FRANCIS FRANGIPANE MINISTRIES

A Forgiving Heart

During the last hours of this age, there will be two opposing factions in the world: those whose hearts are wrought with bitterness, resentment, and hatred; and those whose love has actually increased and who are experiencing the power of the kingdom of God. Jesus foretold these conditions in Matthew: "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. . . . Because lawlessness [iniquity] is increased, most people's love will grow cold" (Matt. 24:10, 12). But then He added: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come" (v. 14).

What is this "gospel of the kingdom"? It is the whole truth that Jesus came to bring -- not only that which saves us from our sins, but also that which creates us in His image. It is the full gospel with all its requirements and all its rewards -- the full price for the full power. It is the most glorious pearl that man can possess: the presence of God in glory revealed within and among us.

Thus if we are to attain this great love, we will continually be forced to make the choice between mercy and unforgiveness. If we do not walk in a forgiving attitude, we will certainly become prey to an embittered spirit. If it is indeed God's plan to allow wickedness and holiness to grow to full maturity, then we must guard our hearts beforehand from reacting in bitterness and unforgiveness. The increasing lawlessness will certainly give us occasions to lose love.

Yet just to survive in this cruel world, we often withdraw from the vulnerability of love. We cannot choose cautious, selective love and also walk in the power of God's kingdom. To counter pain, we unconsciously shut down our love, for it is love that makes us vulnerable. God wants us to be a people whose love is growing hot, not cold.

Jesus did not say we had to trust our enemies, but He did say that we had to love them. You ask, "Why?" One reason God allows difficulties is to test us. He wants to see if our Christianity is merely an intellectual pursuit or if following Him is truly the highest passion of our hearts. Thus He tells us to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).

Some of you have gone through rejection and betrayal, but the Lord says you did not fail. You have continued to love. Although you went through great pain, you have forgiven those who have hurt you. You passed the test.

Some of us still have certain individuals in our lives who we have not forgiven and whom we do not love. Perhaps you are right; they do not deserve your forgiveness. But what you do not realize is the consequence of your anger.

Live in the Here and Now
As long as you refuse to forgive, a part of you is trapped in the past where you are continually being reminded of your pain. Even the calendar season in which you were hurt stimulates depression and foreboding! Until you forgive, you will not be fully released to go on with your life.

There is only one way we can have true fellowship with God and that is in the "here and now." But when your mind is harboring unforgiveness, you are neither in the "here" nor in the "now." When you live in the past, you are cut off from God. What they did to you is over. It is done. It does not have any real existence or life of its own except in your mind.

There within you the conflict continues to live. And as long as it lives, you are still being hurt by it. The person who wounded you may have long since died. That person cannot be blamed, for you are the one who keeps your wounds alive!

Not only is the quality of your spiritual life affected, but your physical well-being pays a price as well. As long as you keep holding onto the burden of what someone did to you, each time you think about that person your stomach acids churn and your anxiety increases. Your body is continually put under stress.

Choose to Love
If you do not forgive those who have hurt you, you will lose a measure of your capacity to love. Whether they deserve forgiveness or not, you deserve a better life! And God wants to give you a better life. But you cannot enjoy abundant life while carrying unforgiveness, for you are shackled to something that hurt you, and your own unforgiveness tortures you.

How do you get out of that prison? How do you find the protection of God for your soul? God calls you to forgive. You must see the hands of God reaching to you in the midst of your pain. He wants to redeem that conflict, using that specific adversity to perfect character in you. It will be this event that He will use to make you like Christ.

Each time you say, "Father, I choose to love; I choose to forgive; I choose to forget and to not hold bitterness and unforgiveness against that person," you are taking on Christ's nature. Rejoice! Jesus is taking over your heart! You are entering the shelter of the Most High God.

Master, I see in Your forgiveness of me the pattern for my forgiveness of others. Lord, You forgave the Pharisees who lied about You; You pardoned the soldiers who mocked and crucified You; You encouraged Your disciples' hearts to not be troubled, knowing they were about to deny and betray You.

Yet You not only forgave them, but You also died for them. You opened Your heart as wide as the universe and welcomed all to be reconciled to God. Grant me the power to forgive, to lay down my life for others, and to know the love that compelled You to such righteousness! Amen.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Shelter of the Most High, available on Arrow Bookstore's Special's page.

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The Shelter of the Most High

Is there a spiritual place, a shelter, where God actually keeps us, "and the evil one does not touch" us (1 John 5:18)? Yes, there is a place in the heart of God where we can find immunity and protection, where we are literally surrounded by the Lord's presence. Once we enter this place, nothing can defeat us. Twenty-one profound chapters, each highlighting a different dimension of our Father's love and protection, each well able to escort you into the warmth and safety of the shelter of the Most High.

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The Shelter of the Most High
Audio Companion Teaching

As trouble escalates in the world, we are all looking for a place of immunity and protection. In The Shelter of the Most High, Francis gives trustworthy, biblical evidence in the midst of all our uncertainties and fears there is an available shelter from God to shield us. Once you've found this place, nothing you encounter can defeat you. From wherever you are, you can reach - and remain in - the shelter of God.

These companion messages expand upon the material covered in the book, The Shelter of the Most High.

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Healing in Horeb  |  Opportunity in the Secret Place  |  The Lord Indeed is Good  Perpetual Rescue |  Significant to God |  Abiding in God's Love  
Check Your Attitude  |  Immunized from Assault  |  New Every Morning
Greater Immunity  |  A Thought Concerning Criticism  |  Christ in You
Identified with Heaven

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The Power of Covenant Prayer


Gain the victory over the effect of curses. The section on persevering prayer is a must for anyone serious about attaining Christlikeness. The second part is the conclusion of a teaching on spiritual protection. Powerful insights on the nature of curses and how to walk in spiritual victory and freedom.

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

 

February 16, 2019

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InJesus

Remember Job

There is much to say about the book of Job. Many scholars believe it is the oldest book of the Bible; all agree that it predates the wisdom books (Proverbs, Psalms, etc.). Another interesting insight is this: Job was not an Israelite. So the antiquity of this book combined with its Gentile hero makes it unique among all Old Testament Scriptures.

Yet there is another narrative that is actually my main point of interest. The story of Job is not only about an innocent man suffering unjustly from a satanic attack; the bulk of the story concerns the suffering Job endured from his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar (and later Elihu). These men, probably religious scholars of their day, were friends of Job. Yet during his distress they falsely judged him; they became his accusers.

In defense of Job's friends, upon seeing Job's great suffering they threw dust on their heads and wept. Then they sat with him in silence for seven days. Only after Job spoke did they finally open their mouths in response. They began with reverence, weeping and compassion (a place we might consider before we callously offer our opinions). However, it is plain that their pride and religious opinions eventually overcame their compassions toward Job.

It should also be noted that, generally speaking, Job's friends had right doctrines. Their error was not so much in their theology as much as their assigning the role of sinner to Job. They did not have enough humility to see that they could be wrong. God's view was that Job was not a common sinner. In fact, according to the Lord, Job was the most righteous man in the world. He was not just a relatively good man among other good men, but among all men there was "no one like him on the earth" (Job 1:8). In God's eyes Job was in a class by himself: three times he was called a "blameless and upright man" by God (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3).

We know it was wrong of Job's friends to falsely accuse him. Yet isn't it ironic that still today people cannot help but find fault with Job! If we read some modern interpretations of the book of Job, we find critics are still blaming Job for his suffering. Some say Job's devastation occurred because of unbelief; others say his fear opened the door to the adversary. And still others feel Job must have had some sin that left him vulnerable to the devil's attack. How is it that people cannot see this stunning reality: NONE of the things spoken against Job -- not 3,500 years ago nor today -- were right!

My point is this: the instinct to judge and criticize without having all the information is not only rampant in the world, it is also in us. If we think Job caused his own troubles, then we are as deceived as the three "friends" who wrongly accused him. In fact, we are worse, because they did not know Satan was behind the attack or that God had declared Job a blameless man. In contrast, we have the Scriptures and testimony of God. Yet in spite of what we can plainly read, our religious minds hunger to find fault.

Could it be that the take-away message of the book of Job -- the reason it is in the Bible in the first place -- is to provide a vivid example that it is wrong to judge without knowing all the facts? Indeed, the book of Job is a portrait of people with a religious mindset who are self-assured they are right, who judge without having truly heard from God.

God placed the life story of Job in the most sacred Book in the world for a reason: that we would not be so confident that our judgments are always right. The fact is, throughout history good people, godly people, have been lied about, slandered, blamed and persecuted! Of course, we know that the wicked suffer, but do we take into account that so also do the righteous? And the main accusers of the righteous are not necessarily the openly godless, but the self-righteous religious leaders of the day.

Job's friends had right doctrines that were wrongly applied.

In Conclusion
Of course, there are people who have sinned and done terrible things. I am not saying we should gloss over these atrocities. Of course, if you see injustice of some kind that is unmistakably evil -- yes, judge and then act to bring swift justice. But in most cases the issues of a person's heart are not so obvious. Therefore, I make my appeal to you: before you judge, remember Job and why his story is in the Bible.

