The Christian disciplines, such as daily reading of the Scriptures, prayer, worship, witnessing, etc., are all crucial for a healthy, balanced Christian life. While we should never neglect these disciplines, they alone are not enough. In the Scriptures, we find that experiences, encounters with the Lord and even angels, changed people more radically and propelled them toward their destiny far more than any amount of study could have done.

On July 22, 2002 I wrote in Special Bulletin #19:

          We are still digging into the Lord’s Word in Matthew 13:52:

          “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

We have been discussing the anointing for mobilizing—to draw people together for a cause. We began to discuss how this is given in different measure, to draw different size groups. Some will be able to call dozens, some hundreds, and some thousands. The same is true for leadership. Some are called to lead small groups and some larger. Wise leaders will discern the level of their anointing or grace, and stay within it.

     It does not take a prophet to tell that the tone in America has been becoming more extreme lately. This has been especially true in the media, which has been trying to take the authority to dictate the conversation, not just report on it. Some in the media are so immature or unstable that they see anyone who deviates a little from their position as an extremist, which causes more extreme reactions on the other side. This is creating forces that are pulling on both the left and right wings of our eagle and will soon pull the eagle apart if it is not stopped.

     Compared to the kingdom of God, all of the issues of this present world are boring. We must be engaged in the issues of this present world, at least to the degree that is necessary in order for us to be the salt and light we’re called to be. However, to be this salt and light, we must see and live in the kingdom to demonstrate its alternative ways and wisdom.

Bob Jones: Lust, doubt, and spiritual error come from not being rooted and grounded in love.

Bob Jones:Those who remove the landmarks are the ones who devour the flocks...This is promoting a freedom that really is lawlessness, or a false freedom. To this we could add that the beginning of pride usually comes when we try to start taking credit for the things that God has done. (Bob was given Job 24:2; Proverbs 22:28).

      Last week we discussed some of the basics on how to recognize the prophetic burden of the Lord. This week we will discuss how to be misled into thinking that a burden is prophetic when it is really our own concern or a burden someone else has put on us.

         Last week we addressed the symbolism in the Lord’s throne, as spoken of in Revelation 4:1-3. This week we will cover verse 4:

         Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

 

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:13-14).