The Servant Reader - Page 23 of 57

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December 14, 2020

Two important New Testament events occurred in an upper room. Most Christians are aware of the first one: the Last Supper. The second one took place after Jesus’s ascension in Acts 1: the 10-day period waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit. A look at these two events may give us special insight into the introduction of the New Covenant as manifested at Pentecost in Acts 2. The upper rooms where they happened were in many homes a room in the upper part of the house, used to receive company, hold feasts, and retire for meditation and prayer.

In Luke 22:11-12, Jesus instructs His disciples where they would celebrate the Passover meal. He told them that the owner of the house would “show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” It was in this place that Jesus celebrated His last Passover until His Second Coming, alluding to the New Covenant promised to Israel and the house of Judah in Jeremiah 31:31-34. The account then tells us that Jesus broke the matzah bread and proclaimed that it was His body “given for you, do this in remembrance of Me.” In a few hours, that body would be offered as the Passover lamb.

The New Covenant in My Blood

After eating the Passover meal, He took the cup of wine and said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood”. This wine signified His precious blood, which would be shed for the remission of sins in establishing the New Covenant. There is only one reference directly to the New Covenant in the Old Testament and it is found in Jeremiah 31. It appears that the disciples thought that this covenant as promised to the house of Israel and house of Judah would be happening soon. No one understood that this New Covenant would also establish a new relationship with God through the recognition of Jesus as Messiah, Christianity and the church age. That revelation would begin to take place in the next upper room.

In Acts 1:9-11, the disciples watched the ascension of Jesus. It was an incredibly powerful moment for each of them, but left them all with many questions. What now? What do we do until He comes back?

Acts 1:12-16

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled [Psalm 41:9], which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

So there were about 120 disciples in that upper room and they were “with one mind” and “devoting themselves to prayer”. Peter takes the lead by showing the others that Judas Iscariot’s betrayal was not by accident, but in fulfillment of the Scriptures. He references that the Holy Spirit foretold it by David’s Psalm 41. Since they had already received the Holy Spirit from the Risen Lord in John 20:22, they were now beginning to learn how to operate under His guidance and leading and experience His awe. The full empowerment of the Spirit would take place at Pentecost. This was very similar to the response of the disciples to Pentecost in Acts 2:42-43: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” In verses 46-47: “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.”

The Spirit and the Upper Room

The significance of the upper room cannot be understated. This room was reserved for special occasions, including meditation and prayer. In the New Covenant, the believers’ connection to the Holy Spirit is in the upper room. Spiritually speaking, there is a war going on. In Galatians 5:16-17, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

We learn how to walk by the Holy Spirit in the upper room, where the Spirit of the Lord is, where there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). In the upper room, the flesh has no power.

The Bible teaches that man is trichotomous, meaning he is made up of three elements: body, soul, and spirit. Each of these elements speaks to different sources of life. The Greek word for body is bios where we get the word biology. The physical body is the center of bios life. Pseuche is Greek for soul, the immaterial part of man that includes the mind, heart, emotions, and the seat of personality. This Greek word is the source of the English word psychology. For the natural (unregenerate) man, the life of the body and soul are lived on the bottom floor of the house.

Life in the Spirit

The Greek word for spirit is pneuma where we get the English word pneumatic. Pneuma can be translated not only spirit, but also wind or breath. In Proverbs 20:27, the Scripture says, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being.” The human spirit is the part of man that connects with the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:16, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God”. The Holy Spirit resides in the upper room and it is there the believer experiences His presence, just like the disciples. Access to the upper room is available to all who believe that Jesus is God and that He has paid the price for man’s salvation. In John 3:8, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Guidance by the Holy Spirit is always by faith.

The New Covenant can only be accomplished in the upper room. Fulfilling the New Covenant utilizing Old Covenant dynamics doesn’t work. In Matthew 9:17, Jesus taught, “Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” The wine, symbolic of the New Covenant requires a new wineskin as presented in Hebrews 8:10-12. A New Testament believer living under the Old Covenant standards and its consequences will not be successful.

