REACHING A CHANGING WORLD WITH GOD'S UNCHANGING WORD.

REACHING A CHANGING WORLD WITH GOD'S UNCHANGING WORD.

In ministry, some things must never change but others must change constantly.
Clearly, God’s five purposes for his church are non-negotiable. If a church fails to balance the five purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism, then it’s no longer a healthy church, and it’s in danger of becoming simply a social club.
On the other hand, the way or style in which we fulfill these eternal purposes must continually be adjusted and modified because human culture is always changing. Our message must never change, but the way we deliver that message must be constantly updated to reach each new generation.
In other words, our message of transformation must never change while the transformation of our presentation should be continual, adapting to the new languages of our culture.
Consider this: the word contemporary literally means with temporariness. By nature, nothing contemporary is meant to last forever! It is only effective for a while and only relevant in that particular moment – which’s what makes it contemporary.
What is considered contemporary and relevant in the next ten years will inevitably appear dated and tired in 20 years. As a pastor, I’ve watched churches adopt many contemporary styles in worship, programming, architecture, music, and evangelism. That’s okay, as long as the biblical message is unchanged.
But whatever is in style now will inevitably be out of style soon, and the cycles of change are getting shorter and shorter, aided by technology and the media. New styles and preferences, like fashions, are always emerging.
Let me give you a word of advice. Never attach your church to a single style – you’ll soon be passé, and outdated. One of the secret strengths of Saddleback Church is that we’re constantly adapting; we’ve changed styles of worship, programming, and outreach many, many times in the last 24 years, and we’ll continue to do so because the world keeps changing.
The only way to stay relevant is to anchor your ministry to unchanging truths and eternal purposes but be willing to continually adapt how you communicate those truths and purposes.
Our members are constantly on mission to bring their friends and neighbors to our weekend services, where we reach out to non-believers – particularly those who have no real church background – by singing songs they can embrace, by voicing prayers that help them relate, and by preaching messages they understand. We make Christianity available on an introductory level to any visitor to Saddleback.
You might wonder if we attract these visitors by watering down the Gospel, but we don’t; we simply communicate it in ways that non-believers understand! Jesus drew enormous crowds without compromising the message. He was clear, practical, loving, and he presented his timeless message in a contemporary fashion.
Lost people have a need for meaning, a need for purpose, a need for forgiveness, a need for love. They want to know how to make right decisions, how to protect their family, how to handle suffering, and how to have hope in our world. These are all issues we have answers for, yet millions are ignoring the message of Christ because we insist on communicating in ways that make little sense any more.
In a sense, we’ve made the Gospel too difficult for a changing culture to understand. Let me give you this analogy: Imagine a missionary going overseas and saying, “I’m here to share the Good News, but first you have to learn to speak my language, learn my customs, and sing my style of music.” You can immediately see why this strategy would fail.
Yet, we do that all the time in a culture that is in radical flux. If we want to reach people in the current century, we must start thinking differently. Paul said, “I become all things to all men that I may, in some way, save some.” And I think that means if you’re in California, you should have a California culture church. If you’re in Ohio, you should have an Ohio culture church. If you’re in Mississippi, you should have a Mississippi culture church.
But I also think that means if you’re in the 21st Century, you should have a 21st Century church. I believe the most overlooked requirement in the church is to have spiritually mature members –members who unselfishly limit their own preferences of what they think a church should look like in order to reach lost people for Christ. As Jesus said in Luke 5:38, “New wine must be poured into new wineskins!”
Here’s a simple tradition to break in the 21st Century: stop thinking of the church as an institution. Regardless of the language we’ve used, we boomers have tended to see the church as an organization, but the emerging generations – and a lot of us Beatle-era boomers – are desperately looking for community.
We need to present the church as a place where you belong, a family where, as they sang on Cheers, everybody knows your name. Now you and I may know that the church is a community, but emerging generations have never seen it that way. They’ve seen a list of rules, not a loving community. This is a prime example of an opportunity to re-state the eternal truths of the Bible in a fresh, contemporary way.
Emerging generations are also focused on the experiential, and that means we have to adjust the way we teach and preach because most traditional churches focus almost exclusively on the intellect. In the 21st Century church, we not only want people to know about God, we also want them to actually encounter God.
Of course, this means rather than preaching simply for information, we should also preach for action. Our message is not meant to just inform, but to transform the lives of those in our congregation. In almost every single sermon I preach every point has a verb in it – something to do. What are you going to do now that you know this godly truth?
Why do I do it this way? Because God says, “Be doers of the word, not hearers only,” and our entire Purpose Driven process at Saddleback is designed to move people, not only into intimacy with God, but also into service for him, where they’ll experience a deep and broader faith in the midst of community and ministry.
Since planting Saddleback, spiritual seekers have changed a lot. In the first place, there are a whole lot more of them. There are seekers everywhere! Because seekers are constantly changing, we must be sensitive to them like Jesus was, be willing to meet them on their own turf, and speak to them in ways they understand.
Remember: the world changes but the Word doesn’t. To be effective in ministry we must learn to live with the tension between those two.
My prayer is that God will use you the way he used David, as described in Acts 13:36, to serve God’s purpose in your generation. We need churches that are timeless and timely at the same time. May God use you greatly and may you fulfill his purpose for your life.

10 TRAITS YOUR NEXT LEADER SHOULD NOT HAVE.

10 TRAITS YOUR NEXT LEADER SHOULD NOT HAVE.

Leadership makes all the difference. Have you noticed that?

A ship may be well-built with a great crew, but with the wrong captain, it’s going to be hard for the ship to stay on course.

A lot of my friends are looking for the next leader of their church, their business, or their non-profit.

Here are 10 traits your next leader should not have:

1. He should not have to be a man.

Women are often overlooked for leadership positions, but they’re often just as qualified—if not more—for the position. If you are only looking at men for your leadership position, you’re going to miss out on some seriously qualified candidates.

2. They should not be narrow-minded.

Top leadership positions are not the place for narrow-minded agendas. Great leaders need to be able to see the big picture, accepting lots of different ideas and filtering out the best ones.

3. They should not have different values than your organization.

Having a leader with different core values is a nightmare waiting to happen. Before you get into serious talks about hiring, make sure this person’s values line up with those of your organization.

4. They should not be too independent.

Leadership is not a solo-venture. Leadership implies, and rightly so, someone who is able to mobilize a group of individuals, teaching them to work as one. While independence often seems like an admirable trait, a great leader shouldn’t be a one-person show. They should model interdependence and teamwork.

5. They should never be done learning.

The mark of a really good leader is a life-long dedication to learning. It takes humility for people to admit and understand that they don’t know everything—and those are the kinds of people we want to follow: the people who are humble enough to know they don’t know everything but are dedicated enough to continue to learn.

6. They should not be the same as the rest of the leadership team.

Just like in our government, a good leadership team reflects the diversity of interests in the community they’re leading. When hiring someone new, you want to hire someone who represents a new perspective or one that’s under-represented.

That way this person will round out your team, helping you be better as a whole, rather than just continuing to reinforce what you’re already doing.

7. They should not just be a manager.

When hiring someone for your senior leadership team, you need someone who’s going to be able to see beyond the daily details.

We need great managers. Nothing would get done without them. But your senior leadership is a place for people who think beyond the day to day, who can see where you are today and where you want to go tomorrow, and help figure out a way of getting there.

8. They should not lack that intangible leadership quality.

This sounds like an obvious one, but it isn’t.

There’s an intangible leadership quality gifted to some people that makes others want to follow them. Putting someone into leadership who lacks this is a recipe for disaster. If you want someone to be able to lead, people have to want to follow them. If this is not the case with this person, it’s time to find someone new.

9. They should not be easily flustered.

There are going to be days in your ministry where things just aren’t going well. The mark of a great leader is the ability to remain calm and confident, even when it seems like the ship might be going over. And this is something you want to look for in someone you’re considering hiring.

Do you trust this person to be calm and confident when things aren’t going well? Or are they going to get flustered, causing worry and panic in everyone following them?

10. They should not be a pushover.

You’re inviting this person to the table because you want their input, because you think your organization will be better with them captaining the ship. You don’t want someone who is going to roll over.

HOW TO GROW UP

HOW TO GROW.

God want us to grow...like Christ in everything. Eph.4:15.

We are not meant to remain as children. Eph.4:14.

GOD WANTS YOU GROW UP.

 Your heavenly father’s goal is for you to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up. They stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never intended to grow.

 Spiritual grow is not automatic. It takes internal commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship – the process of becoming like Christ – always begins with a decision. Jesus calls us, and we respond: “Come, be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed Him. Matt.9:9.

 When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn’t understand all the implications of their decision. They simply responded to Jesus’ invitation. That’s all you need to get started: Decide to become a disciple.

“Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you. Tell me what you are committed to, and I’ll tell you what you will be in twenty years. We become whatever we are committed to.

It is at this point of commitment that most people miss God’s purpose for their lives many are afraid to commit to anything and just drift through life. Others make half-hearted commitments to competing values, which lead to frustration and mediocrity. Others make a full commitment to worldly goals, such as becoming wealthy or famous, and end up disappointed and bitter. Every choice has eternal consequences, so you had better choose wisely. Peter warns, “Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living!” 2Pet.3:11.

God’s part and your part. Christlikeness is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on His Spirit to help you fulfil those choices. Once you decide to get serious about becoming like Christ, you must begin to act in new ways. You will need to let go of some old routines, develop some new habits, and intentionally change the way you think. You can be certain that Holy Spirit will help you with these changes. The Bible says, “Continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”  Phil.2:12-13.

This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth: “work out” and “work in.” The “work out” is your responsibility, and the “work in” is God’s role. Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between you and the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit works with us, not just in us. This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow. It does not say “work for” your salvation, because you can’t add anything to what Jesus already did. During a physical “work out,” you exercise to develop your body, not to get body.