Finally, with grace upon my words let me say we must crucify our instincts to judge. When Job's family came, they invested in him their love and gifts. They restored him. They did what love would do, what Christ would do. As He has been to us, so we should be to others. We can possess the very same "mind … which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5 KJV). We can remember the story of Job.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ available on Arrow Bookstore's Special's page.

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Discernment and the Mind of Christ
Audio/Video Series


So often in the church these days, criticism and judgment masquerade as spiritual discernment. True discernment however, is as simple, and as profound, as possessing the redemptive mind of Christ.

Message titles:
The Discernment We Need   |   The Mind of Christ
The Holy Spirit’s Voice   |   Think Redemption

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The Gift of Discernment
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The world is overstocked with judgmental Christians. The Lord doesn't want us to simply judge what is wrong, but to attract people to what is right. What is needed are individuals who use the gift of discernment to bring godly wisdom, healing and the heart of Christ into every situation.


Message titles:
The Gift of Discernment Parts 1, 2 and 3   |  Judging Rightly

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Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

House of Thoughts
(En Español)

There are satanic strongholds over countries and communities, and there are strongholds that even influence, to some degree, churches and individuals. Wherever a stronghold exists, it is a demonically induced pattern of thinking. Specifically, it is a "house made of thoughts" that has become a dwelling place for satanic activity.

Removing Satan's Armor
"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder" (Luke 11:21-22).

Before we were saved, Satan was like a fully armed "strong man" guarding the homestead of our souls. On the day of our salvation, however, "someone stronger," the Lord Jesus Christ, attacked and overpowered Satan and stripped him of his armor. Our born-again experiences may be widely varied, but in the spirit-realm, a very similar war was waged and won for each of us. If we could have seen into the invisible world, we would have observed the Holy Spirit working with the angels of God to overpower and destroy the enemy's "armor."

What exactly was this armor that protected the devil and kept us from salvation? The armor upon which demons rely consists of our own thoughts, attitudes and opinions that are in agreement with evil.

What Jesus described as "armor," the apostle Paul classified as "strongholds" (2 Cor. 10:1-4 NKJV). It is important to recognize that, in speaking of strongholds, the apostle was addressing the church. It is foolish to assume that there are no strongholds in our hearts and minds. Our salvation experience has overpowered the enemy, but it has not eliminated all the wrong ideas and attitudes -- the strongholds -- that are still influencing our perception and behavior. Yes, old things passed away; true, new things have come. But until we are walking in the fullness of Christ, we should not assume that the process of transformational change is over.

On an individual level, the foundation of our continued success in warfare comes from yielding to the Lord as He reveals these strongholds and agreeing with Him through repentance in pulling them down.

It is important to recognize that when we speak of strongholds we are not talking about random thoughts or occasional sins. Perhaps the strongholds that affect us most are those that are so blended into our thinking patterns that we do not recognize them nor identify them as evil. Remember, in our initial text, Jesus revealed that unclean spirits are seeking "rest." The sense of rest they seek originates from being in harmony with their environment. In other words, when our thought-life is in agreement with unbelief, fear or habitual sin, the enemy has rest.

It is significant that when the Holy Spirit enters our lives many changes occur suddenly. However, we should not be surprised if the process of deliverance should involve a season of inner conflict and turmoil. This is a good sign, signifying the individual's will desires to be free. We should expect a time where we must exercise our authority in Christ as we "resist" the devil (1 Pet. 5:8-9). Paul speaks of the "struggle" of the church against principalities and powers (Eph. 6:12). There will be a period of fighting involved in the process of pulling down strongholds, for you are breaking your agreement with a foe who will fight to remain in your life.

Continuation of message

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book The Three Battlegrounds available on the Arrow Bookstore’s Special’s page.

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Fight with Wisdom and Discernment

Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ

How can you defeat your enemy if you don't know who or what you are fighting? Pastor Francis shares biblical insights on the gift of discernment and what it means to possess the mind of Christ. A few of the chapters are classics from Francis' previously published books; they have been rewritten, updated, and included here as foundational to our understanding of spiritual discernment.

Includes extra chapters from several of pastor's other books, including three from The Three Battlegrounds. These additional chapters give continuity and additional insight into the important subject of spiritual discernment.

Includes a training CD titled, Society of the Redeemers.

Book and Free Training CD - $7.50 (Retail $12.85)
Ebook - $5.75 (Retail $12.85)

Visit our bookstore to order these
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

The Stronghold of the Godly: Humility
(En Español)

Satan fears virtue. He is terrified of humility; he hates it. He sees a humble person and it sends chills down his back. His hair stands up when Christians kneel down, for humility is the surrender of the soul to God. The devil trembles before the meek because in the very areas where he once had access there stands the Lord, and Satan is terrified of Jesus Christ.

Who Truly Are You Fighting?
It is important to recognize that the immediate source of many of our problems and oppression is not demonic but fleshly in nature. Indeed, one aspect of our lives, our flesh nature, will always be targeted by the devil. These fleshly areas supply Satan with unhindered access to undermine our prayers and neutralize our walk with God.

It is only our exaggerated sense of self-righteousness that prevents us from looking honestly at ourselves. We know who is in us, but we must also know what is in us if we will be successful in our war against the devil. Therefore, be specific when you submit yourself to God. Do not rationalize your sins and failures. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a perfect shelter of grace, enabling all men to look honestly at their needs.

Accordingly, be honest with God. He will not be horrified or shocked by your sins. God loved you without restraint, even when sin was rampant within you; how much more will He continue to love you as you seek His grace to be free from iniquity?

Before we launch out in aggressive warfare, we must realize that many of our battles are merely the consequences of our own actions. To war effectively, we must separate what is of the flesh from what is of the devil.

Allow me to give you an example. My wife and I once lived in an area where a beautiful red cardinal kept its nest. Cardinals are very territorial and will fight off intruding cardinals zealously. At that time, we owned a van that had large side mirrors and chrome bumpers. Occasionally, the cardinal would attack the bumpers or mirrors, thinking his reflection was another bird. One day, as I watched the cardinal assail the mirror, I thought, “What a foolish creature; his enemy is merely the reflection of himself.” Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart, “And so also are many of your enemies the reflection of yourself.”

Before we have any strategy for attacking Satan, we must make sure that the real enemy is not our own carnal nature. We must ask ourselves, Are the things oppressing us today the harvest of what we planted yesterday?

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book The Three Battlegrounds available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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Fight with Wisdom and Discernment

The Three Battlegrounds

Any time the Spirit of God's kingdom is truly manifested in the earth, it will ultimately confront the strongholds of hell. Indeed, wherever evil spirits have either a foothold or a stronghold, you can expect that the overcoming church will be engaged in warfare, and expect also that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus builds.

In this book, Francis Frangipane explores the three arenas of spiritual warfare that the maturing Christian will face: the mind, the church and the heavenly places. It provides a foundation of insight, wisdom and discernment on the nature of the battle and the keys to victory.

View Francis introducing this book

Book - $7.50 (Retail $12.45)
Ebook - $5.75 (Retail $12.45)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ

How can you defeat your enemy if you don't know who or what you are fighting? Pastor Francis shares biblical insights on the gift of discernment and what it means to possess the mind of Christ. A few of the chapters are classics from Francis' previously published books; they have been rewritten, updated, and included here as foundational to our understanding of spiritual discernment.

Includes extra chapters from several of pastor's other books, including three from The Three Battlegrounds. These additional chapters give continuity and additional insight into the important subject of spiritual discernment.

Includes a training CD titled, Society of the Redeemers.

Book and Free Training CD - $7.50 (Retail $12.85)
Ebook - $5.75 (Retail $12.85)

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Both books - $14.00
(Retail $25.30)

Visit our bookstore to order these
and other resources

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To comment or send this message to a friend or print this message, use our Printer-friendly version.

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Copyright (c) 2019
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

What Does Jesus Say?
(En Español)

Great Gain
We must relearn how to think. We must learn how to pause before we speak -- give ourselves a moment to enter the secret place of God's presence -- and then listen to what Jesus has to say. For Christ Himself is the source of our discernment. In listening, we create the opportunity to hear the Lord's voice; postured before Him we can receive answers, wisdom and insights that we otherwise would not discern.

Indeed, using the gift of discernment, we can counter the advance of the enemy and reverse the gains he might have otherwise obtained. Consider the gospel story of the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). As experts in the Mosaic Law, the Pharisees knew well that the woman had sinned. Wishing to publicly discredit Jesus, they brought her to Him hoping, perhaps, to prove Him a heretic:

"Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" ---John 8:4-5

This is the big question: What does Jesus say? Everything we will learn about discernment is found in knowing the answer to this question. There will be pressure to answer. It's likely that turmoil may surround us. Yet we must stay sheltered in the calm of God. The woman is obviously guilty; witnesses have condemned her, as does the Law of Moses. Stones are waiting in the hands of her accusers. But if we will actually possess true discernment we must stop, listen, and actually hear: What does Jesus say?