Life in the upper room can best be described by Jesus in John 6:63-65, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” When the believer decides that he is willing to set aside the bios life and the pseuche life for the life of the pneuma, he moves to the upper room where the presence of God resides and it is there he experiences “fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).

Amos 9:5-6

“5 The Lord God of hosts, the One who touches the land so that it melts, and all those who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises up like the Nile and subsides like the Nile of Egypt; 6 The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and has founded His vaulted dome over the earth, He who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth, the Lord is His name.”

Four Steps to Deliverance from Addictions

Spiritual

Bill Alderson

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November 27, 2020

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Four Steps to Deliverance from Addictions

As a follow-up to my blog on “A Biblical Basis for Addictions“, it will be good to examine four steps that are required to find total deliverance from addiction. These are

Define triggers,
Have an accountability relationship based on agape love,
Rebuild broken walls, and
Feed wholeness through a spiritual community.

The process begins with an acknowledgement of the problem, that one has a particular weakness that is destroying his life and something has to be done. It is helpful when the addict recognizes that God has the ultimate answer.

So much of the process is directly related to willingness, a willingness to allow things that have been kept private to be brought out into the light. Most of us have a tendency to maintain a secret life with no one allowed in, not even God. A successful road to recovery from any addiction requires the assistance of others who will provide leadership, direction, accountability, and support. Bringing light into dark places defines the real dark areas and allows the light to cleanse its environment. In John 3:20-21, “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” Bringing the Light of God into any environment is its ultimate salvation.

1. Define Triggers

A trigger is any form of stimuli that initiates the desire to engage in addictive behavior. During the course of a recovery program, triggers may prompt an individual to slip-up and use a substance or engage in a behavior that they otherwise are trying to avoid. Triggers are associated with a memory or situation that relates in some way to prior substance abuse behaviors. As someone struggles with addiction, the people they interact with, the places they spend their time and in some situations their place of work can become strongly associated with their addictive behavior. A lack of understanding of the particular triggers that can cause a relapse are essential in overcoming the warfare surrounding the addiction.

In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” To face the trigger(s) is to acknowledge its exists and do something.

2. Have an Agapic Accountability Relationship

When the biggest challenges invade our lives and disrupt our sense of well-being, it becomes all the more likely we turn to escape mechanisms that never really deal with the difficulty. As the addictive behavior gets more rooted in one’s physiology over time, deliverance from the addiction is no longer possible alone. Finding an accountability partner, one motivated by an agape (unconditional) love becomes essential in addressing the problem. This person, many times a trained professional becomes the one in whom we must place our trust to tell us the truth and who is willing to accept the challenge and commitment necessary for its completion.

Accountability partners are healthy for any Christian. Proverbs 11:14 says that there is safety in a multitude of counsel. In Proverbs 15:22, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed”. Then there is Proverbs 24:6, “For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory”. Since dealing with addictions is warfare, becoming accountable to another provides a visible path to victory since it opens the door for clear thinking by reliable sources who care. Trusting another to this degree is not easy, but trust is never easy when so much of life is hidden. Yet trust is the elixir that opens wide the door to hope that the circumstances are not the end of the story.

3. Rebuild Broken Walls

Once light is being shed on the addiction and there is acceptance of accountability partner(s), the process requires honesty, a willingness to come clean and accept the consequences, a risky proposition. Most of us have heard the old proverb, “honesty is the best policy”. Honesty deals not only with the negative effects of the addiction on the addict, but also on the ones also impacted. When Jesus was teaching the parable of the sower and the seed, He spoke about the good soil in this way, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:15). The good heart is an honest heart, one that is done with hiding from the failures and negative effects of addictive behaviors. This heart is ready to bear fruit.

Rebuilding broken walls includes restoring relationships as well as offering restitution where appropriate. In Leviticus 6:1-5, the Law of Moses commands that the one who “sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord, and deceives his companion” is required to “restore what he took” in full and even one-fifth more. This principle is addressing the need that restoring relationships requires restitution in some way. That restitution may be in many different forms, not just in material ways. It means going the extra mile to make sure the wronged parties are aware that the abuser is sincere about making things right. The principle of restitution creates a good heart.

