FRANCIS FRANGIPANE MINISTRIES

Dear Friends,
Pastor Francis has been invited to speak at two churches in Ft Myers, Florida this weekend.
- Saturday evening, April 30, 7:00 p.m. at Awaken Ministries (5636 Youngquist Rd, Fort Myers, FL. 33912) www.awakenministries.info
- Sunday morning, May 1, at Word of Life Ministries (2120-50 Collier Ave, Fort Myers, FL 33901) www.wolm.net
Please pray for the heart of the Lord to be revealed. If you can join us, we'd love to have you!

Upcoming Schedule for Pastor Francis:
- May 26-31: Minneapolis, MN, North Central University, All Nations Student Conference (www.allnationsxa.com)

- June 9-12: Minneapolis, MN , Kingdom Generation Gathering

- June 21- 22: Dallas, TX, Church Leadership Summit with James Robison

- July 21-23: Cedar Rapids, IA, ICIT On-Site Seminar (www.icitc.org)

- August 3-6: Minneapolis, MN, Lutheran Renewal's Holy Spirit Conference (www.lutheranrenewal.org)

- Nov 11: Detroit, MI, The Call, Detroit (www.transformmi.com)
Blessings,
The Staff of Francis Frangipane
www.frangipane.org

---

Ministries of Francis Frangipane
The Ministries of Francis Frangipane - Eword Message
When Passover is
Fulfilled in God's Kingdom


"Easter" Or "Passover"?
We all know that the early church did not celebrate Easter with jelly beans,
chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chickens. Their children never went on
Easter
egg hunts. Of course, the death and resurrection of Jesus stood above all
the cultural trappings, but it was Passover not Easter, that the early
Christians
honored.

The word Easter actually comes from the Anglo Saxon Eastre, the goddess of
spring. As Christianity spread, it became church policy not to undo pagan
holidays,
but instead inject Christian meaning into the celebrations. Although I enjoy
eating chocolate bunnies, I recognize that the colored eggs, rabbits and
chickens
were originally symbols through which the locals paid homage to the "gods"
that governed sexual fertility.

Although most Christians, myself included, still refer to the season of
Christ's resurrection as "Easter," in my heart I look past secular
traditions and
into the reality of spiritual truth. Indeed, even when I am with one who
celebrates Easter with eggs, etc., I overlook these cultural traditions and
call
everyone's attention to the great miracle: the resurrection of Christ.

Church Celebrated Passover
While we can forgive and cover unbiblical traditions in love, it remains
important that we steadfastly pursue the truth of God's Word. Thus, we
should
recognize that the early church did not celebrate Easter as we do in modern
times. They celebrated the Feast of Passover. This annual tradition was not
only commemorative; it was also prophetic in nature. Additionally, we would
expect that the Jewish disciples would celebrate Passover, but so also did
the Gentile believers. We see this clearly in Paul's letter to the
Corinthians. He wrote, "...Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let
us therefore
celebrate the feast" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).

These Gentile Corinthians were urged by Paul to celebrate the Hebrew Feast
of Passover. True, they did not celebrate the Old Testament ritual as did
the
Jews with unleavened bread, etc. Rather, they approached the feast from its
spiritual perspective, focusing on "the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth"
(v. 8). Indeed, the Christian Church kept the Passover, not in remembrance
of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, but in remembrance of what
Christ---their
Passover---fulfille d in delivering mankind from the penalty of sin and
judgment.

Listen again to the Lord's statement to His disciples. He said, "I have
earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say
to you,
I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God"
(Luke 22:15-16).

Jesus desired to eat the Passover, not looking back, but looking forward in
prophetic anticipation of Passover being fulfilled on a whole new level in
the
Kingdom of God. Through Christ's sacrifice, a new Passover would be
established far greater than that of Israel's deliverance from Pharaoh. This
Passover
would affect the entire world. While it would still be a type of Passover,
it would be kept "in remembrance of [Jesus]" (v. 19).

Hebrew Passover Versus Christian Passover
The Old Testament Passover, for all its powerful intrinsic and literal
value, was actually a shadow of what Christ would fulfill on behalf of the
world.
Therefore, let's look at this first Passover.

The Hebrew Passover occurred in ancient Egypt when the Israelites were
slaves. We are familiar with the story: God had sent Moses to bring
deliverance to
His people. Each time Pharaoh refused, divine judgments fell upon Egypt; the
last and most decisive judgment occurred the night before the Israelites
left
Egypt. The Lord commanded the Hebrews to kill a lamb and put its blood on
the doorposts and lintels of each house. That night, as the angel of death
went
forth and killed every first-born male in Egypt, he "passed over" every home
whose exterior door was covered by the blood of the lamb. From this "passing
over" comes the term "Passover."

Yet, the Israelites were required to do more than put lamb's blood upon
their doorposts. They also had to roast the lamb they'd slain and then eat
it entirely;
any remains were to be burnt. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, and
eaten in haste with their loins girded and a walking staff ready. They also
had
to remove all leaven from their dwellings and bake unleavened bread for
their journey into the wilderness. The next morning the entire nation of
Israel
along with their sheep and cattle were victoriously delivered from their
time of bondage. Every year from then on the Israelites were required to
commemorate
God's great deliverance. This commemoration was also known as the "Feast of
Unleavened Bread." It lasted for eight days and was considered a mandatory
feast for all of Israel.

When Christ came, one of His singular purposes was to fulfill the Law and
the Prophets (Matt. 5:17). This mission to bring fulfillment included
Israel's
feasts; in a profound way, the Passover would become central. Remember also,
the feasts were shadows of something greater than themselves. Paul said
their
"substance belongs to Christ" (Col. 2:17). It is absolutely remarkable that,
of all days in the calendar year, Christ, the Lamb of God, died on Passover.
As the high priest was offering a lamb for the sins of the Jews, on that day
God was offering His Son for the sins of the world! It is Christ's blood
that
protects us today in the same way the blood on the doorposts symbolized
God's protection for Israel in Egypt.

But let's take the Passover further into its great, end-time fulfillment.
During this last Passover celebrated by Jesus, I believe He not only had the
forgiveness
of the world on His mind, but also the great, end-time fulfillment of
Passover - an event which is yet to come. Thus, as He ate that last Passover
with
His disciples, He said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with
you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it
is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22: 15-16).

Jesus said that the Passover will have yet another great fulfillment when He
eats it with us "in the kingdom of God." After that last supper Jesus did
not
again celebrate Passover. His statement refers to something yet to come,
something that will unfold at the end of the age. When Jesus speaks about
the
Passover being fulfilled in the kingdom, He is saying that there will be yet
another fulfillment to the Feast of Passover, a time when those who are
truly
Christ's, who have "eaten" the Lamb's flesh and partaken of His blood
covenant, are divinely protected during the time of the end. So regardless
of whether
you believe in a pre-, mid- or post-tribulation rapture, God has not
destined us for wrath. The Kingdom Passover, fulfilled by the Lamb of God,
positions
us in the eternal protection of the Almighty.

In whatever manner Jesus' words shall be fulfilled, let us require of
ourselves to partake of the whole Lamb and not merely nibble at the
comforting verses.
Let us diligently apply the Lamb's blood over the doorways to our hearts, as
well as over our families and loved ones. And even as the world around us
continues its rush toward sin and judgment, let us instead press into God's
kingdom. For during these very days of shaking, we shall receive a "kingdom
which cannot be shaken" (Heb. 12:28).

Beloved, let us live in holy expectation of that day when Christ shall
return and we shall eat the Passover with Him in the Kingdom of God.

Thank You for Forwarding
We would like to thank those of you who have been forwarding these messages
to friends and family.
Reprint Agreement
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Frangipane can be sent to
info@frangipane. org.
God bless your pursuit of His heart.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.

When Passover is
Fulfilled in God's Kingdom
"Easter" Or "Passover"?
We all know that the early church did not celebrate Easter with jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chickens. Their children never went on Easter egg hunts. Of course, the death and resurrection of Jesus stood above all the cultural trappings, but it was Passover not Easter, that the early Christians honored.

The word Easter actually comes from the Anglo Saxon Eastre, the goddess of spring. As Christianity spread, it became church policy not to undo pagan holidays, but instead inject Christian meaning into the celebrations. Although I enjoy eating chocolate bunnies, I recognize that the colored eggs, rabbits and chickens were originally symbols through which the locals paid homage to the "gods" that governed sexual fertility.

Although most Christians, myself included, still refer to the season of Christ's resurrection as "Easter," in my heart I look past secular traditions and into the reality of spiritual truth. Indeed, even when I am with one who celebrates Easter with eggs, etc., I overlook these cultural traditions and call everyone's attention to the great miracle: the resurrection of Christ.

Church Celebrated Passover
While we can forgive and cover unbiblical traditions in love, it remains important that we steadfastly pursue the truth of God's Word. Thus, we should recognize that the early church did not celebrate Easter as we do in modern times. They celebrated the Feast of Passover. This annual tradition was not only commemorative; it was also prophetic in nature. Additionally, we would expect that the Jewish disciples would celebrate Passover, but so also did the Gentile believers. We see this clearly in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. He wrote, "...Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).

These Gentile Corinthians were urged by Paul to celebrate the Hebrew Feast of Passover. True, they did not celebrate the Old Testament ritual as did the Jews with unleavened bread, etc. Rather, they approached the feast from its spiritual perspective, focusing on "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (v. 8). Indeed, the Christian Church kept the Passover, not in remembrance of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, but in remembrance of what Christ---their Passover---fulfilled in delivering mankind from the penalty of sin and judgment.

Listen again to the Lord's statement to His disciples. He said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:15-16).

Jesus desired to eat the Passover, not looking back, but looking forward in prophetic anticipation of Passover being fulfilled on a whole new level in the Kingdom of God. Through Christ's sacrifice, a new Passover would be established far greater than that of Israel's deliverance from Pharaoh. This Passover would affect the entire world. While it would still be a type of Passover, it would be kept "in remembrance of [Jesus]" (v. 19).

Hebrew Passover Versus Christian Passover
The Old Testament Passover, for all its powerful intrinsic and literal value, was actually a shadow of what Christ would fulfill on behalf of the world. Therefore, let's look at this first Passover.

The Hebrew Passover occurred in ancient Egypt when the Israelites were slaves. We are familiar with the story: God had sent Moses to bring deliverance to His people. Each time Pharaoh refused, divine judgments fell upon Egypt; the last and most decisive judgment occurred the night before the Israelites left Egypt. The Lord commanded the Hebrews to kill a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts and lintels of each house. That night, as the angel of death went forth and killed every first-born male in Egypt, he "passed over" every home whose exterior door was covered by the blood of the lamb. From this "passing over" comes the term "Passover."

Yet, the Israelites were required to do more than put lamb's blood upon their doorposts. They also had to roast the lamb they'd slain and then eat it entirely; any remains were to be burnt. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, and eaten in haste with their loins girded and a walking staff ready. They also had to remove all leaven from their dwellings and bake unleavened bread for their journey into the wilderness. The next morning the entire nation of Israel along with their sheep and cattle were victoriously delivered from their time of bondage. Every year from then on the Israelites were required to commemorate God's great deliverance. This commemoration was also known as the "Feast of Unleavened Bread." It lasted for eight days and was considered a mandatory feast for all of Israel.