Christ recognizes her sin. However, His thoughts were higher than that of the Pharisees. He saw this situation as a means to bring redemption to the woman, repentance to the Pharisees, and glory to His heavenly Father. Stooping down, He wrote on the ground. Then, as the Pharisees persisted with their accusations, He stood and said, "He who is without sin … let him be the first to throw a stone" (John 8:7).

The hardened hearts of the Pharisees were so deeply pierced that, "one by one, beginning with the older ones," they departed (v. 9). Scripture does not tell us what Jesus wrote (some say He wrote one of the Ten Commandments or perhaps some other Scripture). What He wrote is unknown. However, in the Lord's response He made it clear: in His kingdom, the merciful and the pure in heart decide when, and if, stones will be thrown.

The issue I seek to underscore is not that Jesus drew on the ground but that, in the heightened turmoil of the moment, Jesus drew upon the Father. He remained calm. He waited, listening in His heart to hear the voice of His Father.

This is the pattern for true discernment: we disown the limits of our opinions and reactions, and we learn to wait and listen to the Lord.

As the Voice Comes to Me
Jesus expands this discipline of focused waiting. Consider His comment in John 5:

I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord -- but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision]. ---John 5:30 AMP

Jesus said, "As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision." This small statement unveils such a large truth!

When we accept Christ into our hearts, He does not enter simply as a doctrine. No, He enters us as a living voice. His Spirit brings conviction and direction; He speaks through dreams, visions, revelation, and understanding of the Scriptures. He illuminates our hearts, speaking to us of repentance and the renewal of our soul. He lifts us, reminding us of the faithful promises of God.

Yet this voice -- the sacred voice of God -- refuses to compete with the clamor of our fleshly minds. This is God, King and Creator of the universe. He requires the honor of our full attention! He will not yell as though we were disobedient children and He a frantic mother. He will not chase us. He waits.

Yes, there are times when He may resist us, gently pushing against our prideful efforts. He will wait until we stop our harmful activity. Our problem is not that God won't come to us; it's that our anxious souls fail to give Him time to speak.

Remember, His thoughts are "higher than" our thoughts (Isa. 55:9). He would speak to us, but our opinions monopolize the conversation. Our ideas and preprogrammed reactions rush out of our mouths and into the world of men. We hurry by the narrow path that leads to His presence. He is left out of the conversation; He wants in.

Jesus taught, "Take care what you listen to" (Mark 4:24). Do we truly know how to listen? Discernment is the art of listening to Him who does not speak audibly and perceiving Him who is otherwise invisible. And the one great question that leads to all we need to know is this: What does Jesus say?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fight with Wisdom and Discernment

Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ

How can you defeat your enemy if you don't know who or what you are fighting? Pastor Francis shares biblical insights on the gift of discernment and what it means to possess the mind of Christ. A few of the chapters are classics from Francis' previously published books; they have been rewritten, updated, and included here as foundational to our understanding of spiritual discernment.

Includes extra chapters from several of pastor's other books, including three from The Three Battlegrounds. These additional chapters give continuity and additional insight into the important subject of spiritual discernment.

Includes a training CD titled, Society of the Redeemers.

Book and Free Training CD - $7.50 (Retail $12.85)
Ebook - $5.75 (Retail $12.85)

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The Three Battlegrounds

Any time the Spirit of God's kingdom is truly manifested in the earth, it will ultimately confront the strongholds of hell. Indeed, wherever evil spirits have either a foothold or a stronghold, you can expect that the overcoming church will be engaged in warfare, and expect also that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus builds.

In this book, Francis Frangipane explores the three arenas of spiritual warfare that the maturing Christian will face: the mind, the church and the heavenly places. It provides a foundation of insight, wisdom and discernment on the nature of the battle and the keys to victory.

View Francis introducing this book

Book - $7.50 (Retail $12.45)
Ebook - $5.75 (Retail $12.45)

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Both books - $14.00
(Retail $25.30)

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

 

January 11, 2019

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In Christ's Image Training with Francis Frangipane

Pastor Francis will be ministering at Integrity Church, in Bonita Springs, Florida. Francis' theme will be exposing the enemy's strongholds in our lives, and he will also be sharing on how to abide in the stronghold of God. Please consider yourself welcome.

January 19, 2019 - Integrity Church in Bonita Springs Florida 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday morning.

Seminar times will be as follows:
First meeting: 9:00 am to 9:45 am
Break: 9:45 am to 10:00 am
Second meeting: 10:00 am to 10:45 am
Break: 10:45 am - 11:00 am
Third meeting: 11:00 am- 11:45 am

 
Integrity Church
10421 Pennsylvania Ave
Bonita Springs, FL 34135 www.integritychurchswfl.com
integritychurchweb@gmail.com
Phone: 774-202-9144
We are planning to stream the messages. Check the Ministries of Francis Frangipane website on Saturday morning, January 19, for more information.

Thank you!

Ministries of Francis Frangipane
www.frangipane.org

"One Message"

"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.

A half-hour before I had to leave for church, I had not quit pacing the bedroom floor. For the umpteenth time, I asked, "Lord, what is the message?" when suddenly the electricity to our home clicked off, reset, and then came back on. This, in turn, caused the answering machine on my desk to also reset. Perfectly synchronized with my prayer asking for a sermon topic, the machine replied in its computerized voice: "You . . . have . . . one . . . message."

When a voice comes out of the air and says, "You have one message," if your message is not centered upon the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, you have missed the purpose of Christianity! That morning I preached Jesus. People said there was more fire than ever in my sermon.

The fact is, the church has only one message. The proclamation of who Jesus is and what He has accomplished is the eternal message of the church; it is the only message the Father promises to confirm with power. To reveal Jesus through obedience to what He taught is to bring the life of His kingdom into our world. As we return to the "simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3), we will find the most powerful manifestations of the Lord Jesus awaiting us. Indeed, at the end of the age, the church that loves Him will display Him. We will reveal His glory.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Days of His Presence, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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The Days of His Presence


While we should be mindful of end-time events, we must not become fearful of them. Indeed, to become overly focused upon the signs of the end can be a distraction. Signs point to something bigger than themselves. Rising before us is a glorious sunrise. Let us not become so absorbed with the movement of fleeing shadows that we miss the awe of the One who is dawning upon us. Many have written about the shadows; this book is primarily about the increasing light.

Book - $9.75 (Retail $13.00)
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In the Days Ahead: A Prophetic Overview
Two-Message Series

In this series, Pastor Frangipane shares two visions the Lord gave him over forty-five years ago.

The CD series, In the Days Ahead, has two audio messages. The first, "The Glory of Christ," focuses on the intensifying presence of the Lord in the last days.

The second message is "The Currency of Heaven." How can we lay up treasures in Heaven and then draw from that heavenly account for our earthly needs? Currency is purchasing power. So what exactly is the purchasing power of Heaven and how can we possess eternal wealth?

Message titles:
The Glory of Christ | The Currency of Heaven

CD Audio Series - $9.00 (Retail $12.00)
DVD Video Series - $18.00 (Retail $24.00)

MP3 Audio Series Download - $4.50 (Retail $6.00)
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

Christ, Our Life

For many, Christianity is simply the religion into which they were born. For others, although Jesus is truly their Savior, their relationship with Him is hardly more than a history lesson, a study of what He did in the past. For those who truly love Him, however, Christ is Savior and more: He is their very life (Col. 3:4). When Jesus is your life you cannot go on without Him.

There is a story of a young man who, in his search for God, came to study at the feet of an old sage. The master brought this young man to a lake, and then led him out into the shoulder-deep water. Putting his hands upon his pupil's head, he promptly pushed him under the water and continued to hold him there until his disciple, feeling he would surely drown, frantically repelled the old man's resistance. In shock and confusion the young man resurfaced. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. His teacher looked him in the eyes and said, "When you desire God as you desired air, you shall find Him."

Was this not the attitude of the psalmist when he wrote, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God" (Ps. 42:1)? You see, there is a place in seeking God where our heart goes beyond the limits of casual desire, where the actual issue becomes one of survival--where I need Christ as a drowning man needs air and as a parched deer needs water. It is here, where we feel we cannot exist without finding the reality of God, that our deepest passion is fulfilled.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training. 
Online course begins January 4, 2019.
Registration closes December 27, 2018.
Extended through December 31, 2018

In Christ's Image Training is a six-month, online course developed by Pastor Frangipane. These are proven truths that break chains and lead to power in our Christian walk.

 
Enrollment overview:

1) Go to www.icitc.org and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page, and Tuition page.

2) Choose an enrollment plan.

3) Next, complete the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday, December 27 Monday, December 31.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins January 4, 2019.

For more info, please see www.icitc.org.

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A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2018
All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong . . ."



This and other video clips and videos are available on the Ministries of Francis Frangipane YouTube channel.

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Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training. 
Online course begins January 4, 2019.
Registration closes December 27, 2018.
Extended through December 31, 2018

In Christ's Image Training is a six-month, online course developed by Pastor Frangipane. These are proven truths that break chains and lead to power in our Christian walk.

