Repentance Begins with the People of God

1. For those who missed this very encouraging article, please check it out now and share it with your friends: http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/34055-the-gay-protest-that-encountered-the-love-of-god.

2. Here’s the call I mention in the article: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozM66JI1LEw&feature=youtu.be

3. After watching last nights GOP convention I cant help thinking perhaps the biggest thing Christians need to repent of is their love of the “American Dream”.
   Which seems to have become for the most part nothing but American Idol…atry with a little God talk sprinkled on top.
   “They honor ME with their lips but their hearts are far from ME”
   We should all ask ourselves do we love the “American Dream” more than God ?
   Like Kyle Idleman asks in his TV series
   NOT A FAN.
   Are we fans or followers ??

4. These arent on the subject of repentance but I suppose they relate in a parallel way. They are 3 articles that may interest you Mike. They relate to your article ” why Mitt is not the answer ” and your other recent one on ” Compromise “.

   http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/president-obama-mitt-romney-agree-gay-boy-scouts-ok/

   http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80094.html?hp=r4

   http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80343.html?hp=l10

5. Is it no good rearranging the deckchairs,you gotta fix the hole in the boat ; as George Barna said (in ‘Pagan Christianity ?’) ‘The major changes in spiritual practice over the past half century have been largely window dressings.’ (From Introduction).

   The Western contingent of the Bride has to wake up to the realization that the Magisterial Reformation (MR) was originally sited on sand and blood (i.e. distorted teaching and violence) ; the MR has been view through rose-tinted spectacles ; 500 years help to give it a rosy picture ; if the Anabaptists of the day were here (like Menno Simons and Feliz Manz) they would give a rather different account. (Michael,the sooner you finish reading Leonard’s book,the better!)

   As Kim Tan said (in the introduction to his underrated book ‘Lost Heritage’ – his excellent historical PRIMER), ‘It has been said that history is the propoganda of the victor : whoever wins writes history from their point of view. Much of the writings of the dissenters were confiscated and burned so that their testimony could be distorted and misrepresented by their persecutors.’

   And how about what Michael himself said (in Chapter 12 of ‘The End Of The American Gospel Enterprise’), ‘Let me be painfully honest. If there is an area where we have insulted and belittled the power of God it is in the area of baptism in the Holy Spirit.’

   For lasting fruit,should things not be built on solid rock and agape ? Is it time for triitarian evangelism ? The kind where (like Simon of Acts 8),the reception of the Holy Spirit is apparent to onlookers (let alone the recipent).

   Is it time for anyone who is sick to call for the team of homegrown,working,jointly shepherding elders (as prescribed in James 5),rather than the solo,sourced,salaried,clerical ‘pastor’ ?

   Has the Evangelical contingent of the Bride followed Alice down the rabbit hole ? Wonderland doctrines and practices ?

   The typical Evangelical has been mis-evangelized,misled and misfed. Evangelicals can call their minor changes ‘repentance’ if they like ; but if their hands are still on the deckchairs,what would the living God call it ?

   Please read Leonard’s book now Michael ; you’ve got it now,so do read it now :

   http://www.amazon.com/Reformers-Their-Stepchildren-Dissent-Nonconformity/dp/1579789358/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

   Saw a picture on facebook of Michael at the gym (!) ; Michael,these two books would give your mental biceps the workout of ytour life ! :

   http://www.amazon.com/The-Normal-Christian-Birth-Believers/dp/0340489723/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

   http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Baptises-Holy-Spirit-ebook/dp/B00514II68/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

   The book that calls Evangelicals from Wonderland to reality :

   http://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Christianity-Exploring-Practices-ebook/dp/B001O2S58W/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

   Kim’s underrated primer :

   http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Heritage-Pb-Kim-Tau/dp/1897913249/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

6. Michael,with regard to ‘Jesus Baptises in One Holy Spirit,’the free ebook sample probably includes the prologue ; and the prologue includes David Pawson’s personal testimony.

   At the very least,do download the free sample now.

   That said,that book is not one to merely sample – it offers you (not to mention your listeners),one of the most challenging reads of your life ; it will put your belief in Pentecostal ‘subsequence’ on the scales !

   Consider these quotes :

   [Prior to 1964] “I [David Pawson] had neither a conscious relationship with the Holy Spirit nor any direct experience of his power…most of my hearers were in the same boat.” (Prologue)

   “The pentecostal stream would have to relinquish the unbiblical notion of two ‘receptions’ of the Spirit,one ‘subsequent’ to initiation…” (Chapter 7)

7. Dr. Brown,

   I have been listening to you for just a little while, but like the way you are approaching the culture and the lost including homosexuals and the depravity that exists. I have told my wife about your Gospel centered, outward focused approach. I have been praying for a great awakening, revival in our land with the church roles increasing with true believers who will worship God in Spirit and Truth. We see the divisions created in our culture with black ag. white, rich ag. poor, etc. We need healing and forgiveness and not be drawn in to the world, the flesh and the devil. These deceptions dominate our White House and others who seek power over healing and forgiveness between us, blame over personal responsibility, and hate over over real love. Our Lord said it was not the outside that defiled us, but what comes out of our hearts.

   We must preach the Gospel to ourselves each and every day before we can be of use to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

   Thanks again and I will continue to listen.

   Blessing to you and your family and ministry.

