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FROM THE EDITOR’S HEART
From grade school to high school, I always wanted people to like me. I wanted to be “popular” but in a warm, friendly way. Through some hurtful circumstances, God took that “need” out of me and showed me I was accepted in Him. As the Lord renewed my mind about relationships, He gave me “social prosperity.” Social prosperity. Our senior pastor used this term recently when he was teaching on new covenant prosperity. The message of prosperity has gotten bad press lately because of the abuses in some highly visible ministries, yet the Bible consistently speaks of the victory in which covenant people are to walk—prosperity in every area of life. The prosperity teaching must be accompanied with the message of the cross—death to self and total submission to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To prosper socially is to have healthy, meaningful covenant relationships that are not phony. These relationships can be developed in our lives as God removes our pride and prejudices. God placed me in close relationships with people much older than me and much younger than me to teach me there is no age barrier in Christ. He has put me in fellowship with brethren from every “socio-economic” class and from several different races and cultures. The Holy Spirit joins our hearts together as we continually surrender to the Lord and learn how to love unconditionally and forgive. On the flipside of the same coin, agape love speaks the truth, holds individuals accountable, and gives correction. This is a “break-out year” for Abundant Life Covenant Church, and socially, God has called us to break out of any social cliques or negative mindsets that would keep us in social poverty. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
Sincerely in Christ,
THE LAST DISCIPLE is a well-written novel that
is a good alternative to the left-behind series. It is written from
what we consider a partial-preterist viewpoint; i.e. that the
great-tribulation and most of the book of revelation was written about and
fulfilled in the first century. Reading it is an excellent way to both
enjoy a novel and gain a scriptural understanding of how Jesus' and His
apostles prophecies were fulfilled in the first century.
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We are glad to have you as a subscriber to our Present Truth Magazine. Below you will find articles from individual authors who have written for our magazine. Our prayer for all who receive read these articles is that the Lord "...may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18).
Prosperity in America Today Most adult Americans believe in the doctrine of the separation of church and state. Our first amendment freedoms are and will be an ongoing debate in every level of government: city, county, state, and federal. We are a unique people on our planet as we compare ourselves to other world governments. My question is, “What are the roles of government and the church in regard to prosperity?” Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal economic stimulant programs for a depressed 1930s economy have gradually taken us down an economic path that has caused many Americans to confuse the roles of the church and state in regard to prosperity. Our government economic stimulant programs have become “the norm” in the minds of most Americans. The confusion comes because the government both restrains and stimulates an economy that is very unstable—for it is tied to the free markets of other nations. In my worldview, it’s a complex problem to understand and deal with. It takes the wisdom of our heavenly Father to prosper and be successful in our complicated world. After the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the “enthroned Christ” received the Holy Spirit from the Father and sent Him forth into about 120 of His followers in Jerusalem at the Jewish Feast of Pentecost. The church, ecclesia (called out ones), was empowered to know and do the will of almighty God. Based upon this assumption concerning God’s covenant people, here are my biases in regard to prosperity in America today. Firstly, I believe the primary role of government is to protect our personal propriety rights in order to have and maintain a stable civilized society. Secondly, I believe it’s the role of government to protect us from the criminals, who would rob or steal from us our personal possessions. Thirdly, I believe the government is to protect us from lawbreakers nationally and internationally through military and other protection agencies. Fourthly, the levying of taxes for the general public’s energy, transportation, parks, environment, etc. will always be debated by civil governments. We must render to Uncle Sam (taxes) that which is his and render to God that which is His (tithes, offerings). We are all painfully aware of the fraud, pork barrel politics, lobbyists of special interests groups, and fallen humanity’s envy and greed in our government systems. Now for the good news... It is the constitutional right of every American citizen to expect “equal justice under the law.” It is not the role of government to give us prosperity by equal distribution of the wealth from the taxes that we all pay in many forms. It is the role of the church to bring prosperity to God’s new covenant people—in spite of the greed, corruption, and injustices of some (not all) who are involved in government. All Americans who are baptized into Christ or born again into Christ have a dual citizenship (Phil. 3:20). We are citizens of the United States of America and the heavenly realm simultaneously. We live in the world, but we are not of it. Our privileges, responsibilities, and accountabilities are spelled out in God’s written revelation to His blood covenant people. For all the promises of God in Him (Christ) are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2 Cor. 1:20). It is God’s will that we prosper in all things and be in health just as our soul prospers (3 John 2). With all of the opposition against King David, a covenant keeper in his generation, he declared: Let them (covenant keepers) shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” (Ps. 35:27). God’s prophetic word to us in our Abundant Life Covenant Church fellowship is to have a break out year in prosperity, regardless of who wins the White House in November. The best is yet to come. A. Wilson Phillips is the co-founding and senior pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Church.