ICIT provides focused training in four essential stages of spiritual development:

The vision of attaining Christ's likeness
Possessing Christ's humility
Developing a strong prayer life
Becoming one with other Christ believers

The course comes right to your home via email and audio messages and is designed to lift one's focus toward the actual presence of Jesus Christ. The full course not only includes 48 lessons and 39 audio messages (sample audio), but the discerning student will actually find the Lord using the weekly lessons to stage opportunities to deepen the truths found in the training.

For those with limited funds, the entire text is free by email. Just enroll in the Free Lesson Plan (new students only please).

Student testimonies   |   Francis presenting the course

Enrollment overview:

1) Go to www.icitc.org and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page, and Tuition page.

2) Choose an enrollment plan.

3) Next, complete the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday, December 27 Monday, December 31.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins January 4, 2019.

For more info, please see www.icitc.org.

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Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.

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A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2018
All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

 

December 28, 2018

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Subscribe to receive
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______________________

Accepting
Registrations

In Christ's Image Training

Ask about our free
online course!

Accepting registrations for the January 4
Level I class

Level I information

______________________

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Be sure and visit our Specials page
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 • Place an order with Arrow Publications


______________________

Website Resources   
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______________________

Comments and Questions
eword@frangipane.org
______________________

Level I registration extended through Monday, December 31.

In Christ's Image Training

Level I classes begin January 4, 2019

There are qualities of heart that actually attract the pleasure of God. If we possess unoffendable faith in our pursuit of Christ's likeness; if we walk humbly with our God; if we position ourselves in the intercessor's gap; and if we abide in Christ-centered unity with the local body of Christ -- we will attract the pleasure of God, and when we awaken His pleasure, His power soon follows. Sign up today for our next In Christ's Image Training course starting January 4. www.icitc.org.

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training. 
Online course begins January 4, 2019.
Registration closes December 27, 2018.
Extended through December 31, 2018


In Christ's Image Training is a six-month, online course developed by Pastor Frangipane. These are proven truths that break chains and lead to power in our Christian walk.

ICIT provides focused training in four essential stages of spiritual development:

The vision of attaining Christ's likeness
Possessing Christ's humility
Developing a strong prayer life
Becoming one with other Christ believers

The course comes right to your home via email and audio messages and is designed to lift one's focus toward the actual presence of Jesus Christ. The full course not only includes 48 lessons and 39 audio messages (sample audio), but the discerning student will actually find the Lord using the weekly lessons to stage opportunities to deepen the truths found in the training.

For those with limited funds, the entire text is free by email. Just enroll in the Free Lesson Plan (new students only please).

Student testimonies   |   Francis presenting the course

Enrollment overview:

     1) Go to www.icitc.org and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page,          and Tuition page.

     2) Choose an enrollment plan.

     3) Next, complete the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday,          December 27 Monday, December 31.

     4) Submit the registration form - Class begins January 4, 2019.

For more info, please see www.icitc.org.

The Grinch That Stole Christians

Can we have a little family talk? For most of you, this won't apply, but the devil has some of us bound, where we are focused on issues that are not the real issue. What do I mean? A few Christians have been taught that, according to Jeremiah 10:4, God is against the use of Christmas trees. The text reads, "They decorate it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter." Superimpose the image of our silver and gold Christmas decorations and we have a "revelation" that God hates Christmas (or at least Christmas trees).

However, if you read the entire chapter, it isn't talking about Christmas, but idols and people who worship them. So if you are sitting at home reading this and it's prior to December 25, you can get a Christmas tree. It's okay as long as you don't worship it. In fact, if you're reading this and it's past December 25, that might even be better -- Christmas trees and decorations are very inexpensive after Christmas.

Been There . . .
Please don't misunderstand me or think that I'm condemning anyone for their faith about this. I'm writing as one who, for ten years, didn't allow my family to celebrate Christmas. I, too, had been taught this interpretation of Jeremiah 10:4. I thought I was suffering persecution for my faith when relatives or friends criticized our colorless, joyless, loveless viewpoint about Christmas. Their criticisms actually hardened my heart and made my stand more firm.

Avoiding Christmas wasn't easy. We had five children and a foster child. Each December the children had to listen as I explained theologically why the Christmas tree was evil and not celebrating Jesus' birthday was good. Finally, with childlike innocence and purity, my oldest daughter, who was nine at the time, asked why gift giving was evil if we were also honoring Jesus.

Suddenly, my heart melted. I saw how religiously unloving this doctrine had made me. We weren't being persecuted for our faith, but for my stubbornness and lack of love. I deserved to be criticized. So I asked my family to forgive me, and we decided to have our first Christmas.

We were quite poor at the time and couldn't afford a tree. However, there was an evergreen growing in the ditch along the road by our farmhouse that I cut down and dragged into the living room. It was an ugly tree with the kind of needles that fall quickly. But we had love and we celebrated the Incarnation of Jesus as a family.

Saturnalia 
Perhaps the worst thing about not celebrating Christmas is the isolation; it cuts us off from a multitude of people whom we could reach during this season. People, in general, are more open to Christ. If I go into a mall for any reason in December, I love listening to songs about Christ's birth. Yes, I know "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" will probably be playing also. So what? It won't stop me from rejoicing when I hear "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" or "Joy to the World." In my spirit, I agree with the songs.

Sometimes I actually sing along out loud. They are awesome songs. Other times I quietly pray for the Holy Spirit to fall on people as they listen to music that was inspired by people who sought the heart of God. Why be upset with that? Why not praise God? Why be so focused on what's wrong that we fail to celebrate what's right? We can be miserable, complaining, joyless, critical, loveless people sometimes, and then we wonder why God doesn't lead people to us.

Christ's Great Commission commanded us to "Go!" to where people are, not wait until they come to us. Paul said, "To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it" (1 Cor. 9:20-23).

You see, the law or principle we follow is the law of love. Jesus said, "But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you" (Luke 11:41). Love sanctifies and redeems what it touches. Because of love, Paul was able to "become all things to all men." I have no doubt Paul would be at every Christmas gathering he was invited to, using it as an opportunity to win people to Christ.

And before you wonder how deep I was into this anti-Christmas mentality, yes, I knew the history of Saturnalia, and how in the third century the early church combined the celebration of the winter solstice (a pagan holiday time) with the celebration of Jesus' birth. Yet I also know that the winter solstice happens to be that time of the year when daylight begins to increase, so it is not inappropriate to celebrate Christ's birth at this time.

I also understand that some may teach Jesus was probably born in October or April, depending on which basis of research one relies upon. But what difference does it really make? Hundreds of millions of people believe the Jesus was born on December 25, and multitudes reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation at some time during this season. So why be uptight about the date, especially when arguing about it alienates you from the very people Christ calls you to love? Why get hung up on when the Incarnation occurred when we can experience the reality of the Incarnation right now and bring Him into people's hearts?

Finally
We, the Frangipane family, celebrate Christmas. We have a tree and ornaments. We are pretty low key about its size. Some years we buy a smaller, living evergreen and then replant it in the yard in the spring. But we are not focused on peripheral issues; we are focused on Christ and celebrating Him with others during this time.

One more thing: the best way to win people to Christ is to simply enjoy them. Picture Jesus laughing, telling stories, enjoying people as He reached to them. Let's reveal Him, not the Grinch, this holiday season.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

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A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
Economic liberty can produce the evil of greed; political liberty, the evil of pride; religious liberty, the evil of authority; and liberty can also produce an excuse for laziness. 

NO KING IN ISRAEL      
"In those days there was no king in Israel, every man did as he pleased." [Judges (Shofetim) 17. 6 Tanakh, Nevi'im] 

In the Book of Judges, we are told four times that "there was no king in Israel in those days" [Judges/Shofetim 17. 6; 18. 1; 19. 1; 21. 25], suggesting that the book was either authored by Samuel (the last judge) or by someone of a later generation.  The first and last of these texts add, "every man did as he pleased."  Tribal leaders were following the ways of humanistic thought leading people away from the knowledge of GOD.  Therefore, the HOLY ONE delivered them to their enemies who put them under oppression.  The ALMIGHTY INFINITE GOD raised up judges from the different tribes to lead the people out of bondage on occasions of widespread repentance and prayer. 

Between these periods were times of oppression from Israel's enemies, and there was moral and spiritual turmoil among the people.  They did have a KING, but refused HIM, as did the men in the parable who "sent a delegation after HIM saying — We will not have this MAN to reign over us." [Luke 19. 14]  They demanded a human king, and Samuel rebuked them for adamantly declaring, "No, we must have a king reigning over us — though the LORD your GOD is your KING." [1 Samuel (Shemuel Alef) 12. 12 Tanakh, Nevi'im] 

We can and should be critical of the ancient Israelites for rejecting the ETERNAL ONE as their KING and each man doing as he pleased; and then, we should TAKE WARNING because this is exactly what people are doing today.  "There is no fear of GOD before their eyes" and they are "lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of GOD." [Romans 3. 18; 2 Timothy 3. 4]   When every man believes "what makes him comfortable" and does "what he feels like doing" he has, in consequence, become his own god — or unmistakably is practicing humanism. 

