Kingdom-of-God

Why No Discipleship Curriculum in the Bible?

February 21, 2019 by Tom Leave a Comment

No Compromise Album Cover — Discipleship requires sacrifice

Note: I have this pastor’s permission to share our correspondence in order to share information with others who may be asking the same thing.

A Pastor from Makurdi Nigeria asked:

I came across your book while searching for this, thank you for your book. It really help me.

I am excited with this statement in your mail “God would rather have 10 disciples who are 100% committed than 100 followers who are 10% committed “

Here is my question

How come that the church did not have a curriculum for maturing believer into the fullness of Christ according to Ephesians 4:15. Most of what we have in the churches and ministries as discipleship training manual only end up producing good church members who does not fit into the overall purpose of God in Christ according to Ephesians 1:9-10, Ephesians 2:19-22.

But the world has a designed curriculum that enable people become what they chose to be. If you want to become a medical doctor there is a curriculum for you to follow.

Sir, can we deduce from the scripture a comprehensive curriculum that when followed will produce a believer who is growing up into Christ in all aspect?.

My Response

Concerning a discipleship curriculum, I looked for such a curriculum years ago. Many ministries have such a course, and I’ve taken a few of them, including one program that was full-time in-residence. A few years ago I thought about writing such a course. I just Googled ‘discipleship programs’ and there are a lot of them available.

Of course discipleship requires us to learn many things from the Bible and Christian teachers, but the problem is that such courses can fill your head with good information, but they cannot change your heart into the likeness of Jesus. The world can create a curriculum to train doctors, engineers, athletes, etc., because these fields of learning are mental or physical, but discipleship is different; it is mental unto spiritual. Doctors, engineers, and athletes don’t require a transformed and holy heart, they only need a trained mind/body.

As you know, in contrast to the Western academic model of education, the mentoring model Jesus used with His disciples was to spend time together, teaching them continuously every day, using the scriptures as they applied to the situations they encountered in daily life over months and years. This is the same model He still uses, except He is now within us. The continuous, living ministry of the Holy Spirit actively engineers and customizes each person’s daily life situations, lessons, conflicts, and choices that (over time) result in a changed heart. In the Spirit’s discipleship program our transformation into the likeness of Christ is the result of us making many small choices to die to self, resulting in resurrection life being birthed in that area of our heart. Only what’s been resurrected in us through these trials can inherit the kingdom of God…our natural man cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50).

We are begotten-again (Strongs 1080) unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus.

When we repent of our sins and commit to following Jesus we are ‘begotten-again’ through the living word of God (1 Peter 1:3, 23). That is, we’re begotten (with God’s eternal life) as an embryo of the son we shall become if we follow Jesus in discipleship. From this starting point, we grow into Christian childhood and then maturity as we follow Jesus in the Holy Spirit’s school of discipleship. But, if we refuse to follow Him at any point, our spiritual growth is stopped until we pass that lesson—until we are willing to die to self in that area. This reminds me of the parable of the sower… we want to have hearts with good soil for God’s seed.
Most so-called Christians today never get past spiritual childhood. If they’ve actually been begotten-again, their ministers haven’t taught them that it’s their responsibility to actively cooperate with the Spirit in their own spiritual development. As a result, they passively expect God or their clergyman to do everything in the spiritual ream so they won’t have to die to self, or exercise the responsibilities of spiritual adulthood. Hireling ministers like to keep it this way because their congregation stays dependent on them, and this dependence is what makes the hirelings think they’re popular, secure, and prospering in their clergy position.

This is the difference between churches and ministries that focus on growing church members instead of growing disciples:

Ministers who prioritize membership over discipleship always present popular messages that avoid ‘death to self.’ As a result, their members stay comfortably in their carnal mind-set. Their fellowship is fragile and social, not spiritual. Their house is built on sand. This is the broad, easy way that leads to destruction.
Ministers who prioritize discipleship present the truth that being Jesus’ disciple requires sacrifices, but the reward is resurrection life and true communion with like-minded brethren in God’s Spirit. Their house is built on the rock-solid foundation of God’s Word. This is the narrow, hard way that leads to life.

