By Francis Frangipane
Over the last years, I've watched spiritual deterioration occurring among many in the church. We talk and sound no different than the world. Our words are mean, without grace, without love, angry at this and upset with that. It is as though we have no revelation of the power of our words. Yet, our words are the reality-seeds of our tomorrows. In other words, we are living today what we were talking yesterday.
Our words are trailblazers, the pioneers which affirm and establish reality. Some feel words are not that important. But there is a weightiness to words, a spiritual cargo that conveys either life or death to those who receive them. Consider: if I wrote a string of profanities and curses, each word could touch your soul with uncleanness. Indeed, words themselves are often the vehicles of satanic infiltration. As the Scripture asks, "To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit was expressed through you?" (Job 26:4).
The Sanctifying Power of Christ
By Francis Frangipane
"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy" (1 Corinthians 7:14).
In the above verse, we discover an important life principle: the process of sanctification for an unsaved husband or wife actually begins when their partner is born again of the Spirit. The word sanctify means "to consecrate or set apart to God." In this context, however, sanctification does not automatically imply salvation; rather it means that a process leading toward possible salvation has begun in earnest.
From God's view, the influence of Christ's power working in the life of the redeemed has a drawing effect upon the unsaved marital partner. The unbelieving spouse experiences the blessings, benefits and influence of a life in the process of transformation; they are eyewitnesses to Christ's love as He reveals Himself to, and then through, a redeemed spouse. In all these ways, the "unbelieving" soul "is sanctified through" the "believing" spouse, so that even their "children . . . are holy" (1 Corinthians 7:14).
The Measure of Maturity
By Francis Frangipane
It has been my experience that too many of us, as Christians, have been confused about love. We have assumed that attaining the look of love was the same reality as actually being transformed into a loving person. I'm not saying that we have consciously planned on being shallow or noncommittal, but that somehow, we have settled on the cosmetic instead of the real.
We have developed an "altar" ego, a look for church that lasts, at best, just a few minutes longer than the church service itself. All we have really accomplished is to perfect the art of acting like Christians.
"One Message"
By Francis Frangipane
"The Lord alone will be exalted in that day." --- Isaiah 2:11
Normally my Sunday sermon is prepared a few days in advance, but this week was different. All week the heavens seemed like bronze. Saturday morning came, and still I was at a loss. Nothing seemed alive. It was now Saturday evening and I was pacing the floor seeking God. "Lord," I asked, "what is the message for tomorrow morning? What topic should I address?"
A dozen ideas filed through my mind, loitered momentarily in my imagination, and left as unanointed as they had arrived. I went to bed praying. When I woke Sunday morning, my prayer was still on my lips.
Christ Our Passover Lamb
By Francis Frangipane
While we can forgive and cover non-Christian traditions in love, we should not let these traditions obscure the profound truth of God's Word. The early church had great reasons they celebrated the Feast of Passover. This annual tradition was not only commemorative -- it was also prophetic in nature. And while we would expect that the Jewish disciples would celebrate Passover, so also did the Gentile believers. We see this clearly in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. He wrote, "Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
While we can forgive and cover non-Christian traditions in love, we should not let these traditions obscure the profound truth of God's Word. The early church had great reasons they celebrated the Feast of Passover. This annual tradition was not only commemorative -- it was also prophetic in nature. And while we would expect that the Jewish disciples would celebrate Passover, so also did the Gentile believers. We see this clearly in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. He wrote, "Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
Repentance Precedes Revival
By Francis Frangipane
A true revival does not just happen. There are conditions that must reside in the human heart before the Lord visits His people.
We Must Want Deliverance, Not Just Relief
Too often, ministries today seek to deliver people who are unwilling to repent of sins, who have not cried in their heart to God for help. The effect is that those prayed for may receive limited relief, but they soon fall back into sin and oppression. The key to successful deliverance is to discern if an individual is ready and willing to be released before we minister deliverance. Are they repentant? Have they put away their idols? Is their heart truly turning toward God?
God's pattern for us as individuals is also His pattern for the church and the city. Even as the Lord did not deliver us until we cried for help, so the war for our churches and cities will not be won until a significant number of us are crying to God in prayer. Christ's purpose in bringing the citywide church to prayer is to provide the proper heart attitudes to which the Almighty can respond.
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