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Essential to mankind’s existence is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the Word of God became flesh and dwelled here on earth, His ultimate assignment was to put sin to death through His death. In fact, Jesus became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Not only did sin have to die but so did each of our sinful natures. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal. 2:20). Our union with Christ’s cross is both a settled fact and an ongoing experience. By faith we died with Christ on His cross, and by faith we continue to take up our cross to follow Him one day at a time. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt. 16:24-26) Our Lord surely understands our tests because He went through them Himself. Even when He was hanging on the cross, many of the on-lookers reviled Him with the taunt, “…If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matt 27:40-44). Likewise, we will have many opportunities in life to come down from our crosses. No one enjoys dying because it hurts! Our internal response to pain is to avoid it, but in the faith world, we must learn to trust God and yield to the transformation from death to life. We do not suffer for our own salvation, but we will suffer as we grow more like Christ. Jesus looked past the suffering and saw the joyous result. He is the author and finisher of our faith and as long as we align our hearts to His heart through His Spirit and His Word, we will overcome.
Richard K. Clark is an associate pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Church.
Available and Yielded “Available and Yielded.” Those two words resonated in my spirit as I read through our sermon outline one Wednesday night. More specifically, the last point on the outline was that the Holy Spirit can work through those who are available and yielded. As I have followed Holy Spirit’s leading in my life, I have experienced a reoccurring theme in His voice to me: “Make yourself available, and keep yourself yielded.” When I first started out on this journey with the Holy Spirit at age 15, that meant cleansing myself “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” mostly because I had so many habits and practices that were morally wrong and against God’s word (2 Cor. 7:1). However, as I matured in the Lord and was freed from those things, being available and yielded took on a different meaning. My first key test of a non-moral nature came as a senior in high school, when I began to lead a Thursday night youth Bible study in our Sunday School teacher’s barn. I shook to the bones as I read the Scripture the Holy Spirit gave me and gave the short devotional that was in my heart. The meeting was successful, and the other youth were looking forward to making it a continuing commitment. At the same time, my wrestling coach pulled me out of class to ask me why I was not wrestling that year. I had sought the Lord on the matter, and He had shown me to sacrifice wrestling so that I could be free to lead the Bible study He had given me. The coach explained how my absence had created a hole in the varsity team, and they needed me, to which I replied by sharing the vision God had given me. One week later, I caved. It wasn’t that the coaches kept pressuring—they had let it go. The pressure I felt was fear of missing out on a good opportunity. I joined the wrestling team and experienced what life was like when God joins the other side. The best I can explain it would be to say that somehow He turned my opponents (many of whom I had pinned/beaten in previous years) into giants full of energy and aggression, while all I experienced was a draining effect. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer (Ps. 32:4). The result of my disobedience to His leading was, firstly, that I was no longer available. I let the youth Bible study go and focused on wresting. Secondly, I was no longer yielded nor receptive to His word—no spiritual growth. Thirdly, I lost a lot to those giant wrestlers that God had created. God, who is gracious and
merciful, brought me through that failed test and led me on to pass many
more just like it. As I have learned to seek His voice and to
sacrificially follow Him, His Holy Spirit has worked through my life. This
has lead to a life of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit’s
prosperity. As I walk with God today, I still hear His voice calling me to remain available and yielded. In our busy culture of so many opportunities, often this means sacrificing things that are potentially good and noble opportunities, just not of God. The rewards of following the Spirit’s voice are a more intimate fellowship with Him and a Spirit-inspired strength to fulfill the assignments He has given. Benjamin Davis is an associate pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Church