When Christ came, one of His singular purposes was to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 5:17). This mission to bring fulfillment included Israel's feasts; in a profound way, the Passover would become central. Remember also, the feasts were shadows of something greater than themselves. Paul said their "substance belongs to Christ" (Col. 2:17). It is absolutely remarkable that, of all days in the calendar year, Christ, the Lamb of God, died on Passover. As the high priest was offering a lamb for the sins of the Jews, on that day God was offering His Son for the sins of the world! It is Christ's blood that protects us today in the same way the blood on the doorposts symbolized God's protection for Israel in Egypt.

But let's take the Passover further into its great, end-time fulfillment. During this last Passover celebrated by Jesus, I believe He not only had the forgiveness of the world on His mind, but also the great, end-time fulfillment of Passover - an event which is yet to come. Thus, as He ate that last Passover with His disciples, He said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22: 15-16).

Jesus said that the Passover will have yet another great fulfillment when He eats it with us "in the kingdom of God." After that last supper Jesus did not again celebrate Passover. His statement refers to something yet to come, something that will unfold at the end of the age. When Jesus speaks about the Passover being fulfilled in the kingdom, He is saying that there will be yet another fulfillment to the Feast of Passover, a time when those who are truly Christ's, who have "eaten" the Lamb's flesh and partaken of His blood covenant, are divinely protected during the time of the end. So regardless of whether you believe in a pre-, mid- or post-tribulation rapture, God has not destined us for wrath. The Kingdom Passover, fulfilled by the Lamb of God, positions us in the eternal protection of the Almighty.

In whatever manner Jesus' words shall be fulfilled, let us require of ourselves to partake of the whole Lamb and not merely nibble at the comforting verses. Let us diligently apply the Lamb's blood over the doorways to our hearts, as well as over our families and loved ones. And even as the world around us continues its rush toward sin and judgment, let us instead press into God's kingdom. For during these very days of shaking, we shall receive a "kingdom which cannot be shaken" (Heb. 12:28).

Beloved, let us live in holy expectation of that day when Christ shall return and we shall eat the Passover with Him in the Kingdom of God.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The Power of Covenant Prayer (published by Creation House).
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.

Those Who Make A Covenant With God
(En Español)

The Covenant-Keeping God
Throughout the history of God's dealings with man, He has revealed Himself as a covenant-making God. The Almighty made major covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David; He renewed His Abrahamic covenant in His call to Isaac and Jacob. Each covenant initiated a new wave of redemptive power into the world and forever impacted the human condition.

The word covenant means "to fetter" or chain together. It was the highest form of commitment that two individuals could share. Any of several rituals were employed to express the covenant partners' unity: A sword might be passed, signifying that the two would be united against the enemy as one. They might pass a sandal between themselves, which symbolized they would travel any distance to be at one another's side. Or, they might cut an animal in two and pass between its halves. As the two halves, though separated, were still one animal, so the two covenant partners would become as one individual.

When the Lord initiated His covenant with a man, He did so as an extension of His eternal purpose; the man was a component in a series of divine initiatives. Contained within the Lord's covenant was His divine intervention, His supernatural wisdom and strategies, His love and forgiveness, and His provisions.

Thus, if we look at the Lord's call to Noah, we see that it was not the ark but the covenant of God that preserved Noah and his family during worldwide judgment (Gen. 6:18). Noah was a component, a factor in a series of divine initiatives, which accomplished the Lord's predetermined plans. God established the covenant, designed the ark and brought the animals. The Lord even shut the door after Noah entered the ark (Gen. 7:16).

When the Lord established His covenant with Abraham, twice a flaming torch passed through the halves of the animals Abraham offered in sacrifice. The two passes signified that God would keep His part of the covenant and, remarkably, He would also be the strength in Abraham to fulfill his part of the covenant as well! Today, a restored Israel testifies to God's faithfulness in His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it is God's covenant with Abraham, not merely the Israeli military, that preserves Israel in our times.

The agreement the Lord cut with His covenant partner was not only for His servant, but it extended to His servant's descendants as well. The promise God made could be passed on generationally.

Payment And Pattern
Similarly, we are saved and sustained through life by Christ's covenant with the Father. Our salvation has been secured not only because Jesus died for our sins, but because His death was part of a covenant He had with the Father. The fact that Jesus suffered on my behalf is staggering, but His crucifixion was a component of an even more powerful reality: His covenant with the Father.

The terms of Christ's covenant were such that, if He would live His life blamelessly and offer that holy life upon the cross for sins, everyone who believed in the Son of God would be granted forgiveness by God. The Father would look to Christ's sacrifice and see justice; sinners would look to Jesus and find mercy. We are saved by this New Covenant.

Yet, as maturing disciples, we find in Christ's covenantel mission not only our peace, but also a pattern Christ calls us to follow. He told His disciples, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:21). Having laid down His life in covenant surrender, He now bids us to follow Him (Matt. 16:24). Of course, our cross does not replace His cross, nor do the local covenants we make with God supersede Christ's eternal covenant. The truth is, our cross extends the power of Christ's cross into our world and times. Indeed, our covenant with God finds its backing because of Christ's covenant with the Father.

Thus, the Lord invites us to follow Him; even as He covenanted with God for the sins of the world, so we covenant to God for our homes, cities and nations. The covenant positions us in the same attitude expressed by Christ, revealed again through us for our families, cities and nations.

The Harvest and Covenant Power
To many, the idea of making a special covenant with God is unfamiliar. Yet, besides the major covenants we mentioned earlier, the Bible tells of many other times when men made a localized covenant with God. (See 2 Kings 11:17; 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chr. 29:10; Ezra 10:3; etc.) I believe that many have already felt the Holy Spirit speaking, urging them to deepen their commitment to Christ on behalf of their families, cities and nations.

Even so, covenants, and our obedience to them, must not be made casually. They must come from our hearts in response to the Lord's initiative. You will know the depth of your covenant by the vision, faith and depth of burden God has given you.

A new authority is coming to those who desire full conformity to Christ. For a great harvest is indeed prophesied for the end of this age (Isa. 60:1-3; Acts 2), and those leading the way will be individuals who understand Christ's covenant and, in surrender to Christ’s initiative, have themselves covenanted with God for those they love.

Lord Jesus, You are my inspiration and pattern. I desire to be like you in all things, even as Paul said, to be "conformed to [Your] death" (Phil. 3:10). Master, open my eyes to the realities granted me through Your covenant with the Father. And lead me into the power of covenant prayer for my loved ones, church and city. In Jesus’ name.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The Power of Covenant Prayer (published by Creation House).
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.

Greetings

Free Training Now Available:

We are currently introducing the complete Level I, text version of In Christ's Image Training for free. This will be in addition to our other full-training enrollment plans.

This is the same training available for those seeking ordination and ministerial licensing, minus the audios, testing and consultations. While this material will not make you eligible for ministerial certification, its revelatory truths have the power to revolutionize your life.

Ministry in Your Future?

We are near finalizing our credentialing program, which will work in conjunction with International Ministerial Fellowship as our ordaining agency. If you sense the calling of God on your life to ministry -- pastoring, youth minister, intercessory or marketplace ministry, etc. -- to receive our recommendations and referral for IMF, you will need to first successfully graduate from In Christ's Image Training.

Level I term begins April 8. Registration has been extended through April 4.

See how you can advance in ministerial training right from your home.

God bless you and thank you for your time.

Pastor Frangipane

View video from Pastor Francis on the school or go copy and paste the link below into
your browser:
mms://rolstream.dyndns.org/icit/video/icit_annc_ff.wmv

Testimonies from students

How to get started:

* Start at www.icitc.org.

* Read through the Level I page.

* Then review the Tuition page for a full list of enrollment plans.

* Finally, select complete Level I Registration page.

Registration extended to April 4, 2011.

Training available also in Spanish/Espaňol

Read through the Level I page.
http://frangipane.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/applogic+ftcontentserver?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/1000/728/page13

* Then review the Tuition page for a full list of enrollment plans.
http://frangipane.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/applogic+ftcontentserver?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/1000/728/page08
* Finally, select complete Level I Registration page.

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.

Unoffendable

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. 36:26).

God has a new heart for us that cannot be offended, an "unoffendable" heart. Beloved, possessing an unoffendable heart is not an option or a luxury; it's not a little thing. An offended heart is endanger of becoming a "heart of stone."

Consider: Jesus warns that, as we near the end of the age, a majority of people will be offended to such a degree that they fall away from the faith. Listen carefully to His warning:

"Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another . . . and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt. 24:10-12 KJV).

"Many" will "be offended." The result? The love of "many" will grow cold. My prayer is that we will hear His words with holy fear.

When we allow an offense to remain in our hearts, it causes serious spiritual consequences. In the above verse Jesus named three dangerous results: betrayal, hatred and cold love. When we are offended with someone, even someone we care for, we must go to them. If we do not talk to them, we will begin to talk about them. We betray that relationship, whispering maliciously behind their back to others, exposing their weaknesses and sins. We may mask our betrayal by saying we are just looking for advice or counsel, but when we look back, we see we have spoken negatively to far too many people. Our real goal was not to get spiritual help for ourselves but to seek revenge toward the one who offended us. How is such action not a manifestation of hatred? For an offended soul, cold love, betrayal and hatred are a walk into darkness.

People don't stumble over boulders; they stumble over stones, relatively small things. It may be that the personality of someone in authority bothers us, and soon we are offended. Or, a friend or family member fails to meet our expectations, and we take an offense into our soul. Beloved, if we will "endure to the end," we will have to confront the things that bother us.

When Jesus warns that we need endurance, He is saying that it is easier to begin the race than finish it. Between now and the day you die, there will be major times of offense that you will need to overcome. You might be in such a time right now. Do not minimize the danger of harboring an offense!

No one plans on falling away; no one ever says, "Today, I think I'll try to develop a hardened heart of stone." Such things enter our souls through stealth. It is only naiveté that assumes it couldn't happen to us. I know many people who consistently become offended about one thing or another. Instead of dealing with the offenses, praying about them and turning the issue over to God, they carry the offense in their soul until its weight disables their walk with God. You may be doing fine today, but I guarantee you, tomorrow something will happen that will inevitably disappoint or wound you; some injustice will strike you, demanding you retaliate in the flesh. Will you find more love, and hence, continue your growth toward Christlikeness? Or will you allow that offense to consume your spiritual life?

The Root Of Offense
An offense can strike at our virtues or sins, our values or our pride. It can penetrate and wound any dimension of the soul, both good and evil. I once brought a series of messages about gossip. Most people saw their sin and repented, but a core group of gossips were greatly offended and ultimately left the church. When the Holy Spirit exposes sin in someone's soul, if we refuse the opportunity to repent, we often become offended at the person who brought the teaching. Instead of humbling our hearts, we are outraged at the person who exposed us. Truthfully, most of the time, I have no idea who specifically needs to hear what I'm teaching, but God knows.

Paul told Timothy to "reprove, rebuke, exhort" (see 2 Tim. 4:2). He didn't say, "exhort, exhort, exhort," but exhortation is what we receive in most churches. Certainly, we need to be encouraged, but there are also times, beloved, when we need to be reproved and rebuked. Today, there are preachers who are afraid to preach truth for fear people will react and leave the church. The end result is a church of easily offended people who cannot grow beyond their inability to accept correction.

People don't change by exhortation alone. There are areas in all of us that need to be confronted and disciplined. The pastor who refuses to discipline and correct those in sin is in disobedience to God. He is unable to lead people into any truly transforming changes in their lives; they will not "endure to the end" if they cannot be corrected (see Matt. 24).

We need to become a people who say, "Lord, show me what needs to change in me." I'm talking about growing up. A wise man will receive a rebuke and he will prosper. But a fool rejects his father's discipline (see Prov. 15:5).