So, in conclusion, disciples do need to learn the Bible and be practically mentored by mature brethren. But the real teacher is the Holy Spirit, who engineers and customizes each person’s daily life situations, lessons, conflicts, and choices that (over time) result in a changed heart.

Shalom,

Tom

First Darkness, then Light

January 24, 2019 by Tom Leave a Comment

You don’t have to be a prophet to know the whole world is descending into a period of moral darkness and depravity, criminal violence, wars, poverty, and hunger. It’s not hard to see the following things coming to the world in the next few years:

Economic collapse
Civil war
WW3
Famines
Pandemics
Global totalitarianism
Hopelessness.

But, there’s hope because, like the sunrise, this darkness will soon be displaced by the light of God’s glorious kingdom rising in all nations of the earth. Then, everyone on earth will see the light of God’s glory and have the opportunity to reject the darkness of this world and enter God’s kingdom.

How can you escape the darkness and enter God’s kingdom of light? To learn more, read the free book Arise, Shine! It reveals how the most glorious event since Pentecost is about to happen, and how you can be a part of the 144,000 manifested sons of God.

“Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

December 18, 2018 by Tom Leave a Comment

Click the link below to read a thought-provoking post by brother Tim McHyde at EscapeAllTheseThings.com.

In it he asks:

Who are the 1% of professing Christians who will be ‘saved’ in this age?
What is the law of Christ?
What is the relationship of grace versus law for Christians?
What is the most important verse in the Bible?

Jesus: “Depart From Me, I NEVER Knew You!” or Missing The 3rd Part To Salvation

Our Authority Activates God’s Power

November 6, 2018 by Tom Leave a Comment

How did Jesus perform healings and miracles?

Jesus received guidance from YHWH (God) concerning God’s desires.
Jesus exercised the same authority we all have.
God used His power to do the healings and miracles.

As humans, we all have the same authority Jesus had, so why aren’t we performing similar healings and miracles today? It’s because we haven’t understood (and taken action concerning) the relationship between our authority and God’s power.

Man’s Delegated Authority

On the 6^th day of creation, God made man the ruler over the earth and everything in it.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

Man ruled the earth as God’s delegated authority. The plants and trees of the Garden of Eden fed him, and he named all the animals who were created as his companions. (Genesis 2:19)

Then the Devil caused man to sin, and all of God’s earthly creation became slaves to corruption, death, and decay. (Romans 8:21) The Devil became the ‘prince of this world’, ruling the fallen nations of mankind through sinful men. (Matthew 4:8,9; John 14:30, 16:11)

Jesus Broke Free from Sin

But, when Jesus the Son of God entered creation, He didn’t become a slave to sin. With God as His father, He was able to live a sinless life, even though He was tempted in every way possible. (Hebrews 4:15) Therefore, the Devil had no foothold of power over Jesus. In fact, Jesus exercised power over the Devil.

No one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. (Mark 3:27)

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

The Kingdom of God

As a sinless man, Jesus exercised His authority over creation. For example: He cast-out demons, healed the sick, cleansed lepers, walked on water, and multiplied 2 fish and a few loaves of bread to feed 5000 hungry men, with 12 baskets of leftovers remaining! (Matthew 14:15-20)

Jesus was exercising the authority God delegated to Adam on the 6^th day of creation. Through Jesus, God showed us His desire to deliver creation from its bondage to corruption, death, and decay. The miracles Jesus performed demonstrate God’s desire to bless mankind with healing, prosperity, peace, rest, and holiness. They also demonstrated the reality and superiority of His kingdom on the earth.

Our Authority and God’s Power

How did Jesus do these miracles? As a sinless man, Jesus didn’t need to rely on His rank as a Son of God to perform His miracles. He simply needed to apply man’s delegated authority to energize God’s power over creation.

Through prayer and constant communion with God’s Holy Spirit, Jesus was totally dependent on guidance from Almighty God—His Father.