PROSPEROUS LIVING Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless… (1 Thes. 5:23). Paul was finishing his letter to his Thessalonian disciples with this blessing. It was his desire to see his spiritual children prosper in all dimensions of life, as John the elder desired of his beloved Gaius when he wrote, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). Both of these chosen apostles understood that God desires to bless and prosper His people at every dimension of life—spirit, soul, and body. They understood that prosperity was wholeness and soundness. They desired that their brethren not be cheated out of their blessings in Christ by mistaking cleverness of men for God’s truth. For covenant believers to prosper in their spirit, they must know the Lord. Father God will have given them Christ’s new spirit-life. Alive to the spirit, they must grow in their daily relationship with Him. Their intimate fellowship with the Lord will bolster their faith, and their spirit will grow strong. God will reveal Himself to them deeply in ways that can only be known through intimacy—they will truly know Him. As the spirit of man grows strong and healthy, the covenant believer is now positioned to thrive in the soul (mind, will, and emotions). He/she can prosper mentally and intellectually, learn new things, and process information without becoming arrogant and prideful. The believer in Christ can prosper emotionally and have the emotions of Christ, staying free from negative and unhealthy emotions. Believers can prosper socially by relying on the personality and power of the Holy Spirit to be their personality as they are in union with Him. One of the dangers I have seen is leveling off in relationship with God and not continuing to grow spiritually. Prosperity is growth, and growth is change—valuable change. If spiritual growth is stunted—mental, emotional, and social growth will become stunted. Stunted mental growth means the mind is not being renewed and does not know God’s revealed will—therefore the mind is being conformed to the world in certain areas of life (blind spots). Romans 12:2 warns: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be (daily) transformed by the renewing of the mind.” Stunted emotional growth is manifested regularly in our culture through many prevalent negative emotions (fear, anxiety, depression, guilt, resentment, etc.). Stunted emotional growth also shows up as stunted social development…excessive shyness of the loner or extreme “social-ness” of the socialite…both looking to get deep, heartfelt needs met in dysfunctional ways. It is imperative that the growing believer not get pulled into a friend’s stunted growth ways of thinking and not to begin measuring themselves by stunted growth standards. The prospering believer will continue to measure himself by the Word of God. Prosperity will also include physical health (soundness of body) and material blessings. The prophet Hosea spoke of this as he prophesied to the covenant people of his day: There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land… Therefore the land will mourn And everyone who dwells there will waste away… (Hosea 4:1, 3). The covenant breakers of Hosea’s day were wasting away in their souls and bodies. Their physical bodies wasted away by either shriveling up (unhealthy weight loss) or becoming fat, both of which reduced muscle mass and energy. We see this in our world today. Hosea also spoke of the covenant believers’ material prosperity in verse 7: The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me… As the Lord prospers His people
materially, it is imperative that their character (spiritual development)
keep pace, or else the financial abundance can be their downfall.
Spiritual adultery (having the heart set on anything other than God
Himself) will be common in materially prosperous believers with stunted
spiritual growth. They will often develop “surrogate faith” in something
other
It is God’s desire to prosper His people in every area of life just as their soul prospers. For the believers who continue to change with the knowledge of God, the future is bright, and the kingdom of God will be advanced through their life. God will make them an attraction. He will showcase His people to demonstrate His glory to the world. Jonathan Clark is an elder of Abundant Life Covenant Church and a physician in Springfield, Missouri.
Healed
I was playing with my friend Jess, and my leg got really hurt by a sharp object. It was bleeding. On the way home, I asked if I could read my Bible because I felt like I needed to. When I did read my Bible, I felt the Lord put His hand on me and heal me. I looked at my leg, and it was healed! I ran downstairs and told my parents what had happened. It was amazing; I was amazed. I felt good after that. The Lord is good; I had happy tears. I learned that when you do the right thing, the Lord can heal your hurts. Davis Gibson is a second grader at Disney Elementary in Springfield, Missouri.
