Bevere

 I thought I'd share today three statements from one of my favorite authors and speakers, John Bevere

"A religious spirit holds fast to what God DID while resisting what God is DOING." I've seen a religious spirit defined as a type of demonic spirit that seeks to replace an actual relationship with God with the keeping of rules and traditions. This spirit has no problem with agreeing with many acts of God in the past, and in fact, would have us focus on what He has done so that we are blind to what He is doing. This is how professing believers are deceived into magnifying what He has said into a list of rules to keep, rules that they believe give life. It also allows for the rise of traditions within a body that become sacred. So sacred that the tradition is exalted above the Person. Erwin McManus asked if Jesus was being lost in the religion that bears His name? I think to a great degree, He has. We look to systems, behaviors, formulas, and methods far more than we do Him. We talk and think about Him more in the past tense than as an active participant in our lives. A great part of the church has fallen into this trap. During the great move of His Spirit known as the Jesus Revolution, many young people said that what drew them to Christ was that He was being proclaimed not only as real, but totally real right now. They sensed that He was a living Person, not a historical figure. The enemy has no problem with us being engaged in religion, even if it's about the God he hates. He trembles at the thought of anyone coming to know the Living God in a living way. The Word come to life. Does he tremble when he beholds how we relate to Him right now? Are we religious, or are we alive?

"Do we love the dream and the vision more than the dream and vision Giver?" This is a very legitimate and piercing question. Many pastors have become so enamored, so obsessed with the vision or dream they believe the Lord has given them that it has become the central force in their life. Everything is invested in realizing the fulfillment of the dream, the realizing of the vision. Their eyes are on nothing else....including Christ. The dream and vision has become their idol. They worship it and the process of realizing it above even the worship of the God they believe gave them the vision in the first place. This can happen very easily in fellowships where pastors have been strongly encouraged to "get a dream or vision" for their ministry from Him. So eager can they become to have one that what they believe has come from Him actually originates with them. I believe He does give HIS dreams and HIS visions to His people, but they come to those whose hearts are closely in tune with His. And they are realized by those whose hearts remain attuned to and focused upon Him....all through the journey to their realization. If you believe you're pursuing a dream from His heart, has realizing that dream displaced Him in your heart?

"Simon the Magician's pursuit was for the anointing of God, not His character." The story of Simon is outlined in the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit was moving powerfully after the Day of Pentecost and hundreds, even thousands were being converted. Simon the Magician had a reputation as something of a miracle worker and he was one of the ones who professed to have received Christ and witnessed amazing miracles through the disciples. As Peter and others ministered to those who were coming to Christ, they were laying hands upon them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Upon seeing this, Simon offered Peter money if he would lay hands upon him that he too might receive the Spirit, that he too might have this anointing. For this Peter severely rebuked him, saying he asked out of an evil motive and called upon him to repent of it.....Few of us would feel we are anything like SImon, yet how many of us long for a powerful ministry anointing from Him? We long for His anointing, but do we also long for His character and integrity to accompany that anointing? Simon's heart and desires were crooked. Where might ours be the same? Where might our hunger for ministry anointing and success outweigh our desire for His righteousness?  Where might "Simon" be lurking in our hearts?

Just a few thoughts from John Bevere. Something for each of us to contemplate.

Blessings,
Pastor O