 When you “work out” a puzzle, you already have all the pieces – your task is to put them together. Farmers “work” the land, not to get the land, but to develop what they already have. God has given you a new life; now you are responsible to develop it “with fear and trembling.” That means to take your spiritual growth seriously! When people casual about their spiritual growth, it shows they don’t understand the eternal implications.

Changing your autopilot. To change your life, you must change the way you think. Behind everything you do is a thought. Every behaviour is motivated by a belief, and every action is a prompted by an attitude. God revealed this thousands of years before psychologist understood it: “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Pro.4:23.

Imagine riding in a speedboat on a lake with an automatic pilot set to go east. If you decide to reverse and head west, you have two possible ways to change the boat’s direction:

One way to grab the steering wheel and physically force it to head in the opposite side direction from where the autopilot is programmed to go. By sheer willpower you could overcome the autopilot, but you would feel constant resistance. Your arms would eventually tire of the stress, you’d let go of the steering wheel, and the boat would instantly head back east, the way it was internally programmed.

This is what happens when you try to change your life with willpower: You say, “I’ll force myself to eat less ... exercise more ... quit being disorganized and late.” Yes, willpower can produce short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because you haven’t dealt with the root cause. The change doesn’t feel natural, so eventually you give up, go off your diet, and quit exercising. You quickly revert to your old patterns.

There is a better and easier way: Change your autopilot – the way you think. The Bible say, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Rom.12:2.  Your first step in spiritual growth is to start changing the way you think. Change always starts first in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you act. Paul said, “There must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.” Eph.4:23.

To be like Christ you must develop the mind of Christ. The New Testament calls this mental shift repentance, which in Greek literally means “to change your mind.” You repent whenever you change the way you think by adopting how God thinks – about yourself, sin, God, other people, life, your future, and everything else. You take on Christ’s outlook and perspective.

We are commanded to “think the same way that Christ Jesus thought.” Phil.2:5.

There are two parts to doing this. The first half of this mental shift is to stop thinking immature thoughts, which are self-centred and self seeking. The Bible says, “Stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adult.” 1Cor.14:20. Babies by nature are completely selfish. They think only of themselves and their own needs. They are incapable of giving; they can only receive. That’s immature thinking. Unfortunately, many people never grow beyond that kind of thinking. The Bible says that selfish thinking is the source of sinful behaviour: “Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want.” Rom.8:5.

The second half of thinking like Jesus is to start thinking maturely, which focuses on others, not yourself. In his great chapter on what real love is, Paul concluded that thinking of others is the mark of maturity: “When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1Cor.13:11.

 Today many assume that spiritual maturity is measured by the amount of biblical information and doctrine you know. While knowledge is one measurement of maturity, it isn’t the whole story. The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character. Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds, and our beliefs must be backed up with Christlike behaviour.

Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and lifestyle. The core of that lifestyle is thinking of others, as Jesus did, instead of ourselves. The Bible says, “We should think of their good and try to help the by doing what pleases them. Even Christ did not try to please Himself. Rom.15:2-3.

 Thinking of others is the heart of Christlikeness and the best evidence of spiritual growth. This kind of thinking is unnatural, counter-cultural, rare, and difficult. Fortunately we have help: “God has given us His Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think.” 1Cor.2:12.

THREE IDEAS ABOUT BEING AN IM-PERFECT LEADER.

3 IDEAS ABOUT BEING AN IM-PERFECT LEADER.

We talk about leadership all the time. We often quote John Maxwell’s famous mantra: Everything rises and falls on leadership!

Leadership is talked about on numerous pastor/ministry blogs & websites. Magazines we read are full of leadership lessons. And new “must-read” leadership book seems to be published every week.

These are all great – and even necessary – resources that we all should be drawing from.

But sometimes, just maybe, immersing ourselves in all the great principles of leadership might leave us feeling the opposite of what’s intended. You see, it’s pretty easy to write about leadership. It’s not that hard to throw out lessons we’ve learned based on our experiences for others to read about. It’s quite another thing to actually lead in the trenches.

Leadership is messy. It’s hard. It can be painful and very discouraging. And, in spite of the step by step approaches we read all about, I’ve never met a perfect leader.

We all lead very IM-perfectly. And that can be frustrating, discouraging and disheartening. It can leave us feeling very alone.

But I want to encourage you that you are not alone. You know the “great” leaders who speak at all the conferences? The ones who are writing the articles and the books?

They are imperfect leaders, just like you. Perhaps they are further down the road. And certainly we can (and should) learn from their experiences. But we all wrestle with hard decisions. We all make mistakes. We all are IM-perfect.

So keep reading the articles and applying the things you learn from the books – they are important! But as you lead imperfectly, try and remember these three ideas:

1. It’s OK to be an IM-perfect leader.  This is primarily because it’s impossible to be a perfect leader! You are going to make mistakes. You are going to look back at times and say “What was I thinking?”

That’s OK.

2. Learn from your mistakes. The worst mistakes you ever make are the ones you don’t learn from. Do what you can to correct them. Change course or back track if necessary. But most of all, learn the lessons of IM-perfection.

3. Keep getting better. It’s ok to be an IM-perfect leader. It’s not ok to not be getting better as a leader. Read that last sentence again. Now, here’s three ideas on how to keep getting better as an IM-perfect leader:

Focus on growing in the areas that matter. I would say this starts with your relationships – with God, your family and with others. Yes, the quality of your relationships really does affect the quality of your leadership.
Create and follow a personal leadership development plan. Being intentional about growing as a leader is critical. It’s where all the articles, books and conferences come in. It’s where having a mentor becomes important. It’s where recording the lessons you learn comes in.

If we were to sit down for chat, could you tell me specifically what your plan is for personal leadership growth?

15 INSIGHT TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR LEADERSHIP IDENTITY.

15 Insight To Help You Better Understand Your Leadership Identity.

One of the questions posted to me constantly centered around the subject of leader development vs. leadership development.  Leader development has to do with the type of person God uses to accomplish His assignments at a point of time in history.  Leadership development has to do with the task itself.

1.Christian leadership always lives at the intersection of God, assignment, and a person.

2. Leaders in the Bible do not share common credentials…

3. There is no particular personality type that God singles out for leadership.

4. Leadership is all about following His leading and experiencing Him in the process.

5. The one who leads is no more important than the person who faithfully serves in obscurity…

6. It is not the position that adds value to us as people – we were created with value and worth.

7. We must avoid preferring competence over character…We tend to ignore character flaws and even sin in the life of a leaders because of his more worldly leadership skills…God never ignores or excuses sin

8. God gives us assignments and gives us the responsibility of leading others to implement that work.

9.  To be a leader is a sacred trust.The real irony is that God’s assignment involves changing your life as a leader just as much as they involve changing the people you want to reach.God’s assignments ultimately bring Him glory.

10.  Leaders should not be obsessed with or defined by the position they occupy but by the assignment they have been given and the contribution they are making

11. For a Christian leader, brokenness is a dear friend and pride is the enemy.Another common pitfall for younger leaders is the conceit of youth – the idea that tried-and-tested ideas and older colleagues are hopelessly out of touch and that new ideas are superior

12. There is always a gap between what you have and what God wants done…The only way you can accomplish the assignment is if He does it through you

13. Effective Christian leadership is sustained by surrender. When a Christian leader stops yielding to God, he or she ceased to be a Christian leader.

14. Your accomplishments are not a statement of your glory but of the grace, power, and glory of God Almighty.

15. The fact is that leaders are always in over their heads. That’s because God assignments are supernatural in nature and He gives those assignments.

ARE YOU CALLED OR COMFORTABLE?

ARE YOU CALLED OR COMFORTABLE?

If you choose to remain under someone with low leadership capacity, be sure you are called are not just comfortable because you are inhibiting your own growth.

[I want to be careful not to belittle any leader, or allow anyone reading this to start down that road. That’s not the purpose of this post, nor is it right. As long as you are serving, you have an obligation to honor that leader & serve with your whole heart.]

Poor leadership can manifest itself in many, many ways (each of which leads to many other challenges):

1. Unclear vision.

2. Poor communication.

3. Indecision.

4. Complacency.

5. Pride.

The list could go on and on. Have you served under a poor leader? Are you serving under one now? Doesn’t it kind of make you feel like you’re about to head over a cliff?

I have served under poor leaders, and I truly hope I never do again. Why? Because whenever I am under a poor leader, I am inhibiting my own growth potential.

I want to be everything God made me to be, and I want my ministry to be everything it was meant to be. I think we all do. However, as you’ve red many times, everything rises & falls on leadership. In other words, you and your ministry will only rise to the level that you and your leadership team are able to take it.

That’s why personal development is critical! It’s critical, too, that your churches senior leadership is capable & growing. Your church will only rise to the level which your churches leadership is able to take it.

As I have opportunity to coach young leaders, speak around and interact with churches through what we do here, I often find children’s ministry leaders that are frustrated, feeling like they are bumping up against the proverbial leadership cap placed on the church (and them) by their pastor.

When I encounter someone like this, I try and convey that their frustration with leadership:

i. Does not give them the right to complain about or undermine leadership in any way, nor does it give them the right to do anything less than their best in their ministry.

ii. Does not mean they should give up trying to cast a vision for children’s & family ministry, or stop trying to put forward initiatives that they believe in (and align with the overall vision of the church).

iii. Does not mean they may abdicate their responsibility for their own personal growth in the area of leadership.

After awhile, however, serving under poor leadership can get old…really old! So when you’ve done everything you can to communicate, to lead up, to lead your area well, to live with the leadership you serve under…basically, just make it work…then I recommend them answer one question:

1. Am I called to this position, or am I just comfortable?

I hope (and assume) that you are in a position that you felt called to when you accepted it. So are you still called to be there? The answer very well may be “yes”, and there are a number of reasons that God may want you in that role:

A. He may be doing something in your own life (remember, our lives are not about our ministries or anything else, but rather about being conformed to the image of Christ – Romans 8:28-29…everything works together for good, but that “good” is becoming more like Christ).

