Knowing the Author

Rightly Understanding the Bible

Don Francisco

"Understanding the Bible begins with this revelation: Everything changed at the Cross. A New Covenant was established that far superseded-- and ended-- the old one. Much of today's religious insanity comes from trying to combine the two, ultimately denying the validity of Jesus' sacrifice. The Old Covenant, the Law of Performance, was nailed to the Cross. It wasn't raised up with Jesus, but we were."

Quote by Don Francisco

Healing

The message of Easter is not that Jesus was put on the cross, but that He was put on the cross for you. He was whipped for you. He died for you. And today He lives so that you can experience God’s love to the fullest.

The Bible states: But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)

The Message Bible puts it this way: But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. Isaiah 53:5 (MSG)

“Through His bruises we get healed.” This is Good News. Through His suffering the Lord Jesus gained our healing. If you are sick. If you have cancer. If you are in hospital. If you have arthritis. If you have been injured or disabled. There is healing, already bought and paid for. And it was bought for you.

Bill Johnson writes: “How can God choose not to heal someone when He already purchased their healing? Was His blood enough for all sin, or just certain sins? Were the stripes He bore only for certain illnesses, or certain seasons of time? When He bore stripes in His body He made a payment for our miracle. He already decided to heal. You can't decide not to buy something after you've already bought it. There are no deficiencies on His end - neither the covenant is deficient, nor His compassion or promises. “

In Jesus name receive the healing that Jesus purchased for you. Thank you Lord Jesus!
Bob Lipsys, Australia

The Bible was never meant to be a substitute for God.
It was provided to bring us closer to God, and
to enhance our relationship with Him. Whenever
we grab the Bible without the presence of God
we end up in legalism. That is with a powerless
condemning religion. It is the Holy Spirit that gives
life. Bob Lipsys Australia.

Consider the following introduction from an article
by Larry Christiansen:

A journalist once asked Smith Wiggelsworth, the great
Pentecostal evangelist, ”What is the key to successful
evangelism?” He expected Wiggelsworth to emphasize
healing and miracles, which were prominent in the
evangelist’s own ministry. Wiggelsworth surprised him
with this answer: “The key to successful evangelism is the
leading of the Holy Spirit in each individual encounter.”
This is the secret of a church that prevails: a prevailing
church lives not simply by principles, but by the presence
of the living Lord.

One of the great traps in living the Christian life is the
tendency to substitute principles for the presence
and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We scour Scripture
looking for principles we can apply to life situations.
In almost any story or text we can ferret out a general
principle, a formula for dealing with a life problem.
…………….The danger in this approach is that it can
foster a belief in Scripture that effectively neutralizes
the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

A Quote by Larry Christenson see the full article at
http://www.lutheranrenewal.org/newsletters/0709b.pdf

Seeing beyond the storm

Many times we get so caught up in the storm
that we forget our destination. The devil always
wants the storm to be the paramount story
that you tell, rather then the victory that awaits
us on the shore across the storm.
……...A quote by Tom Messer. Founder and former Senior Pastor of Mt Zion Church, Arizona.

I love being with faith-filled people. I love reading
the Bible and hearing good preaching. All these let
me leave my negativity, my storm focus behind, and
point me to what the Lord is doing and will do in the
future. They point me to the promises of God rather
then to the disappointments of life. When we focus
on the storms of life we lose our perspective in God.
We lose our hope. Depression builds. That’s why
you need to get together with positive, faith talking
people this week. It is not that they do not have
storms and disappointments. They do. But together
with others and the Lord, they have “the eyes” to
see beyond these, The storms don’t last forever.
The shore is coming closer.
Bob Lipsys, Australia.

Is experiencing God important?

Bill Johnson pastor of Bethel Church, Redding California believes so. In his book "When Heaven invades Earth," he writes: '...God cannot be known apart from experience. Randy Clark puts it this way: "Anyone who doesn't have an experience with God, doesn't know God." God is a person, not a philosophy or a concept.'
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The Bible from beginning to end is about people who experienced God. They talk with Him. Are healed by Him. They experience miracles. People prosper in drought times, defeat great armies, are saved from impossible situations, all because they know God.
God is part of their lives. Actually, most of the people in the Bible first got to know God through experiencing His intervention in their lives.