My Provider I’d really made it—or so I thought. At 24, I had rapidly excelled in my profession and had already achieved one of my main long-range career goals. I had recently been promoted to become the youngest manager in the multi-million dollar company for which I worked. I was well connected and well respected in my line of work and living in southern California near Hollywood, which was the hub of my profession. I was set for life. I thought I had developed a great talent, so I should be proud. Oh, how wrong I was. Nine years earlier, I had committed my life to Jesus Christ. God was real to me, and I had a heart to do what was right. I understood that having Him run my life and letting Him develop His plan in me was the best possible way to live. He had always shown Himself very faithful. Every time I had a need, things just seemed to work out. I went from one job to a better job and seemed to excel quite easily. I had made a commitment to live in God’s will and to trust Him completely—so my arrogant attitude was not well received by Father God. At the peak of my success (and arrogance), God decided that I needed to see who really was the source of my success. Because I thought I was so accomplished, I decided to leave my current employment and take another step up the ladder of success. This is where God took over. After I had already given notice that I was leaving, and after my replacement had been hired, the new job fell through. Now the ladder climber with the great connections was unemployed. Even with all of my contacts, no one seemed to have a job for me. I went from the top to the bottom pretty quickly. My wife and newborn son had just left for Missouri to visit my in-laws. Because job openings seemed to evade me, we agreed that they should stay there until I got a job. What a mess I was in—no family, no job, no hope. I was really depressed. One would think that I would have seen that my self-righteous attitude was to blame. However, instead of turning to God and trusting Him, I just blamed Him. After several weeks, I did get a job, but it wasn’t the “step up” I was hoping for. Making ends meet was difficult and not very rewarding. After a year or so, I decided to move my family to Springfield, Missouri, where the cost of living was lower, and life was easier. Surely, a new start was what we needed. What I thought was my plan was in fact His plan. Shortly after we arrived in Missouri, God started showing us how He had brought us here to join us to a certain body of believers. He revealed Himself to me as my Lord and the One who would meet our needs. He rebuilt my understanding of Him and His ways. God has certainly been faithful beyond my imagination. Now, at the age of 54, I can look back and see how God has guided my life every step of the way and been extremely faithful to provide, with abundance, every need my family has had. One Scripture that has stood out to me is Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Tom Tyson is a chief field engineer for Bose Corporation.
Going Deeper I was raised in church, had Christian parents and friends, and even attended a Christian school. One might think that growing up in that environment would most definitely secure a person’s outlook on a subject such as faith. However, I have just recently discovered that faith in the Lord was something I had always thought I had but in reality had not possessed. Certainly, I had always believed that Christ died for me and that I was saved. This was not difficult for me to believe. What person would not want to have a Savior who would cleanse away sin and keep one from going to hell? But, looking back, I see that I did not, in fact, believe—not truly believe—on a deep level in the depths of my heart. I lived most of my teenage years going to church on Sundays and praying “the prayer of salvation” and then venturing out into the world unchanged. Now on the days that I did pray that prayer, I would feel a short-lived change. But it didn’t last. Of course, I had accepted and welcomed the gift of salvation but had not truly humbled myself to receive the gift of faith: The faith to know that I was not the same person (2 Cor. 5:17); the faith to believe that I now had the mind of Christ and could change my thinking in an instant (1 Cor. 2:16); the faith to believe that I could go through my days not sinning or walking in the flesh (Gal. 2:20). Today I can rejoice in knowing these truths, and I praise the Lord for all of the many gifts that He has given to me. Not only do I have the gift of salvation through Christ’s death, but I have also been given the gift of faith. It is not just a faith of believing in Christ and knowing that my past is forgiven and forgotten, but it is a much deeper faith that allows true peace in my heart both for today and for the future. It is having the assurance of safety and health. It is believing in the unseen changes taking place both in my heart and in the hearts of those whom I love (2 Cor. 4:18). It is not a faith of my own thinking or doing, but it is from God—one of the sweetest gifts He has ever given my heart and my soul! Camilla Keese is a homemaker in Springfield, Missouri.
VISUAL AIDS …as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things (2 Cor. 6:9-10). Almost a decade has passed since I experienced all the ravages of a serious personal health crisis. Because of the trauma involved at that time, to me the whole episode seems to have taken place only a short time ago and, at times, can still haunt my memory. I am sure that those closest to me experience, to one degree or another, similar unpleasant recollections of our trying time. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? (Matt. 26:53) I’ll admit as one for whom it could have justifiably been said at his lowest “looked as if he should not have survived the Holocaust,” overcoming was somewhat difficult. But along with a few unpleasant memories of the time also come many sweet ones. A number of professional men and women of great skill in medicine came, as best they could, to our rescue. A massive volume of intercessory prayers of faith went forth on our behalf. Frankly, so many gave so much moral and practical support to us that from here it simply boggles the mind to contemplate it all. So then death is working in us, but life in you (2 Cor. 4:12). I believe one of the attributes of our God that often goes unnoticed is His thoroughness. It has been rightly versed that no man is an island entirely unto himself. I have believed for many years and am now more convinced than ever that God allows absolutely nothing to be wasted in this journey. So when we are going through a rough episode, it is helpful to step outside it all and realize that we are really doing so for someone else. I think Apostle Paul had revelation of this when he wrote the following: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Cor. 1:3-4). The other day during a meeting, the speaker mentioned my name. This fellow shared with all of us that he is going through his own difficult time involving a serious health issue. He said it helps him a lot just to think of me back then and to think of me now, with my being on this side of it all. That has happened to me a number of times in the last several years. It is difficult to express properly just how gratifying it is each time I hear those words. Just to know that I am being displayed by God as a living visual aid to increase the faith of others is truly a blessing right up there with health itself. Michael Lawrence owns and operates Lawrence Electric Company and is a freelance writer.
