Famous Quotes by Dead Men of God #1

Charles Finney on the Doctrine of Election

Election does not supersede the necessity of means for the conversion of the elect. They are chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. They must then hear, believe, and obey the truth. If the end is to be accomplished, the necessary means must be used: would a farmer, because he knew that God had settled it in his own mind whether he should have a crop or not, say that if he was to have a crop he would have it, whether he sowed his land or not? Would a sick man neglect to use means for the recovery of his health, because he knows that God has numbered his days, and that it was settled in the divine mind whether he would die or not? Certainly not. If the farmer is to have a crop, he must sow his field and use the necessary means. So if the sick man is to live, the means requisite for his recovery must be used. So in the cure of sinners, if means be not used, not even the elect can be saved, and those that neglect the means will never make their calling and election sure.

Interesting observation…give me your thoughts.

Billy

What is the work of the Holy Spirit today?

The 21st Century Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

As we end the first decade of the 21st Century there are many things that are becoming apparent. Mainly, the fact that doing church the way we did it 20 years ago will not accomplish what God wants to do in our country.
1. God is not leading us the same way.
2. There is little or no fruit in the way it used to be done.
3. It is a different world we live in now.
4. This different world needs a fresh wind of God.
5. The Church needs some new ideas.

What is evident is the 21st Century Spirit Filled Church is re-gathering and asking the hard questions. Streams from many denominations and movements are wanting to know what can be done to change the course from diminishing returns for their efforts to growth and vitality. Following are some thoughts to ponder and that will become the basis for what we as a Spirit-Filled movement will do next to bring revival to our churches and consequently to our Nation.

He wants to empower believers to be His witnesses.

He wants to administer spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts must be measured by the fruit of the spirit.

Emphasis will not be on the initial evidence of the Holy Spirit as much as the lasting evidence of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is leading us to be passionately strategic as well as being passionate.

The harvest will be much more important in Sunday services than individual manifestations.

The Holy Spirit will not be defined by our emotional reactions, rather by how we allow Him to impact the world through us.

We will realize that the Holy Spirit is not weird, people are.

Holiness will not come as a result of legalism but by real Holy Spirit sanctification.

What can we say for sure that the Holy Spirit wants to do?

Give me your thoughts.

Billy

The Devil is all about Numbers

The Devil is all about Numbers

1 Peter 5:8 NLT Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Why am I so obsessed with numbers? Two reasons: Because of the Great Commission, “preach the Gospel to every creature…” and because of 1 Peter 5:8. Our enemy is vying for souls that we should be passionately trying to reach. Each person on earth is a target of the enemy and he wants to devour them.
Okay, that builds a fire of urgency under me. Am I just wanting numbers for ego or for the Kingdom? I believe in my heart that if we sit around and try to justify our ineffectiveness, regardless of the size of our church, (that is often determined by the size of our town or other issues), we are in essence saying to the devil…I’m big enough, you can have them.
Don’t feel condemned by this….don’t feel inept…get fired up for those whom Jesus died for. An USA Today article headline said, “Young adults less devoted to faith.” It goes on to state that a high percentage of young adults are avoiding church and faith in Jesus. Question: Can we just sit by? Are we going to listen to those who tell us, “numbers are just a pastor’s ego wanting to be stroked?”
Give me your thoughts –
Billy

Is Social Justice a perversion of the Gospel?

Glen Beck, Fox News anchor and analysts, made the comment that social justice was a perversion of the Gospel. “Social” meaning it covers all people in the society, and justice meaning that “equality” or more specifically “fairness,” must be legislated in order to have justice for all people. When it comes to the Gospel, some have suggested that serving the less fortunate and disenfranchised is the same as preaching the Gospel. What are your thoughts.

What makes the Church Attractive?

I read this short description of the Early Church and why it was so attractive to the people in the Roman Empire pre-Constantine. It made the Church so attractive that it grew and grew….here it is.

“And yet the early church grew and grew and grew, even without intentional evangelistic strategy or ministry. How? By being the most attractive community in the Roman Empire. The early Christians rescued abandoned babies and raised them as their own. They gave dignified burials to all, regardless of economic status. They cared for the sick; instead of abandoning the cities in times of plague, they stayed and cared for the sick and dying, even if it meant their own deaths. It was said of the early Christians that “they alone know the right way to live.”

What do you think is the best way to make the Church attractive today to our nation?