Blog Articles
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The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. (Psalm 28:7) What a verse! Are you in need? Is there a perplexing difficulty in your path? This verse offers...
My Witnesses
The disciples had seen the resurrected Jesus Christ. They felt His loving heart. Now He was soon to ascend up into the clouds. His final words recorded in the book of Acts are a revelation of His heart. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come...
Soul Liberty and Church Unity
What do you do when individual soul liberty conflicts with corporate church unity? Soul liberty is the individual freedom to be personally persuaded regarding matters not definitive in the written Word of God (Rom. 14:5). All must adhere to what is clear in the Word...
Rules, No Rules, or the Ruler?
Everyone has rules—everyone. If you leave your house dressed, you have rules. Just saying! So everyone has rules, they just vary. Sadly, some good men and ministries have been unfairly labeled legalistic just because they have some rules. But this vilifying is unfair...
Criticism
Criticism. It fills the news feeds. Too often, it fills the churches. Strange that there is not much difference between the hell bound and the heaven bound in this regard. Flesh is flesh. Unsaved flesh and saved flesh looks exactly the same. Constructive criticism...
Christ Arose!
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in mighty power. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). With power from on high, they declared the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11). Peter preached in an atmosphere saturated with the...
Divine Moments and Divine Seasons
When God, who is omnipresent, manifests His presence, the atmosphere is filled with the life of God. Historically, God’s people have referred to these times as the outpouring of the Spirit. This designation is correct, based on scriptural usage (Ezek. 39:29; Acts...
KESWICK—A GOOD WORD OR A BAD ONE? Part Three: Reasons for the Attack
If you have not read Part I or Part II, please click below to read these articles first. Click to read Part I here. Click to read Part II here. - What lies behind the criticism of Keswick theology? In this article, we will cover some key factors that fuel objections...
KESWICK—A GOOD WORD OR A BAD ONE? Part Two: Inaccurate Accusations
If you missed part 1, click here to read part 1 of this series. - Last week, we discussed the historical background and theology of Keswick. In our day, the orthodoxy that Keswick was once accorded has been replaced in many minds because of misunderstandings and a...
KESWICK—A GOOD WORD OR A BAD ONE? Part One: Historical Background and Theology
It seems that every few years I hear fresh criticism of Spirit-filled life teaching sometimes referred to as Keswick. Many who criticize pass along hearsay without investigating the facts. So once again I bring forward a series of articles on the subject. ...
The Deep Side of Love: Suffering
Often love is thought of in its many positive manifestations that warm the heart. Thankfully, these are blessed realities. But there is a side of love that is sometimes overlooked. Love is also demonstrated through suffering. In the beautiful description of love that...
Don’t Take the Bait!
Don’t Take the Bait! The word temptation in Scripture can mean either a trial or a solicitation to evil. James 1:13-16 uses the word temptation in the latter sense and provides the details to the downward spiral of temptation: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am...
Grace: Free, yet Costly
Grace is undeserved favor. More specifically, Grace is the undeserved favor of supernatural enabling through the Holy Spirit to do God’s will. This begins with salvation and continues with sanctification and service. The access of grace is faith in both salvation...
The Awe of Revival
The Awe of Revival “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.” (Psalm 126.1) Like them that dream describes the awe of revival. In the year 2000 my wife I visited the Isle of Lewis where God moved in revival from December 1949 on...
Jesus Came, Jesus Comes
At this time of year we celebrate the coming of the Savior—Jesus Christ. This is life giving truth. To deny it is to miss out on salvation. “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and...
Revival Winds at Awake ’25
Some pastors had prayed for years; their people had prayed for months; and the start of Awake ’25 had finally come. The morning meeting was turned over to the Holy Spirit. One prayed, and then another as a quiet weeping filled the background. It was then that a...
When Heaven Touches Earth
The prophet Isaiah prayed, “Look down from heaven, and behold….” (Isaiah 63:15). As his prayer crescendos , he cried out, “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence” (Isaiah 64:1). When...
Loving Jesus in Others
As Jesus spent His last hours with His disciples before the cross, He gave them what He termed a “new commandment.” Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know...
The Gift of Jesus Tract
Merry Christmas! Too early? Perhaps the greeting is rushing things, but the time is right to place your order and be ready to share the gospel this Christmas season. The Gift of Jesus, a Christmas tract written by John Van Gelderen, highlights the gospel message of...
The Lord of the Harvest
Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). Pray to the Lord of the harvest. Who is this? Let’s consider the early church as...
Words of Life or Death
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Words have power. Power to build up. Power to tear down. Power to encourage. Power to discourage. Power to ignite faith. Power to ignite fear....
What You Say You Believe vs. What You Really Believe
In Mark 7:6, Jesus “answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” These words of Jesus shed light on the possibility of a difference between what...
Sinners or Saints?
Often, I hear believers say, “I’m just a sinner, saved by grace.” I understand why people say this. Clearly, we are all born sinners, and just as clearly, salvation is by grace. But are we still sinners? The question is not “Do we still commit sin?” But “Are we still...
Real Sins
Awhile back I read a biography of a man who preached against real sins. By that, I mean the sins that are called sins in the Bible. He preached against immorality and homosexuality in the early 1980’s. The Spirit of God attended his preaching, bringing conviction to...
What a God!
A dear friend of ours in California, when reflecting on the goodness of God, often exclaims, “What a God!” Sometimes she doubles it saying, “What a God! What a God!” Many times my heart has been warmed by this expression. The prophet Micah expands this kind of...
Listening Accurately
Early in my ministry, I encountered some who misunderstood what I was preaching. I was quick to grasp the idea of speaking clearly and precisely to avoid misunderstanding, but there was another factor I had yet to consider. While talking about the matter with a wise,...
Looking to Jesus concerning Revival
The focus of faith must be the same as the object of faith. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” It’s easy to switch focus to a given outcome of faith. It’s easy, because it is legitimate and even needful to desire a right...
Worthy of Trust
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:1-2 The story is told of a military unit that had numerous casualties in...
In the World, But Not of It Part Three: Trust in God, Not Trust in Man
If you have not, click here to read part one or part two. - In South America there is a spider whose habitat is by water and in water. Somehow it creates a bubble in which it can drop into the water and actually be below the surface while living in the air above. This...
In the World, But Not Of It: Part Two
If you have not read part one, please click here to read part one. - Part Two: Transformation by the Spirit, Not Conformity of the Flesh In this series we are considering the precise wording of Jesus in John 17: these are in the world, but they are not of the world....