B. He may be using you in to accomplish something in the lives of others – or the “life” of another (I often think of the missionaries who spend decades of seemingly fruitless labor, only to see one of their few converts have great impact in the region).

C. He may be using the circumstances to prepare you for something in the future (remember Joseph?)

If you answered “yes” to being called to the position you serve in, even under poor leadership, then you need to stay.

However, the answer may also very well be “no”. This is usually very difficult to discern and I would encourage you to seek trusted counsel in coming to this conclusion. But if the answer is “no”, then why are you staying?

It might be that you’re just too comfortable. No, you don’t like the leadership. It’s a pain to serve under. It limits your ability to grow yourself or your ministry. But pursuing other options would simply be incredibly uncomfortable. From a practical sense, uprooting families, acclimating to new teams, in many ways starting from the ground up. Who wants to do that? But what we are saying, when we conclude that we are no longer called to this position yet decide to stay, is that we are willing to place comfort over calling.

And we all know that’s not the right thing to do.

As I write this there’s so much more to be said about this, but simply can’t in a single post. Perhaps we’ll revisit this in the future. If you are struggling with this, let me encourage you to find wise counsel to discuss this with. If you don’t have anyone, feel free to message me via our Facebook Page & I will be happy to try and encourage you. I have been far too comfortable a couple of times, and I wish I had had the courage to follow my calling instead of settling for comfort. My hope is that you will find exactly where you are supposed to be and serve there with all your heart.
##SAMADEBAYOMINISTRY#

FIVEFOLD MINISTRY ANALYSIS

THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY.            

1.Apostle - Governs.

2. Prophet - Guides.

3. Evangelist - Gathers.

4. Pastor - Guards.

5. Teacher - Grounds.

The Church NOW and Today needs the full function and operation of the full fivefold in accordance with the WORD.

May We identify and encourage those whom God has given the grace and anointing for such.

THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

The Apostle - Leads.

The Prophet - Speaks.

The Teacher - Equips.

The Evangelist - Proclaims.

The Pastor - Cares.

We need all for our time like never before. Divinely called,appointed and anointed fivefold Ministers.

THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

1. Apostle - Visionary Strategist.

2. Prophet - Spiritual Advisor.

3. Teacher - Logical Thinker/Implementer.

4. Evangelist - Persuasive Communicator.

5. Pastor - Human Resource Counselor.

The Gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit work in manifold ways and is not limited to our one approach kind of ministry. The Bible talks about the seven spirits yet refers to one and the same Spirit manifesting His completeness in different ways.

Some are open to revelation but not learning or teaching. The humble is open to learning,education and revelation.

THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

Apostle - Long-Sight.

Prophet - Foresight.

Evangelist - Hindsight.

Teacher - Insight.

Pastor - Oversight.

VISION means to SEE. All those in the fivefold ministry must have a vision or see something in the area of their ministries. Spiritual sight is the ability to see by revelation what needs to be done when and how. We all need vision to do His work effectively.

THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

Apostle - Mission.

Prophet - Vision.

Evangelist - Commission.

Pastor - Compassion.

Teacher - Passion.

We need a sense of Mission and Commission. We need a sense of vision and passion with Compassion to do effectively the task before us.

CHURCH DOCTRINE

DOCTRINE.

WHERE DOES A CHRISTIAN LEARN THE BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY?

BIBLE READING: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

KEY BIBLE VERSE: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16)

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE COMES FROM THE BIBLE.

The whole Bible is God's inspired Word. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we should read it and apply it to our life. The Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we should live. It is our only source of knowledge about how we can be saved. God wants to show you what is true and equip you to live for him. How much time do you spend in God's Word? Read it regularly to discover God's truth and to become confident in your life and faith. Develop a plan for reading the whole Bible, not just the familiar passages.

You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

BIBLICAL DOCTRINES ARE PASSED FROM BELIEVER TO BELIEVER.

If the body of Christ were to consistently follow this advice, the church would expand as well-taught believers would teach others and commission them, in turn, to teach still others. Disciples need to be equipped to pass on their faith; our work is not done until new believers are able to make disciples of others (see Ephesians 4:12-13).

My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself. (Colossians 2:2)

BIBLICAL TEACHINGS WILL ALWAYS BE UNDER ATTACK.

The problem that Paul was combating in the Colossian church was similar to Gnosticism (from the Greek word for knowledge). This heresy (a teaching contrary to Biblical doctrine) undermined Christianity in several basic ways:

(1) It insisted that important secret knowledge was hidden from most believers; Paul, however, said that Christ provides all the knowledge we need.

(2) It taught that the body was evil; Paul countered that God himself dwelt in a body-that is, he was embodied in Jesus Christ.

(3) It contended that Christ only seemed to be human, but was not; Paul insisted that Jesus is fully human and fully God.

Gnosticism became fashionable in the second century. But even in Paul's day, these ideas sounded attractive to many and they could easily seduce a church that didn't know Christian doctrine well. Similar teachings still pose significant problems for many in the church today. We combat heresy by becoming thoroughly acquainted with God's Word through personal study and sound Bible teaching.

Hold on to the pattern of right teaching you learned from me. And remember to live in the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

THE TRUTH OF THE BIBLE CAN BE GUARDED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT'S HELP.

Timothy was in a time of transition. He had been Paul's bright young helper; soon he would be on his own as leader of a church in a difficult environment. Although his responsibilities were changing, Timothy was not without help. He had everything he needed to face the future if he would hold on tightly to it. He even had the Holy Spirit's help for hanging on. When you are facing difficult transitions, it is good to follow Paul's advice to Timothy and look back at your experience. Who is the foundation of your faith? How can you build on that foundation? What gifts has the Holy Spirit given you? Use the gifts you have already been given.

FIX YOUR SIGHT AND HEART ON YOUR HOME.

HEAVEN.

In the Bible, heaven can mean two things. First, it refers to the sky and all that's in it (the stars, clouds, and air). This is often called "the heavens" instead of just heaven. Sometimes this space is also called the "lower heaven." It is a physical place that we can see and feel. We read about the heavens in passages such as these:

1. Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2. Psalm 19:1: The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.

3. 1 Corinthians 15:40: There are bodies in the heavens, and there are bodies on earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the beauty of the earthly bodies.

The second meaning for heaven might be called "upper heaven." It is not a place that we can see and feel; it is a spiritual place. This is what we are talking about when we say that when someone dies he or she goes to heaven. This is where God's people gather around the throne of God. We read about heaven in passages such as these:

1. Genesis 28:12: As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from earth to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down on it.

2. Nehemiah 9:6: You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve and give life to everything, and all the angels of heaven worship you. [This shows both uses of the term.]

3. Luke 6:23: A great reward awaits you in heaven.

The Hebrew word for heaven was understood to be plural. It referred to more than one thing.

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Old Testament writers viewed the physical heavens as a firmament appearing as a great arch supported on foundations and pillars (2 Samuel 22:8). This heaven spread out above the earth, with rain descending through its doors (Psalm 78:23). The most descriptive Old Testament passages about the physical heavens are Psalm 8 and Psalm 19:1-6. The Old Testament speaks of familiar elements of the heavens.

1. The clouds (Psalm 147:8)

2. The winds (Zechariah 2:6)

3. The rain (Deuteronomy 11:11)

4. The thunder (1 Samuel 2:10)

5. The dew (Deuteronomy 33:13)

6. The frost (Job 38:29)

The Old Testament also mentions destructive forces from the heavens like hail (Joshua 10:11) and fire (Genesis 19:24).

Ancient Hebrews were aware of what we call outer space. They saw the sun, moon, planets and stars as God's glorious creation even though they didn't fully understand them. Some ancient nations worshiped the heavenly lights and associated gods and goddesses with them (Jeremiah 44:17-25). The Hebrews had been forbidden that form of worship. They were also prohibited from taking part in things like astrology, which looked to the heavens, instead of God, for wisdom (Isaiah 47:13-14). These laws and restrictions separated the Hebrews from the cultures around them.

The term "heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14) is the English form of the Hebrew term, "the highest heaven." The Old Testament Hebrew term might be the counterpart to the New Testament expression "the third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:2), which parallels the classical Greek idea of three heavens. The Roman Catholic medieval church adopted this way of thinking. Those who follow this approach think of the third heaven as the place reached by the souls of the blessed, the upper heaven. The first two heavens then are two lower regions: the atmosphere and outer space (containing the celestial bodies) and then the outlying universe.

At least two Old Testament saints, Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), went straight to heaven without dying first. They went directly from this life into God's presence.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

JESUS TALKED ABOUT HEAVEN

Jesus referred to heaven as the dwelling place of God (Matthew 6:9). During his earthly ministry, he claimed that he had come from that heaven (John 3:13; 6:33-51). On at least three occasions utterances from heaven confirmed these claims. The apostle Paul refers to it as the "third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:2). This place is so attached in meaning to the presence of God that the word "heaven" is often used as a synonym for God himself (Matthew 23:22; Luke 15:18).

After Jesus' ascension, or return to heaven, in view of his followers (Acts 1:6-11), two angels reminded the disciples that Jesus would return from heaven. This was later confirmed by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) and was restated in the summary of the teachings of the New Testament known as the Apostles' Creed. The connection between Jesus and God's dwelling place in heaven is woven throughout the New Testament and cannot be separated from the core of the message of Jesus' life and ministry. It is from the "right hand of God" that Christ forever lives to make intercession for those who have come to him by faith (Hebrews 7:25; compare Mark 14:62).