Personal Offense
It is often our pride that suffers offense most easily. Pride leads us to expect more than we deserve. Pride is a form of self-worship. God must destroy our pride, and to do so, He will allow offenses to expose what we lack in humility. It is not wrong to expect encouragement for our good works, but we cannot be offended when it doesn't happen in the timing we are expecting.

Years ago when I was a young pastor, I attended a conference where the main leader decided to personally greet each minister and spouse. He greeted the couple on our right and then turned to his staff to ask a question. A moment later he returned, but passed us by and went to the couple on our left. Everyone around us saw we were bypassed. We were embarrassed and offended. But my wife wisely observed that we could allow this thing to hurt us or we could see it as an investment in sensitivity toward other people's feelings. The offense taught us how others feel when they are ignored. Do you see this? You must make that offense become an opportunity to become more Christlike.

The occasions for taking offense are practically endless. Indeed, we are daily given the opportunity to either be offended by something or to possess an unoffendable heart. The Lord's promise is that He's given us a new heart - a soft, entreatable heart that can be filled with His Spirit and abound with His love.

Lord, forgive me for being so easily offended and for carrying offenses. Father, my heart is foolish and weak. Grant me the unoffendable heart of Jesus Christ. Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This vital message from Pastor Frangipane was adapted from a lesson in his online school, In Christ's Image Training. This course has touched and inspired thousands of believers from over seventy nations. In addition to our regular enrollment programs, Level I training is available as a text version for free to new students.

All students including those signing up for free lessons must enroll.

Steps to Enroll:

* Start at www.icitc.org.

* Read through the Level I page.
http://frangipane.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/applogic+ftcontentserver?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/1000/728/page13

* Then review the Tuition page for a full list of enrollment plans.
http://frangipane.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/applogic+ftcontentserver?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/1000/728/page08
* Finally, select complete Level I Registration page.

Registration closes March 31, 2011.

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.

Dear Christ-follower,

Greetings!

In Christ's Image Training
As you probably know, the vision of this ministry is to possess the nature of Christ. It was with this in mind that I developed the In Christ's Image Training course. The full version of this six-month online course provides 44 lessons over a 24-week period (approximately two per week), plus 39 messages via audio CD or MP3 download. Your tests are graded and those who pass are certified, thus helping to qualify you for CEU credits for your ongoing spiritual education.

ICIT Now Available for Free!
We have tried to make this course as affordable as possible; still, we realize that during times like these it may be difficult even to pay for basic living expenses. Yet, the Holy Spirit has burdened my heart that God has many whom He desires to train and empower -- people who currently are going through a financial wilderness of sorts.

To help every person who sincerely desires to become more like Christ, we have decided to offer the text version of our training for free. While this gift will not include testing, audios or certification, it will put the powerful core training of ICIT right there in your hands each week.

If you have had a desire to take your Christian walk to the next level, here is your opportunity. You will receive 44 unique chapters sent over a 24-week period. These are some of the most powerful teachings God has placed on my heart -- truths from over 40 years of deep calling unto deep, of testing and triumph. These are the spiritual realities concerning the pursuit of Christ's likeness, humility, prayer and the power of Christ-centered unity. Leaders who have taken their church staff through the course have related that their churches have never been the same.

Our passion is to see many hundreds of thousands of Christians envisioned and empowered to become more like Christ. Consider this email my personal invitation to you. Ask the Lord if now is the time to enroll in In Christ's Image Training.

Thank you for your time
Francis Frangipane
For more information on all our training programs, .
click here

The Summing Up of All Things in Christ

"He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to his kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth" (Eph. 1:9-10).

God and Time Are on My Side
Paul tells us that the price Jesus paid has not only brought the church into salvation, but Christ's atonement will also redeem all of creation as well. The apostle explains that a unique season would occur at the end of the age. During the last years of this dispensation God would actually begin to gather "all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth."

This great gathering together of all things is not so much a singular event as it is a series of divine initiatives. Thus, the word translated "summing up" was an accounting term used by the ancient Greeks. It simply described the sequence of addition used to bring separate items to a singular total. Other translations use the phrase "gathering together" or "gathering into one" all things in Christ. Those who love Him will be consumed by Him in love; those who hate Him will be consumed in judgment. Either way, God will leave nothing but the fullness of Christ permeating the universe.

What is important for us to know now is that we are in that season spoken of by Paul in the Scriptures. Indeed, even now there is an energy, a power, from God that has begun the process of gathering. We see evidences of His power as He gathers Israel to its land and the church to its unity and destiny. This is a profound truth. The world is being carried forward into a reality that shall ultimately be filled with Christ. Whether it takes five years or fifty years, this is the great "mystery of [God's] will" which shall occur at the end of the age.

To win our war for righteousness we must keep focused on this larger, cosmic perspective of a world consumed in Christ. Yes, the world remains darkened in its fallen state. Yet, every time we pray, "Thy Kingdom come," we are asking for the Holy Spirit to enter us, and then use us to redeem and transform every darkened facet of human existence.

We look at the system of the world and believe it is beyond hope. We see the entertainment industry, for example, and believe that God must destroy it to keep it from contaminating the rest of the world. But what if, at this time, it isn't God's plan to destroy the world, but to invade and transform it? What if He wants to sum it up in Christ? We must pray as if a time will come when godly movies will become commonplace, where the world will be ministered to by the Christian morals that reveal Jesus Christ. Imagine a day when the power of the cross would permeate the entertainment industry so much so that it would be known as "Holywood" instead of Hollywood.

We might look at world governments with the same cynicism and unbelief, but remember God is going to sum up "all things" in Christ. The time is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10,11). So, we must learn to look at the wickedness of the world with the vision of the kingdom of God. For at some point in time, worldwide, it will be proclaimed with great shouts of joy, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ" (Rev. 11:15c).

God's plan for the end of the age is to invade every single dimension of life and sum all things up in Christ. Whatever refuses to yield to Christ will be destroyed; what yields to Him will be transformed. This is the mystery of God's will. This is the big picture.

When I hear of terrible natural disasters such as we've seen in Japan and other places in recent years or when I watch the turbulent upheavals in the Arab world, I pray as though, somehow, the outcome of what I see is ultimately going to be fulfilled in Christ. When I pray concerning evil in the world, I don't look at the illusion of permanence that appears to protect evil; I look right past it toward the day of God's kingdom. I see what's wrong, but I'm also saying, God's will is to sum this thing up in Christ. I pray as though God and time are on my side.

Becoming Like Christ
The big picture, the wide-angle view, is that all things shall ultimately be summed up in Christ. Certainly, the Lord will use many mighty ways to fulfill this great plan. However, there is one dimension integral to the process of divine consummation that directly pertains to us. Paul writes, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men . . . He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death" (Phil. 2:5-8).

Paul says, "Have this attitude in you . . ." What attitude? The attitude Christ demonstrated when He saw mankind's sin and vileness. He didn't destroy evil people. He didn't isolate Himself from mankind's wickedness. He didn't sit in heaven criticizing man. Christ, who "existed in the form of God," took upon Himself the actual form of man. He completely identified Himself with humanity, even to the point of being found in man's very likeness.

In Christ we see the pattern of how to transform our world: We enter it, take its very form upon ourselves, and by becoming bond-servants (not judges), we give ourselves to whatever it takes to redeem it. To better understand this, substitute the idea that Christ was "being made in the likeness of men" with this: He took upon Himself "the form of need."

So, even though Christ existed in God's form, He knew He couldn't transform the world without taking man's form. As God, He could destroy mankind, but could not redeem mankind. Keep this in mind: You cannot transform anything from the outside. You have to enter the need and take its form to bring redemption.

The Bible clearly and repeatedly states that Jesus is not alone in the mission of redemption. He began alone and set the pattern, but He also is the first born among many brethren. Just as Christ entered us in order to redeem and transform us, so those whom He raises up at the end of the age will do what He did, but on a smaller scale. They will see the need, take its form, and work from the inside to bring redemption.

For example, let's look at the political arena. As Christians, we are so quick to judge politicians and think that the whole system is irreversibly corrupt. Yet, Christ desires that people with His nature enter the system and be a light there. Transformation is an inside job. The church, however, has taken an outside position to things in need, standing aloof from the world in need of redemption. Our only contribution has been to judge and criticize what is wrong.

When we simply judge something without praying for it or seeking to transform it, we can remain isolated from the nature and pattern of Christ. Not until we have the attitude that was first in Christ, do we begin to truly grow in our Christian experience. We must allow Christ to manifest Himself through us. It is the very area of need that we see and remedy that is the "land of our anointing," where the nature of Christ has opportunity to be unveiled through us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Here again, God's pattern is to identify with the need, not putting Himself above it, but sacrificing Himself for the redemption of that need. He shoulders the need Himself. This is the nature of the cross. Christ became "sin on our behalf." He identified with our need so that we could be transformed by His righteousness. Whether it is a school, a neighborhood or place of employment, God desires that we identify with that need and bring light into it.

So the big picture is that everything will be gathered in Christ. The incremental movement within that big picture is measured in each of us seeing the need of the world around us, identifying with people who are trapped in sin, and bringing freedom to them by revealing Christ. After you have identified yourself with the need, you will no longer judge it. As a part of it, you desire its redemption rather than God's wrath. You pray for it like you pray for yourself.

May God deliver us from prayers of judgment and destruction. God's will is not to judge or destroy, but to redeem. He hears our prayers if we pray according to His will. Why then would we pray otherwise? So pray instead, Lord God, raise up people from the inside to transform (my school or our government or the entertainment industry).

We must stop thinking and praying negatively. God is doing something today that is so marvelous and so wonderful that He says: If I told you, you wouldn't believe it. Picture taverns becoming churches. Picture churches working together to see cities changed. This is the mystery of God's will, to see everything summed up in Christ. Let us look at nothing as though it cannot be transformed. Rather, let us remember that in what we desire to see redeemed, eventually all things shall be filled with Christ. God and time are on our side.

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This particular message, about the summing up of our lives in Christ, is a central theme of our In Christ's Image Training course. Registrations are now being accepted for the April 3rd class. We are currently offering for free the entire text of In Christ's Image Training, Level I. Click here for more info.

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Reawaken your passions for Christ!
Reawaken your passions for Christ!

Accepting registrations for the April 2011 ICIT class

April term discounts available

introducing the training

Level I classes begin April 8, 2011

Watch this short video of Francis
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.

I'd like to invite you to two conferences I will be at in April. The first, on April 3rd, is a pastors' dinner and then service where I will be speaking. It is hosted at Restoration Fellowship, 5614 Richardson Rd, Sarasota, FL, 34232 (right off I-75). The evening service starts at 7 pm and is open to the public.

Then, from April 4-6 I will be attending Orlando 2011, hosted by Mission America (see below). I greatly esteem the ministries at Mission America. (I'm not teaching at this conference). If you can make it, I'd love to see you.

Francis

Orlando 2011 Aims to 'Revitalize and Reshape' Evangelism and Missions
Orlando 2011: A Leadership Consultation

April 4-6

Orlando 2011 is not your average evangelism and missions conference!

This event is different than any other gathering that the Mission America Coalition (U.S. Lausanne Committee) has designed. It is a strategic effort to shape the direction of evangelism and missions in America in the next decade. The design team participated in Cape Town 2010 (The Third Lausanne Congress) committed to hear what the Spirit of God was saying to the Church during Cape Town 2010. They listened and networked with leaders from around the world and developed a responsive and interactive format for Orlando 2011.

