FRANCIS FRANGIPANE MINISTRIES

When David Captured Jerusalem,
Part 2

From his earliest years David knew God was calling him to defeat the Jebusites. In fact, Scripture tells us that when David was still just a youth, after he killed Goliath, he took the "Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem" (1 Sam. 17:54). At that time, Jerusalem was called Jebus and was occupied by the Jebusites. It was as though David were saying, "Okay, I'm just a young buck, but I've conquered this Philistine giant. Remember me; I will be back."

Fewer than twenty years later David returned, now as king of Israel. As he had conquered Goliath, so he conquered the stronghold of the Jebusites and renamed it the "City of David," soon to be known as Jerusalem.

This exploit of David’s was not centered around his personal fulfillment, but on the fulfillment of God's Word. God's Word cannot return to Him without fulfilling its purpose. When King David heard the taunts of the Jebusites, he interpreted his strategy in light of the promises of God. At stake was the integrity of the Lord's personal promise to Abraham and to his seed: "Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies" (Gen. 22:17, NIV). While the Jebusites had history on their side, David had the unalterable Word of God on his side!

It is the heritage of Abraham's spiritual offspring to bring the prevailing influence of God into their communities. That is not my word or yours, but the promise of God Almighty! He said it and He will fulfill it. His people shall possess the gates of their enemies. It is a reproach to us that the devil wants our cities more than the Church does! David's desire for Jerusalem was a godly desire that came to him from the Lord. Indeed, what outwardly was to become David's city was soon to become the city of God.

As David simply believed God's Word, so also must we. The Lord has promised that "nations will come to [our] light" (Isa. 60:3). Let us take God at His word! "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). Do you believe? Or are you just a nice unbeliever who goes to church?

Beloved, if we fail, it is no great shame. We simply join the ranks of the spiritual heroes who went before us, who "died in faith, without receiving the promises" (Heb. 11:13). In truth, it is better to die in faith than to live in doubt.

But consider: What if we succeed? What if we find in these last days the Spirit of God helping us to see our cities healed and our nations turned?

Lord, You have promised that nations shall come to our light. Forgive me for wavering in unbelief and for allowing yesterday's failures or attainments to precondition me! I see the enemy mocking our faith, but I believe that You have prepared our nation for great things. We will follow Your promise to dislodge our enemies, even as David conquered Jebus and called it the City of God! In Jesus' name, Amen.

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

 
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Strength for the Battle

Pursue holiness, engage in effective spiritual warfare, and find strength to stand against the enemy.

This balanced, biblical view of spiritual warfare will arm you with the discernment, wisdom, and insight you need for taking ground in your life and contending with unseen spiritual forces all around you.

180 daily readings to equip you for the battles you face.

Sample pages: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

 

Hardcover book - $9.75 (Retail $15.00)
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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations were taken from the NASB.

 

October 8, 2021

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In Christ's Image Training

Registration extended through September 27
for the October Accelerated Level I class that begins October 1 , 2021.

If you were interested in enrolling in the In Christ’s Image Training but were unsure you could devote six full months to the class our "Accelerated Course" might be for you.

For October, we are going to offer the Level I class at an accelerated pace of only three months starting October 1. If you enroll in the full training and have a minimum of three hours per week available to devote to this accelerated online course, you will graduate in just three months (in contrast to the six-month plan).

This accelerated plan will send out two sessions per week (four chapters) in contrast to the current two chapters per week in our six-month course. The faster pace will be more time efficient but will require twice the reading. The available audio messages, though not tested separately, can be listened to at your pace. Tuition and enrollment plans will stay the same, the only difference being the pace and efficiency of the accelerated class. If you are forming a group, it would be wise to poll those in the group, making sure all agree to meet weekly.

The accelerated course is not for someone with a full schedule, but rather for someone who is able to commit the time needed to grow in their walk with the Lord over a shorter period of time.

We will still continue offering the six-month plan for those with busier schedules. Registraton for the October 1 Level I Accelerated class has been extended through September 27, so enroll soon if you plan to join this accelerated class..

Registration will begin in mid-October for the January 2022 Level I class (six-month course).

Thank you,

In Christ’s Image Training Staff

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

In Christ's Image Training

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training.
Online Accelerated course begins October 1 , 2021.

Registration extended through Thursday, September 27, 2021

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

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, Monday,
September 27, 2021.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins October 1, 2021.

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

www.frangipane.org

Freedom to Prisoners

Even in the day of His wrath, the hand of God is ever guided by His redemptive mercy. What I mean is that many who have failed the Lord during these past years are, even now, discovering Christ has come to free them from the burden of defeat and condemnation.

Indeed, when Jesus began His ministry, He opened the book of the prophet Isaiah to where the nature of His mission was described:

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord . . ." (Isa. 61:1-2).

He then closed the book and said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21).

What is striking here to me is that Jesus ended this prophecy about Himself in the middle of a sentence. The second half of Isaiah's promise continues. Listen as it describes the complete purpose of God in Christ. It reads, ". . . and the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:2).

I love the balance of God: the Lord has a "YEAR" of favor for us, but only a "DAY" of vengeance. Even so, when we think of vengeance, our imaginations often rush ahead to fearsome events, terror and calamities. We hope to be nowhere near when God's judgments fall.

Yet one primary manifestation of God's wrath is that He comes against those spiritual powers that have been oppressing and laying siege against His people. What we need to understand is that God's wrath upon His enemies manifests as deliverance and freedom for His people! Read again the outcome of "the day of vengeance of our God":

"To comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isa. 61:2-3).

One very significant aspect of God's wrath is He comes to destroy that which has been destroying us! Listen to His promise: "Surely, thus says the Lord, ‘Even the captives of the mighty man will be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant will be rescued; for I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your sons'" (Isa. 49:25).

Many Christians suffer with demonic attacks and weariness, yet the promise of God to us is He will contend with the spirits that contend with us: demons that rob people of joy, strength, and health. Against these the Lord has a day of reckoning and vengeance.

From our perspective, God's judgment upon sin is our freedom from oppression! Our Lord brings us "comfort" instead of mourning, "a garland instead of ashes" and a "mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting."

God's Goal
The Lord desires to liberate us, but not so we can relax under our fig tree! He frees us so we can free others. He says, "Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations" (Isa. 61:4).

Many "former devastations" shall be raised up to serve God in gladness at the end of the age! Many sinners who, in their hearts, have wept for freedom will pass through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and, as new creatures in Christ, be used mightily in the days ahead. Indeed, many who are convinced the Lord has rejected them will find God's grace extended powerfully toward their hearts. The first evil Christ will judge and remove is the burden of hopelessness.

Even to each of us today, the Lord still comes "to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners" (Isa. 61:1).

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Days of His Presence, available on Arrow Bookstore's website: www.arrowbookstore.com.
Visit Arrow Bookstore to order this and other
resources by Pastor Francis
~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

In Christ's Image Training
October Accelerated Class

If you were interested in enrolling in the In Christ’s Image Training but were unsure you could devote six full months to the class our "Accelerated Course" might be for you.

For October, we are going to offer the Level I class at an accelerated pace of only three months starting October 1. If you enroll in the full training and have a minimum of three hours per week available to devote to this accelerated online course, you will graduate in just three months (in contrast to the six-month plan).

The accelerated course is not for someone with a full schedule, but rather for someone who is able to commit the time needed to grow in their walk with the Lord over a shorter period of time.

