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Since the shutdowns due to Covid-19 began, one of the top issues of conversation among Christians has been ‘how essential are Sunday church meetings in the life of a church’. That is a highly relevant and important question. However, God may have a perspective on this were not considering. 

The threat of Covid-19 is being viewed and responded to in a multitude of ways. Depending on one’s faith or anxiety levels, there are several common arguments as to why churches should not be meeting corporately. The first argument is the threat of corporate meetings, potentially being a place to catch the virus. First off, we need to look at the facts. The overwhelming percentage of people who have suffered dramatically from Covid-19 usually have had two or more preexisting conditions that made them much more susceptible to harm from Covid-19. That in itself should not make shutting church down mandatory, but rather limit who should probably choose to attend the meetings. As well, those who regularly come in close contact with the elderly or those with preexisting conditions, quite possibly should avoid crowds. 

As to the supposed threat of being in crowds- I have been in grocery stores, DIY stores, airplanes, and many other locations filled with people over the last five months. Yet they have not been deemed ‘nonessential’ by the government. Why do some governments that have forbidden church meetings allow vast crowds of protesters to stand shoulder-to-shoulder shouting on the streets? Suppose it is safe for large crowds of chanting protesters to gather. In that case, church worship meetings, which practice social distancing, should also be considered safe. This morning, I received a pertinent email from a pastor in the US. Their state will not even allow forty people to gather and worship. Still, it will allow up to 300 people to assemble for a marriage. Aside from constitutional rights being ignored and trampled on, it’s becoming clearer which values govern our governors. 

Another argument is one made quite a bit over the last five months. It goes like this; ‘if a congregation is dependent on Sunday meetings to survive, then maybe that congregation is not authentically a church’. I would have to say there is some truth to that argument. When we examine the early church life in the Book of Acts, they had several arteries for the church’s life to flow. Besides praying for the sick and doing evangelistic works, the church fed the widows and orphans, met house to house for prayer and fellowship, and gathering together for apostolic teaching. It is only that last activity that required the congregation to meet in large assemblies. 

It’s interesting that in times and places of persecution when corporate church gatherings become illegal, the church often not only survived, but actually prospered when it came to numerical growth. For example, the church of Uganda suffered tremendous persecution under the reign of Idi Amin from 1971 – 1979. By some estimates, possibly 300,000 Christians were slaughtered by Amin’s henchmen. Much of the church went underground and could only meet in clandestine house meetings. However, those eight years of brutal oppression proved to be a catalyst for revival. The gospel actually spread, as faith in God replaced the fear of man for many, many hearts. 

If we are merely considering the importance of corporate church meetings regarding the church’s mission to man, then, no. In that case, they may not be completely essential, especially as many churches have begun to implement Zoom and live streaming as somewhat viable alternatives. However, it needs to be noted that online church attendance has severely dropped over the last five months by some 30% compared to live church attendance in January, according to recent polls.

You can’t Fear both God and Man!

Another case some Christians have made against congregations meeting is that it offends non-Christians in this season of Covid-19. If one truly takes their direction and values from God and His Word that argument must be found to be a non-sequitur. One cannot seek to please both God and man. You can only have one master, as Jesus pointed out. It is a long slippery slope when Christians allow fear of offending man to swallow up the fear of God. 

The hard truth is that God will always be offensive to the naturally minded simply because He claims to be who He is- God Almighty. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the church of Corinth’ The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.’ (1 Cor.2.14) When evidently, many Christians fail to value corporate worship actively, why should anyone ever expect a non-Christian to do so?

The politics of appeasement never work with a bully. They totally failed Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of England, during the years that Hitler rose to power. It was during Chamberlain’s time in office when Hitler began his quest to dominate Europe. Chamberlain attempted to quench Hitler’s onslaught of tyranny by placating him. Chamberlain’s well-intentioned but very ineffective phrase “peace in our time’ unfortunately became how he is chiefly remembered. History views him as a nice but highly naïve leader with a fear to fight. Likewise, the thought that Christians simply need to play nice and get along with everyone flies in the face of Jesus words ‘I came not to send peace, but a sword.’ (Matt.10.34) 

That mindset of appeasement can lead to such a watering down of the gospel that it seemingly renders it unnecessary and irrelevant. This precise fear of offending has entrapped many pastors into compromising with what the Bible actually says of contemporary issues such as gender identity and same-sex marriage. In contrast, the apostle Paul stated, ‘I did not withhold from you the full counsel of God.’ And for the record, it is possible to say hard things lovingly, without condemnation! Jesus came in both grace and truth. (John 1.14) One without the other, though, is dangerous!

What’s Really at Stake?

It is critical to realize we are in a far greater fight than merely overcoming a virus. There is powerful warfare on several levels right now, flowing straight from the antichrist spirit attempting to disable and even crush the church’s voice! There are some things worth fighting for- and the right to assemble and worship God is undoubtedly one of them! Our thinking needs to be shaped more from Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego rather than fear-mongering politically correct talking heads and godless politicians! After all, we are called by God the ‘ekklēsi’ which means ‘the assembly’, or ‘the called out ones’!

I hear no one reversing the question by asking, ‘what are the needs of God’. I write this somewhat rhetorically. God is, after all, Yahweh- the all-sufficient one. He is never dependent on humanity for His well-being. 