Jesus said,

“Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” (John 5:19)

Then, Jesus exercised delegated authority as a man to do whatever the Father showed Him. This authorized the Father to exercise His power on the earth, in mankind’s realm.

So, here are the steps:

Jesus received spiritual guidance from the Father.
By faith, Jesus exercised man’s delegated authority on earth to perform the Father’s guidance.
The Father used His almighty power to do whatever Jesus commanded on earth.

Jesus received guidance and commanded using man’s delegated authority. Then, God released the power to fulfill Jesus’ words.

A Simple Example of Authority and Power

This quote is from Andrew Wommack’s excellent teaching on Our Authority Releases God’s Power

“He wants us to take our authority and command His power.

It’s like electricity. The power company generates the power and delivers it to your house. It’s not your power, but it’s under your control. You don’t call the power company and ask them to turn the lights on. No! They won’t do that. They generate the power, but it’s under your command. You simply flip the switch on the wall and command the power to work. Does this mean you are the power source? Certainly not! You can put a light bulb in your mouth, and it will never come on. You aren’t the power source, but you are the one in control of what that power does. You can plead with the power company all you want, but they won’t flip the switch for you. You have to assume your authority and acknowledge the power is under your command.”

How to Exercise Authority to Release God’s Power

Just like Jesus did:

Receive spiritual guidance concerning the Father’s desires through prayer and constant communion with God’s Holy Spirit.
1. Since we’re not sinless like Jesus was, the Devil will try to use your consciousness of past sins (shame) to block you from entering God’s presence.
2. As disciples of Jesus, we’re made holy by His sacrifice. You must learn how to receive forgiveness and enter His presence with a clean conscience. (Hebrews 10)
Then, by faith, speak with man’s delegated authority on earth to proclaim the Father’s desire.
The Father will then use His almighty power to do whatever we command.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:10)

What Is The Gospel Of The Kingdom Of God?

August 18, 2018 by Tom Leave a Comment

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Forgotten Gospel of God’s Kingdom

The primary message Jesus and His apostles taught and proclaimed was ‘the gospel of the kingdom of God.’

Regarding this ‘gospel of the kingdom of God,’ Frank Viola wrote,

“With rare exception, the gospel that was preached doesn’t exist today.” (Insurgence, pg 27)

Sadly, today if you asked 10,000 Christians “What is the gospel of the kingdom of God,” I doubt if 1 person would have an informed answer.

Christians today are all familiar with the ‘gospel of grace’ and the ‘gospel of personal salvation’, and these are important. But we know practically nothing about the gospel of the kingdom of God, even though this remains God’s primary message to the world.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is a Hard Message

The gospel of the kingdom is not a seeker-friendly message. In fact, it’s a hard message.

If we obey God, the Church must reject the illegitimate king and princes of this world, the dethroned Devil and the angelic principalities, who still rule over the nations in their joint rebellion towards God. (For more about these adversaries, read The Overcomers’ Treasure Map.)
You can either be loyal to the Kingdom of God, or to the Devil’s world system, but not both. Everyone must choose.
We must follow Jesus’ example by loving our enemies, even if they’re persecuting and killing us.
We must be salt and light in a sinful, dark world. This means we must be holy ourselves, and (by our example) advocate for righteousness in society.
We must be willing to suffer and die for the truth, even if we seem to be standing alone against the world.

Tithes, offerings, and attendance would all suffer from such a message. Inevitably, I believe this is why the gospel of the kingdom of God has been excluded by church leaders over the centuries, in favor of more-popular ‘gospel’ messages.

“For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”(Philippians 2:21)

A Sign of the End Time

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

Jesus prophesied that in the last days “this gospel of the kingdom” would be proclaimed to all nations. This final proclamation will trigger the end of the present wicked age and the birth of a new age, an age of righteousness and peace.

What does the word ‘Gospel’ mean?

Most people will say the word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news,’ and that’s correct. But it’s only a partial definition.