We will still continue offering the six-month plan for those with busier schedules. Registraton for the October 1 Level I Accelerated class closes September 23, so enroll soon if you plan to join this accelerated class.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

In Christ's Image Training

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training.
Online Accelerated course begins October 1, 2021.

Registrations accepted through
Thursday, September 23, 2021

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

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, September 23, 2021.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins October 1, 2021.

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

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

 

September 17, 2021

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Mensajes en español

An Unveiled Face

We will not find the glory of God by copying techniques or studying books. His presence cannot be entered by following manuals, but by learning to follow Immanuel.

In our immaturity, the church has sought to be known for many things. We have sought to be known for our uniqueness and particular emphasis. Some have sought to be known for speaking in tongues; others desired recognition through their buildings or evangelistic programs. Still others have publicized unique combinations of church government or a regular agenda of special speakers.

To Be Known for Knowing Him
This desire for human recognition and significance has created many church traditions that are unbiblical. They have not only separated us from each other, they have separated us from God. Today's disciples, however, will be known for just one thing: They will be known for truly knowing Jesus. His presence -- not just doctrines about Him but His very Spirit and likeness -- will uninhibitedly accompany those who follow the Lamb.

Because their focus is upon Him and Him alone, God will ultimately accompany their lives with great power. They will lay hands upon the sick, and instantaneous healings will be common. These miracles will be but a minor reward to a life that majors on loving Jesus.

Our salvation is not based upon what we do but upon who Jesus becomes to us. Christ alone is our righteousness, our virtue, and our strength! As we minister, it has to be in Jesus' power, or we are actually wasting time. Our confidence has to be in Him and not in our own ability. We must be settled in the knowledge that, while all things are possible for those who believe, apart from Him we can do nothing.

The Sacred Presence
Our noble quest is to awaken from the sleep of our cultural traditions; it is to seek and find the living presence of God. To each of us, the Almighty has a heavenly calling, an upward call into spiritual fulfillment.

Our hope is not based on speculation or unreasonable expectations. It comes to us directly from the Word of God:

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:17-18).

This is the glorious hope of our calling: we each gaze upon Christ with an "unveiled face." Paul said, "We all . . . behold . . . the glory of the Lord." The plan of God includes you and me, not just apostles and prophets, visionaries and saints. The opportunity -- the holy privilege -- is to remove the veil that separates us from God's presence. Our inheritance is to behold His glory.

The old covenant speaks of two veils. One was the thick curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies within the temple. In the Holy Place, daily sacrifices were offered in ritual obedience to God; but in the Holy of Holies dwelt His sacred presence. Into this small room, the high priest entered but once a year on the Day of Atonement. It was a fearsome experience.

When Jesus died, this veil was rent in two from top to bottom. It signified the new openness that had been secured by Christ into the Holy Presence. The fact that it was torn from top to bottom tells us that Christ's sacrifice purchased us complete redemption. The urgency of the rending -- that it tore at the exact moment of Christ's death -- speaks to us of the Father's passion to receive us back into His family (Matt. 27:51).

However, there was another veil that Moses used to put over his face when he left the presence of God. This was done at the request of a nation who could not bear to look upon God's glory, fading as it was from Moses' face. The need for this veil was also removed in Christ. No longer would God have one man who dwelt in the sacred place while the nation lived separate. The new covenant has made us a community of glory -- "But we all, with unveiled face behold . . . the glory of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18).

But what exactly is a veil? It is something that hides what would otherwise be visible. As mentioned, our religious traditions that do not accommodate the presence of God can become a veil. How terrible that the very things we are doing for God might be the obstacles that are keeping us from Him!

"Their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ" (2 Cor. 3:14).

How can we discern when our traditions have become a veil between us and God's presence? Indeed, how can we break out of the false or cultural traditions that we have been taught to venerate and honor? The answer lies in the measure of our love for God's Word and the softness of our heart toward His voice. As we yield to His voice, our return to God begins.

"But whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" (2 Cor. 3:16). Right now, you are alone with God. The simple act of turning toward the Lord removes the veil.

The Scriptures tell us that no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. Say it: "Jesus, You are my Lord."

Turn your heart toward Him. Do not be afraid. Remember, the rending of the veil in the temple was His idea; He desires you to come near. The moment you turn your heart, "the veil is taken away."

Lord Jesus, forgive me for my many traditions. Especially, Lord, forgive me for living separate from Your voice. I take off the veil. I turn my heart to Your living presence.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Days of His Presence, available on Arrow Bookstore's website: www.arrowbookstore.com.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

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

Dear Friends,

If you were interested in enrolling in the In Christ’s Image Training but were unsure you could devote six full months to the class our "Accelerated Course" might be for you.

For October, we are going to offer the Level I class at an accelerated pace of only three months starting October 1. If you enroll in the full training and have a minimum of three hours per week available to devote to this accelerated online course, you will graduate in just three months (in contrast to the six-month plan).

This accelerated plan will send out two sessions per week (four chapters) in contrast to the current two chapters per week in our six-month course. The faster pace will be more time efficient but will require twice the reading. The available audio messages, though not tested separately, can be listened to at your pace. Tuition and enrollment plans will stay the same, the only difference being the pace and efficiency of the accelerated class. If you are forming a group, it would be wise to poll those in the group, making sure all agree to meet weekly.

The accelerated course is not for someone with a full schedule, but rather for someone who is able to commit the time needed to grow in their walk with the Lord over a shorter period of time.

We will still continue offering the six-month plan for those with busier schedules. Registraton for the October 1 Level I Accelerated class closes September 23, so enroll soon if you plan to join this accelerated class..

Registration will begin in mid-October for the January 7, 2022 Level I class (six-month course).

Thank you,

In Christ’s Image Training Staff

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

In Christ's Image Training

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training.
Online Accelerated course begins October 1, 2021.

Registration extended through Monday, September 23, 2021

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

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,
September 23, 2021.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins October 1, 2021.

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

www.frangipane.org

The Offspring of Christ

Is this not the wonder and mystery, yes, and the very power of Christ's cross? In grief to the point of death, wounded in heart and soul, still He offered Himself for His executioners' sins. Without visible evidence of success, deemed a sinner and a fraud before man, yet He courageously held true to mercy. He let love attain its most glorious perfection as He uttered the immortal words, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34).

Christ could have escaped. When the Romans came to arrest Him, He said, "Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:53). In less than a heartbeat, the skies would have been flooded with thousands of brilliant, warring angels. Yet, instead of condemning mankind, He rendered "Himself as a guilt offering" (Isa. 53:10, italics mine). Through Him mercy triumphed over judgment (James 2:13).

Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also" (John 14:12). We assume He meant that we would work His miracles, and most certainly miracles are part of Christ's works. But Jesus did not limit His definition of "works" to the miraculous. All the works He did -- the redemptive life, the mercy cry, the identification with sinners, rendering Himself a guilt offering -- we will "do also" because He lives within us. We see that Isaiah 53 does not apply exclusively to Jesus; it also becomes the blueprint for Christ manifesting in and through us. Was this not part of His reward, that He would see His offspring (Isa. 53:10)? Beloved, we are the offspring of Christ!

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The preceding message was adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Power of One Christlike Life, available at Arrow Bookstore. It also is a principle chapter in pastor's online school, In Christ's Image Training. Next term begins September 3, 2021. More information.

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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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In Christ's Image Training

Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training.
Online course begins September 3, 2021
Registration closes August 26, 2021

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.

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).

Enrollment overview:
1) Go to our overview page and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page and Tuition page.

2) Choose an enrollment plan.

3) Next, complete and submit the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday, August 26.