Recognizing that truth, however, we must also acknowledge that God has stated He desires to be worshipped in spirit and truth. Through the cross’s grace, He has brought us into a vital relationship of love with Himself. He highly values the authentic expressions of our adoration and honor for who He is, what He has done, and what He does. 

Of course, some might argue we can undoubtedly worship from home as we watch an online service. Yes, that is true, but it falls short of the premium God places on actually coming together in one place and in unity, lifting our voices and hearts to Him. While online church services are of value, they are not a replacement for coming together in unity and making a joyful noise unto God and responding to His manifest presence. There is something lost to the church if we’re trapped in our caves of isolation!

 Again, the unasked question is what God requires of us, not merely what’s convenient or useful for us. I suspect for some it’s not so much the fear factor, but a lukewarm heart that governs our actions, or lack thereof.

Several years ago, I spoke at a bush pastors conference about halfway up the long coast of Mozambique, just south of the Zambezi river. Some of the attending pastors asked my hosts if next year they could have the conference north of the Zambezi. They related how dangerous it was to get in tiny boats when crossing the Zambezi due to the river’s crocodiles. I thought to myself, ‘what a contrast’! These saints were willing to face crocodiles to get to a church conference. In contrast, in the Western World, many Christians can barely get out of bed on Sunday mornings to drive to church. 

The Value of Expensive Worship!

Possibly God’s whole purpose in allowing our cultures and finances to be shaken is to shake off our complacency and wake us up to our real wealth- the person and presence of God! Possibly we need to rediscover the value of worship, which actually costs us something! 

The Gospel of John, chapter twelve, relates the story of how Mary- Martha and Lazarus’s sister, ministered to the person of Jesus. Verse three reads: ‘Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus’. It goes on to say the whole house was filled with the smell of the perfume. So it will always be when we offer up worship as a sacrifice to Jesus- the essence of His presence will fill the room. He inhabits the praises of His people! (Psalm 22.3). However, like with Mary’s sacrifice, there will always be a religious critic present. There will always be someone in the crowd who will perceive expensive sacrificial worship as a waste because it detracts from our ministry to man. While the great commission is of great importance, there is one thing that overshadows it. The great commandment to love God, with all of our heart, mind, and strength, supersedes everything else!

Faith, or Fear?

What about the risk of exposing healthy people to Covid-19? We, possibly, need to grow up in the faith department a bit. The gospel of Mark, chapter one, tells the story of Jesus confronted by a leper from whom everyone else would have run. Jesus not only healed the man’s skin, but also his soul. When He dared to touch the man, He broke the curse of being untouchable. Jesus walked in faith, not fear. 

I am not advocating we take silly chances with Covid-19. Neither am I suggesting we throw out practical guidelines such as social distancing and temperature taking at gatherings. However, we need to have more faith in God’s promises and protection than fear of all the countless what-ifs! After all, greater is He who is in us, than the devil and his works! I remember the first time the Lord had me lay hands on someone with leprosy and pray for them. I rather vividly remember the huge question looming within me as I sensed the Holy Spirit say to do exactly what Jesus did in Mark 1. That question was ‘is their leprosy the contagious, or the non-contagious type’. I never found out the answer to that question, but as I obeyed the Holy Spirit anyway. Not only did the Holy Spirit touch the woman, but I stayed healthy, as well. 

Faith cannot be measured by social media posts, virtue signaling, and doing what passes for good and acceptable, in man’s eyes. We are called to be the salt of the earth, which makes people thirsty for Jesus- the living water. We are called to reflect not the wisdom of man but the light of Jesus. We are called to be a people set apart for God’s own glory. If we lose our saltiness, then indeed, our mission to both man and God is both lost! And if we end up seeming to be foolish in the eyes of man, then we’re in good company. Daniel and the great host of witnesses are right there us!

‘Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!’ Psalm 150, 1-6. 

The post To Meet, or not to Meet? appeared first on Marc Dupont Ministries.

The last five months have seen an increase in opinions, debate, statistics, and accusations shouted out in all the various media forums. While some posts and messages do contain some truth and wisdom, a lot of it is seemingly just a ‘hurray for my side’ diatribe. As well, many are speaking out of a degree of anger and bitterness, which ends up burying any sort of hope of real peace and reconciliation. The following vlog focuses on the call to speak and write words that are both encouraging and life-giving!

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So what now? How do we view this time we are in from God’s perspective? That is to say, how do we realize God’s redemptive Kingdom purposes in this hour? If we are merely trying to get by and survive the threat of Covid-19 I believe we will miss out on God’s purposes. Not all times are equal in the Kingdom of God. There are times for sowing, times for harvesting, times of Sabbath, and times for celebration. God is the god of the times and seasons, according to the prophet Daniel. 

April 12, Easter Sunday, was also the beginning of the Festival of Firstfruits. The Hebrews were commanded to ‘bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest’ when they first came into the promised land. (Note; there is some debate as to the actual dates of our contemporary calendar with the historical Jewish calendar) Following is a partial list of Biblical events that, according to Jewish history and tradition, took place on the first day of Firstfruits. The Hebrew people passed through the Parting of the Red Sea, Israel entered the promised land, Hezekiah cleansed the Temple, Queen Esther saved the Jewish people in Persia, and, greatest of all- the resurrection of Jesus. 