The April 4-6 consultation in Orlando begins in prayer -- the opening Monday evening session calling participants to serve "with humility and integrity," Miglioratti says. Tuesday's focus will be revitalizing and reshaping evangelism in the U.S., and Wednesday a day of exploring how the U.S. Church can partner with the global Church in reaching the U.S. and the nations of the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Morning sessions Tuesday and Wednesday will link leaders around tables to hear and discuss a keynote address and a set of three diverse contributors to the keynote. Afternoons will host as many as 27 "affinity consultation" small groups for further, focused deliberation on the issues related to specific areas of passion or ministry. Evenings will use media and message along with affinity consultation "forecasting" to issue a clear call to participants to reach communities and cities with the faith, hope, and love of Christ.

"This Leadership Consultation is designed to be a catalytic conversation among leaders of influence and organizations with impact potential," offers Miglioratti.

Leaders in ministry, missions, and evangelism -- and all champions of evangelism -- are invited to attend. Register online at www.orlando2011.org or call 760-200-2707.

Orlando 2011 is convened by the Mission America Coalition (the U.S. Lausanne Committee) in partnership with the National Association of Evangelicals, Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, Campus Crusade for Christ, Vision 360, and Wycliffe Bible Translators.

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For more information about the Mission America Coalition see www.missionamerica.org or, to arrange an interview, contact MAC Director of Communications Susan Brill at 715-559-1068 or e-mail media@missionamerica.org.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please visit our website for additional messages and resources.

If you wish to contact us with comments or questions about this email, you may do so by writing us at comments@frangipane.org.

Esther Fast
by Asher Intrater
We would like to invite you, our dear friends in every nation, tribe and tongue, to join with us in a day of prayer, fasting and intercession in accord with the fast of Esther. You may pray alone, or sponsor a prayer meeting, or mobilize your church, Messianic congregation, or prayer network to join in with us.

The biblical fast lasted three days. The traditional Jewish fast this year is one day, from sundown Wednesday, March 16 to sundown Thursday, March 17. Your participation will involve three aspects:

1. Public Scripture Reading - read out loud, as a devotional declaration and a prophetic proclamation, these three passages:
a.Esther chapters 3 and 4
b.Zechariah 12:2-3, 6-10; 13:1, 8-9; 14:1-9
c.Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-2; 11:1-29

2. Fasting - at least the 24 hours from sundown to sundown on just water (with exceptions of course for those with special needs). For those who have the desire and the ability, we invite you to fast a full three days, according to Esther 4:16.

3. Prayer - to intercede according to the themes of the book of Esther, and to emphasize at least these 7 major prayer directives:
a. Salvation for the Muslim peoples
b. Salvation for the Jewish people
c. Reconciliation between Jew and Arab through Yeshua
d. Bind spirits of anti-Semitism worldwide
e. Strengthen the local Messianic remnant in Israel
f. Guidance for government leaders in Israel and the nations
g. Prepare the Church to stand victorious in the events of the end times leading up to the Second Coming.

If you have a prayer group, a church, or a Messianic congregation, and you would like to participate in this Esther intercession day, please click here to reply and let us know, so that we can be in touch with you.

Reading the Bible
The Bible was written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:20). Therefore, there are two levels on which to read the Bible: the human historical context and the universal spiritual message.

The men who wrote the Bible had different personalities and lived in different generations. When one reads the Bible from the human perspective alone, he sees only the differences, and the passages seem conflicting. The secular academic world looks only at the human side, and therefore, concludes that there are totally contradictory viewpoints. Some universities teach that there were four different documents that comprise the Torah and three different documents in Isaiah.

However, the more one understands the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the more the unified theme of the scriptures becomes apparent. I've been meditating on the scriptures daily for more than thirty years. Each year I become more and more aware of how the pieces fit together and that there is one consistent plan of God from the beginning to the end.

In fact, God had the whole plan of scriptures in mind before the first verse was written. Often writers of modern action fiction develop many sub-plots within the story; at the end all the details fit together in one piece. The pieces fit together suddenly in an exciting surprise ending.

There are many sub-plots within the plan of the kingdom of God that stretch from one end of scripture to the other. When we finally see the whole plan, all the pieces will fit together. The final stages of the kingdom of God also have an exciting surprise that comes together suddenly in the end.

There is a perfect consistency from the Old Covenant to the New. From the very first lines of Genesis, God had in mind the final outcome we see in the book of Revelation. The passages in the Law and the Prophets concerning the history of Israel, the priesthood, and the Davidic kingdom are all written in the Bible on purpose. They reflect the overall spiritual plan, and all fit together, even if it is not apparent at first.

The Old Covenant passages prepare the way for the Gospels. Pictures of the gospel message can be found throughout the Law and the Prophets. This is clear to anyone who reads both the Gospels and the Old Covenant. One reason this is clear is that the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in the Gospels has already taken place.

However, Yeshua comes twice. The fulfillment of the Old Covenant passages in the Second Coming is not that apparent to either Jews or Christians. In our generation we are beginning to see how the history of ancient Israel, the prophecies, and the priesthood all contain pictures of the end times and the Second Coming of Yeshua.

The persecution of the saints (particularly of Messianic Jews by religious Jews) can be seen in the attacks of King Saul on the future King David. The Millennial kingdom is foreshadowed in the kingdom of Solomon. The anti-Semitism and evil government of the anti-Christ can be seen in the work of Haman in the book of Esther. The ancient feasts of Israel contain signs pointing to the Second Coming.

Our Esther's fast day is planned partly on the revelation that the book of Esther describes not only an historical event in the fifth century B.C., but also contains a prophet parable about the end times. As we read the Bible in these latter days, let us be encouraged to know that everything that is happening now, was already seen, planned for, and written about in the ancient scriptures.

Brief Prayer Requests
1. Television program - the documentary on Messianic Jews is still planned to be aired soon, yet is coming under attack. Please pray for it to be shown.
2. HayaTV - for our dear friends at this international gospel outreach to Muslims. Pray for protection for the directors of the channel.
3. Yad Hashmonah - for our dear friends at this unique Messianic kibbutz in the Judean foot hills. Pray for success for all their projects: biblical garden, hotel, housing project, industrial park, and partnership with us.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the
NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

"You Give Them Something to Eat"


"Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision." ---Acts 26:19

What I have come to believe concerning the Lord's glory and its manifestation in the church is supported by many Scriptures. Yet, it was through a night vision in 1971 that God granted me insight into His plan. In this spiritual encounter, I saw a great metropolis languishing under the weight of a deep and terrible darkness. Chiseled upon the faces of those in this wretched society was the image of hopelessness. The place was desolate of real life and the time for a recovery seemed long past.

I was with a group outside the city. We were not part of the darkness, but had been "baptized" in a glorious and powerful light. During the vision, I actually experienced the power of this light surging up from my innermost being. It coursed out through our hands like streams of laser light; a visible splendor shone from our bodies, especially our faces.

Suddenly, out from the city the great multitude began to grope their way toward us -- thousands of people. Soon all were calling on the name of the Lord. As we laid our hands upon them and prayed for them, they also received the light.

The vision passed, and though I continued to lie in bed, I did not return to sleep. As dawn broke, I opened to the book of Isaiah. As a new Christian, this was the first time I was reading through the Bible. I turned the page from the previous day's reading and there, for the first time, I read Isaiah 60. The words bolted into my mind like lightning, then shook my insides like thunder.

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.
And nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
---Isaiah 60:1-3

It says, "darkness will cover the earth." This was exactly what I saw in the vision! It proclaimed, "the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you," precisely describing what I had seen in the vision! It was as though I had actually stepped into the future and experienced a fulfillment of this prophecy. The Holy Spirit and the Word, working in divine symmetry, revealed that the glory of the Lord would be manifested in His people at the end of the age, and that "nations," currently languishing in darkness, would come to Christ!

Today many people are excited about the harvest. However, in the early seventies and through the eighties the idea of "multitudes coming to Christ" was not a common expectation. With the threat of nuclear war ever present, most Christians were not thinking, praying, or acting like revival was coming. What most expected was a nuclear war with the USSR and either the rapture of the church or the beginning of the great tribulation.

It was against this backdrop of fear and unbelief that the Lord spoke to me of the harvest. Today several hundred thousand souls each week come to Christ worldwide. Still, even this is small compared to what God is going to do in the days ahead.

As important as the harvest is, however, the primary focus of the vision was not winning the lost; it was on the ascendancy of Christ's presence in the church. The Father's priority is that the Lord Jesus be lifted up: The coming great harvest will be the result of Christ's presence! It will not be our programs or methods that bring this harvest into God's barns; it will be the glory of the Lord.

A Third Witness
The vision released within me lofty expectations for the future, while the text in Isaiah grounded my feet on the firm path of God's eternal Word. Still, the Lord was not done with me, and one more witness was about to come. After I read Isaiah, my next reading in my daily progression took me to Matthew, chapter 14. As I read, I paused after verse 15, which reads, "The disciples came to Him, saying, ‘The place is desolate, and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away.'"

This Scripture recalls the time when Jesus miraculously fed the multitudes. As I read, I noticed similarities between the vision of the multitudes in darkness and this scene from the Gospels. Both depicted a place of desolation and both communicated the sense that the situation was beyond remedy. Yet in spite of the apparent hopelessness of each, multitudes were ministered to in both.

Of course, there was no theological connection between the two texts; 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 would personally affect me for the rest of my life. In response to the disciples urging Jesus to send the multitudes away, He answered,

"They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!"
And 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 five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward Heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes" (Matt. 14:16-19).

Jesus had taken bread, blessed it, and then broken it. Again, I paused. This time it was because of a peculiarity concerning my last name: in Italian, Frangipane actually means "to break bread." Was the Lord using the meaning of my name to connect the feeding of the multitudes with the the conversion of the city in the vision?

Later that morning, I related the vision and the Lord's promise from Isaiah to my wife, Denise. 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 lost, the Lord would use us like He used the loaves to feed the multitudes. Then, in an effort to truly amaze her, for the first time in our young married life I explained that our last name, Frangipane, 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
Long before God had called Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others in the Bible, He had affirmed the foreknowledge of His eternal purpose in the meaning of their names. For us, He did likewise: He revealed the DNA of our destiny in the meaning of our names!

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. Through the account of Christ's feeding the multitudes, the Lord also warned us to expect people without a similar vision to try to dampen our spirits. In this regard, you may have read criticism of this ministry on the Internet. Every critic is angry about one primary doctrine: the teaching I present that there is one last great outpouring coming before the church is raptured. I love it that I am persecuted because of a vision from God! Hallelujah! The fact is, while the critics seek to distort and slander, the vision of God and the great harvest is continuing in nations around the world.

Thus, when Christians complain the harvest "is already past," or that society has become too "desolate," it would be an error for any of us, either by our words, doctrines or actions, to ask to "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 we give Him all we have.

Scripture Cannot Be Broken
To my wife and me, the prophetic meanings attached to our last names tell us that the purposes of God are preordained. However, for all that these things mean to us personally, it is upon the Scriptures that faith must rest. Dreams, visions, and supernatural "coincidences" are still subjective experiences which must be confirmed and established by the written Word of God. We rest upon God's Word because Jesus said, "Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

Thus, the Lord assures us that His Word ". . . shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isa. 55:11). Regardless of the current spiritual condition of Christianity, every promise God has made concerning His glory in the church, His purpose with Israel, and the harvest at the end of the age -- every word will have its day of fulfillment! With the Almighty, it is never a matter of if His word will come to pass but when and with whom.