4) Class begins September 3, 2021.

For more info, please see www.frangipane.org/icit-overview.html.

ICIT En Español

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Copyright (c) 2021
All rights reserved.

There are three basic categories of Christians. The largest group consists of people who, though they try to avoid the darkness in the world, have no hope that the world can be redeemed. Assuming Christ's return is imminent, they retreat into what seems a shelter of apathy concerning the non-Christian world around them. Yet most are not truly apathetic. Their souls, like Lot's, are vexed by the conduct of unprincipled men (2 Pet. 2:7-8). Their compassion, though, is kindled even if it's limited. Rarely do they extend themselves beyond the needs of their immediate family and closest friends. They love the Lord, but they don't know how or what to do to change society or even to positively impact their neighborhoods.
The second group of Christians consists of those who would rather rail at the darkness than adjust to it. Though much smaller in number than the first, they are by no means apathetic; in fact, they appear exactly opposite. They rage at the depravity of the ungodly and protest the audacity of the wicked. They pound the pulpit and the pavement; they are both vocal and visible. Yet their ability to transform their culture is, for the most part, neutralized by their negativity and rage. They are dismissed as judgmental extremists. Most sinners simply cannot endure the harshness of their approach.
Both groups sincerely desire to see our culture transformed. Yet the same problem afflicts them: they are troubled that the world is unchristian, without being troubled that their own hearts are un-Christlike. They do not perceive the priority of God's heart, which is the transformation of the church into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).
World Changers Needed
It is this very passion to be conformed to Christ that separates the third group from the others. Though smallest in number, its members are the most effective. Throughout history, these have been the world changers. They are the individuals who have understood the priority of God; they know that the Father's highest passion is to behold His Son revealed in a believer's soul. As much as they are moved with compassion for the lost, their primary quest is to not just touch their neighbors' hearts, but first to touch the heart of God. They know if they awaken the Father's pleasure, the power of His Spirit will go before them. God Himself will change the hearts of those around them.
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Power of One Christlike Life, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.
Enrollment overview:
Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.

---

The Credibility Factor

I appreciate and defend the origins of our many denominations. Most were born as godly men fought against the sin and spiritual apostasy of their times. Their heroic stand preserved (or in some cases, restored) the truth of God in an otherwise dark world. From my heart, I thank God for our denominational heritage.

Today, however, the need to remain divided from other evangelical congregations is unjustified. We can remain unique churches with unique callings and a unique spiritual heritage, yet we can be united spiritually, and even functionally, with other congregations in our communities.

Knowing Christ has called for unity in His church, many leaders today are re-examining the legitimacy of division in the church. Today's heroes are not isolating themselves from other churches; rather, they are working with others to repair the breaches, seeking to build the citywide church on the foundation of Christ alone.

Yet, our traditions of division have taken on the garments of orthodoxy; they appear biblical, but they are not. The various divisions in the history of the church were stages in restoration meant to preserve truth, not isolate it.

Is Christ Divided?
Every true Christian believes the Bible is God's sacred, eternal word. Indeed, heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word will endure forever. What was relative and powerful in the first century ought to be just as powerful today. Listen, therefore, to what Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth:

"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' Has Christ been divided?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13a).

How strange that we smugly look upon the divisions in the Corinthian church. We boldly criticize their carnality. But why was it wrong in the first century to say, “I am of Paul” (or Apollos), but permissible in these last days to say, I am of Luther or Wesley or of the Baptists or Pentecostals?

Again, please remember, I am not suggesting we should strive for unity with churches that do not believe in Christ or God's word or the Holy Spirit or the virgin birth or the second coming. However, I am saying that, within the sphere of the born-again, living church of Jesus Christ, divisions are unbiblical and wrong.

The apostle later continued, "For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?" (1 Cor. 3:3).

The credibility of the church is that we are not "mere men," creatures born of women without spiritual vision or destiny. We have been born again of one Spirit from above. Within our spirits is the actual spiritual substance of Christ Himself.

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16).

We are the temple of God. Our churches, like the stones of the temple, are to be laid side-by-side, building us together "into a dwelling of God in the Spirit" (Eph. 2:22).

Paul went on to issue a warning which every Christian should heed. He said,

"If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy" (1 Cor. 3:17).

We have attempted to use this verse to condemn such things as cigarette smoking and sexual vices, and on an individual basis, there are obvious consequences to these sins. However, Paul is speaking here of more than the sins of excess and immoral pleasure. The apostle is warning against allowing division in the temple of God, the church. He says, "If any man destroys the temple of God" (through jealousy and strife), "God will destroy him." The context is plainly speaking in regard to divisions in the church!

When pure Christianity degenerates into divided camps of ambitious people, it literally destroys the harmony, power and blessing of the "temple of God." The individual who brings or supports such carnal divisions in the church has positioned himself in a very dangerous place before God. The temple of God is holy. Our unity together is holy. Our love for one another is holy, for the Father Himself dwells in the resting place of caring attitudes and loving relationships. Collectively, we are the dwelling place of God on earth.

The warning is severe: "If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him."

Yes, there are times when church leaders sin and confusion enters the dynamics of church life. So, let’s make room for failings and transitions. But let us not lose sight of the fact that the living God is a God of order; He will not dwell in ruins! Because He is a God of love, He will work with us to rebuild, but He will not sanction our fallen condition with power. He will not lend His credibility to our disorder.

How Does Disunity Affect You?
When Nehemiah, living among the Jewish exiles, heard of the condition of Jerusalem and its temple, he "sat down and wept and mourned for days." The fallen condition of the temple thrust him into an extended position of "fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Neh. 1:4). The modern Jews also weep as they face the Wailing Wall, lamenting over the ruins of their temple. Paul mourned when he saw the ruined condition in Corinth. He said, "For I am afraid ... that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned" (2 Cor. 12:20-21). And Jesus Himself wept over the divisions of Jerusalem, lamenting, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling" (Matt. 23:37).

This mourning concerning the disunified condition of the Father's house ought to be in our hearts as well. Yet, for most of us, not only have we failed to mourn our situation, we have not even grasped that our disunity, jealousy and strife is a fallen state! How far we have fallen and how little we know it!

While the redemption of man was always motivating Jesus, remember, His most ardent desire was His zeal for His Father's house; He was consumed with it (see John 2:17). Building the house of God --- the born-again, praying, loving, citywide church --- is still Christ's highest priority. The world is His harvest; the church is His bride. His love for the church was the basis of His last recorded prayer: that we would be one. It is still His highest passion today. For, until we are united in Him, and one with one another, our testimony lacks credibility. The world will not believe that God has sent Christ if our lives are infected with the same divisions that plague non-Christians (see John 17:20-23).

Privileged To Become Christlike
There were many reasons why Jerusalem fell to Babylon during Jeremiah's day, but underlying them all was the spiritual apostasy of the religious leaders. God Himself would have defended a humble, praying city, but in Jerusalem the spiritual leaders were corrupt. Listen, therefore, to Jeremiah's fearful revelation:

"The adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem" because of "the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests" (see Lam. 4:12-13).

Do we see this? Israel's enemies entered Jerusalem because the spiritual leaders were unrepentantly full of sin. Oh God, help us to see and accept that the future of our cities exists in the corporate relationship the spiritual leaders have with You and one another. Jesus said that any city, any house "divided against itself" cannot stand (Matt. 12:25). The place of spiritual protection of a community has its origins in the quality of life that exists in the spiritual leadership of that community. In other words, a vibrant, praying, united church will move that city toward the blessing of God; a divided, sinful leadership will allow the adversary to enter the city's gates.