These events comprise a fantastic list that all took place on the same day of the year. I don’t believe the word ‘coincidence’ is found in the lexicon of Heaven! Jesus is the prophetic fulfillment of the Festival of Firstfruits!. 1 Corinthians 15.20 states that ‘Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep’! 

So, if this Passover celebration is historical in being the only one in, perhaps, 3500 years in which the both Jews and Christians have been housebound, is there something extraordinary about the rest of this season we are all in? 

I want to suggest a timeline to give food for thought, and a possible direction for prayer:

·     ENFORCED SABBATICAL; The last several weeks have not been merely a time of being forced to stay home. Rather, I believe the Lord is seeing it as a time of enforced sabbatical. I believe God is calling us to freshly focus on Him, our relationship with Him, and our relationship with our families and one another. It is a time for prayerful evaluation of exactly where do we derive our comfort from- our lifestyles, or the God of all comfort!

·     HISTORICAL TIMES; This Passover or Easter Celebration is historic in that we have all been housebound. In the first Passover, Moses told the people to be dressed in their cloaks and sandals, with their staffs in their hands. In other words, they were on high alert and to be ready to go.

Internationally there has been an acceleration of the gospel in many parts of the world for many years now. Jesus tells us in Luke 12.35-36: ‘Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.’ We, Christians, in parts of the world where the gospel has been slow-moving possibly need this wake-up call to ready ourselves for a greater harvest in the near future.

·     40 DAYS OF REVELATION; Following the day of Firstfruits beginning, there were 50 days until the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost in the Greek. The New Testament tells us that those first 40 days, after the ressurction, culminate with Jesus ascending to the Father. However, during that time Jesus appeared to not only the 11 disciples but hundreds of others, as well. (1 Cor. 15.6) He also made, seemingly, a special appearance to the disciples, especially for Thomas. Thomas had been skeptical of the first reports from the other disciple of Jesus being raised from the dead.

I would like to suggest that during the next 40 days, the Holy Spirit may want to be speaking to many of us of what God’s plans are for the near future. After all, He did promise us that the people of the New Covenant would dream dreams, see visions, and prophesy by the Spirit of the Lord. There are some of us who, like Thomas, may have been doubting God’s goodness towards us. If so the Lord may especially desire to speak to us!

·     THE UPPER ROOM; The last ten days leading up to Pentecost were to be a time of waiting on the Lord- prayer and worship, according to Acts 1. I want to encourage you over the next 50 days to stay on your spiritual toes and to place a special emphasis in devoting some time daily to waiting on the Lord. As David wrote in Psalm 5.3: ‘O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch’

·     PENTECOST: I do not know if in our varying cities and nations whether we will be able to meet in person, or not, by May 31^st.  But whether our Pentecost Sunday meetings are in person, live-streamed, podcast, or zoomed, let’s believe God for a massive outpouring of His power and boldness on us. Let’s seek God for fresh opportunities this spring and summer to share the good news of Christ, pray for the sick, and open doors for demonstrating the love of Christ in a myriad of practical ways. Let’s take hold of Psalm 2, verse 8, that the nations will be given to Christ as His inheritance. And, that we all have a part to play in preparing that gift! 

Marc Dupont

Mantle of Praise Ministries

PS.- Some two years after the previous financial crisis of 2008, I put together a lot of the teaching I was doing at that season, in my book entitled ‘Breakthrough in Times of Breakdown’. I was, in many conferences, focusing on the ways of God that enable us to experience Psalm 37.18-19- ‘the righteous will prosper even during a time of famine’. Starting in January of this year, I sensed the Lord calling me to refocus on those Biblical keys. Especially now, in this season of considerable economic uncertainty, I believe this book can be a real resource of comfort and encouragement. It’s available here at the website at a significantly reduced price.

The post The Next 50 Days- A Timeline! appeared first on Marc Dupont Ministries.

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Early this year, I mistakenly did long runs two days in a row. (Long for me) I was getting on a plane the third day for a long trip and thought it would be good to be physically tired before starting on this journey so that I might be more relaxed on the planes. As well, I was encouraged by a great run on the first day. While it seemed smart as I started the second day’s run, it resulted in minor damage to one of my knees that took some four months to get over. It was the wrong time to run!

We seemingly live in a day and age, where the concept of delayed gratification has been severely marginalized. Many seem to think if they can get everything picture perfect right now in their lives, they can experience an Instagram lifestyle. This ‘everything now’ perception of life has fostered a growing problem of prematurely jumping the gun. Premature marriages, premature divorces, premature quitting of jobs, relationships, and commitments too often are systemic of a culture that fails to understand the keys of long term commitment and working towards long term rewards even, and especially, in the face of difficulties. 

2nd Samuel, chapter 18, relates the story of King David’s defeat of the rebellious Absalom and his army. When the battle is over and, in effect, the kingship is restored to David, Joab, David’s commander in chief, sends an official runner to bring the good news to David, who is miles away. However, a second would be runner, by the name of Ahimaaz insisted on also running to bring the report to the king. Joab’s response to Ahimaaz, in 2 Samuel 18.20, is an essential key to understanding the ways of God in our lives. Joab told Ahimaaz that he would run in the future, but not today!

Avoiding Self-Sabotage!

In many official races, if a runner jumps the gun (starts before the gun sounds), the competition is restarted. But if he does it twice, that runner is then disqualified. However, new rules have been implemented in some track events so that even one false start can disqualify the premature runner. Likewise, in life, there are some false starts that can be very self-sabotaging. 