To develop the mind-set of MESSIAH means submission, obedience, servant-hood and sacrifice, all of which mean making choices, every one of which are hard.  But when we decide that the attitude and mind-set of the LORD is right, we have the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD working in us to assist in endeavoring to bring our mind-set in line with HIS. 

Ancient humanism was an empty religion, and so is modern humanism.  They wanted a human king and today's world will yield to a humanistic king to lead them on to a final deadly confrontation with the true "KING of kings and LORD of lords."  It is wiser to worship the ETERNAL KING OF GLORY, believe the INSPIRED WRITTEN HOLY WORD OF GOD, and submit to HIS leadership before it is too late! 


Sha'alu (Pray) for the Shalom (Peace) of JerUSAlem and all of Israel!
Redeem Israel, O ELOHIYM, out of all their troubles!
  "Barukh attah ADONAI, MELEKH m'hulal batishbachot. . . Blessed are you LORD, the KING to be praised in adoration." 
  Praises to YOU LORD, our KING, our GREAT GOD & GOD of our Fathers, may our lives be a continual act of worship to YOU.  Teach us to be satisfied with the gifts of YOUR goodness and gratefully rejoice in YOUR many mercies to us.  Purify our hearts, make us zealous for YOUR Law that we may serve YOU in truth that brings rest and joy, peace and comfort throughout every generation.  Guard our mouth that YOUR NAME be kept holy, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to YOU, O LORD, my ROCK and my REDEEMER.  Amen!   May you be about our FATHER’S business, while it is yet day.
  Our prayer is that the flame of the LORD Y’SHUA ha'MASHIACH burn brightly in your heart as you share HIS light with others this Christmas Season.  Wishing you Christmas Sameach (Joy)! 

Praying for the peace of Jerusalem, is praying for the return of our Messiah and Lord and for the Kingdom of God He is bringing when He comes.  Then God's Will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven and the world will experience true godly universal peace which is the fruit of Righteousness.

Thoughts Archived:  www.groups.yahoo.com/group/delrifkah/  

End-time Events:  www.delrifkah.com/Facepage.html

Dear Friends,

Just a reminder that our ministry expenses are met by the faithful and generous support of people just like you. If you've been blessed by the teaching of Pastor Frangipane, please consider becoming a supporter of this ministry. Thank you!

www.frangipane.org/support.html

For those of you in the States, please remember that if you would like to give a year-end donation by check, be sure to date your check no later than 12/31/2018. Remember too that your envelope must be postmarked no later than 12/31/18 if you want to receive a tax deduction for 2018. 

God bless,

Staff of Pastor Francis Frangipane 
Advancing Church Ministries
www.frangipane.org

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2018
All rights reserved.

When the Unclean Becomes Clean
(En Español)

There are unfathomable mysteries concerning the Messiah's entrance into our world, realities that are beyond our powers of comprehension: His divine conception, the manifestation of the angelic hosts, the miraculous star that led the wise men, etc. Yet one reality strikes me the most: of all places where the Son of God might have been born, His birth came in the uncleanness of a stable.

With myriads of angels at the Almighty's command, we might assume the world's Creator would have orchestrated better accommodations, perhaps the home of a rich man or more appropriately, a king. Yet the staging of Christ's birthplace was symbolic of His life and purpose. Indeed, when I contemplate the message broadcast in the birthplace of Christ, I realize that He who was born in the uncleanness of a stable is not offended or repulsed by the uncleanness in you or me.

The Union of the Clean with the Unclean
As a backdrop to the issue of Christ's birthplace, consider: the Old Testament has over 250 references to clean and unclean things. In all cases the principle is the same: when something (or someone) clean is touched by the unclean, that which was clean is contaminated by the unclean. The fact is, cleanliness is directly associated with the holiness of God in scores of verses in the book of Leviticus.

Certain health conditions could render a person unclean, such as skin diseases or a woman's issue of blood. When one was unclean, they were required to stay away from their community until their condition changed and their restored health was verified by a priest. Lepers and others with contagious skin diseases were not only categorically unclean but in public were required to ring a bell while calling in a loud voice, "Unclean! Unclean!" to warn others (Lev. 13:45).

However, when Christ came upon lepers, He did not back away; rather, He touched and healed them! The unclean became clean! Beloved, with the Messiah, the entire principle of clean and unclean is reversed! Jesus, who is clean, does not become unclean by touching us; we become clean by touching Him! Just as the Lord affirmed to Peter, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:15).

Many people do not accept Christ simply because they are too aware of their inner uncleanness. Yet once we accept Christ, the indwelling of Christ not only washes us, but His presence makes us holy. Do you see? We are holy because He is holy. We are clean because His blood and His word cleanse us. We can never become clean until Christ comes to dwell in our spirits. He says, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me" (John 13:8).

This season, regardless of the uncleanness you sometimes feel inwardly, open your heart to Christ. Let the Redeemer enter. He who emerged in our world in a stable will not be offended at your need. Let His cleanness cleanse and heal that which is unclean within you.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

Have you ever wished you could be personally mentored by Pastor Francis?

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In Christ's Image Training

Level I classes begin January 4, 2019

There are qualities of heart that actually attract the pleasure of God. If we possess unoffendable faith in our pursuit of Christ's likeness; if we walk humbly with our God; if we position ourselves in the intercessor's gap; and if we abide in Christ-centered unity with the local body of Christ -- we will attract the pleasure of God, and when we awaken His pleasure, His power soon follows. Sign up today for our next In Christ's Image Training course starting January 4. www.icitc.org.

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training. 
Online course begins January 4, 2019.
Registration closes December 27, 2018.

In Christ's Image Training is a six-month, online course developed by Pastor Frangipane. These are proven truths that break chains and lead to power in our Christian walk.

ICIT provides focused training in four essential stages of spiritual development:

The vision of attaining Christ's likeness
Possessing Christ's humility
Developing a strong prayer life
Becoming one with other Christ believers

The course comes right to your home via email and audio messages and is designed to lift one's focus toward the actual presence of Jesus Christ. The full course not only includes 48 lessons and 39 audio messages (sample audio), but the discerning student will actually find the Lord using the weekly lessons to stage opportunities to deepen the truths found in the training.

For those with limited funds, the entire text is free by email. Just enroll in the Free Lesson Plan (new students only please).

Student testimonies   |   Francis presenting the course

Enrollment overview:

     1) Go to www.icitc.org and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page,          and Tuition page.

     2) Choose an enrollment plan.

     3) Next, complete the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday,          December 27.

     4) Submit the registration form - Class begins January 4, 2019.

For more info, please see www.icitc.org.

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The Silent Harvest
(En Español)

In a dream I found myself inside the mind of a dying man. The man had been in a coma for some time; his family had been praying, but they did not know whether or not he had accepted Christ. All they were sure of is that, throughout his life, he had resisted their efforts to lead him to Christ.

As I dreamt I became so acutely aware of the man's state of mind that his thoughts, feelings and struggles almost seemed my own. Although his eyes were nearly closed and his vision clouded, he could see his loved ones at his bedside. I watched as he tried to reach toward his family, but outwardly his arm never lifted. I heard him speak their names, but no sound whispered through his lips. A loved one holding his hand asked, "If you hear me, squeeze." He heard and pressed his fingers against hers, but no movement was seen; his hand clearly remained limp. He was conscious; he could hear their prayers; he felt the warmth of their kisses on his face yet was perfectly incapable of responding.

The pride and isolation that had, throughout his life, stood guard over his heart were gone. A physical catastrophe had overtaken him. Death approached, and he knew he was unprepared for eternity. Submerged beneath his motionless exterior, a war had raged for his soul, and the Lord had won. Subdued by the relentless force of God's love, he was finally at peace. It was during his time in the hospital that he had silently prayed and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I was watching his last effort to tell them He found Christ as life ebbed out of his body.

Suddenly, monitoring alarms ripped through the muffled silence of the room. His heart beat one last time, and I found myself looking down at the body of a man who had just died. The room was buzzing with nurses, while his family huddled in a corner, grieving. The idea of their loved one dying without receiving Christ was more devastating than the reality of death itself. I stirred and then woke. Yet just as I left the dream, the Lord spoke to my heart: "Tell them he's with Me."

Although some time has passed since I first had this dream, I am increasingly aware that many of God's people carry a deep abiding heartache concerning the death of an unsaved loved one. Obviously this dream does not apply to all, but there are some for whom this experience is divinely directed. Thus, I submit this to you in a general sense because the Holy Spirit has assured me He will personally bear witness to your heart if this word is for you.

I have also felt an urgency to pass this dream on to you. The Lord has an important work for you. However, the enemy has used this unresolved loss to sow doubt into your soul. Not only are you troubled about your deceased loved one, but you are carrying doubts about God's love, and you doubt also the power of prayer. Your confidence in God has been compromised. Yet it is precisely at this time that you need to stand without doubt for other members of your family.