I grew up in a Church which focused on having an "objective knowledge" of God. That is knowing about God from the Bible and the Church's doctrines. Personal experience was looked down on. It was preached that we no longer needed miracles or personal experience because we now have the whole Bible. Because of that many people in the Church looked outside of God for help when sick or in need. God was seen as only a last resort.

The sad thing is that God wants to be known. It is His will to heal, to save to set free. God wants to intervene in financial situations and in relationships that are breaking down. God has the miracle needed for your situation. He wants to do these things because he wants you to know Him personally. The only way this can happen is by experience. You need to experience God.

God is closer then you think
Bob Lipsys

Should I trade my Bible for a Science Book?

Here is a quote from the Naked Pastor’s Blog
“Recently I spoke with a good friend who has left the church and Christianity because he was reading science, agreed with some conclusions, and automatically felt alienated from his beliefs. He felt, and often this is true, that he had a choice: science or faith.” from http://www.nakedpastor.com/
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The above quote typifies a “intellectual block” many put forward towards the gospel.
They think science disproves the Bible in some way or other. I believe this claim requires a serious examination. Here is my response.

Before you put your faith in a modern science book, take a look at one from the early 1900's. I did, and as a Science teacher I'd say most of the information in it would be considered laughable if it were taught in universities or schools today. (eg the book stated that humans could not travel faster then the speed of sound etc). In 50 years time, the science we are now basing our lives on will likewise be surpassed. It will be replaced by more advanced theories and technologies.

No-one today puts their faith in a 100 year old science book. Yet many base their lives on the Bible which is 1900 years - 3500 years old, and they live successfully believing and living it. Based on the Bible, my marriage works, I have good relationships with and the respect of my teenage children, I know the Lord God, I receive comfort and strength, I've stood through many great storms in life, and I have always had hope.

In 50 years time today’s science books will be at the local rubbish tip. The Bible will still be the most read and trusted book in the world.
Why? It Works.

Why give up your faith in God for theories in a book that will no longer be around in 50 years time?


Blessings are falling round you,
Bob Lipsys

Have faith just like a mustard seed has faith

Sometimes the smallest insight can refresh the meaning of a whole passage in the Bible. It can get us to look at the Bible from a new perspective. Simple truths have a way of impacting “our lives” in a big way. They can also challenge some of our long held beliefs and mindsets. They can free us and release us to serve God at a new level.

Below is an example of such an insight. I found this on the “Life Coaching with Pastor Hous” web site. The http is listed below.
Bob Lipsys
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Mustard Seed Faith by Pastor Hous

There are two separate mustard seed stories in the New Testament of the Bible.
In one of them, Jesus tells us that if "we had faith AS a mustard seed, we could ____"

I did an in-depth study of the original language of the Bible, and learned that "as" in this case, is an adverbial particle and not an adjectival particle. What does that mean?
It means to have faith as a mustard seed has faith (adverbial), not to have faith the size of a mustard seed (adjectival).

How does a mustard seed have faith?
Simple.
It simply does what it was made to do. And miracles follow. It doesn't question. It doesn't complain. It never doubts. It doesn't compare itself to others seeds.
It just does its thing.

You are a little seed planted in the grand garden of creation. You started as a single cell in your mother's womb; even smaller than a mustard seed.

Just do your thing!
And miracles will follow.

Daily Life Coaching
with Pastor Hous
http://www.robinwoodchurch.com

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Check out Pastor Hous’ site. A lot of “gems of insight” can be “mined” there.

Blessings are falling all around you,
Bob Lipsys

I'm looking forward to the End Times

Jesus told His followers that they need not be
afraid of the end times. He confirmed that there
would be wars, natural disasters, and very hard times.
But He also said to His followers that when these
happen don't be depressed, rather lift up your heads
for your salvation is near, (see Luke 21:28).
Jesus' disciples saw the end times
as a time of great signs, wonders and miracles,
a time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out.
A good time. A time of celebration and joy.
If you follow Jesus, the last days are good days.
Blessings are falling around you
Bob Lipsys
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The Bible also says this
What you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’ Acts 2:16-21

Do you understand the new life God has given you?

Is God’s Spirit stirring within you? Do you feel like you are on the edge of something wonderful. Can you sense that God about to do something amazing in your life? The time is soon. Bob Lipsys
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(From The Message Bible)

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Dad?"

God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!

That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Romans 8:15-28 (The Message Bible)

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Is God’s Spirit stirring within you? Do you feel like you are on the edge of something wonderful. Can you sense that God about to do something amazing in your life? The time is soon.