PAUL WROTE ABOUT HEAVEN:

Paul teaches that the believer's body will be made like the body of Jesus Christ when Jesus returns from heaven (Philippians 3:20-21). Believers will need a heavenly body to match their heavenly citizenship. The term "citizens" refers to individuals who live in a foreign country while observing the laws of their homeland instead of the land in which they live (Acts 22:28). What does that mean for believers? They are to live according to the moral and ethical principles of heaven regardless of the standards of the world around them. Believers have been raised together with Christ and have been instructed to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). From there Christ has blessed his followers "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3). The expression "in the heavenly places" suggests that the blessings of the spiritual world are not for some future time or place, but by faith they can be enjoyed here and now.

While on earth, believers look forward to a new heaven and a new earth containing the new Jerusalem (place of worship). There will be no tears, sorrow, pain, death, or night because the Son of God will be there (Revelation 21:1-4, 27; 22:1-5), and in the resurrected state there will be no marrying or giving in marriage (Luke 20:27-38). The apostle John also experienced heaven (Revelation 4:1), a heaven intended to be populated (19:1). All believers will ultimately dwell in heaven in their resurrection bodies, which they will receive when the Lord comes for them from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Lord will also give treasures and rewards at that time (Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 9:25).

Choose Your Final Destination Now.

HELL.

Hell is a place of future punishment for lost and unrepentant people after death.

DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION

Hell is the final destiny of those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ and his grace. Hell is described by images such as a furnace of fire, eternal fire, eternal punishment (Matthew 13:42, 50; 25:41, 46); outer darkness, the place of weeping and torment (8:12); the lake of fire, the second death (Revelation 21:8); a place for the devil and his demons (Matthew 25:41). Evidently, those in hell experience everlasting separation from God, never to see the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

Other expressions that indicate that the final state of the wicked is eternal are these: "burn with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12); "to the unquenchable fire ... where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:43, 48); there is sin that "will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matthew 12:32, RSV). When Scripture is understood properly, there is no hint anywhere of the termination of the terrible state of unbelievers in hell. Their doom is unending; there is a solemn finality about their miserable condition. Some of the most descriptive and conclusive utterances about hell come from the lips of Jesus.

A summary of all Scripture that speaks of hell indicates that there is the loss and absence of all good, and the misery and torment of an evil conscience. The most terrifying aspect is the complete and deserved separation from God and from all that is pure, holy, and beautiful. In addition, there is the awareness of being under the wrath of God and of enduring the curse of a righteous sentence because of one's sins that were consciously and voluntarily committed.

Although the biblical descriptions of hell are stated in very physical and literal terms, the essential character of hell should not be conceived in or limited to designations such as the worm that devours, the stripes that are inflicted, the burning or being consumed by fire. This affirmation does not detract from the horror or the gravity of the situation in hell, because nothing could possibly be worse than separation from God and the torment of an evil conscience. Hell is hell for those who are there essentially because they are completely alienated from God, and wherever there is alienation from God, there is always estrangement from one's fellows. This is the worst possible punishment to which anyone could be subject: to be totally and irrevocably cut off from God and to be at enmity with all those who are around oneself. Another painful consequence of such a condition is to be at odds with oneself-torn apart from within by an accusing sense of guilt and shame. This condition is one of total conflict: with God, one's neighbors, and oneself. This is hell! If the descriptions of hell are figurative or symbolic, the conditions they represent are more intense and real than the figures of speech in which they are expressed.

Punishment for sin is a persistent teaching of the Bible. The doctrine of judgment is as extensive as the canon itself from Genesis (Genesis 2:17; 3:17-19) to the Prophets (Ezekiel 14:10) to the final Revelation (Revelation 20:11-15).

BIBLICAL TERMS

The Hebrew word "Sheol" in the Old Testament is predominantly used for "the grave, the pit, the place of the departed dead" (Genesis 37:35; Job 7:9; 14:13; 17:13-16; Psalms 6:5; 16:10; 55:15; Proverbs 9:18; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 14:11; 38:10-12, 18). There does not seem to be a very clear distinction in the Old Testament between the final destiny of the good and the evil. They all alike go to the grave, to the world below, a world of gloom, weariness, darkness, decay, and forgetfulness, where one is remote from God (Job 10:20-22; Psalm 88:3-6), yet accessible to him (Job 26:6; Psalm 138:8; Amos 9:2). It is a place characterized by silence (Psalms 94:17; 115:17) and rest (Job 3:17). Other texts, however, seem to suggest some aspect of consciousness, hope, and communication in Sheol (Job 14:13-15; 19:25-27; Psalms 16:10; 49:15; Isaiah 14:9-10; Ezekiel 32:21). A few texts seem to suggest the threat of divine judgment after death (Psalms 9:17; 55:15). On the whole, Sheol was regarded with dismay and foreboding (Deuteronomy 32:22; Isaiah 38:18).

It was not until the time of the postcanonical Jewish literature, the writings that were developed between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of New Testament times, that clear distinctions were made between the final destinies of the righteous and the unrighteous. The idea of separate divisions within Sheol for the good and the evil was developed. It is unmistakable that there was in Jewish thought, as reflected throughout the Old Testament, a belief in a future and continued existence beyond death, however shadowy and indefinite the concept.

The Greek word "hades" in the New Testament is used very similarly to "Sheol" in the Old Testament. It was, in fact, used by the translators of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, for Sheol. It designated in general the place or state of the dead, the grave, or death itself. In some versions the word is not translated at all but is transliterated simply as "hades." The New Testament is not always very explicit about the meaning of hades, other than what has just been described. Use of the word often does not reveal much about the specific condition of the dead. There are some passages, however, that indicate a distinct advance over the use of Sheol in the Old Testament. One New Testament passage definitely describes hades as a place of evil and punishment of the wicked, and may appropriately be translated "hell" (Luke 16:23). In all other instances, hades indicates nothing more than the place of the dead.

The Greek word "Gehenna" is used in a number of New Testament texts to designate the fiery place for punishment of sinners and is often translated "hell" or "the fires of hell" (Matthew 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; James 3:6). It is usually used in connection with the final judgment and often has the suggestion that the punishment spoken of is eternal. Gehenna is derived by transliteration from the Hebrew of the Old Testament "valley of Hinnom" or the "valley of the son of Hinnom," a ravine on the south side of Jerusalem. This valley was the center of idolatrous worship in which children were burned by fire as an offering to the heathen god Molech (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6). In the time of Josiah it became a place of abomination, polluted by dead men's bones and rubbish (2 Kings 23:10-14) and by the garbage and filth of Jerusalem dumped there. A fire burned continuously in this valley. It thus became a symbol of the unending fires of hell where the lost are consumed in torment. It was a symbol of judgment to be imposed on the idolatrous and disobedient (Jeremiah 7:31-34; 32:35).

Another Greek word used to designate hell or "the lower regions" is "Tartarus" (2 Peter 2:4), a classical word for the place of eternal punishment. The apostle Peter uses it for the fallen angels who were thrown into hell, "committed ... to pits of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment" (RSV).

As noted above, there are, in addition to these terms, the very explicit and vivid phrases that clearly teach the doctrine of hell, as developed at the beginning of this article. The biblical doctrine is determined much more by these decisive phrases than by the somewhat indecisive but frequently used terms "Sheol" and "hades."

THE JUSTICE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

It is difficult for us to understand the righteous judgment of a holy God who, on one hand, hates all evil, yet, on the other hand, loves the evildoers enough to sacrifice his only Son for their salvation from sin. Divine wrath is the necessary reaction of a holy God who hates all that is contrary to his righteous nature. When the only remedy for human sin is rejected and all appeals of a loving, seeking God for the reconciliation of rebellious sinners are refused, there is no other course of action that God himself can pursue but to leave the sinner to his self-chosen destiny. Punishment for sin is then the inevitable and inescapable response of holiness to that which is morally opposite, and it must continue as long as the sinful condition requiring it continues. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that lost sinners in hell are capable of repentance and faith. If in this life they did not turn away from sin and receive Christ as Savior with all the favorable circumstances and opportunities afforded them on earth, it is unreasonable to think they will do so in the life to come. Punishment cannot come to an end until guilt and sin come to an end. When the sinner ultimately resists and rejects the work of the Holy Spirit whereby he is convicted of sin, there remains no more possibility of repentance or salvation. He has committed an eternal sin (Mark 3:29; Revelation 22:11), which deserves eternal punishment.

The impossibility of faith and repentance in hell is seen also from the tragic reality of the depraved will, conditioned and determined by its repeated rebellion against God. Sin reproduces itself in the will, and character tends to become irrevocably fixed. God responds to endless sinning with the necessary counterpart of endless punishment.

If the question is raised, "How can a loving God send people to an everlasting hell?" it must be replied that God does not choose this destination for people; they freely choose it for themselves. God simply concurs in their self-chosen way and reveals the full consequences of their evil choice. It must always be remembered that God is not only loving, he is also holy and righteous. There must be some adequate reckoning with justice in the universe where a revolt against God has brought evil consequences of enormous proportions.

While the duration of punishment in hell is eternal for all who have chosen that destiny for themselves, there are degrees of punishment proportional to the degrees of guilt of each individual. Only God is able to determine what those degrees are, and he will assign the consequences with perfect justice according to the responsibility of each one. Evidence of such gradations in future punishment is found in Scriptures such as Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48; Revelation 20:12-13. An obvious comparison is made in these texts between the differing intensities of punishment that are involved in the contrasting privileges, knowledge, and opportunities.

There are a variety of views that must be ruled out, however attractively they may be presented by their advocates and however popular they may be from time to time. Among these views are the erroneous, but sometimes persuasive, doctrines of universalism, annihilationism, and second probation. Universalism promotes the concept that God will save everyone in the end. Annihilationism teaches that hell is not a place of conscious suffering but of final extermination. And second probation is a notion that people can be delivered from hell. While these theories can be attractive, the Bible is our rule of faith for the doctrine of hell, however difficult the doctrine may seem for natural reason or for human sentiment. Scripture leaves no doubt about the terrible nature and the eternal duration of hell. Rejection or neglect of this doctrine will have dire effects upon the mission of the church.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Your Power of Attorney.