I have observed how, over several decades, many well-meaning Christians have disqualified themselves for many seasons of their lives by running before God releases them to run. That was Ahimaaz’s problem! Again, please note- Joab did not say he would never run, but just not today! 

After the official runner, a young Cushite man, began to run to David Ahimaaz said, “whatever happens, I’m going to run”! Joab, somewhat prophetic at that moment, then asked Ahimaaz, “why will you run- you will have no reward”? But when Amimaaz insisted on running Joab, in frustration, responded “run” and Ahimaaz did. 

Giftedness is not Enough!

Ahimaaz was such a gifted runner that he outran the Cushite even though he has started well after him. When he arrived first to deliver the message to King David, he blurted out the good news; the kingdom had been restored to David, and the rebellious army was thoroughly defeated. While that was good news, indeed, it was only half the message the king wanted to hear. When David asked how it was with his son Absalom, Ahimaaz was ignorant. Ahimaaz was then told to stand to the side. 2nd Samuel 18.30 reads, “he turned aside and stood still.” This is a picture of what can happen when we run the races of life prematurely. We can end up off to the side of where we wanted to be with nothing really to say, and with no reward for our labors!

When the ‘official runner’ arrived, he not only had the news of the victory, but he also had the report as to the fate of Absolom. He had the full message!

Too often, we see people like Ahimaaz. They are gifted and have amazing abilities to serve God, man, businesses, etc. Like Ahimaaz, however, they don’t have the full message, and they run with only partial knowledge of what they need to know. For example, there are many Bible preachers and teachers today that have a very strong ability to preach and teach on the grace of God, but they do so with only a partial grasp of what Biblical grace really is. When it comes to the empowering grace God gives us so that we might be conformed to the image of Christ in our lifestyles, they have little to nothing to say. God’s values of discipleship somehow get thrown out the window. Alternatively, some are quite strong in preaching and teaching the message that we ought to be living lives of righteousness but have little to no help for those struggling to overcome addictions and demonic strongholds. They are similar to the false prophets and teachers whom Jeremiah rebuked. They say “peace, peace” but don’t really lift a hand to help those with bondages and wounds. (Jeremiah 6.14 & 8.11) Both sides of the coin are needed to proclaim and release the wisdom of God fully. When only one side of that coin in championed, the results can be deceiving and harmful. 

Timing is everything!

It has been said by many that a healthy marriage is comprised of 3 elements- romance, friendship, and commitment. While it is quite easy to fall in love, it is also quite easy to fall out of love without the necessary girding of dedication and friendship. Part of the issue is that commitment and loyalty are developed over a season in which they are severely challenged. Those life lessons cannot be learned merely from a blog or podcast. They are learned through the school of life! 

While my wife, Kim, was mature enough to get married shortly before her 21st birthday, I, on the other hand, was not ready until I was 25 years old. (Sometimes I think I’m still not ready!) I shudder to think of what would have happened over the first five years of the challenges we faced if I had married several years previously! It was not that I did not want to get married. The problem was I was not ready to get married. I still had some essential lessons to learn about commitment and being a best friend. 

What many churches are witnessing today is a rash of divorces among young people. Despite making vows to God and man regarding sticking together “till death do us part” there is a growing problem of giving up on marriage because of the false perceptions that life can be lived in an Instagram bubble. The same can be said of friendships, jobs, ministry, and church life. We’re delusional when we think that any situation, or relationship, really worth having is not going to cost something first! As the old saying goes, “nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight.” It’s the prolonged, highly uncomfortable struggles that bring us into a place of comfort and peace!

What we often fail to perceive is that while God does desire to give us the desires of our hearts, He always wants to do so when He brings us to a point where our success will not be the ruination of us! To knowingly wait on God’s timing rather than pushing the door to open is maturity. John 6.15 tells us that the people wanted to take Jesus and make Him king forcibly. Jesus, however, realized there was a crown of thorns to suffer before the crown of heaven could be worn. In other words, there are always some real headaches before we get to wear that hat of promotion. We all want more resurrection life, but not all of us want to pick up our cross daily. It’s in the dying to self that virtues such as commitment, loyalty, and perseverance are perfected!

Ahimaaz’s mistake was trusting in his abilities rather than the God-given authority over his life. He was, after all, a powerful runner! His lack of reward was standing to the side of the action with nothing to say. Let’s believe with all of our hearts that God does, indeed, desire to give us the desires of our hearts. But let’s also realize that our heavenly Father is the God of the times and seasons. And He is always right on time!

A Time to run from Danger!

The first book I authored is titled ‘Walking Out of Spiritual Abuse.’ It has since been retitled ‘Toxic Churches’. It deals with the syndrome of when Christians get caught up in abusive churches where they are continually manipulated by guilt and fear into serving and supporting that church, or ministry. Usually, the problem is insecure leadership, like king Saul, who confuse manipulation for encouragement due to a distrust of God and man. I have been asked many times over the years: “when should I leave an abusive church if I find I am actually in one”?