The path narrows for leadership until our only choice is to become Christlike in everything. However, Christlike leadership in the church can transform the world around it! You see, our cities are in disorder because the church is in disorder. James tells us that where there is jealousy and strife, "there is disorder and every evil thing" (James 3:16).

Our selfish ambitions have taken our eyes off the will and purposes of God for our cities. We have become jealous of one another. Consequently, the "disorder," lawlessness and "every evil thing" we see in our society are, at least in part, rooted in the soil of a misdirected and distracted church community.

Because of this, the church has lost a measure of its credibility. How can we expect the world to hear our message of love when we, as Christ's body, fail to love each other? We have no right to condemn the world for its pride and arrogance when we, the body of Christ, still refuse to humble ourselves and work with the other churches in our neighborhoods.

Beloved, over the years the world has seen many incredible ministries. However, the time of the "incredible" has passed; the hour for the credible is being established.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's In Christ's Image Training course.
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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.

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Spiritual Authority and the Things
We Love, Part 2

As wide as our sphere of love, to that extent we have spiritual authority. We see this in the mother who loves her child. Such a woman has authority to protect, train, and nurture her offspring. She has authority to protect what she loves. The same is true of the husband over his family. His authority is not merely to rule but to establish in his home the life of Christ. True spiritual authority is born of love.

The individuals who love their local congregation have authority to build up that congregation. Their authority is not extended, however, beyond the boundaries of their love. If we love the entire body of Christ in a locale, our authority touches the lives of those in our city or region, either through the burden of prayer or through teaching or outreach and service.

The testing ground of all spiritual things is love, for love alone purifies our motives and delivers us from the deceitfulness of self. Even authority in spiritual warfare must be rooted in love. David gained the skills to slay Goliath, not on a battlefield, but by defending his father's sheep from predatory animals. David loved the sheep so much that he risked his life for them. So also we grow in authority as we protect our Father's sheep, the flock He has given us to love.

Authority is muscle in the arm of love. The more one loves, the more authority is granted to him. If we love our cities and are willing to lay down our lives in service to our community, God will enlarge our hearts. He will grant us new authority in spiritual warfare. However, no man should ever engage in confrontational warfare who does not love what he has been called to protect. If you do not love your city, do not pray against the ruling forces of darkness. Satan knows the genuineness of our love by the brightness of the glory that surrounds us. A man or woman without Christ-inspired love will soon shrink back and fail in spiritual warfare. Only love "never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8).

Indeed, when it comes to spiritual warfare, there are many things the Holy Spirit has to say that we are not able to hear until the base of our love is expanded. In His wisdom, the Lord protects us from presumptuously attacking the strongholds of hell and suffering loss. Yet, if we are truly anointed in God's love, the price to see our culture saved is not too great. But it will be a price that love alone can pay.

Authority to Build Up the Body of Christ
"For even if I should boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you . . . " (2 Cor. 10:8).

Many so-called "prophets" today think they are called, like Jeremiah, to "pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow" (Jer. 1:10). Jeremiah's message was to a people who were destined to be carried off into Babylon. The prophet spoke to a people who did not have the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus. Israel was, at that time, a nation that God Himself said was destined for captivity, and had been speaking and warning against judgment for over 250 years.

Yet, even if we had only the prophet Jeremiah as our example, God's commission of Jeremiah was more than confronting sin. It also included promises of restoration and deliverance, "to build and to plant" (Jer. 1:10). To represent the heart of the Lord, which is the true prophetic role, the servant of God must know both God's grace and His truth. We must know by revelation whether the Holy Spirit is preparing to destroy or seeking to rebuild.

Today, in my opinion, we are a people coming out of captivity, a people whom God is encouraging to build, as they did in the days of Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah. We have been in exile from the promises of God, but we are returning to rebuild the Lord's house. Yes, we are in a time of judgment, correction and discipline, yet it is not a time to tear down the body of Christ; it is time to establish and to build up.

The authority coming to the Church in this next outpouring will be an authority to restore the local, citywide church. Like Paul's authority, ours will be given for building and encouraging and not for destroying.

God has this new leadership constantly before His eyes. Pastors from many denominations, along with their congregations, are meeting together in prayer, seeking to draw the very fire and heart of God into their souls. Emerging from this foundation of humility and prayer is a new authority to make disciples of Christ. Because their love extends outward into their cities, their authority reaches outward as well, even into the heavenly places. These are the leaders whom God is raising up. And those whom God raises up, He backs up with His power. Authority is muscle in the arm of love.

Dear Lord, make me a willing sacrifice. I desire Your authority, Lord. Give me courage to surrender in obedience, even when I do not see the outcome and when all I see is loss. Help me to trust as I walk through the narrow gate. Establish in me Your love that I might defend Your people with authority. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, When the Many Are One, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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

Spiritual Authority and the Things
We Love, Part 1

While the doctrines of Christianity can be taught, Christlikeness can only be inspired. By their humble and holy lives, this next generation of leaders will inspire multitudes. They will truly walk in Christ’s love; they will be granted great authority.

The Church has many administrators, but few examples of Christ; many who can explain the doctrines of Christianity but few who walk as Jesus walked. Indeed, while many stand in leadership today, not many function in the higher realms of authority that Christ purchased for His Church. However, a new badge of authority is coming to the Church. It will bring deliverance on a scale unprecedented; in some cases, entire cities will be turned toward God.

What is spiritual authority? It is nothing less than God Himself confirming with power the word of His servant. Moses exemplified spiritual authority when he warned unrepentant Pharaoh. The Spirit of God confirmed Moses’s judgments with power that broke the pride of Egypt. Jesus manifested spiritual authority when He confronted demons in people, silenced storms, healed diseases, and then fulfilled redemption in resurrection power. The Father let none of Christ’s words go unfulfilled.

The Bible provides us with many examples of those with spiritual authority. Every example tells us the same underlying principle: those who are raised up by God are backed up by God. They will "decree a thing, and it will be established" (Job 22:28). Such is the nature of spiritual authority.

The Source of Authority
Obviously, as pastors, leaders, and intercessors, we need to operate in greater authority. Yet while we enjoy a variety of graces that add to our personal edification, God gives us authority for one specific purpose: to fulfill His purposes on the earth. What are God’s purposes? One main unveiling of the divine purpose is seen in the Great Commission. Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations" (Matt. 28:18-19).

Christ gave the Church authority to make disciples. We have been much more successful in making converts than disciples. In our day, many are believers in Jesus, but few are truly followers of Christ. If the goal is discipleship, how do we accomplish this? We are to take our converts and teach "them to observe all that [Jesus] commanded" (v. 20). When the Church returns to teaching all that Jesus taught, our disciples will have authority to do all that Jesus did.

Yet, spiritual authority is not something we possess merely because we strive for it. We cannot buy it as Simon the magician attempted to do (Acts 8:18). The power of authority will not function simply because we copy the methods of another, as the sons of Sceva realized (Acts 19:14-16). Nor can it be attained automatically because we read books about building the Church. We cannot pretend to have spiritual authority. As we focus upon obeying the words of Christ, there are divinely ordained ways for Christ’s authority to unfold in our lives.