INTRODUCTION:

If I were a betting man, I would bet that you never heard about the subject of this teaching.  That is because the enemy does not want you to know what can and will defeat him every time.  This teaching requires believing to operate and get results.  It is not something you go around saying almost all of the time.  But as you will see from the examples, if a believer was really being hassled by Satan working in somebody else, you have every right to use your power of attorney in the name of Jesus Christ.  Later, I will be going to one particular Scripture that addresses your power of attorney.  Your power of attorney is so important to you that you may not realize it and you may never have heard of it before.  I plan to open up the floodgates of your mind which will strengthen your ability to be more than a conqueror in every single situation.  You need to know this principle and I will do my very best to make it understandable to you to the point that you operate it according to the Word, in your life when you need to.  For your information, I use my power of attorney often.

Let’s begin.  Every person in the world wants to have a good name.  People desire to be well thought of, and rightly so.  I want to have a good name, and I want people to think well of me.  Do you not feel the same way?
But many peoples’ names today are not respected.  A man may say to you, "I'll pay you on such and such a day."  When that day comes, he does not pay.  Someone promises, "I'll meet you at such and such a time."  When that time comes, he is not there but has left you waiting.  Such a person's name is not respected because he has not put off lying.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:  for we are members one of another.  -- Ephesians 4: 25

I know that Christ is in me and in every born again believer.

To whom God would make known what is  the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  -- Colossians 1: 27

I am in Him if I am renewing my mind to His Word.  Christ in you and you in Christ are two different concepts.  An example of this, of which there are very many, is the subject of condemnation, which is sin.  If you are IN Christ Jesus [in fellowship], you will not condemn yourself.
THERE is  therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  -- Romans 8: 1

I need to add something here.  The actual text of the Bible stops in the above verse after Jesus.  If you take a look at verse 4, you will see the same words that follow ‘Jesus’.  When the scribe was copying the Bible, it is apparent that his eyes shifted down to verse four and he added that part to Romans 8: 1.  The words “who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit”, belong to the latter part of verse four in chapter 8 of Romans.  Now take a good look at this and you will be able to see that the scribes sometimes made mistakes like this.  I am going to give you the literal translation of Romans 8: 1.

THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.  – Romans 8: 1

Now you have the rightly divided and correct Word of God.  Now, we will get back to our subject matter.

No matter what people may say, no matter what the world may say, our names are  written in the Book of Life if we are born again of God’s Spirit [Romans 10: 9, 10].  But, in order for us to be able to help ourselves and others, we must know more.  We must know what power we have and the renewed mind is our key to power.

We are renewing our mind right now to the power of attorney.  What is it to have the power of attorney in your life or in the life of the Church?  Do you know?  The power of attorney is the legal right to use the name of the person who has given you the power.  This power is limited only to the extent of the resources behind that name.  If the Church has been given the power of attorney, it has only as much power as is in the name of Jesus Christ and that’s a lot of power.  If the name of Jesus Christ has power, and that name has been given to you, then you have the power of attorney to execute in that name whatever resources he [Jesus Christ] has available.  Remember, we are also heirs of God AND joint-heirs with Christ.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: -- Ephesians 1: 17

The purpose that God had in mind in giving his name [Jesus Christ] is in Ephesians.

[That] the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance [is] in the saints, -- Ephesians 1: 18

And what is  the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  -- Ephesians 1: 19

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him  at his own right hand in the heavenly places  [in the heavenlies],  -- Ephesians 1: 20

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  -- Ephesians 1: 21

And hath put all things  under his feet, and gave him to be  the head over all things  to the church,  -- Ephesians 1: 22

Which is his body, the fulness of him that [who] filleth all in all.  -- Ephesians 1: 23

All the individuals in the true Church (body of believers) may claim the power in the name of Jesus Christ.  But before we study this power that we have been given, I want to show you three reasons for this power in His name.

First of all, Jesus inherited  a more excellent name than any other name in heaven and in earth.  He inherited it because He was the only-begotten of the Father.  This gave Him the legal rights of a first-born son.  He is greater than any of the angels or any other individual human being who has lived or who will ever live.  In God's presence, next to Jesus Christ stand the believers.  Did you know that?  Think about it and how fantastic that is regarding born again believers.  First God, then Jesus Christ, then the believers.  That’s where we stand regarding God’s order of importance.  It’s hard to believe and that’s why we don’t live the more than abundant life.  By our own free will, most of us choose not to believe.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,  that we may be also glorified together.  -- Romans 8: 17

Jesus said, "I came from the Father," and another time he said “My Father and I are one.  He who has seen me has seen the Father.”  [See John 16: 28 and John 10: 30 below]

I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world:  again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.  – John 16: 28

I and my  Father and are one [in purpose].  – John 10: 30

Secondly, God gave  Jesus a name which is above every name.

Wherefore God also hath [has] highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  -- Philippians 2: 9

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things  in heaven, and things  in earth, and things  under the earth;  -- Philippians 2: 10

In the third place, this is the name that Jesus acquired  for Himself which is a name above every name in the universe.

Philippians 2: 10 is the Scripture that I mentioned to you in the second paragraph of this teaching.  It illustrates the power of attorney we have by having the legal right to use the name of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ defeated Satan and all his power.  And we have the right to use the name of the person who has given you that power  which is Jesus Christ himself.

I have rebuked more people, places, and situations than you can imagine.  I want to help you to utilize this power via this principle correctly.  Do you have something eating away at you and you just can’t shake it?  USE YOUR POWER OF ATTORNEY RIGHT NOW!  Just say:  “In the name of Jesus Christ, get away from me.”  Or simply say “I rebuke this person in the name of Jesus Christ.”  Make sure you are in fellowship and only use this Power Of Attorney when absolutely necessary.  Then BELIEVE what you said and it will come to pass – believe.  It’s that simple.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  -- Ephesians 4: 8

When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, he already defeated all principalities and powers of the god of this world.  Many people do not realize this.  You need not only to know it, you must, you must believe it and God Almighty will bring it to pass.

And  having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them [delete] openly, triumphing over them in it.  -- Colossians 2: 15 [“of them” is not in the text]

Jesus achieved these things.  He acquired his name by his conquest of sin, by his conquest of the devil, hell, sickness and disease.  He acquired an exalted name because of his achievements.  He rubbed the devil’s face into the ground.

The power which Jesus acquired is the legal right of every born-again believer.  But for a believer to manifest Christ's power in his life, he must renew his mind according to the Word of God so that he can believe.

And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed [transfigured] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is  that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  -- Romans 12: 2

We must make our minds think as The Word dictates so we may prove the Will of God.

In order to understand the power in the name of Jesus Christ that is ours, I will take you more directly into the Word of God.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:  for he shall save his people from their sins.  -- Matthew 1: 21
The prophecy says this child's name shall be Jesus.  Jesus  means "Savior."

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  -- Matthew 1: 23

His name means "He is our Savior," and God is with us through Him because we are born-again of God’s Spirit AND GOD ALMIGHTY DWELLS WITHIN US.

Neither is there salvation [wholeness] in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  -- Acts 4: 12

There is no other name but Jesus Christ whereby we can be saved.  We cannot be saved by just belonging to a church or by attending church on Christmas and Easter.  We must be saved by confessing the Lord Jesus Christ and by believing that God raised Him from the dead.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  -- Romans 10: 9, 10

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  -- Acts 2: 38

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  -- John 14: 13

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.  -- John 14: 14

The blessing of using the name of Jesus Christ belongs to us because we belong to the Body of Christ, the Church.  Paul said, "I pray that God may open your understanding so that you will see some of the riches of the inheritance of the saints in the precious name – Jesus."

[That] the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance [is] in the saints.  -- Ephesians 1: 18

In Acts 3 again we note the mighty name of Jesus Christ on the day Peter and John came to the temple and spoke to the man at the gate who was begging for alms.  Did Peter and John go down on their knees and plead with God for an hour to heal the man? No.  What does the record say?

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I [I give] thee:  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  -- Acts 3: 6

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him  up:  and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.  -- Acts 3: 7

In the name of Jesus Christ there is power.  Acts says that the man stood up and walked as the disciple took him by the hand.

And his name through faith [upon believing] in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know:  yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness [wholeness] in the presence of you all.  -- Acts 3: 16

Paul used the mighty name of Jesus as recorded in Acts 16 to deliver another enslaved person.

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:  -- Acts 16: 16

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.  -- Acts 16: 17

And this did she many days.  [Paul was waiting for the green light and he got it] But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.  And he came out the same hour.  -- Acts 16: 18

What power the Church has today in the name of Jesus Christ!  We need to claim that power.  Today's Church has never used the power of His name to any great extent; and without using it, the Church can never manifest power.  In the name of Jesus Christ the sick are healed.  In the name of Jesus Christ devils are cast out.  In the name of Jesus Christ people are freed from mental bondage.  What a wonderful privilege and power the Church has.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  -- Philippians 3: 10

What a joy it is to belong to the Church.  When we belong to the Church, we belong to the greatest and most powerful body in the world; there is nothing like the Church anywhere.  The Church has such great power that even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.  That is why the devil cannot harm the people of the Church when they know the name of Jesus Christ and use that name, believing in it. Can you see why our prayers must be answered when we believe that Christ is in us?  We can receive anything from God that He has promised in The Word if we only know and believe it.  Everything that has been revealed in The Word we can thank God for, and, if we believe, it will come to pass.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do  all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  -- Colossians 3: 17

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  -- Ephesians 5: 20

Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks always.

[So] But [scratch‘But’] my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  -- Philippians 4: 19

In other words, all your needs are guaranteed to be supplied by Christ Jesus.