I believe God answers that question in the story of King Saul and the young hero of Israel- David, the shepherd boy. When Saul first began to know David, he loved and respected David. But, as David began to emerge as a hero and great warrior in the eyes of the people Saul’s insecurities began to choke out his love and regard for him. David, however, continued to faithfully honor Saul despite the growing tensions. He did not abandon Saul until the point came where Saul was actively trying to have David killed! And even afterward, David continued to honor God’s hand on Saul’s life even though he could no longer serve him. Likewise, Jesus continued to include Judas, in his group of twelve, even when he fully knew Judas would betray Him. And in so doing, Jesus came into the genuine crown the Father had always intended for him. When we begin to realize that a toxic situation, or relationship, is going to cost us our soul and sanity it’s time to move on. This, however, is different from incorrectly thinking the grass is green somewhere else simply because we don’t want to work through issues. The grass in not always greener somewhere else- it’s greener where it’s nurtured and watered!

The growing trend towards prematurely jumping the gun and giving up on relationships, jobs, and goals is a huge reflection of the brokenness in our society. The more hurting we are, the more we tend to look for quick fixes for the problems in our lives. The cost is we lose sight of God’s values of loyalty, commitment, and sacrifice. As we marginalize those traits and values of God, we end up all too often with no real reward and nothing of value to say to anyone.

When we examine the lives of men and women of the Bible who God has entrusted with great authority, and who came into real fulfillment, they usually went through long, difficult periods when God allowed the integrity of their hearts to be tested. Psalm 115.16-22 read; 

“When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, 17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; 19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. 20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; 21 he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, 22 to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.”

The call on Joseph’s life, since a young boy, was to be a leader of high authority and fruitfulness. The journey towards becoming the man of God who could successfully walk in that authority, however, was one that thoroughly tested him. Likewise, you and I are called to lives of abundant fruitfulness. (John 15.8). Let’s not miss out on our rewards by jumping the gun before the race even begins! 

The post Knowing When to Run! appeared first on Marc Dupont Ministries.

Let me clarify that statement. I do believe it is a severe problem when a minister falls into immorality. God sees it as a critical issue whenever any of His children end up in bondage to destructive behavior- especially so when that behavior hurts and abuses others. As well, I do believe that to the degree of visibility one is given in the church, there needs to be an equivalent response and, hopefully, repentance.

My concern here, however, is the underlying and ongoing problem of Christians looking for a hero other than the champion of heaven- Jesus!

The timeless worship song ‘Be Thou My Vision’ may have been written as early as the sixth century by the Irish poet Dallan Forgaill. It was translated, slightly modified, and published by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Although I find the whole hymn to be quite stirring the first few lines say it all;

“Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart
None other is aught but the King of the seven heavens.
Be thou my meditation by day and night.
May it be thou that I behold even in my sleep”.

Unpacking the Great Mystery

Of the several mysteries, the Apostle Paul referred to the greatest is ‘the mystery of Christ in us’. Colossians 1.27 reads “God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This mystery which the Old Covenant prophets caught glimpses of is the thoroughly unfathomable love of God that Jesus would give His sinless life on a cross of shame for us and cleanse us so thoroughly of our sins that He now dwells, by His Spirit, in everyone who surrenders their lives to Him. This Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Father, is now and forever the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the champion of heaven and therefore, the champion of the Kingdom of God. Amazingly, this Jesus is the Immanuel- God with us!

Our obedience, fascination, and focus on Him should mirror the cry of Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann as they set sail from Europe, in 1732 for St. Thomas Island, on the other side of the world. They perilously journeyed to evangelize the West African slaves. They had to sell themselves to be indentured slaves for seven years to pay their passage. As they set sail from the dock in Europe, their friends and families were in tears due to not knowing if they would ever see the two young men again. In response to those tears, they cried out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!”

They were so singularly focused on the marvel of Christ in us and with us that they viewed their sacrifices as a small thing. Dober and Nitschmann had only one hero and champion. They were more than willing to lay down their lives for their champion! Could it be that the contemporary church needs to further ‘unpack’ this fantastic mystery of Christ in us, and we in Him?

Phenomena, or a Phenomenal Savior?

The Bible tells us to give honor to whom honor is due. Hopefully, as we give recognition to those who God appoints to preach Christ and proclaim His Kingdom we are aware that we are honoring God’s hand on the individual’s life and their faithfulness in serving Him. All too often, however, it seems we go beyond that and elevate a minister to a pedestal of almost blind adulation that only God, Himself, should occupy.

By ‘adulation’ I do not mean demonstrative displays of affection, but somewhat blind faith and support- especially in tossing out Biblical discernment and accountability. The Biblical warning to avoid the influence of those who build platforms on visions and over the top claims of angelic revelation is all too often ignored. This fascination often manifests as misguided financial support when the sensationalism is used manipulatively. We find ourselves too often focused more on phenomena rather than a phenomenal savior!

God certainly does give visions and dreams (Joel 2.28), and He certainly does, at times, move powerfully among us by His angelic servants (Acts 12.6-8). His reason in doing so, however, is always to bring about a greater revelation of Jesus and His kingdom, never to promote fascination with the messenger. As the angel stated to John, the Revelator, when he fell down before him “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”.

The stealth factor of the kingdom!

In contrast to media-savvy preachers who attempt to sensationalize their ministries God so often works powerfully under the radar. Far from the self-promoting, overly spiritualized platforms are the countless unknown works the Holy Spirit does through ordinary people in ordinary life. Usually, they are neither noted or appreciated, (except in heaven), due to being mainly under the radar of social media. That is primarily how the Kingdom of God moves- in the everyday lives of everyday men and women who are sold out for God.