From the beginning of our salvation we have enjoyed the Father’s unconditional love. As we mature, however, there comes a time when the Father’s love toward us seems conditional. As it was for Christ, so it is for those who follow Him. He said:

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life.
---John 10:17

Jesus lived in the deepest intimacies of the Father’s love because He laid down His life for the sheep. If we will grow in true authority, we will do so by laying down our lives for His sheep. Have you felt the drawing, the divine working of the Father bringing you into Christlike surrender? Be encouraged: He is equipping you for this next outpouring of His Spirit. But also be advised: your authority will be an outgrowth of your life laid down in love.

As leaders, we do indeed have administrative authority due to our positions in church government; however, spiritual authority transcends administrative authority. Here is the path to true spiritual authority: in full possession of our souls, without fear or intimidation by any outside source, we choose to lay down our lives for Christ’s sheep. Yes, in full freedom, with avenues of escape plainly within view, we fearlessly surrender our souls to God.No one controls us but God, yet our lives are laid down, like Christ’s, in intercession for others. When we could easily fight and win, yet turn the other cheek; when we are unjustly opposed, yet quietly endure---at those moments spiritual authority is entering our lives.

No one has taken [My life] away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.
---John 10:18

Jesus was not forced to accept crucifixion; He chose crucifixion. Christ’s Gethsemane prayer was not an entreaty to escape the cross, for while Jesus was still in the garden, He told Peter, "Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:53). Jesus had a choice: legions of warring angels and immediate personal deliverance, or death on the cross and deliverance for the world. He chose to die for us. The willful decision to lay down our lives as Jesus did is the very path upon which true authority develops. Jesus said, "I have authority to lay [My life] down" (John 10:18). His authority came in the laying down of His life. Our authority comes from the same source: picking up our cross and laying down our lives for others.

Authority, Not Control
Spiritual authority is the provision of God to transform the temporal with the power of the eternal. It is not something our flesh can imitate, nor is it found in the tone of our words or the gaze of our eyes. Divine authority requires divine sanction. This sanction comes from passing the tests of love.

When authority is administered without love, it degenerates into control. God does not call us to control His people but to inspire and guard them. The outcome of control is oppression, witchcraft, and strife. But the result of love is liberty and the power to build up and protect God’s people.

True spiritual authority exists above the realm of fleshly control. Our lives, and the lives of those who follow us, are laid down on our own initiative. It is a choice we make because of love. Since true authority itself is born in freedom, freedom is what it breeds.

We will walk in either the true authority of love, the false authority of control, or no authority at all. Both false authority and no authority are rooted in fear, and we react to fear in either of two ways. The first reaction, which produces false authority, is to seek to control those around us, thus making the circumstances around us more predictable and less threatening. The other response to fear is to refuse to accept and exercise any authority at all. Many relationships are simply the pairing of these symbiotic needs: the desire to control and the willingness to be controlled. Both are fueled by overreactions to fear.

Scripture tells us, however, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). Since true authority is built upon love, its goal is to liberate, not dominate. Therefore, before one can truly move in spiritual authority, he must be delivered from fear and its desire to control; he must be rooted and grounded in love.

Authority to Inspire Christlikeness
When our teaching about God and our obedience to Him are one, spiritual authority accompanies our lives. Jesus astounded the multitudes, for He spoke "as one having authority" (Matt. 7:28-29). What He taught was consistent with how He lived. Therefore, we also must live and display the virtue we seek to teach.

Dear pastor, if we seek to train our congregations to pray, we ourselves must first be intercessors. You may say, "But out of a congregation of several hundred, only three people join me for prayer." Then with those three develop your intercessor base. Do not be discouraged, for you will win others. But the measure of our success is not the numbers in attendance on Sunday mornings. God has given us people so we may train them, not merely count them. Of this group, those whom we inspire to live like Christ are actually the measure of our success, the test of our effectiveness in the ministry.

Another may say, "But I’ve never been a leader." When anyone lays down his or her life in Christ’s love, others will see and follow. Whether you are a business owner, a housewife, or a teen, such a one can speak with confidence and authority as Christ’s disciple. In truth, if you are following Christ, others are following you. You are, indeed, a leader.

This next generation will not just teach the people; they will inspire the body of Christ to live like Jesus. Their example in all things will awaken godliness in those around them. From true virtue shall the leaders of tomorrow draw true authority, for when the nature of Christ is revealed, the authority of Christ soon follows.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, When the Many Are One, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

https://francisfrangipanemessages.blogspot.com/2006/08/truth-is-person.html
Francis Frangipane Eword Messages
Truth is a Person
By Francis Frangipane

Over the years we have received many encouraging emails and letters from people who appreciate our call and passion for Christlikeness. We are both thankful and humbled by those who have taken the time to write. On occasion, however, we hear from Christians who have been troubled by criticisms they've read about us (and others) on "attack websites." These sites often exude an air of legitimacy since they focus upon false religions, new age teachers and openly heretical doctrines. Yet, many of these sites also aggressively misrepresent and attack true Christians as well.

Who are their targets? The fact is, if you open an Internet search engine (such as Yahoo, Ask or Google), type in the name of a well-known Christian leader, and then add the words "false teacher" next to his or her name, as fast as you say, "Oh no!" you will likely find a number of sites that openly, and often viciously, attack that leader. Frankly, having had my life and teaching repeatedly misrepresented by these attack sites, I would not trust their opinion about any ministry.

As for us, when we hear from a disquieted believer, we usually direct them to our "Statement of Faith" page. Our beliefs square with the Association of Evangelical's statement of faith. (Since the Lausanne Covenant clearly communicates our doctrines, we actually use it to define our spiritual positions: Statement of Faith). We also adhere to the truths stated in the Apostles' Creed.

This is not to say we've never made a mistake or that all our peripheral doctrines are infallible; each of us in this ministry is still growing and learning. Yet when an attack site fails to list even one good thing about a ministry, you cannot help but believe their goal is not to discern, but to destroy.

Biblical Test of Faith
Yes, there are false teachers in the modern church. But let us remember that throughout history, true Christians have always been accused of heresy. Jesus Himself warned, "Beware when all men speak well of you" (see Luke 6:26). He also taught us to examine the fruit of a prophet. In other words, what kind of life does a ministry inspire in those who ascribe to its teaching?

Yet, beyond our statement of faith, the Bible itself provides a number of fundamental tests to authenticate the soundness of one's doctrines (see the book of 1 John, especially the verses that contain the phrase "by this"). Another important test comes from the apostle Paul. He writes,

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Paul takes all of Christianity and boils it down to one irreplaceable reality: "Jesus Christ is in you." You might be wrong about the timing of the rapture or off concerning spiritual gifts, but you still are a true Christian because you have accepted the living reality of Christ in you!

Do you see this? You are a Christian, not because you said a prayer at an altar, but because when you prayed the Spirit of Jesus Christ actually entered your life! When He promises, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," He means He is with you forever. The devil knows you are a Christian not because you carry a Bible, but because he actually sees Christ's presence burning within you.

It is Christ dwelling in us that produces fruit, works deliverance and manifests power through us. Our living union with Him makes us His temple; our connectedness to Him enlivens us as His body. In the swirl of religious deception in our world, Jesus reduces all we truly need to know about truth and error by focusing us upon Himself. He said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). "Truth," Paul tells us, "is in Jesus" (see Ephesians 4). And when Jesus is in us, He transforms us.

Listen carefully my friends: many of these attack sites do not believe that Christ actually dwells within His people! Of those who accept Christ as dwelling within them, an additional number do not believe we can actually hear from the Lord Jesus! They will accuse you of heresy if you believe you can have a relationship with Jesus Christ! This is in spite of the fact that Jesus affirmed: "My sheep hear My voice" (John 10:27).