And such were some of you:  but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  -- I Corinthians 6: 11

You have been washed and sanctified, and you have been justified in His name; but you must receive it before you will manifest it.  Isn't that wonderful!  We have all power in that name.  We have the power of attorney that when we use the name of Jesus Christ, powerful, positive things must happen.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our  lips giving thanks to his name.  -- Hebrews 13: 15

Is any sick among you?  let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  -- James 5: 14

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  -- James 5: 15

Do elders in the Church have power?  Elders have power to move the very gates of hell!  The Word says so.

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  -- I John 3: 23

We should love one another because of the name of Jesus Christ.

The Church has the power of attorney, the right to use the name of Jesus Christ.  I have shown you the Scriptural passages that teach of the name of Jesus Christ, showing the power that is behind that name.

Ask yourself honestly, "Do I have the power of attorney?"  You do have the right, the God-given authority, to use the name of Jesus Christ and see things come to pass.  Yet for years and years people inside the fellowship of believers have seen but few positive results.  Why?  Just to say the name of Jesus Christ  is not all that is necessary; you must believe  that when you are saying it things will come to pass. All power is energized by believing and it is up to you  to operate believing. Believing is action.  You must know what the Word of God says, and then act upon that Word.  As you hear The Word and act upon it, God will answer your requests.

Now that you know you have the power of attorney, use it!  What value is it to you to have money in the bank if you do not know you have it?  It is the same situation as when we have all the power in the name of Jesus Christ and we do not realize it. We have Christ in us, so we have the power of attorney.  In the name of Jesus Christ activate that power and live the more abundant life.

STRATEGIC LIFE PLAN.

My Strategic Life Plan.

Your strategic life plan considers all of the areas in your life that are important to
you. This plan is based on a framework of personal values, hopes and dreams. Straying
from your plan on a whim becomes a risk that’s quantifiable. So having any plan in
place provides a means to calculate risk and manage impulsiveness.
For a college student this is imperative, as the risks and available impulses are
many.
It’s just like surfing or snowboarding. They are exhilarating and sometimes
terrifying sports. For a few, calm moments, just before you launch off the top of the
wave or that enormous mountain that will propel you into the twists and turns below,
you can see almost everything in front of you. At once, you decide how to take the
turns, manage the risk, and if you gain too much speed, how to slow down or duck out
entirely. The more you practice, the better you get, and the more natural the decision-
making feels. Going through life without a strategic plan would be like a novice snowboarder
deciding to blaze down a treacherous black diamond course instead of a sensible bunny
hill. Imminent disaster.
This template is meant to help you organize your priorities, establish your life
goals and design your own plan.

Step 1: Establish Your Priorities
List the areas in your life that are very important to you. This list might include your family, career, health,
financial security, community service, and spiritual. Once you identify your valuable areas, number them from
extremely important (#1) to least important (#20, or whatever you ended up with)

Step 2: Establish Your Goals
For each of your priorities identified in Step 1 above, think about where you want to be in that area of your life
in the next one to two years, the next five years, and ultimately, at the end of your life.

MY LIFE AREAS    In 1-2 YEARS I want to be here:    In 5 YEARS I want to be here:     Ultimately, I want to be here:

Step 3: Develop Your Action Plan
Keep this in your mind at all times: What gets planned – gets done! Without specific steps and dates, all you have
is a wish list - not a plan.
Writing in the details of the plan is essential to your success. This is where you set in place the action steps and
deadlines to get you where you want to be and help you accomplish your goals.
Consider using the SMART Model: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and within a specific Timeframe.
You will need to identify detailed steps for each one of the “Goals” you wrote in Step 2 above. The following
page shows a sample of one Life Area (Education), one goal and its action steps.
You will only start your plan here, but it must end up as complete as possible. It needs to become a part of the
substance of your daily schedule, and thus, your life (so you can make your life happen.)
Remember, this is NOT written in stone - not your purpose, or any of the goals or steps. Just as in a strategic plan
in business, things change. Life has a funny way of shifting from time to time, requiring adjustments in timing,
steps, and resources. Sometimes you might simply change your mind, but to get anywhere, you must start
somewhere.

AT THE MENTION OF THE NAME OF JESUS.

The Name Of Jesus Christ Carries Power, Authority And Distinction.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches."(Proverbs 22:1)

Jesus Christ has given Christians the right and authority to use his name. This means that Christians have been given the power of attorney. Legally, power of attorney is the authority to act in another person's behalf, at their request. It is authorization given by one person (Jesus) permitting another (Christians) to take action on his (Jesus Christ's) behalf.

"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13,14)

"Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:23, 24)

The name of Jesus Christ is not a magic word. The power is not even in saying words, but in understanding and believing all that the name of Jesus Christ signifies. His name represents all of His finished work on the cross, fulfilling God's plan of redemption and salvation, victory over sin, death, and over the devil's entire realm. When the name of Jesus Christ is invoked, it carries all of the power and distinction God gave to it. God raised Jesus from the dead, elevated Him to His right hand, and gave Jesus a name above "every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." (Ephesians 1:21)

Philippians declares, "God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." (Philippians 2:9, 10) Hebrews states, regarding Jesus, "when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:3, 4)

On the day of Pentecost, the people were deeply moved after Peter's powerful sermon, and asked, "What do we do?" Peter answered, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

One day Peter and John were going into the temple, when a lame man asked for a donation. Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Later, when interrogated about this healing miracle, Peter was bold in defending the name of Jesus and all it stands for. "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 3:6, 4:10, 12)

It is by faith in this name above all names, the name of Jesus Christ, that people are saved, set free from bondage, healed of sicknesses and diseases, and made whole. There is no other name under heaven more powerful or more significant, and this is a dynamic reality that Christians can believe in and have complete confidence in.

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13

The Name Of Jesus Christ Carries Power, Authority And Distinction the real name is even YESHUA not Jesus.

SCRIPTURAL VIEWS ON OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES.

OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES.

The people of Israel made offerings and sacrifices to God on a regular basis, just as Christians today take Communion in church, give offerings, and pray prayers. The Israelites performed offerings and sacrifices in order to restore their relationship with God. They did this at particular times of year, such as at the new moon and the harvest. They also did it when a vow was broken or when a person was deemed unclean due to a particular medical problem. Some sacrifices and offerings commemorated key times in the history of Israel, such as the Passover. Finally, the Israelites performed offerings and sacrifices to restore the relationship to God after sin had broken it.

The rules about offerings and sacrifices were very detailed and God expected the Israelites to follow them exactly.

PERFORMANCE AND ORDER OF SACRIFICES:

The main source for a description of sacrifices is the opening section of Leviticus (Leviticus 1:1-7). It consists of two separate parts. The first part deals with two categories of sacrifices (Leviticus 1:1-6:7). The first category includes the sacrifices with an aroma "very pleasing to the LORD," and this includes the burnt (Leviticus 1:1-17), grain (Leviticus 2:1-16), and peace offerings (Leviticus 3:1-17). The second part includes the expiatory sacrifices (those that atone or make amends for wrongdoing). This includes sin offerings (Leviticus 4:1-5:13) and guilt offerings (Leviticus 5:14-6:7). Attention is paid to the small details of each ritual, and they are grouped according to their logical associations.

The grain offering follows the burnt offering because it always accompanied it in actual practice (Numbers 15:1-21; Numbers 28:1-29). It also went with the peace offering (Leviticus 7:12-14; Numbers 15:3-4). Special emphasis is placed on burning the inward parts of a sacrifice on the altar to make an aroma "very pleasing to the LORD" (Leviticus 1:9; Leviticus 1:17; Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 2:9; Leviticus 2:12; Leviticus 3:5; Leviticus 3:11; Leviticus 3:16). When the Lord was pleased with the sacrifice (Genesis 8:21), it was a sign of divine favor. A refusal to recognize the offering and to smell the pleasant odor showed God's displeasure (Leviticus 26:31; see also NASB). The priest evidently knew how to read the signs and would tell the person making the offering whether his sacrifice had been accepted or rejected (1 Samuel 26:19; Amos 5:21-23).

The sin and guilt offerings allowed the people to repair their broken relationships with God (Leviticus 4:1-6:7; Leviticus 4:20). The situations requiring such offerings are listed, and special emphasis is made in describing the handling of blood in the ritual.

The second major section in this passage (Leviticus 6:8-7:38) stresses the administrative details for the various offerings. This section consists of a series of "instructions" for each type of offering concerning the distribution of the sacrificed materials. Some of the materials went to the priest, some went to the person who made the offering, and others were burned on the altar or disposed of outside the camp. Those sacrifices that the priests designated as "most holy" were to be eaten only by qualified members of the priesthood (Leviticus 2:3; Leviticus 2:10; Leviticus 10:12-17; Leviticus 14:13; Numbers 18:9).

The burnt offering is discussed first because it was entirely consumed on the altar and was not eaten by anyone. After it, the sacrifices that were distributed to the priests are described (Leviticus 6:17; Leviticus 6:26; Leviticus 6:29; Leviticus 7:1; Leviticus 7:6). Finally, the peace offerings are described. A significant portion of the peace offering was returned to the people who made the offering.

The order in which the sacrifices are treated in this passage also corresponds to the frequency they were performed over the course of the religious year (Numbers 28:19; 2 Chronicles 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17). This would be particularly important for the priests and Levites on duty at the temple because they were responsible for the organization of the daily sacrifices, especially during the holidays. During feasts and festivals, managing sacrifices at the temple was a formidable task (1 Chronicles 23:28-32; 1 Chronicles 26:15; 1 Chronicles 26:20-22; 2 Chronicles 13:10-11; 2 Chronicles 30:3-19; 2 Chronicles 34:9-11).

Each section concerning a particular type of offering concludes with the administrative details needed for each type of offering. After this, there is a summary of the matters discussed previously (Leviticus 7:7-10), and the section concludes with a description of the peace offerings (Leviticus 7:11-36). Peace offerings did not play a role in the sacred calendar except during the Festival of Harvest (also called Feast of Weeks, Leviticus 23:19-20). On all other occasions, with the two exceptions of the Nazirite vow and the installation of new priests, peace offerings were purely voluntary sacrifices and they did not require any special types of "bookkeeping."