Beloved, though there are many questions about the mysteries of life, we must not let the unknown obscure the face of the known: God is good. We know God loves us because He sent His Son to die for our sins. Indeed, Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). When we look at Christ, we see God, and we know that God cares.

Additionally, some of us have lost loved ones in sudden tragedies, where they seemingly had no time to repent or turn to God. Let me remind you: many who have faced near-death experiences tell of seeing their "life flash before [their] eyes." Indeed, they say that time itself seems to stop or slow dramatically. I believe that, even in what seemed like a "sudden" death, time slowed to a crawl. According to their testimonies, there is enough time in this altered consciousness to ponder one's entire life -- and to make a decision or even call upon the name of the Lord. (Acts 2:21).

In spite of what we do not know about life's many mysteries, one thing remains eternally true: God is our loving Father. He does not desire that any man perish, and He will fight to save us, even to the moment of our death. Let us, therefore, cast our burdens upon the Lord, for He genuinely cares for us. And let us again run with endurance the race set before us, for He has promised that even for those "sitting in the . . . shadow of death, upon them a Light dawned" (Matt. 4:16).

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins. Lord, there are many issues I do not know, but I do know that You are good. Those things I do not understand, along with my praise, I give to You. I trust You with my life, and I put in Your hands the care of those I love.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

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November 30, 2018

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If We Do Not Lose Heart
(En Español)

The prophet Daniel warns of a time when Satan will "wear down the saints of the Highest One" (Dan. 7:25). How this occurs in the final hours of the age remains to be seen, but this battle is already occurring today. The final effect of what seems like never-ending delays is that believers are worn out.

Do you know anyone who is weary with his or her battle? Are you yourself weary? I know many who seem trapped in situations that should have been remedied months and even years ago, but the battle continues against them. Situations and people, often empowered by demonic resistance, stand in opposition to the forward progress of God’s people. As a result of constant demonic opposition, many Christians gradually accept a quiet, but weighty, oppression on their souls.

This battle to wear out the saints may be rooted in conflicts with children or spouses; perhaps it is some unresolved issue or division within their churches. It may be a work conflict or health battle, yet on and on it goes. Like a skilled and masterful thief, the enemy daily steals the joy, strength and passion of Christians, and many do not even realize what they have lost or how much.

The scale is actually larger than our personal struggles. Consider the various conflicts in the world. Some have continued for generations. We can understand why, even in the midst of great worship and praise by the redeemed, there is a place under the altar in Heaven where the saints continue to ask, "How long, O Lord?" (Rev. 6:10). Fifty-eight times in the Bible, from beginning to end, the phrase how long is echoed by those who grew weary with waiting.

Sometimes the delays are God-ordained to perfect faith and character. On the other hand, there are also occasions when Satan seeks to resist the fulfillment of God’s plans until we grow weary and quit. Satan is the dragon whose goal is to "drag-on" the battle with draining, wearying delays. He persists until we wear out, give up and quit praying.

Additionally, as situations stretch beyond reasonably expected conclusions, weariness of soul can also exacerbate the original situation, leading to fleshly reactions or just overreactions, which also need resolution. We lose patience, eventually seeking relief rather than victory. This compromises the standards of God and conscience.

Perseverance
There is a reason the book of Revelation mentions the word perseverance seven times. Over and over again we see those who persevered and overcame. It is one thing to have vision, another to have godly motives, but neither will carry us to our objectives by itself. We must also persevere.

The root of the word persevere is the word severe. We must face the fact that en route to victory our trials may get severe. Likewise, it is with severe faith -- severe or extreme steadfastness -- that we inherit the promises of God (Heb. 10:36). James tells us: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

Endurance. Perseverance. Steadfastness. These are the qualities that breed character, that transform the doctrine of Christlikeness into a way of life. "Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect." The key to true maturity, to a life "lacking in nothing," is perseverance.

Character Before Breakthrough
We mentioned Daniel earlier as a prophet who warned about Satan’s ploy to wear down the saints. God gave him a vision of the end of the age. Here is what he wrote: "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them" (Dan. 7:21). This is the nature of the battle. There are times we feel war storming against our souls, overpowering us. But the prophet said the sense of overpowering continued only "until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom" (v. 22).

There is a principle here that, once understood, will lead to victory in our battles. If we endure, if we climb higher into God, if we refuse to lose our trust in God, a time will come when the Ancient of Days enters our circumstances. Looking at our newly developed character, which has grown strong through perseverance, He will pass judgment in favor of our cause. God looks at our character, forged in the fire of overpowering delays and battle, and says, "Good, this is what I was waiting for."

Whatever your battle, whether you are praying for your country or standing for your children, whether your cry is for the lost or for the end of some local or personal conflict, remember: it is not enough to sow the right seeds or even have the right soil. We will only reap "if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:9 NKJV).

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, This Day We Fight!, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
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The Days of His Presence

While we should be mindful of end-time events, we must not become fearful of them. Indeed, to become overly focused upon the signs of the end can be a distraction. Signs point to something bigger than themselves. Rising before us is a glorious sunrise. Let us not become so absorbed with the movement of fleeing shadows that we miss the awe of the One who is dawning upon us. Many have written about the shadows; this book is primarily about the increasing light.

Book - $7.80 (Retail $13.00)
Ebook - $7.80 (Retail $13.00)

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Days of His Presence
Companion Teaching - Audio Series

This is a companion audio album to the book by the same title. Listen to these original radio messages on their own or as you read the book; either way you will be powerfully impacted.

Message titles:
Days of His Glory | Christ in You
Behind Our Walls
Priority of His Passion | In God's Tabernacle

CD Audio Series - $13.20 (Retail $22.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $6.60 (Retail $11.00)

Visit our Special's page to order

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Copyright (c) 2018
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

"With the Glance of Your Eyes"
(En Español)

"Who is this that grows like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure as the sun, as awesome as an army with banners?" ---Song of Solomon 6:10

We were created for more than just having a religion. Indeed, in regards to satisfying our deeper longings, a time will come when we realize that religion is not enough. It satisfies neither us nor Christ. God's Word reveals that Christ wants to actually, personally, know us (Matt. 7: 22-23).

You say, "But He does know us!" In His omniscience, He knows everything. But in His love He seeks to know us as His bride, where we live in unbroken union with Him. Because He purchased us with His blood, He has the right to our souls, our secrets, and our dreams. He wants the person we are when no one else is looking. Yet He will not force Himself upon us. This is not the way of love.

In truth, we love because He first loved us. We become committed to Him because of His commitment to us. This interpenetration of our lives with Christ's -- this oneness born of love -- is the only destiny for the church for which Christ is content. At the end of the age, nothing short of oneness with Christ will sustain us.

God is Love
I know the fear of the Lord and that it is the beginning of true knowledge. I delight in the fear of the Lord. Yet, just as John wrote, we each must know and believe the love which God has for us (1 John 4:16).

Let us consider that the apostle who fell before Jesus as a dead man on the Isle of Pathos later wrote, "There is no fear in love" (1 John 4:18). The Lord knows holy fear is a strong deterrent from sin as well as a powerful ally in walking uprightly. Yet to draw near to Him we must know more than the fear of God; we must know "the love which God has for us." It is this perfect love from God that "casts out fear, because fear involves torment" (1 John 4:18 NKJV). It is this love alone that can bring the bride of Christ into her destiny.

The Heart of God
You may be reading this, and the thought of seeking God, of drawing nearer to Christ, may have triggered an initiative to do so. Yet when the thought first awakened within you, urging you to enter His presence, something also quickened in the heart of Christ. He says, "You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; you have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes" (Song of Sol. 4:9).

Your glance, even if it was no more than the briefest anticipation of being with Him, made His heart beat faster. The King James Version reads, "Thou hast ravished my heart." This is how the heart of Christ responds to our desire to be with Him.

Jesus is not returning simply to destroy wickedness; He is coming for a bride. At the end of the age our task is not simply to prepare for the Rapture or the Tribulation but to prepare for Christ Himself!

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7).

You see, our preparation is for Christ. The bride isn't wallowing in fear at what is coming upon the world; she is being swallowed up in love at who is coming to this world! We are not being prepared for a date, but a marriage! There is nothing more important to Jesus Christ than His bride, the church. For her He died; for her He lives to make intercession.

His love proved itself capable and worthy of winning our full redemption. Our most noble task is to fearlessly surrender to Him whose heart beats faster with the single glance of our eyes.

Lord, I confess, I've been distracted and anxious with my many tasks. Indeed, even my duties on Your behalf have, in a way, taken the place of Your presence. Master, beloved lover of my soul, I repent. I desire to know You, even as You have known me. Lord, I come.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Days of His Presence, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Save 40%
Limited time offer

The Days of His Presence


While we should be mindful of end-time events, we must not become fearful of them. Indeed, to become overly focused upon the signs of the end can be a distraction. Signs point to something bigger than themselves. Rising before us is a glorious sunrise. Let us not become so absorbed with the movement of fleeing shadows that we miss the awe of the One who is dawning upon us. Many have written about the shadows; this book is primarily about the increasing light.