Jesus, seemingly, placed a value on this stealth factor of the kingdom. In the gospel of Mark, when Jesus healed the leper, He instructed the man to “say nothing to anyone.” In at least two of his parables, found in Matthew 13, Jesus commented on the value of hiddenness, or small, obscure beginnings.

Secular media blogs and online news sites typically are filled with current events of tragedy and horror. As well, often the news items relating to Christianity one does run across on many of these sites tend to portray a lopsided view of Christianity. Such as when a well known Christian figure walks away from their faith or begins to champion a popular stance on moral issues rather than a Biblical one.

I have found, however, that there are always everyday men and women in the body of Christ who demonstrate in surprising ways the love and power of Christ. Partially this is because I meet with so many pastors globally who are more aware of Kingdom endeavors done through the lives of their congregants.

Recently I was asked to lead the memorial service for a woman in my home church. My wife had gotten to know somewhat the woman, but I had never met nor heard of her. As I met with her son, sister, and a close friend of many years, I was blown away by the testimony of how this woman lived her life. She continually extended the love of Christ and the Kingdom of God over and over again in important life-changing ways. Her name was Doreen.

For many years, Doreen and her husband served runaway kids by helping out on a crisis hotline. Despite rules to the contrary, they would often give out their own phone number to the kids they counseled. One such individual, by the name of Shannon, came from a background of horrific abuse. Doreen became a surrogate mother to Shannon, and they developed strong ties that lasted the rest of Shannon’s life. Ultimately Shannon gave her life to Christ. At one point as the relationship began to develop between Shannon, Doreen, and Doreen’s husband Shannon stated the only joy she had ever known was due to the love of Shannon and her husband.

Shannon’s story was not an isolated one. There ended up being many women, some of whom testified at the service, whom Shannon mothered and demonstrated the love of Christ to in numerous tangible ways. Her family and friends testified that Doreen daily prayed for opportunities to extend God’s love and compassion.

While the testimony of Doreen’s life is undoubtedly outstanding, I have found over the years countless stories and testimonies of unknown people who, like Doreen, daily seek first the Kingdom of God. I believe that it is going to take a few millenniums in heaven to begin to hear the staggering number of accounts of everyday saints who lived sacrificial lives that made a real difference. To a degree, however, due to the world’s cultural values infecting the church ‘everything counts in large amounts’- especially large amounts of Instagram followers!

San Diego, California, where we live is a haven for great Mexican food. Many restaurants have a ‘Taco Tuesday’ when you can get authentic tacos at an excellent price. This last Tuesday while at such a restaurant, we ran into a friend who works there. A while back, he achieved his small pilot’s license and purchased a plane. He informed us that this month, he is launching a ministry to fly rescued victims of sex trafficking to safe places where they cannot be followed or traced by their former captors. While this man is very gregarious and outgoing, he is someone most have never heard of, and he has no desire for notoriety. He, like Doreen, is simply captivated by the wonder of Jesus and seizing the Kingdom opportunities God calls him to.

The Apostle Paul wrote and taught on a wide variety of topics relating to kingdom living and church life. He taught on the primacy of love, on the correct use of spiritual gifts, on healthy leadership, marriage, and families. Not to mention penning the Book of Romans, which is the premier theological epistle of the New Testament.

Despite Paul covering such a wide array of topics he made a rather enigmatic statement to the church of Corinth; ‘I am determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified’ (1 Cor.2.2). That statement almost seems a denial of so much of his teaching and preaching. Likewise, in his second letter to the Corinthian Church, he pleaded with them not to forsake their ‘one thing’ heart focus on Jesus. ‘I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ’ (2 Cor.11.3).

Could it be that the church today, some 2000 years later, needs to be reawakened to the value of ‘a sincere and pure devotion to Christ”? Could it be that like the church prior to the two great awakenings, that swept America over the last few hundred years, we, as well, need a fresh revelation of the wonder, majesty, and triumph of Jesus? Until He becomes the sole vision of our hearts and our best meditation by day and by night, we will continue to be captivated by less than heroic heroes!

Marc A. Dupont
September 6, 2019

The post We don’t need another hero! appeared first on Marc Dupont Ministries.

The evacuation of Dunkirk has often been called ‘the miracle of Dunkirk’.  The situation for the Allies was so bleak at that time some political leaders in Britain were suggesting surrender. Many of the British leaders saw the capture of the soldiers as a foregone conclusion. 

What took place, however, was not merely incredible but very far from the thinking of most. Britain clandestinely launched over 800 ships and boats to cross the channel to rescue the troops. While many naval ships were part of the operation the majority of the vessels were merely small ships. These boats were owned and operated by everyday fishermen, merchant marines, and pleasure craft enthusiasts. To the point- these boats were heroically piloted by ordinary people, directly into harm’s way, rather than trained military personnel. 

‘The Darkest Hour’ parallels this same time frame. While this movie concludes with the order to launch the flotilla of boats and ships to rescue the lost troops at Dunkirk, the main storyline is about the emergence of an unpopular leader who ended up leading Britain to victory not only in the evacuation of Dunkirk but in the war itself!