In other biblical contexts, the sacrifices are listed according to the same bookkeeping or administrative order. These include burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, and sin offerings. An example of this is the list of donations made by the tribal leaders at the dedication of the altar (Numbers 7). The information is organized like an everyday ledger from the temple storehouse. The summary of the list classifies the animals as burnt, grain, sin and peace offerings (Numbers 7:87-88), according to the respective entries from each donor (Numbers 7:15-17). The scribes had two main purposes for records like these. First, they were supposed to credit the people making the offerings. Second, these books were used to record the treasures and food supplies coming in. Most of the food being given as offerings was actually divided among the priests (Numbers 18:8-11; 2 Chronicles 31:4-19).

When prescriptions were made about the type of offerings that were supposed to be brought (Numbers 15:24), the bookkeeping order was also followed. This was true of the sacrifices based on the religious calendar. Offerings were listed for feasts like new moon (Numbers 28:11-15), each day of Passover (Numbers 28:19-22), the Festival of Harvest (Leviticus 23:18-19; Numbers 28:27-30), the Festival of Trumpets (Numbers 29:2-5), the Day of Atonement (Numbers 29:8-11), and each day of the Festival of Shelters (also called Feast of Tabernacles, Numbers 29:12-16).

For sacrifices required in specific cases, the instructions as to what offerings to bring follow this same type of sequence. Also, when a Nazirite vow was terminated, the Nazirite brought burnt, sin, and peace offerings. However, the priest performed the ritual according to a different order. The sin offering was made first, followed by the burnt offering and the peace offering (Numbers 6:16-17). In the case of an incomplete vow, the first step was to offer a sin offering and then a burnt offering to renew the vow (Numbers 6:11). The renewing of the Nazirite vow required a special guilt offering which was a distinct ritual (Numbers 6:12).

The description of the offerings made by the prince of Israel in the latter days presents the same contrast between the two different types of sacrifices. On festival holidays the prince brought burnt, grain, and drink offerings, but he offered them as sin, grain, burnt, and peace offerings (Ezekiel 45:17). This second order of sacrifices in which the sin offering came before the burnt offering was also followed during the rededication of the altar (Ezekiel 43:18-27).

The same "procedural" sequence of sacrifices appears in other instances. For instance, the purification of a leper would require that guilt offerings were made followed by sin and burnt offerings (Leviticus 14:19). The man with a discharge would offer sin and burnt offerings (Leviticus 15:15). The same order is followed for the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:3-6; Leviticus 16:11; Leviticus 16:15; Leviticus 16:24).

The book of Leviticus furnishes two examples of the proper order in which sacrifices were made. One example is the ordination of Aaron and his sons. In this case, the sin offering came first and then the burnt offering (Exodus 29:10-18; Leviticus 8:14-21). The focal point in this ritual was the sacrifice of ordination, which was a special form of the peace offering (Exodus 29:19-34; Leviticus 8:22-29). The second example describes the formal beginning of the sacrificial system at the (Leviticus 9). In this case, the sacrifices made for Aaron were sin and burnt offerings. The offerings that were made for the people were sin, burnt, grain, and peace offerings (Leviticus 9:7-22).

The same sequence is followed at the cleansing and restoration of the temple in Jerusalem conducted by King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:20-36). A great sin offering was first, followed by the burnt offerings accompanied by music and song. Then the king proclaimed that the people had committed themselves to the Lord. In this new state of purity they could share in the sacrifices of devotion and thanksgiving.

The detailed order of the sacrifices illustrates the Old Testament idea of how God could be approached. First, atonement for sin had to be made. Then, the person making the sacrifice had to be consecrated. When these conditions were met, the person making the offering could express his continued devotion with more burnt offerings and he could also take part in the fellowship sacrifices in which he himself got a large portion of the slaughtered animal to share with his friends (Deuteronomy 12:17-19).

DESCRIPTION OF SACRIFICES:

The following description of the different types of sacrifices treats them according to their order in the priestly procedure. They are symbolic of the way the people of Israel would approach God.

1. EXPIATION OFFERINGS.

There were two types of offerings that allowed people to renew a broken relationship with God-the sin offering and the guilt offering.

2. SIN OFFERINGS.

In the sin offerings that were used for expiation (Leviticus 4:1-5:13; Leviticus 6:24-30), different animals were required depending on the rank of the person making the offering. A high priest had to bring a young bull (Leviticus 4:3), as did the tabernacle congregation as a whole (Leviticus 6:14), except when the sacrifice was being used to atone for a sin committed during a ritual (Numbers 15:24). A ruler would bring a male goat (Leviticus 4:23), but a common person could provide a female goat (Leviticus 4:28; Numbers 15:27) or a lamb (Leviticus 4:32). If the commoner was poor, he could offer two turtledoves or two young pigeons (Leviticus 5:7). For commoners who were extremely poor, they could bring a portion of fine flour (Leviticus 5:11-13; Hebrews 9:22).

The person making the offering brought the animal to the entrance of the temple and laid his hand on it (Leviticus 4:4). He did not confess his sin with this act because the animal was not being sent away. Instead, he was simply identifying himself with the sacrifice. The person bringing the offering had to kill the animal on the north side of the altar (Leviticus 4:24; Leviticus 4:29). The animals were never slaughtered directly on the altar. The priest who was overseeing the ceremony collected the blood. When the sacrifice was a bull for himself or for the congregation, the priest sprinkled some of the blood before the veil inside the meeting tent and put some on the horns of the incense altar Leviticus 4:5-7; Leviticus 4:16-18). On the Day of Atonement the priest brought the sacrificial blood for himself and for the people into the Most Holy Place (Leviticus 16:14-15). From all other animals, the blood was applied to the horns of the altar of burnt offering (Leviticus 4:25; Leviticus 4:30; Leviticus 4:34). The blood of birds was sprinkled on the side of the altar (Leviticus 5:9). Finally, the remaining blood from any offering was poured or drained out at the base of the altar (Leviticus 4:7).

The choicest internal organs, like the fatty tissue over the entrails, the two kidneys, and the liver were all offered on the altar to God (Leviticus 4:8-10). The carcass and the other entrails were burned outside the camp when it was a bull for the priest or for the people. This was also true of the bull for the appointment of the priests (Exodus 29:10-14; Leviticus 8:14-17). Otherwise, the priest who conducted the ceremony received the edible part of the sacrifice for himself. He had to eat it within the temple area, and its preparation was governed by very strict rules (Leviticus 6:25-30; Leviticus 10:16-20). A sin offering of one male goat was presented at each of the sacred holidays including the New Moon (Numbers 28:15), each day of Passover (Numbers 28:22-24), the Festival of Harvest (Numbers 28:30), the Festival of Trumpets (Numbers 29:5), the Day of Atonement (Numbers 29:11), and each day of the Festival of Shelters (Numbers 29:16; Numbers 29:19). The high priest also offered a bull for himself and then sacrificed one of the two goats on the Day of Atonement. Certain purification ceremonies required lesser sin offerings like lambs or birds. This included ceremonies for childbirth (Leviticus 12:6-8), cleansing from leprosy (Leviticus 14:12-14; Leviticus 14:19-22), cleansing from abscesses and hemorrhages (Leviticus 15:14-15; Leviticus 15:29-30), or for breaking a vow (Numbers 6:10-11).

3. GUILT OFFERINGS.

The guilt offerings used for expiation (Leviticus 5:14-6:7; Leviticus 7:1-7) were a special kind of sin offering (Leviticus 5:7). They were required whenever someone had been denied his rightful due. Replacement of the amount that had been taken was required plus an additional fine (Leviticus 5:16; Leviticus 6:5). The animal was usually a ram (Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 5:18; Leviticus 6:6). The cleansed leper and the defiled Nazirite had to bring a male lamb (Leviticus 14:12; Leviticus 14:21; Numbers 6:12). The person making the offering apparently handled the sacrifice in the same way he would handle a sin offering, but the priest had to sprinkle the blood around the altar (Leviticus 7:2). Some of the blood was applied to the tip of the cleansed leper's right ear and to his right thumb and big toe (Leviticus 14:14). Also, after this ritual, the priest received most of the animal's flesh for food (Leviticus 7:6-7; Leviticus 14:13). A guilt offering was required whenever another person had suffered some loss. Disobeying ritual rules, like eating the "the LORD's sacred property" without proper authorization (Leviticus 5:14-19; Leviticus 22:14), required that a person pay the sum that should have gone to the Lord plus a fine that went to the priest (Leviticus 5:16; 2 Kings 12:16). The leper belongs in this category, since during the time of his infection he was unable to offer his sacrifices to God (Leviticus 14:12-18). The same rules apply to the Nazirite who had been defiled while he was set apart for service for God (Numbers 6:12). Violation of another person's property rights could be mended only with a guilt offering. This included cheating on deposits, robbery or oppression, failing to report the finding of someone's lost property, or failing to testify in court (Leviticus 6:1-5). Intercourse with a slave girl who was pledged to be married was also a violation of property rights (Leviticus 19:20-22). If the offended party was no longer living and had no surviving kinsmen, the payment went directly to the priest (Numbers 5:5-10).

4. CONSECRATION OFFERINGS.

Consecration offerings are the rituals that usually come to mind when one hears the word "offering." These types of offerings represent acts of personal commitment that had to accompany a person's repentance. They were also necessary if a person wanted to rejoin the fellowship of community sacrifices.