Consider also Paul's quest. His magnificent obsession was to know Christ, being conformed to His life and death (Philippians 3:10). Consider also the profound words Paul wrote to the Galatians:

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Paul wrote, "Christ lives in me." The Son of God is not a mere doctrine, He is Emmanuel, "God with us." Eternal life comes from knowing God, and Jesus Christ whom God has sent (John 17:3).

So, when a number of these attack websites posture themselves as "keepers of the true faith," then reject the reality that Jesus Christ lives within His church, they reveal that it is they, in fact, who are walking in deception.

Truth
So, in an era of great confusion, we must see truth as a person: Jesus Christ. Everything we need to know about God, heaven, hell, salvation, sin and redemption is centered in Him. We must also apply our hearts in humility and focused faith to become like Him, even as John taught: "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:6).

Eternal life does not come from having a religion about Christ, but from actually knowing Him (see John 17:3). He has purchased our forgiveness, our healing and our well-being. As our Redeemer, He works all things for our good. As our King, He grants us His authority and sends us as His ambassadors. He calls us His body, not just His people, underscoring His oneness with us, and also extending to us His sanctification and righteousness. We are His bride, wooed by His love to His side.

If anyone tries to convince you that Christ does not dwell within His people, remind them of His word: "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).

Beloved, truth springs from our oneness with Jesus Christ. The vision of those walking in truth is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 2:27). Warn those who deny the indwelling of Jesus Christ that the test of true faith is the reality that "Jesus Christ is in you" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Yes, remind them truth is a person, not merely a doctrine.

The Wounds of a Prayer Warrior

Intercessors live on the frontier of change. We are positioned to stand between the needs of man and the provision of God. Because we are the agents of redemption, Satan will always seek the means to offend, discourage, silence, or otherwise steal the strength of our prayers. The wounding we receive must be interpreted in light of God's promise to reverse the effects of evil and make them work for our good (Rom. 8:28). Since spiritual assaults are inevitable, we must discover how God uses our wounds as the means to greater power. This was exactly how Christ brought redemption to the world.

Jesus knew that maintaining love and forgiveness in the midst of suffering was the key that unlocked the power of redemption. Isaiah 53:11 tells us, "By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities."

Jesus possessed revelation knowledge into the mystery of God. He knew that the secret to unleashing world-transforming power was found at the cross, in suffering. At the cross, payment for sin was made. As Christ forgave His enemies, heaven's power rent the temple veil in two. Christ's stripes purchased our healing. I am not just talking about suffering, but the suffering of love.

The terrible offense of the cross became the place of redemption for the world. Yet, remember, Jesus calls us to a cross as well (Matt. 16:24). Wounding is simply an altar upon which our sacrifice to God is prepared.

Listen again to Isaiah's prophetic description of Jesus' life. His words at first seem startling, but as we read, we discover a most profound truth concerning the power of woundedness. He wrote, "But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand" (Isa. 53:10).

How did the power of God's pleasure prosper in Christ's hand? During His times of crushing, woundedness and devastation, instead of retaliating, Jesus rendered Himself "as a guilt offering."

The crushing is not a disaster; it is an opportunity. You see, our purposeful love may or may not touch the sinner's heart, but it always touches the heart of God. We are crushed by people, but we need to allow the crushing to ascend as an offering to God. The greatest benefit of all is the effect our mercy has on the Father. If we truly want to be instruments of God's good pleasure, then it is redemption, not wrath, that must prosper in our hands. If we are Christ-followers, we must offer ourselves as an offering for the guilt of others.

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The preceding message was adapted from Francis Frangipane’s book, The Power of One Christlike Life, available at Arrow Bookstore. It also is a principle chapter in pastor's online school, In Christ's Image Training. Next term begins July 2, 2021. More information below.

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In Christ's Image Training
Registration closes June 24, 2021.
Extended through Monday, June 28, 2021.

Level I classes begin July 2, 2021.

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.

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).

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, June 24 extended through June 28.

4) Submit the registration form - Class begins July 2, 2021.

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

Seeing Him Who Is Unseen

There are times when, to lead us on into new authority and blessings, God must liberate us from the container of our previous experiences. Consider Elijah's encounter with the Most High on Mt Horeb. Three natural signs occurred. But the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire -- all of which were familiar symbols to Elijah. The Lord who caused these mighty manifestations was not in them.

For Elijah, mighty manifestations had been signs of God's approval. But something new was at hand that required a fresh submission to the living God. A double portion of power was coming! The distinguishing characteristic of this new anointing would not only be seen in supernatural manifestations, but also in greater wisdom and compassion.

Earthquakes, fires, and storms -- the signs that accompanied Elijah -- are the signs of our times as well. But to receive the double portion, we must learn to recognize God's nearness when there are no "earthquakes" or "storms" to capture our attention. The Lord demands we enter a more refined relationship with Him, one that is based on His love and the whisper of His voice, not merely on spiritual phenomena or natural disasters.

After the last sign, there came "…a gentle blowing" (1 Kings 19:12). The King James Version says, "a still small voice." In holy silence the presence of God was returning; in the center of the silence was the whisper of God's voice. Elijah "wrapped his face in his mantle" (v. 13). Perhaps it was near this very site that Moses, five hundred years earlier, hid when the Lord passed by. Now it was Elijah's turn.

We too must learn to hear the voice of Him who rarely speaks audibly and observe the actions of Him who is otherwise invisible. Elijah would gain the courage to endure Jezebel's wrath the same way Moses faced the rage of Pharaoh: "He endured, as seeing Him who is unseen" (Heb. 11:27). We must learn to detect, without great signs, the still small voice of God.

The Lord will not fight for our attention; He must be sought. He will not startle us; He must be perceived. It took no special skill to "discern" the earthquake, the fire or the great storm. But to sense the holy quiet of God, our other activities must cease. In our world of great pressures and continual distractions, the attention of our hearts must rise to the invisible world of God's Spirit. We must learn to see Him who is unseen and hear Him who is rarely audible.

Oh Master, how easily I fall into dead religious habits and spiritual dullness. Lord, I long to know Your ways, to have eyes that really see and ears that clearly hear. Teach me, Lord Jesus, the intimacies of God. Remove the mystery surrounding Yourself that I might truly know You. Forgive me for looking for signs instead of listening for Your voice. Oh God, how I long to abide in Your glory. Restore to Your church the double portion You have promised, and guide us into the fullness of Your love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Shelter of the Most High, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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The Shelter of the Most High
Audio Companion Teaching

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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
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Identified with Heaven

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Holiness Precedes Power

Many Christians look for shortcuts to the power of God. To try shortcuts is to become, at best, frustrated; at worst, a false teacher or prophet. Listen very carefully: there is tremendous power for us in God but not without holiness. Holiness precedes power.

When John Saw Jesus

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."        —Matthew 3:13–17

Let us understand this prophet, John the Baptist. According to the Scriptures, John was filled with the Holy Spirit "while yet in his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). We are also told his coming was in the spirit and power of Elijah. Historians tell us that John's penetrating, uncompromising ministry led nearly one million people to repentance. Vast multitudes left their cities and towns and went into the wilderness to hear the prophet and be baptized into repentance in preparation for the kingdom of God.

Only Jesus knew the fallen condition of the human heart more perfectly than John. No class of people escaped the Baptist's judgment: soldiers and kings, sinners and religious leaders alike were all brought into the "valley of decision." John's baptism was more than a simple immersion in water. He required a public confession of sins as well as the bringing forth of righteousness (Matt. 3:6, 8).