Book - $7.80 (Retail $13.00)
Ebook - $7.80 (Retail $13.00)

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Days of His Presence
Companion Teaching - Audio Series

This is a companion audio album to the book by the same title. Listen to these original radio messages on their own or as you read the book; either way you will be powerfully impacted.

Message titles:
Days of His Glory | Christ in You
Behind Our Walls
Priority of His Passion | In God's Tabernacle

CD Audio Series - $13.20 (Retail $22.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $6.60 (Retail $11.00)

Visit our Special's page to order

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

It's a Package Deal
(En Español)

In 1983 I was asked to serve as pastor of a faith church. I had been away from the ministry for three years, and I had no idea what a "faith" church was, except that faith as a biblical concept seemed fairly sound. So I agreed.

I should add, this was not just any faith church; it was a satellite-dish-in-the-front-yard faith church. Painted across the top of the dish in huge, bright red letters were the words, "Jesus Is Lord."

I should also explain that my three-year hiatus between pastorates was due, in part, to a deep sense of failure I was carrying. A member of my former church died from a virus that within four days left her completely paralyzed. I had been with her, fasting and praying during this time. But when she died on the fifth day, the helplessness I felt crushed my confidence in prayer. It was the most traumatic experience of my young ministry.

After she died, I didn't know how to acknowledge my inner devastation, so I pretended my faith was still functional, but it wasn't. For months I still prayed for the sick, outwardly continuing to mimic the behavior of one who really believed. But inside, my secret cry was not a prayer of faith, but a whimper: "Please, God, don't let my unbelief make their condition any worse!"

Satan truly exploited my experience with death. In fact, I was so beat up, I took responsibility for her dying. I felt like I had failed this woman, her family and God Himself. In my mind, I was one of the shepherds Ezekiel rebuked for not healing the sheep (Ezek. 34:4). I felt like I had failed this woman, her family and God Himself. The only honest thing to do was leave the ministry.

It wasn't long after the woman died that my family and I left Michigan and moved to a little farmhouse in Iowa. Yet, even though I wanted to return to the ministry, the call to return would have to come from the Lord's initiative. It was three years before I received the invitation from the pastor of the Faith church.

Here I was, a man with a stronghold of unbelief teaching in a Faith church. It was an awkward time. Each month the church would watch special teaching seminars via satellite. Sooner or later, every faith teacher in America taught us their truths; each sermon, it seemed, was structured upon either the "mountain moving" faith of Mark 11:23 or the "prosperity" faith of 3 John 1:2.

I tried to appear polite and supportive, but inwardly I was growing more and more troubled. I was convinced that much of what we were receiving was either false or unbalanced teaching. By the ninth month, I found myself particularly agitated by what seem to be a complete distortion of a "faith" Scripture.

In our dark sanctuary, illuminated only by the light of our projection television, I quietly uttered an angry complaint, "Lord, these faith preachers are constantly misusing that verse!" Hardly was the thought out of my lips when, like a lightning bolt, the word of the Lord flashed into my mind. He said,

"At least they're using them!"

It was true. Ever since the death of our friend, I had completely stopped using faith verses. Until that moment I hadn't realized how void of real faith my heart had become. There was almost no expectancy in my voice of prayer.

In the very next moment the Holy Spirit spoke again to my heart. Reproving my self-righteousness, He said, "I will always speak to you through imperfect people. The moment you judge an imperfect person you simultaneously disqualify yourself from receiving from them."

That night I repented, not only of unbelief but of pride and fault finding, and as I did, my faith was restored. During that following year, our church saw people healed of cancers, deaf ears and arthritis! I am thankful to God for what He restored to me through the faith movement.

Through Imperfect People
The Lord used this situation to teach me a great secret: much of my spiritual progress does not come directly from God. I have learned to humble my heart and hear Him speaking through imperfect people. It has pleased Him to hide His manifold wisdom in a variety of denominational perspectives. I know that the more I humble myself to others, the broader my understanding has actually become.

Some will ask, "Aren't you afraid of being deceived by imperfect teachers?" When a teacher is truly off the mark, I will question him or her privately. But God knows, there are enough Bible experts to keep us all on the straight and narrow. I am thankful also for them! But, if we truly hope to find the kingdom of Heaven, we must remember, the Kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field. Thus, if we genuinely want the treasure, we cannot be offended by the earth that surrounds it. It's a package deal.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

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Perfectly Weak
According to the Scriptures, Moses was "educated in all the learning of the Egyptians." Indeed, as a prince in Egypt, Moses had grown to be a "man of power in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22). Thus, it is hard to equate this eloquent and cultured man with the stammering shepherd who, at eighty years old, was overwhelmed with his inadequacies, so much so that he pleaded with God to choose someone else.

Consider: the Lord took a self-assured world leader and reduced his opinion of himself until he possessed no confidence. And it was in this state of mind that God decided to use him. Having been thoroughly convinced of his unfitness for leadership, Moses was now qualified to lead.

Remarkably, the Lord would ultimately reveal Himself to Moses (and all Israel as well) as Jehovah-Rapha: "I am the Lord that healeth thee." Yes, God is our healer, yet there are times when God's hands wound before they heal. Indeed, He must cripple our self-confidence before we truly become God-confident. He breaks and drains us of pride so that we who were once full of self might instead be filled with God.

The Lord called Moses to return to Egypt as His spokesman. In response Moses pleaded, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Exod. 4:10).

Never been eloquent? What about Egypt? "Moses the Eloquent" has become "Moses the Stammerer." The identity of a sophisticated leader, a prince who knew the highest tiers of Egyptian culture, no longer functions in Moses. God has so humbled His servant that he cannot even remember his days of powerful words and mighty deeds. Moses has only one memory of Egypt: failure.

For Moses, the very mention of the word Egypt floods his mind with weakness; Moses fears returning to the place of his humiliation, especially as a leader. Yet God has not called him to be a leader, but a servant. And to be a servant, one need not be eloquent, but obedient.

The fact is, the Lord deliberately seeks those who know their flaws. Paul testifies that "God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong . . . the things that are not, so that He might nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God" (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

Therefore, let us not excuse ourselves from God's calling because of our weaknesses. You see, before the Almighty, we each are nothing, and we can do nothing of lasting value apart from Him. It is in our lowliness that God's glory rises to its greatest heights.

Perhaps your last place of service to the Lord seemed to be a complete failure. Yet it is possible that the Lord has simply been making you perfectly weak so that He might manifest Himself perfectly strong within you.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's In Christ's Image Training course.
(Thanks to R.D.)

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
In Christ's Image Training Materials
Save up to 20%
Limited time offer

These are the same materials that are offered in our In Christ's Image Training course.
Save when you purchase the entire 4-book series we call Basic Training.
Visit our Special's page to order
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Sign up to follow Francis Facebook page

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A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2018
All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

Perfectly Weak
According to the Scriptures, Moses was "educated in all the learning of the Egyptians." Indeed, as a prince in Egypt, Moses had grown to be a "man of power in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22). Thus, it is hard to equate this eloquent and cultured man with the stammering shepherd who, at eighty years old, was overwhelmed with his inadequacies, so much so that he pleaded with God to choose someone else.

Consider: the Lord took a self-assured world leader and reduced his opinion of himself until he possessed no confidence. And it was in this state of mind that God decided to use him. Having been thoroughly convinced of his unfitness for leadership, Moses was now qualified to lead.

Remarkably, the Lord would ultimately reveal Himself to Moses (and all Israel as well) as Jehovah-Rapha: "I am the Lord that healeth thee." Yes, God is our healer, yet there are times when God's hands wound before they heal. Indeed, He must cripple our self-confidence before we truly become God-confident. He breaks and drains us of pride so that we who were once full of self might instead be filled with God.

The Lord called Moses to return to Egypt as His spokesman. In response Moses pleaded, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Exod. 4:10).

Never been eloquent? What about Egypt? "Moses the Eloquent" has become "Moses the Stammerer." The identity of a sophisticated leader, a prince who knew the highest tiers of Egyptian culture, no longer functions in Moses. God has so humbled His servant that he cannot even remember his days of powerful words and mighty deeds. Moses has only one memory of Egypt: failure.

For Moses, the very mention of the word Egypt floods his mind with weakness; Moses fears returning to the place of his humiliation, especially as a leader. Yet God has not called him to be a leader, but a servant. And to be a servant, one need not be eloquent, but obedient.

The fact is, the Lord deliberately seeks those who know their flaws. Paul testifies that "God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong . . . the things that are not, so that He might nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God" (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

Therefore, let us not excuse ourselves from God's calling because of our weaknesses. You see, before the Almighty, we each are nothing, and we can do nothing of lasting value apart from Him. It is in our lowliness that God's glory rises to its greatest heights.

Perhaps your last place of service to the Lord seemed to be a complete failure. Yet it is possible that the Lord has simply been making you perfectly weak so that He might manifest Himself perfectly strong within you.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's In Christ's Image Training course.
(Thanks to R.D.)