5. BURNT OFFERINGS.

The burnt offerings that were used for consecration could be a bull, a sheep, or a bird. The person making the offering presented the animal, laid his hand on it, and killed it on the north side of the altar. The bird was simply given to the priest. The priest collected the blood, presented it before God, and then sprinkled it around the altar. When the offering was a bird, he cut off its head and drained the blood at the side of the altar. Although the slaughtering and sprinkling of the blood were similar to the expiatory sacrifices, the main emphasis here is on killing the animal, washing its unclean parts, and then carefully arranging all of the pieces on the altar. All of this was then consumed on the altar as a pleasing odor to the Lord. Since burnt offerings were offered in the morning and the evening, a good supply of wood by the altar was necessary. The priest who was overseeing everything had to keep the fire burning continuously (Numbers 6:8-13).

Burnt offerings played an important role in the sacrifices of the religious calendar. The continual burnt offering was made twice a day. A male lamb was sacrificed in the morning and the evening (Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:1-8). Two additional lambs were sacrificed on each Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10).

Except for these daily offerings, a sin offering of one goat was usually made along with the burnt offerings on certain holidays. During the new moon at the beginning of each month, two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs were offered (Numbers 28:11-14). The same offerings were required for each day of the Passover festival (Numbers 28:19-24) and again on the Festival of Harvest (Numbers 28:6-29). On the Festival of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, the requirement was one bull, one ram, and seven lambs (Numbers 29:2-4).

The great Festival of Shelters (Feast of Tabernacles) was characterized by a series of elaborate burnt offerings, plus one goat per day as a sin offering. On the first day, 13 young bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs were sacrificed (Numbers 29:12-16). Each day after this, the number of bulls was decreased by one until only seven bulls were offered on the seventh day (Numbers 29:17-25). On the eighth day the animals required for Trumpets and Atonement were offered. This included one bull, one ram, and seven lambs.

Certain purification rituals required burnt offerings in addition to sin offerings. This included rituals after childbirth (Leviticus 12:6-8), abscesses (Leviticus 15:14-15), and discharges (Leviticus 15:29-30), or after defilement while under a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:10-11). Though it is not stated that grain offerings were required in these cases, they certainly were for the cleansing from leprosy (Leviticus 14:10; Leviticus 14:19-22; Leviticus 14:31) and the completion of the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:14-16).

The Hebrew term referring to the grain offerings used for consecration are best translated with the word "gift" (Genesis 4:3-5; Judges 6:18; 1 Samuel 2:17). However, in the specific context, it referred to a combination of fine flour, olive oil, and frankincense that could be made up in the form of baked loaves, wafers, or morsels. The offering of firstfruits required crushed heads of new grain (Leviticus 2:14). No leaven or honey was permitted on the cakes, although leaven and honey could be accepted as a firstfruit offering. They would not go to the altar but were given to the priest. The person making the offering had to bring the prepared loaves or wafers to the temple. The priest would burn one handful on the altar as its "token portion" (Leviticus 2:2) and he would keep the remaining portion for his own food (Leviticus 6:16; Leviticus 7:9). However, when the priest was making a grain offering for himself, he burnt it all on the altar (Leviticus 6:22-23).

6. GRAIN OFFERINGS.

A grain offering was usually given with every burnt offering, especially those that were related to the religious calendar (Numbers 28-29). Different amounts were required depending on the offering (Numbers 15:2-10). Other happy occasions for a grain offering included the cleansing of a leper (Leviticus 14:10; Leviticus 14:20-21; Leviticus 14:31) and the successful completion of a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:13-15).

Peace offerings were always followed by grain offerings (Leviticus 7:12-14; Numbers 15:4). The priest received one of each pair of cakes or wafers. The remainder was returned to the person making offeringing to be eaten with the flesh of the sacrificial animal at a place of his choice.

7. DRINK OFFERINGS.

For drink offerings that were used for consecration, the different amounts were given depending on whether the sacrifice was a bull, ram, or lamb. The wine (Exodus 29:40), which was also called "fermented drink" (Numbers 28:7), was probably an intentional substitute for the blood used by other nations (Psalm 16:4). The libation was classed as a "pleasing odor" offering (Number 15:7, NRSV). As it was with the burnt offering, the entire drink was used and nothing was given to the priest (Numbers 28:7).

Drink offerings accompanied the daily offering (Exodus 29:40-41; Numbers 28:7) and the Sabbath offering (Numbers 28:9), as well as the new moon festival. Reference is also made to them in connection with the days of the Festival of Shelters (Numbers 29:18; Numbers 29:21). The same was true for the Passover, Harvest, and the Festival of Trumpets (Numbers 28:16-29:11; Ezekiel 45:11). A drink offering was required for the rituals concerning a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:17) but not for cleansing a leper (Leviticus 14:10-20).

8. FELLOWSHIP OFFERINGS.

Fellowship offerings were voluntary on the part of the person making the offering and they were generally not governed by regulations except for the Nazirite (Numbers 6:17) and the Festival of Harvest (Leviticus 23:19-20). A person who had already fulfilled the requirements for atonement and personal consecration was permitted to make a fellowship offering. Burnt offerings often accompanied the fellowship sacrifices as a further expression of devotion to God.

9. PEACE OFFERINGS.

Peace offerings (Leviticus 3; Leviticus 7:11-36; Amos 5:22) were the basic class of all fellowship or communal offerings. In terms of holiness these offerings were not as rigidly confined as the other offerings. Animals from the herd or flock, male or female (Leviticus 3:1; Leviticus 3:6; Leviticus 3:12), were permitted. Unleavened cakes were also required, at least for the thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12-13) and Nazirite (Numbers 6:15-19) offerings. Each of these three types of peace offerings will be discussed below, with their special features.

The first parts of the ritual, the presentation and laying on of the hand, were the same as with other sacrifices. However, the animal was slaughtered at the door of the sanctuary courtyard and not on the north side of the altar (Leviticus 3:1-2; Leviticus 3:7-8; Leviticus 3:12-13; Leviticus 7:29-30). The priest collected the blood and tossed it against the altar as he did with the burnt offering (Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 3:8; Leviticus 3:13). The choice parts of the sacrifices were offered up as a "pleasing odor" (Leviticus 3:3-5, 6-11, 14-16, NRSV).

The priest also received a certain portion of this offering. He was allowed to eat it in any ritually clean place and to share it with his family (Leviticus 7:14; Leviticus 7:30-36; Numbers 6:20), in contrast to his portion of other types of sacrifices, which he had to eat somewhere in the temple area (Numbers 18:10-11). He received one of the cakes and the breast as a wave offering and the right thigh as a contribution for the person making the offering. The offerings that were lifted up before the altar did not really represent a special kind of ritual ceremony.

The ritual act of the peace offering ended with a fellowship meal. Except for the parts on the altar or the parts given to the priest, the body of the animal was returned to the man who offered it. He had to prepare it as a communal meal for himself, his family, and for the Levite in his community (Deuteronomy 12:12; Deuteronomy 12:18-19). This would have to take place at the official sanctuary (Deuteronomy 12:6-7; Deuteronomy 12:11-12; Deuteronomy 12:15-19; 1 Samuel 1:3-4) and the participants had to observe strict rules of purity (Leviticus 7:19-21; Leviticus 19:5-8). It may be contrasted with the ritual slaughtering of animals for a banquet that was permitted at any local altar (Deuteronomy 12:16; Deuteronomy 12:20-22). The flesh of the thanksgiving offering had to be eaten on the same day of the sacrifice (Leviticus 7:15), while the meat used for freewill offerings could be finished off on the following day (Leviticus 7:16-18). Whatever remained had to be burned before the time limit expired.

There were only three times when a specific demand was made for a peace offering. These were the Festival of Harvest (Leviticus 23:19-20), upon the completion of the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:17-20), and when new priests were appointed in the tabernacle (Exodus 29:19-22; Exodus 29:28). Other public ritual occasions included the inauguration of the temple (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 7:5). Events on a national level that evoked the peace offering included the successful conclusion of a military campaign (1 Samuel 11:15), the end of a famine or pestilence (2 Samuel 24:25), the confirmation of a candidate to the throne (1 Kings 1:9, 19), or a time of religious revival (2 Chronicles 29:31-36). On the local level, they were offered at an annual family reunion (1 Samuel 20:6) or other festive occasions, such as the Festival of Harvest (Exodus 22:29-31; 1 Samuel 9:11-14; 1 Samuel 9:22-24; 1 Samuel 16:4-5).

10. WAVE OFFERINGS.

The first portion of the peace offering was lifted up before the Lord to signify that the priest was eating it as a representative of God. The term, "wave offering" (KJV, NIV), was also used for other kinds of offerings including precious metals donated for making religious artifacts (Exodus 35:22; Exodus 38:29) and the guilt offering of a cleansed leper (Leviticus 14:12).

11. FREEWILL OFFERINGS.

Freewill offerings were brought to the holy religious meetings that took place three times a year (Exodus 23:16; Exodus 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:10; Deuteronomy 16:16-17; 2 Chronicles 35:8; Ezra 3:5), and they were voluntary (Leviticus 7:16; Leviticus 22:18; Leviticus 22:21-23; Leviticus 23:28; Numbers 15:3; Numbers 29:39; Deuteronomy 12:6; Deuteronomy 12:17). Like the voluntary offering, the freewill offering could be a burnt offering rather than a peace offering (Leviticus 22:17-24; Ezekiel 46:12). If it was a peace offering, the flesh could be eaten on the second day but had to be burned before the third day (Leviticus 7:16-17). Unlike some other peace offerings, the animal sacrificed could have one limb longer than the other (Leviticus 22:23).

12. INSTALLATION OFFERINGS.

The Hebrew term translated "installation" refers to the setting of precious stones (Exodus 25:7; Exodus 35:9; Exodus 35:27; 1 Chronicles 29:2), so "installation" seems an appropriate translation. It had to do with a ritual act that consecrated someone for divine service (Exodus 28:41; Exodus 32:29) and required ritual purity and spiritual devotion (2 Chronicles 29:31). The details of the original ceremony at the installation of the first priest are described in two passages (Exodus 29:19-34; Leviticus 8:22-32).