Feeling the Chill When I was in college, God was doing a deep work in my life. All I really cared about was serving Him and knowing Him. I was experiencing Him daily and loving every minute of it. I was very blessed to have a handful of very close friends who were walking with me in my journey with the Lord. One of my best friends was Angie. Angie was the kind of woman who had her priorities right. She was seeking the Lord and had principles that she stuck by. She had heard from the Lord that she was not to date anyone else until she knew that he was the person to marry. I myself was kind of sick of the dating scene because the focus seemed so messed up. Even so, I fantasized secretly about some beautiful woman really thinking I was something. One day it happened. I was sitting in the hallway outside my upcoming class when a stunning beauty came up and sat down beside me. She said, “Aren’t you in my computer class?” “Uh, yeah I am…” I answered bewilderedly. She said, “Can you tutor me in there? You seem really smart.” Now, I was doing okay in computer class, but I was not computer class tutor material. So I wondered what was going on. I replied, “Well…computer is not my best subject, but I would be willing to help you out. Are you sure you want me to tutor you?” Now, I can’t honestly tell you what she told me— because from that point on in the conversation I was dizzy. Here was this pretty girl pursuing me. As it ended up, I told her I would help her. Down deep, I think I knew that this girl was not for me. I felt this strong fleshly attraction to her though. I thought that maybe I could find out where she was spiritually and then lead her into a deeper life if she was interested in knowing God. But honestly, I just thought she was hot. I met with her a few times and tried to get to know her. What I discovered was that my emotions were driving me. I could not think about anything else. I was obsessed. My best friend Angie just watched in amazement. I am sure I knew that something was a little askew in my attraction to this girl so I decided I would put her to the test. The next time I met with her I told her that I could not handle tutoring her because I was attracted to her and would be too distracted. She replied by telling me that she was attracted to me too. This hit me like lightning, just pouring more fuel on the fire. However, I knew that the kind of woman I would have to be with would need to be someone whose first priority was the Lord. So I told her that my life was 100 percent about serving the Lord; that His will was my number one priority. She told me that that was terrific, because she wanted to know the Lord better and wanted a guy in her life to lead her in her relationship with God. Okay, at this point I could not believe it. Here was everything I had hoped for (in a fleshly way). She had answered all the questions correctly, and she seemed to like me. Here was my fantasy standing right in front of me. But I knew. I knew deep down that she was not the one God had for me. I knew, at our core, we had different goals and priorities in life. I cannot tell you why, I just knew. I did not break it off but saw her a few more times. The last time I really hung out with her we went for a walk; she seemed to be pursuing me with a vengeance, and I had a hard time resisting. I said to her something like, “I think we need to slow down.” This made her very angry. She was not willing to slow down; it was all or nothing. I said, “Okay, I can’t do this.” And that was it. She left angry. I then saw very clearly what had happened. God had shown me that He knew what was in my heart. He knew about those fantasies. He knew that those things could take me down a road that was not for me. He allowed me to be tested. Later, when sharing this with my best friend Angie, she told me, “I was kind of concerned about you; you were acting a little crazy.” Angie and I had the kind of friendship that I had learned was from the Lord. Our friendship was based on fellowship with the Lord. Angie was a very attractive girl, but our relationship had not been about infatuation; it had been about sharing life. We had a real deep friendship; we had the same goals….Angie was more like the kind of girl with whom I wanted to spend my life. She was becoming my soul mate. In fact, less than a year later, Angie and I were engaged, and it was only after our engagement that our physical attraction became really strong. Now we have three kids, and our relationship is even deeper. When I look back at this event in my life, I think of the line from the song “The Center of Your Will” by Twila Paris: I’ve been on the edge before, and I have felt the chill, But I could never live outside the center of Your will. Ed Gibson is a territory sales representative with MWM Dexter in Springfield, Missouri. |
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“Let the L
Therefore
we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let
us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2). 
than
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