   Peter Merring
   Chandler, AZ

8. Dr. Brown, and all!
   I read the article in Charisma News that Dr. Brown linked in the first post. Wow- I want to live the Love of Jesus like that! I am humbled and awed by God’s grace through faithful followers. Here is a (sadly rare) example of the body of Christ, and the work that Messiah continues through this day to draw His own to himself.

   O would to GOD that I could have the priveledge to be used and to serve this way- to show the love of Jesus and yet also proclaim an uncompromised TRUTH. This is Love.

   My prayers continue for this ministry and the Holy Spirit to fill His church.

9. Night 2 of the GOP convention Condaleeza Rice says
   ” America is the best & only hope for the world ”

   I say “God HELP US ALL”
   “when the blind lead the blind they both fall in a ditch”

10. Sometimes screenwriters who do not know God (and perhaps without fully realizing it themselves),write things that cut through the counterproductive Wonderland mis-mechanics of both the world,and alas,the Evangelical contingent of the Body. I am perhaps not alone in being unable to forget the all-too-true words of ‘Colonel Nathan R. Jessep’ (played by Jack Nicholson) in the courtroom scene of the film ‘A Few Good Men’ : ‘You can’t handle the TRUTH’ (emphasis added).

    Tragic to say,perhaps the vast majority of Evangelicals who passively sit in ‘pews’ (let alone those who stand in ‘pulpits’),fulfil those very words – like a hand into a glove. Indeed,in sitting and standing in that (sincere,but) unscriptural (and,in effect – sacerdotal) manner (week after week ; year after year),they bear testimony to their unfamiliarity with (or,indifference to) genuine God-breathed ONE-ANOTHERNESS and apostolic LEADERSHIP.

    Unfortunately,the longer an Evangelical spends on the road of tradition ; the more likely it is that PRIDE and SELF-INTEREST will prevent them from handling the truth about the sand beneath their feet. (To check that out – and if he’s read it – see what your local ‘pastor’ has to say about chapter 5 of ‘Pagan Christianity?’ !)

    When you consider Evangelicals call Jesus ‘Lord’ ; Jesus who is indeed the TRUTH – how hypocritical is it for an Evangelical to defend man-made TRADITION ?! Where’s the integrity in such behavior ?! Does such behavior ADORN the teaching of God the Savior,or bring the way of truth into DISREPUTE ? How can Evangelicals expect sinners to face up to the truth about their position,when Evangelicals themselves are unwilling to do so in regard to their own practices ?!

    Yes indeed,I am sure Michael could name many,many authentic servants of Jesus who brought many to the Lord in the capacity of ‘pastor’ – even ‘pastors’ who paid the ultimate price for doing so ; but no matter how many centuries pass,sand never turns into rock ; erroneous man-made tradition never becomes God-breathed TRUTH. Yes,you can get to work on a horse n’ cart ; but wouldn’t a car be better ? I suppose a team of sincere people could paint the Golden Gate Bridge by using toothpicks,if they were at it long enough ; but wouldn’t the proper equipment be better ? (Not to mention faster and far more effective.)

    Genuinely facing up to the truth (for both sinner and saint alike),is alas,a MINORITY SPORT ! Michael,when it comes to the non-apostolic and post-apostolic origin of the ‘pastor’ as we have him today ; and when it comes to the binitarian nature (in effect) of modern evangelism – I sure hope you will be an iron-pillar exception. I sure hope you will read those books (especially the two by David Pawson) very soon ; very soon indeed. (And then that you would at long last extent the right hand of fellowship to your octogenarian brother in Messiah. Man,what an Elijah-Elisha-esque day that could be ! Just think of the benefit of two no-nonsense Second Covenant Jeremiahs/Ezras finally teaming up ! Note Ecclesiastes 4:12)

    Takes only a couple of minutes (or so) to read JM’s review of David’s autobiograhy (I think you can get a used copy for around $10 including shipping) :

    http://www.amazon.com/review/R3KDL6TK9F1FES/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0340864273&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=

    Michael,remember your own words from Chapter 12 of TEOTAGE ; remember Simons and Manz (and yes,Michael Servetus) ; and,remember those words of ‘Jessep’.

    No man-made camp is sited within a stone’s throw of plumb truth – not even the more nobly established Wesleyan/Arminian camp ; figuratively speaking,all have based their camps somewhere off to the left or the right (all camps have their own blend of truth read FROM Holy Scripture,and error read INTO it).

    Oh that many POTS-advocates would pull up their tent pegs from the bloody sand – in REPENTANCE – and humbly walk out of the ‘gates’ of the MR-camp ; oh that they would objectively ‘handle [and face up to] the truth’ – about the distorted nature of what they believe,as well as the violence used to establish those beliefs and first populate the camp (may they make the connection between what was done,and Matthew 12:33-37) ; oh for a massive wineskin-exodus from that horrendous MR-camp sited on sand and blood.

    To one and all – at the least,do take 2 mins to read that JM review ; do download the free ebook sample/s if you can.

    Gotta stop rearranging those deckchairs ; gotta let go of the toothpick ; gotta fix the hole in the boat. Deckchair-repentance is not enough ; what is needed among Evangelicals is HOLE-FIXING REPENTANCE ! Those who endeavor to fix that hole prove themselves an exception to the words of ‘Jessep’ ; those who merely rearrange the deckchairs actually confirm them.

11. Thats funny! But thanks again for this post

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