Jesus testified that John was "more than a prophet." He said, among those born of women, "there has not arisen anyone greater than John" (Matt. 11:9–11). John was a "seer prophet," which meant he had open vision into the spirit realm. He testified that "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven" (John 1:32). He saw "the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7). He witnessed "the kingdom of heaven" (v. 2). John had insight into the secrets of men's hearts. His vision penetrated the veneer of the well-respected Pharisees; within their souls he saw a "brood of vipers." Understand this about prophets: they are aware of things that are hidden from other men.

But when Jesus came to be baptized, before the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended, John saw something that was overwhelming even to his standard of righteousness. He gazed Jesus' heart, and he saw no sins, no lies, no lusts. John saw a level of holiness that, without knowing he was gazing at the Messiah, caused him to utter with astonishment, "I have need to be baptized by You" (v. 14).

Jesus, as the "Lamb of God" (John 1:36), was without spot or blemish. This is exactly what the prophet beheld in Jesus: spotless purity of heart. Christ's virtue took John's breath away! The powerful emanation of Christ's inner purity made John immediately aware of his own need. When John saw Jesus, he discovered a level of righteousness that was higher, purer than his own. This great prophet looked into the heart of Jesus, and in the brightness of Christ's holiness he cried, "I have need."

And so it is with us. Each time we see Jesus, each successive revelation of Christ's purity makes our need more apparent. As Christ's holiness unfolds before us, we cannot but echo the same cry of John the Baptist: "I have need to be baptized by You!"

Yet, in the beginning of our walk, we embraced life in our own strength, trusting in our own skills for success and attainment. Yes, we turned to God, but mainly in times of grief or trial. However, as the Lord brings us into maturity, what we once considered strengths are actually discovered to be weaknesses. Our pride and self-confidence keep us from God's help; the clamor of our many ideas and desires drown the whisper of the still small voice of God. Indeed, in God's eyes, the best of human successes are still "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" (Rev. 3:17).

In time, we discover that all true strength, all true effectiveness—yes, our very holiness itself—begins with discovering our need. We grow weaker, less confident in our abilities. As the outer shell of self-righteousness crumbles, Jesus Himself becomes God's answer to every man who cries for holiness and power in his walk.

We may think we have spiritual gifts, we may presume we are holy, we may rejoice with human successes, but until we see Christ and abandon our reliance upon our self-righteousness, all we will ever have, at best, is religion.

Oh, let us grasp this truth with both hands; let it never slip from us. Jesus Himself is our source of holiness! We are so eager to do something for Him—anything, as long as we do not have to change inside. God does not need what we can do; He wants what we are. He wants to make us a holy people. Let us not be anxious in this process. Allow Him to do the deep inner work of preparation. Jesus lived thirty years of sinless purity before He did one work of power! His goal was not to do some great work but to please the Father with a holy life.

Hear me; our goal, likewise, is not to become powerful but to become holy with Christ's presence. God promises to empower that which He first makes holy. Do you want your Christianity to work? Then seek Jesus Himself as your source and standard of holiness. Do you want to see the power of God in your life? Then seek to know Christ's purity of heart. If we are becoming the people Jesus calls His own, we should be growing in holiness. A mature Christian will be both holy and powerful, but holiness will precede power.

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.

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Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God

This is the first book ever written by Pastor Francis. It came after three years of studying and repeatedly reading the Gospels. The truths in this book have stirred men to revivals. It is a penetrating study of the human heart and how God prepares it for His glory.

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Knowing God - Audio or Video

Our faith is defined by a relationship with God that is personal, real and exciting. Francis Frangipane explains how to improve your intimacy with God in this four part series entitled, Knowing God.

Message titles:
A Real Relationship   |   Live in God's Presence
Yes and Amen   |   People of Faith

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Holiness Truth and the Presence of God - book
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Knowing God - video
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Hastened in Its Time

There isn't one church leader I know who does not believe we are living in the end times. Exactly where we are along heaven's prophetic time line is debatable, yet everyone has his or her own catalog of confirming end-time signs. If it is true that we have, perhaps, less than a generation before the end of the age, we should expect is to see a divine hastening of spiritual realities.

Indeed, this ministry often quotes Isaiah 60:1-3 concerning the manifestation of the Lord's glory in the end-time church. Yet Isaiah's revelation concludes with this added encouragement: "I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time" (v. 22). Let's personalize this hastening: our maturing and transformation will be accelerated in the days ahead!

Consider also Paul's word: "For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly" (Rom. 9:28). There is no reason the Lord cannot do things quicker should He choose to: He created the universe in six days! I love that the end times are not just about God moving quickly but also about Him accomplishing a deep and thorough work in us. Indeed, if we want the quick, we must focus on the thorough. Yet His promise is for both a quick and thorough work!

"Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons" (Isa. 66:8).

I know many are wearied with battles and delays, yet the Lord says a time is approaching when there shall no longer be any delays: "As soon as Zion travailed, she . . . brought forth her sons." Prayer warriors, this is why we must prevail in prayer!

In the Fullness of Time
As most of us are already aware, the Greek translation of the Bible used two words to describe the concept of time. Chronos referred to chronological time, while kairos was usually translated "fullness of time." Kairos times are those unique, spiritually heightened bursts of spiritual fulfillment that exist between dispensations and epochs.

During kairos seasons the Spirit of God invades the fabric of life itself: everything accelerates and changes as reality is redirected by the unalterable will of God. Noah lived in a kairos time. Moses led Israel out of Egypt during a kairos time. Jesus came "in the fullness of the time" (Gal. 4:4), and the world marks its calendars from the birth of God's Son.

It is also amazing to me that, during the first century kairos, Jesus was able to take common, nonreligious men and, in just three and a half years, transform them into powerful apostles. These men healed the sick, raised the dead, had deep spiritual substance and wrote the very Scriptures, which were inspired by God Himself. How did they grow so fast? They were alive during a kairos time. The Lord hastened their growth "in its time."

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

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Is the United States in the Bible?
What is in God’s heart for America? Is there anything in the Scriptures about the United States upon which our faith can rest? The Bible has a number of general promises that we can apply to our land. These, though they lack clear or specific references to the United States, still supply a foundation for our faith. Isaiah 60:1-3 is such a text. It reads:

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."
Think of it! Nations and kings will come to the glory of Christ! Regardless of where on earth you currently live or how dark the world is around you, this text is a living promise to all who pray for their nation!
Personally, I have stood upon this word often, especially in the face of America’s spiritual darkness. Isaiah’s promise assures us that if God’s glory rises and is seen upon us, even in the midst of deep darkness over the people, nations will come to our light.
But, you say, America is too rebellious, too unrestrained. The Second Psalm gives us encouragement to persevere in prayer, especially when it seems governments are casting away the cords and fetters of godly, moral restraint (see Psalm 2:3). In the face of the world’s rebellion, the Lord says, "Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession" (Ps. 2:8).
There are many other Scriptures that call us to pray and believe for a national awakening (Isa. 52:15; Ps. 67:4; etc.). But I want to submit a text to you that may, indeed, specifically refer to God’s plan for America in the days ahead.

The Eagle’s Wings
The Scriptures speak of a time at the end of the age when great persecution will break out. In the midst of this persecution, we read an arresting message in Revelation 12:14. It says:

"But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent."

