pray, teach, etc. That could never happen in most church body atmospheres. What if someone got up there and gave a really difficult and lovingly chastising word from the Lord and it turned a lot of people off? You Jesus did this very thing. Read John 6 where he says "Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."I'd like to see how that one went over! Tough to do when you are a pastor and are risking your livelihood. If %75 of the congregation walked out, how would the bills get paid? I could not operate under that type of pressure. And I can only speak for myself, but it would be too difficult for me to retain my integrity. When money is not involved, you are FREE to by a minister of fire! When money is involved, there can be a subtle manipulation of people. I may not even realize I was doing it! Only the ultra-talented and attractive people would be on the stage, not necessarily the ones that carry the greatest gifts and anointing. How many church leaders would let John the Baptist get up on stage and start screaming "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand?" He'd empty the pews. All the while wearing animal skin and eating off the land. If he set foot on the property, we'd call the police.

You are wondering, how will church function if there was no tithing (see previous posts) and no collection taken up? How would the church function? I would ask this: what happens in that building that is so special that could not happen in a home? Or a community center? Imagine if the yoke of collecting tithes and offerings did not have to be a part of a church? Imagine if people were led by the Spirit to give to those who are in need? Imagine if pastors were free to pastor and did not have the burden of having to collect revenue off the backs of his flock? You would see fellowships become healthy and productive. It's hard to imagine isn't it?

I'm sure it was difficult for people in Jesus's day to imagine a world where they were no longer subject to the law. Same as those in Martin Luther's day when the revelation of faith alone was enough for salvation and the yoke of "works" was lifted in the European church. More to come...