In ancient times, before electricity and a literate populace, a ‘gospel’ was the official, verbal heralding of a royal proclamation to the citizens of the kingdom, with two goals, information and compliance.

Information

The proclamation informed a king’s subjects of a newsworthy event affecting the monarchy. In the photo above, Prince Harry’s engagement was formally, officially proclaimed.

Compliance

A gospel message directed the king’s subjects regarding their allegiance and submission to authority.

For example, if there was a new king the proclamation would command citizens to give their allegiance and obedience to the new throne.

After the herald proclaimed the monarch’s ‘gospel message’ to the people, the people were responsible to understand, share, and obey the gospel message.

“Just as the Roman emperor’s messengers traveled to the territories in which he was enthroned as lord to bring the good news of his accession to the throne, so the apostles (messengers) of Christ were sent out to herald the good news that Jesus was now the enthroned Lord of the world.” (Insurgence, pg 315)

Our Responsibility is to Decide

“The kingdom makes one fundamental demand: the demand for decision…the basic meaning of repentance is to turn around, to reverse the course of life, to change the whole direction of action, to turn and embrace in decision the kingdom of God…God’s Kingdom makes one demand: Repent! Turn! Decide! Receive the Kingdom, for as you receive it, you receive its life, you receive its blessing, you receive the destiny reserved for those who embrace it.” (George E Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Eerdmans, 1959, pg 96-97)

The Gospel of the Kingdom defined

Before His Public Ministry Began, Jesus Overpowered the Devil

What is the gospel of the kingdom of God? From the very beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry in Galilee, the gospel of the kingdom of God is the good news that Jesus already defeated the Devil.

For 4000 years since Adam’s fall, the Devil used sin to hold mankind in bondage. But, Jesus was sinless, and he subdued the Devil, overpowering him and plundering his kingdom however He willed.

This good news isn’t only about personal salvation. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news that a man, Jesus, overpowered the Devil, his spiritual kingdom, and the effects of sin on mankind. As a result, Jesus is the King we should follow. All who follow Him are freed from the Devil’s authority.

This is the message He preached as He challenged the Jews to turn from the world and its sinful ways and believe in Him and His message.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

The gospel of the kingdom of God is the challenge for every person to:

Reject sin and the Devil’s world system
Be born-again by God’s Spirit through faith in Jesus as your King
Follow God’s Spirit continuously in living fellowship and obedience within Jesus’ kingdom

Water baptism is our outward confession of these inward realities.

Are You the Prophet We’re Expecting?

At the beginning of His ministry, long before the cross, Jesus told them,

“This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)

Believe in the one God has sent? To us 21st-century Gentiles, this phrase “the one God has sent” isn’t very meaningful. But, to the Jews, this phrase was loaded with meaning! For hundreds of years, the Jews had been expecting God to send a prophet like Moses, a Messiah to Israel, whom they were supposed to listen to and obey. Here’s the passage:

Moses said, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15)

When the Jews wanted to know who John the Baptist claimed to be, the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.”

So, when Jesus said, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent,” Jesus was plainly claiming to be ‘the prophet’ that Moses promised would come, the Messiah, the same one the Jews were expecting. The Jews were supposed to listen to Him, learn from Him, and obey Him.

Jesus is the King of the Kingdom of God. The Devil is the king of the nations of the earth.

The Power of the Kingdom of God

Both John and Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”

From the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus demonstrated the superiority of His kingdom by overpowering the Devil, his kingdom, and the effects of sin on Jesus’ hearers.

Jesus said, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.” (Luke 11:21)

The gospel of the kingdom of God was usually accompanied by healings and various miracles. Every healing and miracle was a ‘power encounter,’ demonstrating and attesting to the superiority of Jesus’ rank and power over the Devil, sin, and creation itself.

