Last week we addressed how there is no substitute for maturity and experience in Christ. This week we will begin to identify some of the ways that the Lord speaks to us. In the coming weeks, we will go deeper into understanding all of these, while keeping in mind that we are not seeking the...

This week we will study the prophetic gifts and how they work in us. When we do, many will realize that they have been working in them, but did not understand them. Even so, this is not a science but a relationship. We are listening to a Person, not just learning formulas and procedures. In Amos 3:...

Although the Old Testament prophets' mandate of bringing correction to God’s people has become more of the mandate of the apostle in the New Testament, there is still a need for the prophetic preachers of righteousness and justice. John the Baptist, the greatest of all transitional ministries, was...

Overall, the body of Christ is walking in about 15 percent of the prophetic vision that we are called to have under the New Covenant. As we are told in II Corinthians 3, we are supposed to be experiencing more of the glory of God than Moses did. We are also told in Hebrews 7:22 that we have been...

The ministry of a pastor is only mentioned one time in the New Testament—in Ephesians 4:11 where it is listed with the other equipping ministries given to the church. There is no definition or description given to this ministry in the New Testament, yet this one ministry has virtually dominated...

Since this is the first Word for the Week of 2011, and we are studying how to know God’s voice and the prophetic gifts that He has given to His church, I want to begin by sharing what may be one of the most prolific messages God’s people have been receiving. The question I may be asked more than...

This coming year the goal of our study is to be able to discern the voice of the Lord better, first for our own guidance, but also in the unfolding events of our times. Nothing is more important for us to do this year than to love God more and follow Him more closely. Only then can we love each...

Many Christians believe that we cannot understand the times because Jesus said that no man knows the hour in which He will return (see Matthew 24:36). Even though it is true that we do not know the time of His return, we can still know the times, and in fact we must. I Thessalonians 5:1-4 says: Now...

Many things bring life to a church, such as great preaching, prayer, worship, and fellowship. However, three things seem to bring the most life to the church—hearing from God, miracles, and new believers. In our local church, we have been blessed by an increase in each of these, which has come in...

Since we are now into the holiday season, we should be thankful and enjoy the periods between Thanksgiving and New Year’s when we focus more on family and socializing. This is a good thing. It’s almost like a tithe of the year in which we draw back and focus on relationships. Enjoy it, and get all...