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

Angry, Angry, Angry
(En Español)

One may argue, "Our society is decaying. We should be mad." Yes, but we can be angry yet still not sin (Eph. 4:26). Of course, I feel anger that the underpinnings of our culture are being dismantled by unprincipled men. Our souls should be vexed at the darkening cloud of demonic infestation in our culture, especially when children are caused to stumble or the weak are exploited. If we don't take a stand, the advance of evil ultimately means more people will die without Christ. So, if we are angry, it does not necessarily mean we have sinned. It can simply mean we care.

I am not surprised by the increased anger. My concern is that, unless this anger regenerates into something more redemptive, more Christlike, we will not see our cities renewed. Indeed, anger that does not awaken in us redemptive action ultimately degrades into bitterness and unbelief.

A Two-Pronged Attack
While hell advances into our world on many levels, I want to discuss two primary areas. The first manifestation is brazen, widespread and alarming. For example, a corrupt law gets passed or gang violence breaks out; or it might be that a public figure is scandalized. It's on the news and people are talking about it. The shock waves caused by this demonic intrusion smash against the sensibilities of our hearts: we're disappointed, offended, stunned and, often, outraged. In this state of mind, hell launches the second area of attack. There is no newscast dragging our attention to this next stage of warfare. On this front, the devil does not come flaunting himself. In seething whispers he stirs the pot of our discontent until it boils. Ultimately, where once the heart of the Christian was full of faith and love, now bitterness, hatred and malice churn in the souls of God's people. This is the second prong of the attack: the hardening of our hearts in reaction to evil.

So while we must fight the spiritual wars of our times, we must not compromise our capacity to love if we will actually win our war. We must remember we are not fighting against "flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Eph. 6:12 KJV).

Sadly, I have heard many people say recently that they've lost their vision for America. What they actually lost was not their vision, but their love. For love believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:7-8).

The Goal of God
I believe that if the Almighty's highest plan was to end evil on Earth, He could do so in a flash. Why does He wait? He desires to bring believers to Christlike maturity. In a moment evil would be gone, as it was with Sodom and Gomorrah. We must never forget: Jesus did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.

God is waiting for our spiritual maturity. Our Father desires to bring many sons and daughters to glory, and this world, even with all its evil, is the perfect setting for God to accomplish His eternal purpose.

Yes, we should be angry about what's wrong, but we must be Christlike in making things right. We cannot just be political; we must be spiritual.

Rightly there are times when we must defend the helpless among us, but concerning ourselves, let us consider again what Jesus commanded: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven" (Matt. 5:43-45).

To see our nation transformed, we must be transformed. We cannot become those whose hearts are given over to anger. Otherwise, we will risk becoming Christian hypocrites: angry that the world is not Christian but untroubled that we are not Christlike.

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The Power of One Christlike Life

Updated and revised, The Power of One Christlike Life carries a cargo of gold from the heart of a man after God's heart. This book by Pastor Frangipane contains the nectar of his walk with God. It is packed with revelation about the nature of God in Christ, and how the key to everything spiritual is found in the pursuit of Christ's likeness.

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

Beware of the Stronghold of Cold Love
(En Español)

Is your love growing softer, brighter and more visible? Or is it becoming more discriminating, more calculating, less vulnerable and less available? This is a very important issue, for your Christianity is only as real as your love. A measurable decrease in your ability to love is evidence that a stronghold of cold love is developing within you.

Jesus warned of our era. He said, "Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold" (Matt. 24:10-12). So let us honestly ask the Lord to examine us: Is our love hot or cold? Another's thoughtlessness may have wounded us deeply, but instead of forgiving the wound or going to them and discussing it according to Matthew 18, we go to others with our complaint. The wound then begins to germinate into a root of bitterness, and many are being defiled (Heb. 12:15). What is growing in us is not love but bitterness, which is unfulfilled revenge.

Again, Jesus warned that "stumbling blocks [would] come" (Matt. 18:7). There will be times when even good people have bad days; there will never be a time when "stumbling blocks" cease to be found upon your path. Remember also, people do not stumble over boulders but over stones -- little things. When you have stumbled over something, you've stopped walking.

Have you stumbled over someone's weakness or sin lately? Have you gotten back up and continued loving as you did before, or has that fall caused you to withdraw from walking in love? To preserve the quality of your love, you must forgive those who have caused you to stumble. Depending on the issue itself, it may be that you legitimately cannot trust them, but you do not have a reason to stop loving.

Every time you refuse to forgive or fail to overlook a weakness in another, your heart not only hardens toward them, it hardens toward God. You may still think you are open to God, but the Scriptures are clear: "The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20). You may not like what someone has done, but you do not have an option to stop loving them.

What do I mean by love? First, I do not merely mean "tough love." I mean gentle, affectionate, sensitive, open, persistent love. God will be tough when He needs to be, and we will be firm when He tells us to be, but beneath our firmness must be an underground river of love waiting to spring into action. When I have love for someone, I have predetermined that I am going to stand with them, regardless of what they are going through. I am committed.

We each need people who love us, who are committed to us in spite of our imperfections. The fullness of Christ will not come without Christians standing with each other in love. We are not talking about salvation but growing in salvation until we care for each other, even as Christ has committed Himself to us.

The goal of pulling down the stronghold of cold love is to see our hearts restored to the heart of Christ. You will be challenged in this, but if you persist, you will discover the height and depth and breadth of Christ's love. You will become "a body filled and flooded with God Himself" (Eph. 3:19 Amp).

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Three Battlegrounds, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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The Three Battlegrounds

Any time the Spirit of God's kingdom is truly manifested in the earth, it will ultimately confront the strongholds of hell. Indeed, wherever evil spirits have either a foothold or a stronghold, you can expect that the overcoming church will be engaged in warfare, and expect also that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus builds.

In this book, Francis Frangipane explores three arenas of spiritual warfare that the maturing Christian will face: the mind, the church and the heavenly places. It provides a foundation of insight, wisdom and discernment on the nature of the battle and the keys to victory.

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

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The Shelter of God
(En Español)

There is a place of immunity for the believer, a spiritual fortress in Christ that shelters us from the attacks of the devil. For those who abide in this stronghold of God, the onslaught of the wicked one does not touch them. Here, in this secret dwelling with the Almighty, we are hidden from the effects of the accuser's tongue; we are sheltered from the assignment of the destroyer.

The dictionary defines immunity as "freedom or exemption, as from a penalty, burden, duty or evil." This is how the living God wants His children to walk: in freedom from the penalties and burdens of sin, delivered from the duties of legalistic religion, protected and triumphant over the assault of the evil one.

Survey the landscape of the Bible. You will find hundreds of examples of God's loving protection. Every time the Lord pleaded with sinful Israel to return to Him, it was to urge them back to His protection; each time they responded, they were secured again within the shelter of God. The Scripture says, "He shielded them and cared for them, guarding them as the apple of his eye" (Deut. 32:10 NAB).

A Father's Care
God is not only our Creator; He is also our Father. As such, it is inconceivable that He would leave His children unprotected. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus says our Father knows our needs before we ask Him. If we, even in our fallen condition, seek to provide for our children, how much more does God in His perfection seek to shelter and care for His offspring!

Scripture testifies that He has "granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Pet. 1:3). The more we possess a true knowledge of the Almighty, the more accessible His provisions for us become. What has He given us? He has prepared an abiding place for us where all that we need concerning life and godliness is ours. It is a place where every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places belongs to us in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

David knew of this awesome place of protection. He wrote, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress . . . in whom I take refuge; my shield and . . . my stronghold" (Ps. 18:2). Again, speaking of those who fear God, David prayed, "You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues" (Ps. 31:20). And again, "You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance" (Ps. 32:7).

In David's personal life, he knew the living God as a spiritual stronghold and a place of safety from conflict. The king was intimately familiar with this special place in God's presence. It was here in the fortress of God that David's soul was sheltered.

For Those Who Follow Christ
This stronghold was not just a special provision for prophets and godly kings. From the day of Christ's resurrection, the entrance into the citadel of Heaven was opened to all who would follow the Messiah. Discovering this abode where Christ literally floods us with His life is not merely the subject of this message; it is the object of our existence!

How shall we find this spiritual place? We simply begin by loving Jesus. He said, "He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him" (John 14:21). If we persevere in love and obedience, Jesus has promised to progressively reveal Himself to us.

Consider the magnitude of Jesus' promise! He continued, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him" (John 14:23).

This unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ to our hearts is the path to the abode of God. It is the shelter of the Most High, which is the stronghold of God.

Lord, with the psalmist I cry, "When shall I enter the courts of the living God?" You are our Father; do not hide Yourself from us, Your children! Bring us to Your lap, O God! Hold us to Your heart; assure us with the fullness of Your Spirit that You indeed are near. Thank You, Lord!

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Shelter of the Most High. To order The Shelter of the Most High, or any book written by Francis Frangipane, please see www.arrowbookstore.com.

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In Christ's Image Training
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.