Hindsight is always 20/20 as the saying goes. Historians of both war and politics can now look back and say with confidence that Winston Churchill was the right man for a very dark hour in world history even though he was hugely unpopular with many of the politicians leading up to that moment. The movie relates how Churchill was almost rejected from being Prime Minister. He was often viewed as being a warmonger and blind to possible peaceful political strategies to avoid war. 

Approval of Heaven vs. Popularity with Man

It needs to be pointed out that in the 1930’s it was very, very politically incorrect to warn that war was coming and Britain needed to gear up for it. What had been called ‘The Great War’, what we now refer to as World War 1, had devastated Europe. Even though Britain had prevailed in the war, it had paid a terrible cost both in loss of life and draining of resources. Some 9-11 million military personnel overall had lost their lives in the war, with approximately 700,000 being British. Because Churchill had been like a broken record, in the 30’s, warning that once again war was coming, he was unfavorably viewed by many. In fact, many perceived him hungry for war. Even the King of England personally disliked Churchill. In point of fact, however, one could almost call Churchill prophetic in seeing where Hitler was headed. While others hung fast to the false hope of ‘peace in our time’, Churchill stubbornly and accurately proclaimed the message of what was about to take place along with a call to arms and sacrifice!

I believe there are parallels between the storyline of these two movies and our times and how God desires to advance His Kingdom in the Western World nations. First off, let us not be unmindful that we too are living in a very dark hour. The brokenness in marriage and families is leading to an increase in addictions and bankruptcy of the soul and society. Feeding into all of this is the growing absence of any sort of real moral compass other than that of materialism devoid of spirituality. Absolutes, as God states in His Word, are laughed at by a society governed by the pop values of instant gratification and personal fulfillment above all else. Values, such as long-term commitment to marriage and family, have been thrown by the wayside. The ugly trinity of me, myself, and I which reigns over many souls is strongly opposed to Judaic/Christian values such as faithfulness to relationships, honoring of authority, self-responsibility, and sacrifice. 

Just yesterday I read a brief quote from a man who, while driving too fast and distracted by his music, struck and killed a pedestrian and then made away from the scene. When apprehended not only was he seemingly unapologetic regarding having killed a man and fleeing the scene but went on to say, “Right now I’m not worried about nothing, People hit and run people over all the time.” While most people are not involved in hit and run accidents, I believe his apparent lack of remorse and any sense of personal responsibility is indicative of where we’re at in today’s world. We are genuinely at a dark hour where the sense of personal responsibility leading one to step up sacrificially in practical ways for the good of others has been lost.

Winston Churchill, in contrast to most of his fellow political leaders, championed the cause of standing up and fighting evil and tyranny. At a time when many were still reeling from the great sacrifices of the previous war 20 years earlier, Churchill relentlessly called for both the responsibility of Britain to itself and towards their European neighbors who were increasingly coming under oppression. Churchill was not preoccupied with either popularity or political correctness. He was focused on what was right and what was wrong, both morally and practically, in the big picture. 

While I am not suggesting Churchill was a perfect man, I do believe that he is a bit of a picture of Christ for our ‘dark hour’. God today, as Churchill was then, is both unpopular and non-wavering in His values and edicts. He is not concerned with political correctness or preaching a comfortable message. Many today when they say they love Jesus are primarily relating to Him emotionally as opposed to obedience and sacrifice. God’s truth, of Christ alone as Lord and Savior, is terribly against the tide of the current values of self-fulfillment and the dangerous false peace of tolerance. Jesus stated ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword’. (Matt.10.34)  Jesus’ message and mission was antithetical to the false hope of ‘peace in our time’! 

Additionally, as with Dunkirk, so we shall see many saved. There will be a ‘flotilla’ of everyday men in women in their own small ‘boats of life’ releasing God’s love, grace, and truth, and by so doing will bring many out of harm’s way and into the Kingdom of God. We will learn all over again, what the future King David realized. Just as you cannot effectively wear someone else’s armor, neither can you pilot someone else’s ship. After all, when one gives their life to Christ, He becomes the one who pilots our lives and calms the raging storms as we sail into the face of adversity. 

A Call to Arms

The call to Christian discipleship is a call to arms. Biblical weapons, however, differ significantly from politically correct rhetoric, intolerance for facts and truth, and hatred of those of who disagree with us. Our ‘weapons of warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.’ (2 Cor.10.3-4) Those strongholds we are to destroy are demonic lies, social norms, and philosophies now ingrained in our society. They were satanically designed to ‘rob, kill, and destroy.’ They now permeate the current thinking and paradigms of the culture and institutions around us. It’s not only a war worth fighting, but it’s a winnable war by the grace of God. As those ordinary people in small boats dared to sail against a colossal adversary let us do the same. As Churchill was unconcerned with the political tides of his hour, let us be more concerned with approval in heaven than popularity with man. Just as Jesus came with grace and truth let us go forth the same.

Finally, let us not forget the timeless words of another hero of that dark hour- Dietrich Bonhoeffer. ‘The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success (personal fulfillment) for its standard.’

Marc A. Dupont

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Two of my favorite Bible verses/passages are 1 Corinthians 2.9 and Ephesians 3.20-21. Essentially they are sister verses which speak of the fact that the kind intentions of God are far greater than we can perceive on our own. They read “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” and “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” respectively. I refer to them and the ‘more’ promises. I find them not only encouraging, but highly instructive as well. They teach us that we should be asking and seeking God not merely for more of what we’ve already seen and can understand but for the fullness of what God desires to do in every situation as we seek first His Kingdom.