Yes, the hour is late; true, our cities are desolate. Yet Jesus still speaks powerfully to my spirit. As little qualified as we may be, if we truly give our all to Christ, He will bless us and break us, and then fill us with glory to reach multitudes. Indeed, what He said to His disciples, He says to all: The multitudes do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.

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The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The Days of His Presence published by Kingdom Publishing and available as an eBook for $6.75 now through March 31.

For ordering information, please visit the Arrow Bookstore at www.arrowbookstore.com.

A Heart Without Idols
by Francis Frangipane
When we first come to Jesus, He accepts us just as we are: problems, sins
and all. As our needs are met, however, we gradually discover that God is
seeking
something from our lives. What He seeks is our worship. But true worship is
the consequence, the result, of seeing God as He is. It springs naturally
from
a soul purified by love; it rises like incense from a heart without idols.

The God Whose Name is Jealous
Christ does not personally destroy the idols of sin and self within us.
Rather, He points to them and tells us to destroy them. This message is
about repentance.
If you withdraw from the sound of that word, it is because you need a fresh
cleansing of your soul. In fact, we are talking about a type of repentance
that is uncommon to those who only seek forgiveness but not change. We are
speaking of deep repentance—a vigilant, contrite attitude that refuses to
allow
sin or self to become an idol in our hearts.

In Exodus we see Christ's view of idols. He warns,

block quote
Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land
into which you are going, lest it become a snare in your midst. But rather,
you
are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down
their Asherim—for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose
name
is Jealous, is a jealous
—Exodus 34:12–14

block quote end

There are many aspects to the nature of Christ. He is the Good Shepherd, our
Deliverer and our Healer. We perceive God through the filter of our need of
Him. And thus He has ordained, for He Himself is our one answer to a
thousand needs.

But how does Jesus see us? Looking through His eyes, the church is His
bride: bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh (Ephesians 5:22–32). He has
not saved
us so we can live for ourselves again; He has saved us for Himself
(Colossians 1:16). True salvation is a betrothal. He purifies us for our
marriage. From
His perspective, our independent ways are idolatrous. They kindle the fires
of His jealousy.

An idol is not an occasional sin; it is something that rules us and makes us
its slave. For some, fear is an idol; for others it is lust; for still
others
it is rebellion or pride. Whatever challenges Jesus' right to our hearts
becomes His enemy, which He will confront. Because of His jealousy toward us
as
His bride, in regard to these false gods, the Lord demands we destroy these
idols ourselves.

From the above Scriptures we see that Jesus does not want us to "carefully"
take down that hidden altar of sin so we will not break it; rather He
commands
that we "tear down" what is offensive. He is not politely asking us to
dismantle, bolt-by-bolt, our pillars of pride; instead, He demands that we
"smash"
them to pieces. When He shows us an inner idol, we must demolish it
completely. We cannot secretly harbor the slightest intention of ever using
that idol
again. It must be destroyed.

You may feel you are not worshiping any idols. You do not stand, morning by
morning, before a statue of Baal and praise it as your god. Indeed, we do
not
worship the idols of the ancient heathen. Like everything in our modern
world, man has sophisticated idolatry as well. Paul talks of the antichrist
who
will appear in the last days as that one "who opposes and exalts himself
above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in
the
temple of God, displaying himself as being God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Where is the temple of God on earth—is it a building? Perhaps, but in no
other place in Paul's teaching does he refer to the temple of God as
anything other
than the church. Yet, even if Paul is referring to a man seated as a god in
Jerusalem, somewhere in that man's life he had to first think of himself as
"being God."

Let us perceive the antichrist as did the apostle John, who saw it not only
as one who was coming but also as a spiritual enemy that sought to
infiltrate
and then replace true Christianity (1 John 2:18; 4:3). The antichrist spirit
is a religious spirit; it is manifested in that thinking which refuses to
be taught and corrected by Christ or anyone else. The spirit of antichrist
is resident in much of the church today, opposing the move of God,
displaying
itself as being God.

Simply put, the spirit of antichrist is that spirit which exalts self as
deity. You see, the spirit of antichrist is much more subtle than someone
suddenly
announcing to the world he is the Creator. Again, our world is far too
sophisticated for that. For us today, we must look for the influence of
antichrist
in our religious traditions: are those traditions founded upon Scripture or
upon man? And then, beyond our traditions, in the immediacy of our own
hearts,
we must discern the disposition of the antichrist spirit in the thought
structure of our flesh nature. Is there something in your soul which opposes
and
exalts itself above God, taking its seat in the human temple of God,
displaying itself as being God? The resistance in you against God is an
idol. It is
the most powerful idol in the human heart.

But the false god of self-rule does not stand alone in man. The ancient god
Mercury would be hard pressed to keep pace with today's gods of Anxiety and
Haste. The world has taken its bloodlust out of the ancient Roman arenas and
put it into violent movies. They have taken the goddesses of fertility from
the Greek hillsides only to idolize sex in our theaters and televisions.
What mankind has done is move the pagan temples from the high places of the
countryside
to the hidden places of the human heart.

If we exalt money, status or sex above the Word of God, we are living in
idolatry. Every time we inwardly submit to the strongholds of fear,
bitterness
and pride, we are bowing to the rulers of darkness. Each of these idols must
be smashed, splintered and obliterated from the landscape of our hearts.

"I am a Jealous God"
"You shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous,
is a jealous God!" (Exodus 34:14) The Lord did not say He was, at times,
jealous;
He said His name, which reveals His nature, is Jealous. Right next to His
name "I Am" is His name "Jealous." His love is not some ethereal principle
of
"higher cosmic consciousness. " His love is focused upon us, actually jealous
for us as individuals. He "calls his own sheep by name" (John 10:3). Jesus
knows your name. He loves you personally. The fact that Christ is jealous
for us as individuals, caring and providing for each aspect of our lives,
and
that He suffered humiliation and death on the cross to pay for our sins,
demonstrates how great a love it is with which He loves us. He gave all. He
deserves
all.

His jealousy for us is perfect. It is not the same as human jealousy: petty,
possessive and insecure. He is not sitting in Heaven wringing His hands,
wondering
what we really think of Him. His jealousy is based upon His pure love for us
and His desire to bless us and fulfill our lives in Him. He understands us,
yet knowing our weaknesses, He still "jealously desires the Spirit which He
has made to dwell in us" (James 4:5). His promise to us is faithful: "I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5 KJV). He refuses to stop
loving us. You may think of yourself as a sinner, as unlovable—as though no
one wants you, but Jesus desires you.

Early in my ministry, upon occasion I gave up on certain individuals, people
who seemed to me hopelessly unreceptive to God. As the years passed, I would
later discover these same individuals were now walking with God. Jesus is
faithful. He loves you with a love that is jealous for you as a person.

God knows, however, that in order for you to experience His love, the idols
of self and sin must be destroyed. And to prove our intentions and love for
Him, He tells us to smash these idols. Would you be holy? Then remove the
idols of self and sin from within you. For holiness exists in a soul
purified
by love; it exudes like incense from a heart without idols.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The preceding article came from Pastor Frangipane's first book,
Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God.
This book was recently re-published by Charisma House and is due out
shortly. However, we still have a number of the previous edition, which has
the same
content. If you are interested in this powerful classic, we are making the
old version available for just $4.95. This is available on a first-come,
first-served
basis as quantities are limited.

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the
NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

Possessing the Redeemer's Mind
(En Español)

As Christians, we spend too much time battling basic, elementary battles: "Am I truly saved?" "Am I really forgiven?" The fact is, God has so much more for us. He seeks to conform our thought-life to the actual thought-life of Christ. Indeed, the Holy Spirit comes, not just to give us goose bumps and chills, but to restructure our attitudes and perceptions until we think the thoughts of Jesus.

Consider Paul's remarkable insights. He wrote,

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:14-16).

This revelation is stunning: we have the mind of Christ. God wants us to have Christ's very discernment.

Or consider again what Paul wrote to the Galatians. He said, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you" (Gal 4:19).

Critics will call the revelation of Christ in us a heresy, as though all we were to have was the name, but not the nature of Jesus Christ.

You see, God's goal is not only to see us saved and go to Heaven, but for Christ to be functionally formed and living through us on earth. We are not just to have a religion about what Jesus did; we are called to possess the very substance of who Jesus is.

Yes, it means we indeed will go to Heaven; but it is more. Through our knowledge of Christ's word and our yieldedness to the Holy Spirit, the actual person of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, gains living access to the needs of man. As His body, we give Him flesh and blood contact with this world. True, we face conflicts, but these difficulties are staged by God so He can showcase His Son through us. Indeed, we face persecution, but it's only so Christ, in the midst of injustice, will reveal how His life overcomes death.

Again, Paul wrote,

"For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:11).

Isn't this exactly what you desire, the "life of Jesus . . . manifested in [your] mortal flesh"? Aren't you tired of the cycle of judging people and then, because of pride, being judged by God in return?

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Does that mean we walk on the water or do great signs? Miracles are indeed a part of Christ's life, yet there is something greater than miracles to attain: Our hearts can be filled with the redemptive, creative thought-life of God! (See 1 Cor. 2.)

Lord, deliver us of our fleshly motives! Free us from our human instincts and fallen passions. Grant us, Lord, the motives of Jesus. Teach us to think, not as a prosecutor whose quest is to condemn, but as the Savior whose heart is to redeem.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If today's message from Pastor Frangipane stirred your heart, he wants to personally invite you to consider his online training course: In Christ's Image Training. Pastor Francis has poured forty years of ministry into this six-month course on the foundations of conformity to Christ.

The text-only training is free, and the upgraded course comes with 39 messages on 24 CDs. For more information, please view this short video and visit our website.
http://frangipane.org/

Arise, Shine!

"And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." ---2 Thessalonians 2:14

The Word of God states plainly---no, it commands those at the end of the age to be fearless in the face of darkness! Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Spirit of the Lord orders His people:

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.
And nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
---Isaiah 60:1-3

Traditionally, because the second half of Isaiah 60 contains references to the millennium, some have placed the fulfillment of this entire chapter in the age to come. But let me ask: Will "darkness . . . cover the earth" in the millennium? During the glorious reign of Christ when death, sin, and sorrow are banished, will "deep darkness" still rest on "the peoples"? The fact is, while Isaiah's prophecy does indeed conclude in the millennium, it begins during the last hours of this age.

Clearly, these first three verses of Isaiah 60 are a pre-rapture, pre-millennial command from God. The Lord calls us not just to endure the darkness but to arise in His manifest glory! People argue about the timing of the rapture, but what I am presenting here does not disturb any popular eschatology. I'm saying between now and whatever scenario you believe there will be a time of increasing glory for true Christ followers.

Some of us feel defeated; others are worn out and weakened by the increasing gloom in the world. Yet it is here, where depression would otherwise capture our souls, that we are commanded to rise. To throw off oppression is not just an act of faith; it is an act of obedience. It is time to cancel our plans to be miserable! Through the blood of Christ, we break our covenant with death and darkness; we obey the voice of our destiny!

One may argue, But you do not know my difficulties. Listen to how the Amplified Bible renders the Lord's command: "Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you; rise to a new life]!" Right at this moment, even as you read these words, new life from the Presence of God is descending into your spirit. Receive it! Accept it! Obey it!

You see, God's plan is that here on earth, in us, the glory of the Lord will be revealed. The luminous, radiant light of His Presence, as it shone from Moses' face and flooded Solomon's temple at its dedication, as it radiated from Jesus and bathed His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration---that light of God's Presence shall arise from within us at the end of the age! This same divine glory shall, in ever-increasing degrees of brightness, appear upon us in the years prior to the Lord's actual second coming.