The book of Revelation is, by definition, a book of revelations. Its symbolic portraits must be interpreted not only in historic terms but also in light of end-time realities. Frankly, no one has accurately been able to interpret this book to the satisfaction of everyone else. It would be a sin of presumption on my part to assume I am the first to present an infallible interpretation. Even as we seek humility, let us cautiously proceed, relying on God and time itself to confirm His Word. In that attitude, let me submit to you my thoughts.
The Scripture speaks of "two wings of the great eagle" being given to the woman. I believe that the woman is a symbol of the praying church, both Jew and Gentile, both united and pregnant to give birth to God’s end-time elect. (See Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Revelation 12:1-11.) Let’s consider the phrase "two wings of the great eagle." Why would the Holy Spirit find it necessary to calculate that two wings were given? How many wings does an eagle need? Is it possible that two wings symbolize the two political parties of the Great Eagle, the United States - that both wings would support a refugee plan to bring the Christian community into the nation, to a place prepared for them?
Before we dismiss this idea, let me add that when Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, many in the early church took comfort that he would be their deliverer. The fact that the symbol of Rome was the great eagle only added to the confidence felt in the early church that he was to be a source of protection.
I submit to you that this reference to the "great eagle" could possibly be prophetic portrait of the United States of America. In fact, in the history of the world there has never been a nation more committed to being a refuge for persecuted people than the United States. And when we consider that the national symbol of the U.S. is the "great eagle," the symbolism becomes even more plausible.
Indeed, many of those who originally came to America were Christians fleeing persecution for their faith. In a real way, this Scripture has already been fulfilled by many of our founding fathers. The persecution our forefathers suffered was sown, like a seed, into the DNA of American culture.
Roughly 20 years ago I began a series of audio messages concerning America. That series became a book that we called America at the Threshold of Destiny. It was received with joy by a small cadre of prayer warriors. However, our culture was facing many fears concerning Y2K. Then 9-11 came, and frankly, I was flying into a headwind. Not many people were overly optimistic in the years after 9-11. However today a new wind is blowing and its at our backs. Right now, to some, it may not look any bigger than a cloud the size of a man's hand, but if we keep our eyes on the Lord, a new wind of the Spirit is starting to rise. Even though America hasn't improved morally since the 1990s, our direction has changed. God is raising up a prayer army and I believe our prayers are touching the heart of God.
 
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Cease Striving and Know

It is time to abandon our fears and the stressful anxieties that come from not trusting in God.

One title for the Messiah is Immanuel, which means, "God with us." Jesus promised to be with us, "even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). At some point we must accept the wonder and power of Christ's promise. He is with us always! To mistrust this promise is to reject the very character of the divine nature. It is serious sin.

In the Psalms, the Lord gives us a promise for the day in which we find ourselves. He says,

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Ps. 46:10).

No matter what things look like now, God has decreed that He will be exalted in the earth. Not Satan, but God; not evil, but good. Hell may have its moment, but God will win the day.

All our lives we are taught to judge by what our eyes see and our ears hear. To do so is perfectly rational. The only problem is that when our decisions are based only upon our senses, we lose the perspective and wisdom of God. The living God not only sees the end from the beginning; in a heartbeat He can change the world we see into something that is full of redemption and grace.

God’s Word tells us to focus on "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Phil. 4:8).

You see, fear is a magnifying lens that exaggerates whatever it looks at. The devil is a master illusionist who uses fear to take our eyes off the Lord. The result is that our stress level increases, and anxiety brings death into our world. Indeed, the more we talk about what's wrong, the less we see what is right and good in our world.

Again, the Word tells us, "In repentance and rest you will be saved. In quietness and trust is your strength" (Isa. 30:15).

Be quiet. Wait upon the Lord and compose your soul. Don't let your unbelieving words deplete your spirit; for the more you talk, the more peace you lose. Keep your soul focused upon Christ, the Lord. Those who believe enter His rest, and from the place of rest, we can hear His voice.

If you know who God truly is, anxiety will fade into trust. Therefore, cease worrying! God cares for you. Those who trust Him have peace that surpasses all understanding. Talk to the Lord and then quietly listen. As you do, your spirit will soar, and your heart expand and ascend into His presence.

It has been truly said, "Fear is the darkroom where Satan develops our negatives." Therefore, renounce fear. Divorce anxiety. Beloved, the Lord is good. Trust Him with your battle. Yes, it's time to cease striving and know that He is God.

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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.

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In a dream, I saw a city that was overcome by darkness. It was a darkness that could be felt. The name of the darkness was Desolation, and its arms were Hopelessness and Fear. The darkness made people feel like there was no help for them, like the time was past for any type of spiritual awakening. A small band of us stood outside the city. We had been baptized in the glory of God. This glorious light, which was resident within us, was now visible and flowing out from our inner being. The surge of light drove out the darkness. Multitudes were save as they received the light.
From the beginning of my relationship with Christ, the vision of His manifest glory inspired great hope in me, especially as the Word of God from Isaiah 60:1-3 confirmed the vision. Yet there was one more witness to come. I turned to my next reading, which was from Matthew, chapter 14, and the feeding of loaves and fish to the 5000. Verse 15 reads, "The disciples came to Him and said, ‘This place is desolate and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away.'"
As I read, I noticed similarities between the night vision of the multitudes coming out of darkness and this scene from the Gospels. Both depicted a place and time of desolation. Since apparently the "time was already past," the logical remedy was to "send the multitudes away."
Of course, not even the most imaginative Christian would ever reference Matthew 14:13-21 with Isaiah 60:1-3. Yet the Lord was speaking something that has affected me for the rest of my life. The Lord answered:
       "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!"
       They said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."
       And He said, "Bring them here to Me."
The result was that He took the loaves and fish, blessed them, and as He broke the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave the bread and fish to the multitudes (vv. 16-19). Jesus had taken bread, blessed it, and then broken it. Again I paused, but this time it was because of a peculiarity concerning my last name: in Italian, Frangipane actually means "to break bread."

I felt I was in a God moment and I definitely needed to share what was happening to me to my wife. I told her about the night vision and how I experienced the manifestation of the Lord’s glory. With excitement I shared the scripture in Isaiah 60 that confirmed the vision. I then told her about the feeding of the five thousand. I mentioned how I felt that during the time of the end, when the world would seem utterly desolate and hopelessly lost -- even as disciples would argue to send the multitudes away -- the Lord would use us like He used the loaves to feed the multitudes.
Then, in an effort to underscore the significance of this moment, I explained to her that my last name, Frangipane, which was now her last name too, actually meant "to break bread." It was at that point my wife told me the meaning of her maiden name, Piscitelli. Incredibly, her name meant "little fishes."
Little Is Much With Jesus
Between the vision, the text in Isaiah, and the meaning of our names, I am convinced that a period of great glory and harvest awaits the church. I am not saying this harvest and glory will appear instead of the rapture or after the tribulation. I'm saying that between now and whatever you believe concerning the Second Coming of Christ, there will be a time of glory and harvest.

Thus, when Christians complain the harvest "is already past," or that society has become too "desolate," it would be an error to say we must "send the multitudes away." The Lord has made it plain: it will not be too late or desolate for Him.

The Lord has proven many times that as Christians we do not need to stockpile resources before we attempt the "impossible." As long as we remain blessed and broken in the hands of the Master, our few loaves and fish are enough. What we have learned is that Jesus does not need a lot to work His miracles; He just requires all we have.
Yes, the hour is late; true, our cities are desolate and in darkness. Yet the vision of the glory of Christ unveiled in us still speaks powerfully to my heart. As little qualified as we may appear to critics, if we truly give our all to Christ, He will bless us, and yes He will break us. Indeed, what He said to His disciples, He still speaks to my heart: The multitudes do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.
 
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