By Francis Frangipane
To See as Jesus Sees
"He who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:15-16).
This is one of the most staggering statements made in the New Testament. Paul says that it is actually possible to be free of our carnal, jealous, fearful, unbelieving thought-life and, in its place, possess "the mind of Christ"!
This promise is wonderfully profound. Indeed, it is one thing to be taught edifying principles and truths about the Lord, yet quite another to actually possess the very thought-life of Christ! Listen to what Paul says,
The Power of a Transcendent Life, Part 2
By Francis Frangipane
In our last message, we stated that the destiny of every Christian, according to Paul, is to be conformed "to the image of [God’s] Son" (Rom 8:29). Typically, when I remind people that our core destiny is Christlikeness, most people just nod, affirming the general truthfulness of my statement. However, they really do not believe that it is true. Indeed, when people think of their destiny, they first think of something they will do for God, something that involves the visible demonstration of a unique gifting or ministry calling. But neither our gifts nor a specific calling represent the core reality of our destiny.
So, let me state it again: Our destiny is to be Christlike. Our responsibilities and gifts may be as varied as the seasons of our lives, but our enduring destiny is that part of us that becomes Christlike in nature. God wants us to develop our gifts and, of course, He has created us to fulfill certain tasks or ministries, but we must never lose sight of the main purpose of our existence, which is to become like Jesus in all things.
The Power of a Transcendent Life
By Francis Frangipane
There are a great many books written today about developing our spiritual gifts or discovering our purpose, most of them are absolutely worthy of our attention. Recognizing our gifts and being trained to serve God in our individual calling is part of doing His will. Yet, there is a deeper, more essential goal -- an objective that is ultimately far more valuable both to God and ourselves. I am talking about the genuine quest to possess the likeness of Christ.
We marvel at the life of Paul. Here was a man who wrote Scriptures, who led many thousands to Christ; he founded churches and was proficient in all the spiritual gifts. Yet, what compelled him forward in life was not his calling, but his passion to be like Christ. He articulates this profoundly in Phil. 3:10. He wrote,
"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."
"Love Me Where You're At"
By Francis Frangipane
I have discovered that, as we seek the Lord, our most difficult periods can be transformed into wonderful breakthroughs into God's love. For me one such season occurred during the years 1979 to1981. The association of churches with which I was aligned had fallen under spiritual deception. Not only were its core doctrines increasingly seeded with New Age influences, but also immorality crept in, and key leaders began leaving their wives for other women. I could no longer remain silent. As a result, in 1979 I left my congregation in Detroit, Michigan, where I had served as pastor, and traveled to the organization's regional headquarters in Iowa. I came to plead for repentance. However, after meeting with the senior leaders, I was asked to leave the group.
I have discovered that, as we seek the Lord, our most difficult periods can be transformed into wonderful breakthroughs into God's love. For me one such season occurred during the years 1979 to1981. The association of churches with which I was aligned had fallen under spiritual deception. Not only were its core doctrines increasingly seeded with New Age influences, but also immorality crept in, and key leaders began leaving their wives for other women. I could no longer remain silent. As a result, in 1979 I left my congregation in Detroit, Michigan, where I had served as pastor, and traveled to the organization's regional headquarters in Iowa. I came to plead for repentance. However, after meeting with the senior leaders, I was asked to leave the group.
From Visitation to Habitation
By Francis Frangipane
There had not been a prophet in Israel for more than 400 years. Now, in the spirit and power of Elijah, John the Baptist stood in the Judean wilderness. Lightning flashed from his eyes as his message thundered across the terrain of human souls before him. The storm of God had returned!
Historians tell us that John's penetrating ministry brought nearly one million people to a baptism of repentance. It was an unprecedented beginning to a time of visitation. It was into this electrified atmosphere of awakened faith that Jesus came, bringing miracles previously unseen in Israel's history. The presence of the living God was flowing through Christ; His message was unparalleled: the kingdom of heaven was at hand!
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