By Francis Frangipane
"Your view of God is the most important part of life. Everything you do will reflect, in one degree or another, how you perceive your Heavenly Father."
Each of us has images in our minds of who we think God is. But, while we would not admit it to ourselves, some of us actually harbor thoughts that portray God as cruel. We have only one way to know who God is, and that is by studying the life of Christ. We have no reference, no other means of discerning the nature of God except through the life, teachings and behavior of Jesus.
We cannot form our view of who God is by what pastors and Christian authors have told us He is; nor can we trust our ideas and experiences. Again, the only way we know God is by studying the life of Jesus. Because we are disciples of Jesus, we have predetermined to learn from Him and Him only, concerning the nature of God. This doesn't mean we don't listen to pastors, read Christian writers, or forsake our experiences; it simply means that we are looking for the anointing of Christ upon all that we read or submit to. God can use people to teach us, but we must discern the voice of the Shepherd. For if we are truly His sheep, another voice we will not follow.
Out of the Heart, the Eyes See
Keys Unlock Gates
By Francis Frangipane
Heaven has keys that can unlock hell.
Recall Christ's word to His followers:
I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. —Matthew16:18–19
When we read these words of Christ's, many of us picture a determined, aggressive church charging boldly toward the gates of hell. Such images of spiritual warfare are typical today and certainly a vast improvement over the passive, selfish attitudes that infiltrated the church in previous years.
Yet, there is more in this text than the bold confrontation of the strongholds of hell. Between the lines, there is the mention of strategies: the "keys" of the kingdom of God. Let us isolate two words in Jesus' teaching that will broaden our understanding of spiritual warfare. Those two words are "keys" and "gates." Simply put, keys unlock gates. Reversing the sequence of the Lord's thoughts, Jesus promised to grant us the keys of the kingdom of heaven . . . and the gates of hell will not prevail against us. Note that He did not say He was giving us keys to the kingdom, but the keys of heaven. The goal is not to unlock heaven, for Jesus has already done that. Jesus is saying that heaven has keys that can unlock hell.
When Yesterday's Manna Ceases
By Francis Frangipane
We have a fairly neat, pleasant little package in our minds of who we consider the Lord Jesus Christ to be. I think that our view is essentially correct, but the problem is it is incomplete. It is important to recognize that there are certain perceptions we have of the nature of Christ that must be re-evaluated as the day of the Lord draws near. There are some things we are probably not quite ready to accept.
Our understanding of who the Lord is and who He wants to be in our lives needs to expand drastically to accommodate the restoration of Christ in the church. As the Lord continues to restore His gifts, ministries and power, we need to submit ourselves afresh to that which the Spirit is speaking. It is not an easy task, because our doctrines and our concepts, by nature, are self limiting.
The Deception Surrounding Splits
By Francis Frangipane
I can offer no political solution to divisions. Ultimately, if attaining Christlikeness is not enough for you, I have no other remedy. I am a man in quest of the character of Christ. I write to people who share my passion. If you are reading this, but do not care passionately about becoming Christlike, I truly have nothing to offer you regarding splits. Becoming Christlike is the only way to avoid them or be healed from them.
Let the Word Be True
The Bible has a great deal to say about unity. However, I have yet to find one New Testament example where the Scriptures encouraged born again Christians to divide from or split a church. I have heard many Scriptures taken out of context and twisted to suit the purpose of division, but in context I do not see the Holy Spirit anywhere telling His people it is right to divide from other imperfect Christians.