Friends,
We hope that you all had a wonderful time celebrating Fourth of July with family and friends. Our July has been filled with ministry appointments, visits with friends and writing. We continue to be blessed by new relationships and are amazed at how God is bringing Inner Healing Leaders together to further His kingdom.
Ministry Appointments are now full for this month. Please fill out this form to get on the waiting list. We look forward to meeting with you!
A couple of weeks ago we released part one of a blog series called “The Heavenly Progression.” In this series Jim discusses the progression of creation of God to a member of the remnant. Today, we pick up with discipleship. You can read the blog below.
Blessings,
Jim and Pat Banks
A couple of weeks ago we released part one of a blog series called “The Heavenly Progression” by Jim Banks. In this series Jim discusses the progression of creation of God to a member of the remnant. Today, we pick up with discipleship.
The Heavenly Progression: Part Two
By Jim Banks
We live in a highly performance-oriented society. The insidious philosophy of working for value has leaked into the church’s presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This twisted theology promotes the false idea that in order to become valuable to the Kingdom and approved by God, we have to be productive.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep mycommandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:1-11)
If you read this passage for what you need to accomplish you have missed the point.
There is a risk in that we can choose to be slaves to law even in our “service” to God. This happens when our internal motivations are still based in woundedness. If we take pieces of John 15 out of context, we wind up seeing it all as just another way to demand our adherence to a performance mentality.
In this spiritual progression, we have to be mindful that there are levels available for us to walk in which are actually levels of spiritual maturity, not marks of attainment that we can emulate. I can “lay down my life” and become a slave for the church thinking that I am doing my Christian duty and service; when in fact, I am operating out of a dysfunctional coping mechanism founded in codependence or an orphan spirit that attempts to create value for itself. It is your motivation for service that determines what level you’re walking in. Deep brokenness forces you into servanthood, which is actually slavery.
The saddest people we know are those that are thoroughly convinced that their motivation is pure and not poisoned by their brokenness. These are often the people who come to me for personal ministry and spend half the appointment time telling of all the selfless things they do. They are not the least bit mindful of the actual personal image they have of themselves and work so hard to get people to believe they are not what they unconsciously think themselves to be.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1)
I am sad to report that the churches of many denominations still believe that the gifts died along with the twelve apostles. We are well instructed by scripture, even to covet, to operate in spiritual gifts. To me, this is a gate that begs us to enter another level of personal spiritual maturity. These gifts must be practiced on a continuing basis in order to be effective and requires development, which also requires a developing relationship with God.
In summary, we have tracked our spiritual maturity through these levels …
· Carnal human (although a creation of God, there is no relationship with God)
· Child of God through salvation, although still carnally minded. This would in include cultural Christians. (Part of The Elect)
· Disciple, learning the ways of God.
· Disciple/Servant Hearted, growing in loving God and others.
· Disciple operating in his/her spiritual gifting.
· Disciple being led by the Spirit of God. (Romans 8:12)
· A disciple who has become a mentor. (1 Thessalonians 1:7 and John 15)
To be continued…follow our social media for expanded thoughts, scriptures and reminders!
Recent Comments