In truth, this great work of grace has already begun. We are part of the Holy Spirit's expansive preparation. God is gathering together His people. We are learning to humble ourselves in repentance and prayer; we are finding friendship and unity with other Christians. Indeed, our reconciliation across denominational and ethnic barriers has an immeasurable reward attached to it. As valleys are "lifted up, and every mountain and hill . . . made low . . . then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together" (Isa. 40:4-5).

God is qualifying us to receive His splendor! Nations shall come to His light and kings to the brightness of His rising!

Only He is Worthy
Do not fear or think of yourself as unworthy---of course you are! We all are. It is for His glory that we are being prepared. He made no mistake in choosing you, just as He made no mistake in dying for your sins. He chose to put His Spirit within you. Personal unworthiness is not a valid excuse. Your destiny is God's decision. Beware lest your sense of unworthiness become a smoke screen for unbelief!

The darkness, chaos, or emptiness that may still exist in your life is not any more of a deterrent to the Almighty than the terrible, pre-creation void that awaited Him in the beginning. Certainly, your individual genesis from darkness to light shall not be too difficult for God!

Even now, the Holy Spirit is descending, hovering, and brooding over you. To your "new creation self" the voice of the Lord commands,

"Arise! Shine! Shake yourself from the depression in which circumstances have kept you! You are standing at the threshold of God's glory!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The Days of His Presence published by Kingdom Publishing and available in hardback edition and eBook.

For ordering information, please visit the Arrow Bookstore at www.arrowbookstore.com.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Comments and Questions

Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
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"This Time I Will Praise the Lord"
(En Español)
We cannot pass through life without getting hurt. Pain and disappointment in this world are inevitable. How we handle our setbacks, though, shapes our character and prepares us for eternity. Our attitude is the pivotal factor determining the level of our protection from strife.
Regardless of the hardships we have faced, and in spite of the mistakes we have made, the end of our lives can either be full of praise and thanksgiving or full of misery and complaint. In the final analysis, what we have experienced in life will be as rich as the desires we have had fulfilled or as painful as the things we regret.
The Bible tells us, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Prov. 13:12). Deep disappointments in life have a way of never leaving us; they enter our hearts like fire and then harden into our nature like lava. Setbacks can leave us cautious about new ventures and suspicious of new friends.
Our woundedness restrains our openness. We are fearful we will be hurt again by new relationships. Gradually, unless we learn to handle heartache correctly, we become embittered and resentful cynics. We lose the joy of being alive.
The Source of Fulfillment
It is our own desires and the degree of their fulfillment that produce either joy or sorrow in our lives. Even basic desires for marriage or friends can enslave us if they consume our attention. Are these desires evil? No, but if having our desires fulfilled is the main reason we have come to Christ, it is possible our lives simply will not improve until our priorities change.
The Lord is concerned about fulfilling our desires, but to do so He must pry our fingers of our lives and turn our hearts toward Him. Indeed, the reason we are alive is not to fulfill our desires but to become His worshipers.
Personal fulfillment can become an idol; it can develop into such an obsession that we are living for happiness more than living for God. Thus, part of our salvation includes having our desires prioritized by Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, He put it this way: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself " (Matt. 6:33-34). God wants to, and will, satisfy us beyond our dreams, but not before He is first in our hearts.
A wonderful example of this can be seen in the life of Leah, Jacob's first wife. Leah was unattractive, unwanted, and unloved by her husband. Jacob had served Laban, Leah's father, seven years for Rachel, who was Leah's younger sister. On their wedding night, however, Laban put Leah in the nuptial tent instead of Rachel. Although Jacob actually did marry Rachel a week later, he had to work another seven years for her. So Jacob had two wives who were sisters.
The Scriptures tell us that Rachel was loved by Jacob, but Leah was hated: "When the Lord saw that Leah was hated…" (Gen. 29:31 KJV). We must understand this about the nature of God: The Lord is drawn to those who hurt. "The Lord saw … Leah." What wonderful words! In the same way water descends and fills that which is lowest, so Christ reaches first to the afflicted, to fill the lowliest and comfort them.
The Lord saw that Leah was unloved. He saw her pain, loneliness, and heartache. Leah, though unloved by Jacob, was deeply loved by the Lord, and He gave her a son. Leah's reaction was predictable. She said, "Surely now my husband will love me" (v. 32).
Worse than living your life alone is to be married to someone who hates you, as was Leah. How Leah wished that Jacob would share the love he had for Rachel with her. Who could blame her? Leah's desires were justified. She had given him a firstborn son. In her mind, if the Lord could open her womb, He could also open Jacob's heart. But the time was not yet; Jacob still did not love her.
Twice more Leah gave birth to sons, and each time her desire was for her husband. She said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons" (v. 34). Yet, Jacob's heart still did not desire her.
For Leah, as well as for us, there is a lesson here: you cannot make another person love you. In fact, the more pressure you place upon others to accept you, the more likely they are to reject you instead. Leah's concept of fulfillment was based on attaining Jacob's love and now her problem was worsening. Not only was she unattractive to Jacob, but also her jealousies were adding to her lack of loveliness.
Three times we read in this text that the Lord saw and heard that Leah was unloved. He had seen her affliction. Through all her striving for Jacob and her disappointment with her marital relationship, the Lord was tenderly wooing Leah to Himself.
As Leah became pregnant a fourth time, a miracle of grace occurred within her. She gradually became aware that, while she had not been the focus of her husband's love, she was loved by God. And as this fourth pregnancy drew near to completion, she drew nearer and nearer to God. She became a worshiper of the Almighty.
Now as she gave birth to another son, she said, "This time I will praise the Lord" (v. 35). She named that child Judah, which means, "praise." It was from the tribe of Judah that Christ was born.
Leah had been seeking self-fulfillment and found only heartache and pain. But as she became a worshiper of God, she entered life's highest fulfillment: she began to please God.
It is right here that the human soul truly begins to change and enter God's stronghold. As she found fulfillment in God, He began to remove from her the jealousies, insecurities, and heartaches that life had conveyed to her. A true inner beauty started growing in Leah; she became a woman at rest.
Likewise, we each have character defects that we are reluctant or unable to face. Others have seen these things in us, but they have lacked the courage to tell us. Both physically and personally, these flaws in our nature are what leave us anxious, threatened, and unfulfilled.
It is not counsel or classes on success or self-esteem that we need; we simply need to discover God's love for us. As we begin to praise Him in all things, we simultaneously put on the garments of salvation. We are actually being saved from that which would otherwise have destroyed us!
Disappointments and heartaches cannot cling to us, for we are worshipers of God! And, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God" (Rom. 8:28). If we continue to love God, nothing we experience can ultimately turn out harmful since God takes all we pass through and, in His redemptive power, works it for our good!
The Tree of Life
You will remember the verse we quoted, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Prov. 13:12). The verse concludes with, "But desire fulfilled is a tree of life." As our desires are fulfilled, we are fulfilled. Since it is the fulfillment of our desires that fills us with satisfaction, the secret to a rewarding life is to commit our desires to God.
Let Him choose the times and means of our fulfillment, allowing the Lord to prepare us for Himself along the way. The truth is that in ourselves we are incomplete; but in Christ we have been made complete (Col. 2:10).
You say, "That's easy for you to say. You have a wonderful wife and family. You are blessed. But you don't understand my problems." Yes, I do. My wonderful marriage was very difficult for the first few years. We struggled with many things in our relationship. My wife and I both came to the place where we were unfulfilled in each other. But, like Leah, we both looked to God and said, "This time I will praise the Lord." In fact, we named our second child the very name Leah gave to her fourth -- Judah.
For us, as for Leah, our lives were turned around as we chose to delight in God in spite of being unfulfilled with each other. As we became His worshipers, He began to work on our hearts until we were not only more pleasing to Him, we were also pleasing to each other! What I am relating to you is the very thing that saved and blessed our marriage!
Psalm 37:4 reads, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." As you delight in God, you change. The negative effects of disappointment and grief fall off. As love and joy from God begin to fulfill us, our very souls are restored and beautified. Yes, delight yourself with Jesus and your self-destructive tendencies will actually begin to vanish. Christ will beautify your life from the inside out.
The Outcome of Leah's Life
What happened with Leah? Well, the long years came and went. In time, Rachel and then Leah died. Jacob, on his deathbed, spoke to his sons: "I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave … which Abraham bought … for a burial site. There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah" (Gen. 49:29-31).
Jacob had buried Leah in the ancestral place of honor! Oh how those words, though few, say so much! They tell us that God had, in some marvelous inner way, beautified this afflicted one with salvation. After Leah found fulfillment in God, God gave her fulfillment in Jacob. Over the years, inner peace and spiritual beauty shone forth from Leah; Jacob was knit to her in love. It is not hard to imagine that when Leah died, she left smiling, with the praises of God upon her lips.
Become a worshiper of God! As you surrender your desires to Him, as you put Him first, He will take what you give Him and make it beautiful in its time. He will take what has been bent and imbalanced within you and make you stand upright in His light and glory.
Therefore, this day speak to your soul. Tell the areas of unfulfillment within you that this time you will praise the Lord!
Lord, I am a Leah, unlovely and always seeking the love of those who have rejected me. How foolish I have been. How blind. There is no love, no fulfillment in this life apart from You. You are the Tree of Life that satisfies all desires; You are the Healer of my heart. I love You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, And I Will Be Found By You. This book is available for $8.75 (retail $13.50).
For ordering information, please visit the Arrow Bookstore at www.arrowbookstore.com.

Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

The Virgin Shall Be With Child
The Bible is a book of reversals. Old things become new, the dead come to life, the lost are found. Even those who were the vilest of sinners are now empowered by grace to become the virgin bride of Jesus Christ.
The Virgin Bride Of Christ
We are called to become a holy bride, the spotless wife of Jesus Christ. But before we become a bride, we must first become a virgin. In the Bible a virgin was not just one who was free from the sins of premarital sex or immoral behavior; a virgin was also one set aside for another. The sense in which the church is to become virginal involves being uncorrupted, pure and undefiled by the world. It implies being untouched by man's ideas, traditions or sinfulness. To reach the goal of spiritual virginity, we must first be perfectly consecrated, wholly set apart for Jesus (2 Cor. 11:2–3).
Like everything in true Christianity, the purity of the church is not that which originates from herself; it is that which is imparted as virtue from Christ. It is true, living virtue, but it is Christ's virtue. Jesus, you will remember, was also a virgin. He had set Himself aside for us.
Indeed, it is with reference to Christ's union with the church, the marriage ceremony of the Son of God and man, that Paul wrote,
For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. —Ephesians 5:31–32
Christ and His church: the two become one flesh! The apostle said, "This mystery is great." Do not presume you understand this just because you can read. This mystery is great. Jesus left His positional relationship and privileges as God's Son and clothed Himself in human flesh, that He might absorb and then resurrect humanity into His own divine stature: the two become one! Jesus will always be the Son of God, but in love He chose to cleave unto His wife, the church. And while He is forever one Spirit with the Father, He is forever married to the church. Indeed, has this not been the eternal purpose of God: to bring the Spirit of His Son into the church, thereby creating man in both the divine image and the divine likeness (Gen. 1:26)?
Scripture calls Jesus Christ the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45). He is the first-born of the new creation as Adam was the first-born of the old creation. The first Adam, however, in cleaving unto Eve, fell with her in sin. But Christ, in cleaving unto His church, has redeemed us and raised us up, seating us with Him in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).
The marriage of Adam and Eve, where Eve literally emerged and was born out of Adam's substance, is a prophetic type of the church born out of the actual substance of Christ. Paul tells us that our bodies are the physical members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15; 12:12). We are not simply metaphorically the body of Christ, but spiritually we are "bone of [His] bones, and flesh of [His] flesh" (Gen. 2:23).
This truth is not "New Age" theology; it is not heresy. It is the unalterable Word of God. Christ Himself is in us. To believe otherwise is heresy. The test of Christian orthodoxy, according to Scripture, is in 2 Cor. 13:5:
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?
We must recognize this about ourselves: Jesus Christ is in us. Yes, it is heresy to say we are Christ. Yet it is also error to deny He is within us. Paul expressed this mystery when he wrote,
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 delivered Himself up for me. —Galatians 2:20
The Preparation of Christ's Humanity
Christ Himself is in us. However, for Him to come forth through us, we must become a pure virgin. Revival comes as Christ prepares for Himself a people; as He is raised up within them, He draws all men unto Himself. Their Christlikeness is a door through which Jesus Himself enters the world.
"Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body thou hast prepared for Me'" (Heb. 10:5). While descriptive of Christ's first coming, this verse is also applicable of His presence during revival.
Secure this thought in your mind: when the Spirit of Christ comes into the physical world, He must enter through a physical body. As was stated, the people or "body" Christ uses, of necessity, must be holy. They will have been prepared, set apart for Him, beforehand. The purpose of that body is not to offer ritual sacrifices typical of the time and customs of the people. Rather, when Christ enters the world through them, He repeats His eternal purpose: "I have come . . . to do Thy will, O God" (Heb. 10:7).
We must not despise this time of preparation. Jesus Himself lived for thirty years before He was revealed and empowered as the Messiah. Although Jesus was always the Son of God, He "kept increasing in wisdom" (Luke 2:52). He could not learn of the kingdom of God in the rabbinical colleges of His day; neither could any man teach Him the mystery of the miraculous. All this had to come directly from the Father Himself. Jesus was always sinless and obedient, but Hebrews 5:8–9 tells us, "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered . . . having been made perfect." The destiny the Father planned for Christ was something Jesus grew into, just as we must.
Hebrews plainly reveals Christ as the pre-existent Creator; He is God from all eternity (Heb. 1:8). Yet, in the unfolding of Christ's earthly life there was a point in time when His Messianic calling was announced from heaven, where it commenced on earth. Until He was baptized by John, Jesus had been in "labor" to bring forth His destiny, "pregnant" with the promise of God within Him.
After the water baptism, while Jesus was praying, the Spirit descended visibly upon Him in power, heaven opened and out thundered the voice of the Father, "Thou art My beloved Son—" (Luke 3:22). And all those promises and dreams, prophecies and visions, the thirty years of learning obedience and becoming acquainted with grief, stood poised in perfect surrender, focused upon this one incredible moment in time "—in Thee I am well-pleased!" (v. 22) Instantly, the power of heaven flowed into the Spirit of Jesus and the ministry of the Messiah was birthed.
The voice of God spoke, not to the crowds, not only for the sake of John the Baptist, but to Jesus. The requirements and days of preparation were fulfilled. The ministry of the Messiah was birthed upon the earth in power.
Mary, A Type of the Church
In another sense, Mary, the mother of Jesus, also was "a body [God] hast prepared" (Heb. 10:5). When Christ first entered our world as a child, it was Mary whom God chose to give Christ birth. Mary's life symbolized the qualities the church must possess to walk in the fullness of Christ. She was humble, considering herself a bondservant of the Lord; she unwaveringly believed the word spoken to her (Luke 1:34–38). And, Mary was a virgin. These traits qualified her to be used by God in carrying, and giving birth to, Christ.
Like Mary, our humble state as the Lord's bondslaves is but a preparation for the coming forth of Christ in our lives. Yes, we have been "chastened" of the Lord. However, the goal of the Lord's chastening is not merely to punish; He seeks to make us chaste: pure and spiritually flawless. Indeed, our purity, our spiritual virginity as the body of Christ, is nothing less than God Himself preparing us, as He did Mary, to "give birth" to the ministry of His Son. Even now, in the spiritual womb of the virgin church, the holy purpose of Christ is growing, awaiting maturity; ready to be born in power in the timing of God!
Embracing the Pains of Birth
We live within a time frame the Bible calls the "period of restoration" (Acts 3:21). Since the Reformation, the truth of Christ has been progressively restored to His church. Since the dark ages of apostasy, every time Christ's presence has been more fully revealed, it is because a "virgin church" has been in labor to bring Him forth. The Holy Spirit impregnates a Martin Luther or a John Wesley, a housewife or a teenager in Bethlehem—a person whom God knows will continually say "yes" to Him—with a vision of the Living God. The vision spreads to others where it is tested with persecutions and refined with fire, but it spreads. Yes, those people are flawed. Truly, not a one of them is perfect. But along the way their vision of God possesses their souls. They become the "woman clothed with the sun," the virgin church who is "in labor and in pain to give birth" (Rev. 12:1–2).
As her hour nears, this virgin church lays aside her many tasks to focus on her one great commission. Through intense prayer and the agonizing of the Holy Spirit, in groanings too deep for words, she embraces her appointed destiny—until the very voice of Christ Himself is heard again through her prayers: "Lo, I have come to do Thy will, O God!" Birthed in His Spirit and in His power, fused together through love and suffering, this holy people becomes, as it were, a "body [God] hast prepared."
Even now, hell trembles and the heavens watch in awe. For I say to you, once again the "virgin is with child."
Before Jesus Himself returns, the last virgin church shall become pregnant with the promise of God. Out of her travail the body of Christ shall come forth, raised to the full stature of its Head, the Lord Jesus. Corporately manifested in holiness, power and love, the bride of Christ shall arise clothed in white garments, bright and clean. During this last and greatest move of God, great darkness shall cover the earth. Even as in the judgment of Egypt, it will be a "darkness that can be felt." Yet, in the midst of darkness, the visible, powerful glory of the Lord Jesus shall rise upon the virgin church. His glory shall be seen upon them. Nations shall be drawn to their light, kings to the brightness of their rising. Radiant shall they appear, for their hearts shall possess the beautiful star of the morning. In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, their light shall exult like the dew! (Eph.4:13; Rev.2:26–27; Ex.10:21; Isa.60:1–3; 2 Pet.1:19; Ps.110:1–3)
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The preceding article came from Pastor Frangipane's first book, Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God. This book was recently re-published by Charisma House. Look for the new edition to be in stores March 1. However, we still have a number of the previous edition, which has the same content. If you are interested in this powerful classic, we are making the old version available for just $4.95. This is available on a first-come, first-served basis as quantities are limited.
Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
http://frangipane.org/]http://frangipane.org/]http://frangipane.org/

Beware: It is Easy to Fake Christianity
(En Español)
Our experience of Christianity must go beyond just being another interpretation of the Bible; it must expand until our faith in Jesus and our love for Him becomes a lightning rod for His presence.
Prove All Things
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21). Would you buy a car without driving it? Would you purchase a house sight unseen? Of course not! Yet, many of us accept various "plans of salvation" that do not really save us from the distresses of hell. In spite of the fact that Jesus came to give us abundant life, we remain sinful and selfish. A car may look nice, but if it will not drive across town we should not trust it to take us across the country.
Likewise, if our Christianity does not work in this life where we can test it, it is foolhardy to hope it will successfully transport us into eternity where, if we fail the test, we suffer eternal separation from God.
I do not wish to imply, however, that unless we get every doctrine right and every interpretation perfect we will be refused entrance into heaven. Christianity is more a matter of the heart than the head; it is a maturing of love more than knowledge. The test of truth is not an intellectual pursuit but whether you are drawing closer, week by week, to knowing and loving Jesus Christ.
At the same time, we should not be afraid to test what we believe. Paul says, "Test yourselves . . . examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Cor. 13:5).
The power and person of Jesus Christ is in us; to believe in Him is to progressively become like Him. As it is written, "as He is, so also are we in this world" (1 John 4:17). However, if we have been indoctrinated to believe that the kingdom of God, and Christianity itself, does not really have to work, or if the absence of holiness and power fails to trouble us, something is seriously wrong with our concept of truth.
We should seek answers to three very important questions. First: is my faith effective? Do not gloss over that question. Honestly ask yourself if your prayers are being answered and if your life is becoming godly.
Second: if my doctrines do not work, then why not? Perhaps your theology is fine but you are lazy. Perhaps you need to turn off the television set and dedicate that time to seek the Lord instead. Or maybe you are very earnest but you have been taught wrong. Either way, you must seek to find out why things are not working for you.
And third: if I do see the fruit and power of the Holy Spirit revealed in another's life, how did he (or she) receive such grace from God? Do not be afraid to sit as a disciple under the anointing of another's ministry. The Word tells us, "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward" (Matt. 10:41). God gives "rewards" of impartation, knowledge and other spiritual gifts to His servants. Learn from those whose faith is working.
The final test of any set of doctrines is seen in the kind of life they produce. As it is written, "By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:5–6). Continual, persistent walking with Christ will produce a life like Christ's. We will walk even as He did walk with holiness and power.
The fact is, however, that if the "god" of some of our Christian religions died, most members of those churches would be either too spiritually dead or too physically busy to notice his absence. All too often, Christians accept teachings "by faith"—not faith in the Living God but faith that their church doctrines are correct. We unconsciously hope that whoever is teaching us has not made a mistake.
Jesus said, "See to it no one misleads you" (Matt. 24:4). Remaining free from deception is a responsibility each of us must assume as individuals. Without becoming suspicious or mistrusting, in humility let us re-examine what we have been taught. The virtue of any teaching is in its ability to either equip you to do God's will or empower you to find God's heart. If either objective is missing, that teaching will be of lesser value.
The Power of a Godly Life
This lesson is not addressed to "bad people" or sinners; it is for all of us "good people" who have thought being nice was of the same essence as knowing the truth. It is not. We can thank our parents that we are nice, but to know the truth, we must seek God and be willing to obey Him.
Five times in Matthew 24, Jesus warned against deception in the last days (vv. 4, 5, 11, 23–24, 26). If we are not at least somewhat troubled by those warnings, it is only because we are guarding our ignorance with arrogance, presuming that our thoughts must be right simply because we think them. There are areas in all of our lives that need to be corrected. And unless we can be corrected, unless we are seeking God for an unfolding revelation of His Son, our so-called "faith" may be, in reality, just a lazy indifference, a deception concerning the things of God. Subconsciously, we may actually want a dead religion so we do not have to change.
Yes, we should accept many things by faith. But faith is not blindly sticking our hand out to be led by another blind man. It is not an excuse to justify impotent doctrines. True faith is freighted with the power of God.
The Power in Holiness
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be . . . having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Tim. 3:1–5 KJV). Holiness is powerful. Have you ever met a truly holy man or woman? There is a power in their godliness. If, however, one has never known a Christlike soul, it becomes very easy to fake Christianity. Remember this always: being false is natural to the human heart; it is with much effort that we become true. Unless we are reaching for spiritual maturity, our immaturity shapes our perceptions of God. We point to the Almighty and say, "He stopped requiring godliness," when in reality, we have compromised the standards of His kingdom. Know for certain that the moment we stop obeying God, we start faking Christianity.
And as we mature, we begin to realize that the Spirit of Christ is actually within us. The cross emerges off the printed page, it stands upright before us, confronting us with our own Gethsemanes, our own Golgothas—but also our own resurrections through which we ascend spiritually into the true presence of the Lord.
With Paul we say,
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 delivered Himself up for me. —Galatians 2:20
Do not let yourself be misled! Place upon your theology the demand that it work—your eternal salvation depends upon it! If Christ is within us, we should be living holy, powerful lives. No excuses. If we are not holy or if there is not the power of godliness in our lives, let us not blame God. As it is written, "Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar" (Rom. 3:4). Let us persevere in seeking God until we find Him, until we discover "what [we are] still lacking" (Matt. 19:20). Let us press on until we "lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:12).
How long should we continue to seek Him? If we spent all our lives and all our energies for three minutes of genuine Christlikeness, we would have spent our lives well. We will say like Simeon of old, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation" (Luke 2:29–30). We do not want to just give mental assent to Christian doctrine; we want to see, have contact with and live in the experienced reality of Christ's actual presence. The moment we settle for anything less, we begin faking Christianity.
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The preceding article came from Pastor Frangipane's first book, Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God.This book was recently re-published by Charisma House. Look for the new edition to be in stores March 1. However, we still have a number of the previous edition, which has the same content. If you are interested in this powerful classic, we are making the old version available for just $4.95. This is available on a first-come, first-served basis as quantities are limited.
Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
[url=http://frangipane.org/]http://frangipane.org/[/url]