I would go so far as to say that if our vision is limited to merely more of what we already have seen God do then we really need God to ‘be the lifter of our eyes’. We need His help to behold what He, in His amazing wisdom, power, and benevolence, desires to do to us and through us! In the same vein if our vision for the future consists of merely what we can understand then, just possibly, we might be lacking in true Holy Spirit given perspective of God’s rich plans.

Asking God for a unique gift this Christmas

It’s Christmas time. It’s that time of year when we think of giving and even receiving gifts. While it’s always better to give that it is to receive it’s not a bad thing to receive good gift. After all our Father of lights gives every good and perfect gift!

So here is my end of year challenge! What if each of us prayerfully (and humbly) asked our heavenly Father to give us fresh vision specifically for 2017? I’m not speaking about a 5 year church growth vision or a vision of ‘where do you want to be in 10 years from now’ but a vision for God to accomplish to you and through you over the next 12 months. By ‘through you’ I mean a vision that not only blesses you but causes you to be a blessing to many others. What if we took time out every day over the rest of the month and specifically asked God to give a fresh sense of direction to accomplish certain things for God that are quite beyond what I can imagine in my own thinking. In other words let’s pray for 2017 out of the promises of 1 Corinthians 2.9 and Ephesians 3.20-21. Let’s go before God and with humility tell Him were taking Him at His word and ask that 2017 would be a year of miraculous break through.

Seeing the woods beyond the trees

Sometimes we are so focused on the machinery of what we’re already doing for God and the breakthroughs we have already experienced what without realizing it our hopes and prayers are merely for more of that which we know. In one sense that’s not always wrong. But in another sense it is praying below the absolute level of creativity, wisdom, and power of God, that His promises suggest He wants to release into our lives. Not simply in the sweet-by-and-by but in the dirty-now-and-now!

Remember when Jesus spoke to Martha about resurrection power in John 11? Martha assumed Jesus was strictly speaking about the journey to heaven. She failed to understand He was actually giving her a ‘now’ word! Let’s not fail to hear the now words God has for us concerning this time and place simply because they may be beyond any of our past experiences. We dare not allow our past experiences to dominate our vision for the future!

What I’m not speaking about is a spiritual bucket list. I’m not suggesting we think up things we would like God to do in 2017. I’m speaking of going before Him and asking Him to lead and guide us into the 1 Corinthians 2.9 and Ephesians 3.20-21 ‘more’ that He promises us. After all, as Paul put it, the promises of God are ‘yes, and Amen’ because of Christ and the cross. I believe that if we will do this many of us in a year’s time will look back be amazed but also filled with a deep sense of gratitude to God for what He has done.

To God be the glory, who can do far more than we think, or ask!

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Jesus, Himself, was standing some 50 miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean. He appeared to be hundreds or even thousands of feet tall and the waters were about waist high. He was facing the coast. He then dipped His right hand into the water in front of Himself and drew His hand backwards in the water. As He did so the tide dramatically went out. He then reversed His hand motion and Tsunami type waves went over the coast and basically covered all of Southern California. From north of Los Angeles south to the Mexico border, and from the coast all the way to the mountain ranges everyplace was covered with water.

Then the water went back out again but there were a number of pools and reservoirs of the Holy Spirit that had not been there before- at least to that degree. I understood that those pools and reservoirs were churches and ministries that had ‘made themselves low’ prior to the waves coming in. Through an emphasis on prayer they had been crying to God to do something to them and through them that they were not capable of in and of themselves. In effect, they had been creating a resting place for God’s Spirit.

This is what I understand, so far, about this vision.

1. The five fingers of Jesus’ hand in the water represented five distinct areas of Kingdom activity that were going to increase.
a. There would be an increase of evangelism
b. There would be a grace for restoration of estranged family members (Malachi 4.6)
c. There will be a revelation to many in the Body of Christ as to the Holiness of God. This would bring about a ‘grace based’ emphasis on “presenting your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship”. There will be a fresh heart desire to live conformed to the image of Christ free of sin and bondage.
d. There would be an increase in healings and miracles, signs and wonders (Acts 4.30)
e. And lastly a strong desire of many to gather together for corporate prayer meetings. In fact, I sensed that many churches that had never placed much of an emphasis on prayer meetings were going to have an overwhelming sense from God that they now had to do so.
2. Those churches and ministries that were ‘filled up fresh’ with the Holy Spirit who continued in a place of prayer and humility before the Lord and one another would grow and grow in fruitfulness. Those ministries that lost sight of their dependence on God and being led by His Spirit would continue on to a degree with what they received but would not grow past a certain level of fruitfulness.
3. While all the pools and reservoirs were filled with the Holy Spirit the actual containers were the churches themselves. Just as each of us uniquely reflects the person of Christ so each of these pools would be unique in how they responded and ministered out of the increase. There was not a religious emphasis on conformity. There was actually a great diversity of culture in how many of these churches and ministries extended the Kingdom.
4. While I do believe this is more of a sovereign word rather than conditional one I also believe that the Lord would have many respond to this word in prayer and possibly even some sort of fasting rather than simply waiting to see what happens. As with most prophecy it is an invitation to respond to the person of God and His purposes.
Marc A. Dupont
Mantle of Praise Ministries, Inc.
La Mesa, California

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