Here’s how it works:

Jesus, the Son of God became a man, a descendant of Eve. He is the seed of the woman who crushed the serpent’s head. (Genesis 3:15)
Although Jesus was tempted in every way possible, Jesus defeated the Devil by living a completely sinless life. (Hebrews 4:15)
Because He was righteous and holy, He walked in the power and dominion over creation that God originally delegated to Adam in Genesis 1:28. Jesus only did what He ‘saw’ His Father doing. (John 5:19) So, Adam’s authority, used according to the Father’s will, is how Jesus healed people, raised the dead, multiplied loaves and fishes, and walked on water as a mortal man.
Today, we are all sinners, but through repentance and faith in Jesus, we can experience the miraculous regeneration of our Spirit. (Titus 3:5) We’re begotten-again by God. (1 Peter 1:3) Jesus’ disciples are literally delivered from the Devil’s domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God. (Colossians 1:13)
Today, God’s Spirit dwells inside every disciple. (1 Corinthians 3:16) As Spirit-led disciples of Jesus and members of His Body, we can now use His authority, which is greater than Adam’s, to implement God’s will on the earth. This is why Jesus promised His disciples,

“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

Greater Works Shall You Do

Jesus taught us to pray,

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

We are to advance God’s kingdom and God’s will on the earth, exactly as Jesus did, through righteousness, prayer, hearing the Spirit’s leading, and exercising authority over the Devil, sin, and creation.

Our Righteousness Through Faith

By our own holiness, we can never be clean enough to stand in God’s holy presence. No matter how good you become, your guilty conscience will always condemn you for sins you committed. The ‘consciousness of sin’ (shame) kills faith.

Here’s how God solved this dilemma. Rather than believing you are good enough to stand in God’s presence, which is impossible, God enables us to clothe ourselves in Jesus’ righteousness, by faith. Clothed with His righteousness, we can confidently stand in God’s presence. (Hebrews 10:22)

In response to our faith in Jesus, His righteousness is given to us by God’s grace, just like Abraham.

“Abram believed YHWH, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:9)

Of course, it’s also important to grow daily in sanctification, or practical, daily righteousness. Of the 144,000 end-time saints in Revelation 14:5, God says they are flawless. For more about this, see pg 82 (Be Flawless) in the Overcomers’ Treasure Map.

Our Authority Through Faith

This affirmation is my literal translation of Ephesians 3:20. I carry it in my wallet:

“I am strengthened with dominion and power to do exploits through the infinite power of God who dwells in my inner man. He is empowered to do super-abundantly beyond anything that I can ask or think, according to the empowerment that I energize by faith.”

We all know that God’s power is infinite, but according to the last line in Ephesians 3:20 its application is limited by our faith. So, in addition to being clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, how do we get faith to activate God’s power? Here’s the secret:

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the rhema (the spoken word) of Messiah.” (Romans 10:17)

During His earthly ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit. He waited until He heard the rhema, the voice of His Father, then Jesus performed whatever (and only what) His Father wanted Him to do. In the same way, when you hear Jesus’s rhema, you can ‘stand in faith’ to do ‘greater works.’

Our Authority, God’s Power

A policeman directing traffic can raise his hand and a huge cargo truck will stop at his command. The policeman doesn’t have the physical power to make the driver stop his truck, but he has authority, which is backed by the government’s power, so the driver obeys.

Jesus’ disciples are all members of His body. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Likewise, we have no supernatural power to heal or perform miracles. But, as members of His body, we have the authority of the King of kings. When we’re doing His will creation must obey, because our authority is backed by God’s omnipotent power.

In praying, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” we need to cooperate with God.

He waits for His disciples on earth to listen to His rhema and exercise their authority in faith.
Then, Almighty God uses our authority and His power to fulfill His will on the earth.

Conclusion

Our responsibility is to decide. Once we’ve heard the proclamation of the king’s message, we’re required to accept it or reject it. We must choose.

The Consequence of Obedience to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Those who repent and submit to Jesus as their King and Savior will enjoy the blessings of obedience found in Deuteronomy 28.

The Consequence of Rebellion Against God’s Kingdom

But sadly, everyone who hears the gospel of God’s kingdom and chooses to reject Jesus as their King will suffer curses for disobedience found in Deuteronomy 28.