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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The preceding article came from Pastor Frangipane's first book, Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God.This book was recently re-published by Charisma House. Look for the new edition to be in stores March 1. However, we still have a number of the previous edition, which has the same content. If you are interested in this powerful classic, we are making the old version available for just $4.95. This is available on a first-come, first-served basis as quantities are limited.
Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

A Heart Without Idols
by Francis Frangipane
When we first come to Jesus, He accepts us just as we are: problems, sins and all. As our needs are met, however, we gradually discover that God is seeking something from our lives. What He seeks is our worship. But true worship is the consequence, the result, of seeing God as He is. It springs naturally from a soul purified by love; it rises like incense from a heart without idols.
The God Whose Name is Jealous
Christ does not personally destroy the idols of sin and self within us. Rather, He points to them and tells us to destroy them. This message is about repentance. If you withdraw from the sound of that word, it is because you need a fresh cleansing of your soul. In fact, we are talking about a type of repentance that is uncommon to those who only seek forgiveness but not change. We are speaking of deep repentance—a vigilant, contrite attitude that refuses to allow sin or self to become an idol in our hearts.
In Exodus we see Christ's view of idols. He warns,
Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, lest it become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim—for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. —Exodus 34:12–14
There are many aspects to the nature of Christ. He is the Good Shepherd, our Deliverer and our Healer. We perceive God through the filter of our need of Him. And thus He has ordained, for He Himself is our one answer to a thousand needs.
But how does Jesus see us? Looking through His eyes, the church is His bride: bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh (Ephesians 5:22–32). He has not saved us so we can live for ourselves again; He has saved us for Himself (Colossians 1:16). True salvation is a betrothal. He purifies us for our marriage. From His perspective, our independent ways are idolatrous. They kindle the fires of His jealousy.
An idol is not an occasional sin; it is something that rules us and makes us its slave. For some, fear is an idol; for others it is lust; for still others it is rebellion or pride. Whatever challenges Jesus' right to our hearts becomes His enemy, which He will confront. Because of His jealousy toward us as His bride, in regard to these false gods, the Lord demands we destroy these idols ourselves.
From the above Scriptures we see that Jesus does not want us to "carefully" take down that hidden altar of sin so we will not break it; rather He commands that we "tear down" what is offensive. He is not politely asking us to dismantle, bolt-by-bolt, our pillars of pride; instead, He demands that we "smash" them to pieces. When He shows us an inner idol, we must demolish it completely. We cannot secretly harbor the slightest intention of ever using that idol again. It must be destroyed.
You may feel you are not worshiping any idols. You do not stand, morning by morning, before a statue of Baal and praise it as your god. Indeed, we do not worship the idols of the ancient heathen. Like everything in our modern world, man has sophisticated idolatry as well. Paul talks of the antichrist who will appear in the last days as that one "who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
Where is the temple of God on earth—is it a building? Perhaps, but in no other place in Paul's teaching does he refer to the temple of God as anything other than the church. Yet, even if Paul is referring to a man seated as a god in Jerusalem, somewhere in that man's life he had to first think of himself as "being God."
Let us perceive the antichrist as did the apostle John, who saw it not only as one who was coming but also as a spiritual enemy that sought to infiltrate and then replace true Christianity (1 John 2:18; 4:3). The antichrist spirit is a religious spirit; it is manifested in that thinking which refuses to be taught and corrected by Christ or anyone else. The spirit of antichrist is resident in much of the church today, opposing the move of God, displaying itself as being God.
Simply put, the spirit of antichrist is that spirit which exalts self as deity. You see, the spirit of antichrist is much more subtle than someone suddenly announcing to the world he is the Creator. Again, our world is far too sophisticated for that. For us today, we must look for the influence of antichrist in our religious traditions: are those traditions founded upon Scripture or upon man? And then, beyond our traditions, in the immediacy of our own hearts, we must discern the disposition of the antichrist spirit in the thought structure of our flesh nature. Is there something in your soul which opposes and exalts itself above God, taking its seat in the human temple of God, displaying itself as being God? The resistance in you against God is an idol. It is the most powerful idol in the human heart.
But the false god of self-rule does not stand alone in man. The ancient god Mercury would be hard pressed to keep pace with today's gods of Anxiety and Haste. The world has taken its bloodlust out of the ancient Roman arenas and put it into violent movies. They have taken the goddesses of fertility from the Greek hillsides only to idolize sex in our theaters and televisions. What mankind has done is move the pagan temples from the high places of the countryside to the hidden places of the human heart.
If we exalt money, status or sex above the Word of God, we are living in idolatry. Every time we inwardly submit to the strongholds of fear, bitterness and pride, we are bowing to the rulers of darkness. Each of these idols must be smashed, splintered and obliterated from the landscape of our hearts.
"I am a Jealous God"
"You shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God!" (Exodus 34:14) The Lord did not say He was, at times, jealous; He said His name, which reveals His nature, is Jealous. Right next to His name "I Am" is His name "Jealous." His love is not some ethereal principle of "higher cosmic consciousness." His love is focused upon us, actually jealous for us as individuals. He "calls his own sheep by name" (John 10:3). Jesus knows your name. He loves you personally. The fact that Christ is jealous for us as individuals, caring and providing for each aspect of our lives, and that He suffered humiliation and death on the cross to pay for our sins, demonstrates how great a love it is with which He loves us. He gave all. He deserves all.
His jealousy for us is perfect. It is not the same as human jealousy: petty, possessive and insecure. He is not sitting in Heaven wringing His hands, wondering what we really think of Him. His jealousy is based upon His pure love for us and His desire to bless us and fulfill our lives in Him. He understands us, yet knowing our weaknesses, He still "jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us" (James 4:5). His promise to us is faithful: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5 KJV). He refuses to stop loving us. You may think of yourself as a sinner, as unlovable—as though no one wants you, but Jesus desires you.
Early in my ministry, upon occasion I gave up on certain individuals, people who seemed to me hopelessly unreceptive to God. As the years passed, I would later discover these same individuals were now walking with God. Jesus is faithful. He loves you with a love that is jealous for you as a person.
God knows, however, that in order for you to experience His love, the idols of self and sin must be destroyed. And to prove our intentions and love for Him, He tells us to smash these idols. Would you be holy? Then remove the idols of self and sin from within you. For holiness exists in a soul purified by love; it exudes like incense from a heart without idols.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
http://frangipane.org/

The preceding article came from Pastor Frangipane's first book, Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God. This book was recently re-published by Charisma House and is due out shortly. However, we still have a number of the previous edition, which has the same content. If you are interested in this powerful classic, we are making the old version available for just $4.95. This is available on a first-come, first-served basis as quantities are limited.

Pursuing the Stature Of Christ
by Francis Frangipane

In a most profound verse the apostle Paul unveils God's supreme plan for the church. He tells us we are called to nothing less than "the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). The Father's glorious intention is to exhibit through us all the attributes and power of Jesus Christ. He has purposed that, not only in eternity but here in the midst of our battles and temptations, we are to grow "in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (v. 15).
We have put such limitations upon our call in God! The Almighty's goal for us is not that we merely become nice, but become Christ, literally partakers of His nature (1 Cor. 12:12; 2 Pet. 1:3; Heb. 3:14; Gal. 2:20). There is a difference between hallowed doctrine and hollow doctrine. Let us quickly abandon the boundaries of spiritually empty religious traditions: God has invited us to partake of the fullness of Christ! The depth of His grace has rendered us capable of climbing the heights of His holiness. Through the Holy Spirit, the responsibility of wielding Christ's very authority has been delegated to us!
Having received the expanse of Christ's love, we are now called to reveal it in its full redemptive power. Indeed, whatever we see in Jesus is what God has purposed to reveal in us. It is this vision of attaining Christlikeness that centers us firmly upon the path to doctrinal purity. Once we clearly grasp the vision of Christlikeness, an amazing change occurs: "we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14).
Let us also note, Paul did not specify whether these "winds of doctrine" were simply false teachings. Indeed, dogma does not have to be false to be misleading; even a true doctrine with an overly exaggerated emphasis can sidetrack us from Christlikeness.
It is here, where we boast in our doctrines and spiritual gifts that many of us are being led astray. For what compels us forward into new religious activity is not always the leading of God. If we do not see conformity to Christ as central to our future, what may be guiding us is a wind of doctrine.
In the church today there are a number of doctrines which have grown bigger than their scriptural proportions and, thus, tend to obscure our vision of Christlikeness. Teachings concerning personal prosperity or the timing of the rapture have become, for some, unbalanced precepts, which easily distract us from the ultimate truth which is in Jesus.
Some churches overemphasize the doctrine of "speaking in tongues." I firmly believe that all the gifts are for today, but gifts, too, can become winds of doctrine for many. Again, we are not talking about false teachings, but true beliefs that have become caricatures of the Gospel. Correct and balanced doctrinal understanding is fundamental to our spiritual well-being. But when our energies are absorbed more with a particular doctrine than attaining the character and power of Christ, we are probably being misled.
Paul also said our pursuit of Christlikeness would keep us from being "tossed here and there by waves." A wave is a spiritual phenomenon that sweeps over a church or a city. It is a spiritual "high tide," where we can be washed and healed. A true spiritual wave can release wonderful joy and bring healing to areas within us otherwise untouched by God. Yet, if we are following after waves, we should consider: the tide that comes in with manifestations and blessings also goes out. When the wave is over, it does not mean that God has abandoned us or that His ultimate purpose has changed.
A genuine stirring of God's Spirit, either through a fresh doctrinal understanding or through unique spiritual manifestations, is given by God to empower us toward conformity to Christ. The fact is, whether we are in a time of preparation or in the glory of a visitation, whether we are carrying the cross or soaring in resurrection power, our focused, passionate goal must still be Christlikeness.
If you are confused about what is happening in the church at large, or even in your own personal life, remember: God does not want you tossed by waves or carried by doctrines. The issue is not whether we are following a doctrine or falling under a wave. The real question is whether we will rise to the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
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Comments and Questions
Please feel free to forward this message to others; acknowledging our website would be kindly appreciated.
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2011
All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations
were taken from the NASB.
Please visit our website for additional messages and resources.
If you wish to contact us with comments or questions about this email, you may do so by writing us at comments@frangipane.org.