4. Feed Wholeness Through a Spiritual Community

God has ordained a community of believers, known as the Body of Christ (church) to provide a safe environment of support and reconciliation. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul defines many of the dynamics of this spiritual organism, including the fact that it is one, made up of many members. This oneness is possible through the working of the Holy Spirit as each member recognizes one Head, Jesus Christ. In verses 14-15, “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body”. In the same way, each member has a different function based on the spiritual gifts given. In verse 21-22, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.” This organism values each member, especially the weaker ones.

Within the Body of Christ, there is a united effort to honor those less honorable, but how? In verses 23-25, “and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another”. Inherent is the working of each member for the benefit of the whole with those weakest receiving the greatest honor. It is this provision that makes the Body of Christ the greatest place of support for the one struggling with addiction. Finding one’s place within the church allows each member to realize his particular call and giftedness and to exercise those gifts. It also is the place where God’s love is manifested (Ephesians 1:6).

Wholeness is the final work of the cross in the believer’s life. The Apostle Paul tells us that to comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of Christ is to “be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19), the place of God’s wholeness. Mature believers provide the clearest manifestation of His agape love and the strongest community to care for those that need its support, for the glory of God.

Psalm 71:1-6

“In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed. In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline Your ear to me and save me. Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb; my praise is continually of You.”

Ultimately, one’s devotion to the person and work of Christ is his greatest protection, his place of deliverance from any enemy. As the believer learns to press in to His life through His Body and the believer’s unique call, the enemy is progressively being made ineffective in destroying quality of life. The addictive behavior become less and less an issue to wrestle.

The Armour of God: It’s All About Jesus

Spiritual

Guest Contributor

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November 26, 2020

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It was still dark. The alarm clock had not yet let out its monotonous monotone call. I awoke as a sudden explosion of thought cut across my mind; “The Ephesians 6 armour of God is all about Jesus. It is a representation of who Jesus is!”

“Wow. Where did that come from?” I whispered, though I knew it came from the Holy Spirit.

I opened my eyes with sudden excitement of this fascinating theological idea and the more I thought about it the more I could see Jesus being reflected in the armour of God.

As Christians, whether we know it or not, we are in a war. But our war is not against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12). Our war is against the schemes of the evil one. How we approach spiritual warfare is important. Often we take our focus off Jesus and place it onto ourselves or even onto what satan is up to.

Let me give some examples: “I am under attack.” “The devil is attacking me.” “Sin has got the better of me.” Here the focus is never on Jesus but upon oneself or satan. Suddenly, in the midst of a spiritual battle, our eyes are no longer on Jesus! Maybe that is some of the problem with our spiritual warfare; it all becomes about satan.

But spiritual warfare should be conducted through the paradigm of Jesus, with our eyes fixed on Him. Spiritual warfare should be conducted out of a place of victory, praying in the will of God and glorifying Jesus.

This is where the Ephesians 6 passage on the armour of God comes in, because the armour is all about Jesus and being clothed in Him.

Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:11-17)

I have heard a vast number of different sermons and interpretations on the Ephesians 6 passage, ranging from actions you do when you get out of bed in the morning to a lifestyle that one lives. However, I want to put a different spin on it.

It’s a spin that says the armour of God isn’t actually about you or even the devil’s schemes about you; it is focused on Jesus. The armour is a representation of Jesus and who He is. Let me explain further; the belt, the breastplate, the shoes, shield, helmet and sword all points symbolically to Jesus.

The Belt of Truth: Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6).
The Breastplate of Righteousness: Jesus is the Righteousness One (1 John 2:1).
Feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace: Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Shield of Faith: Jesus is the Faithful One who is True (Revelation 19:11).
Helmet of Salvation: Jesus is the Saviour (Luke 2:30).
Sword of the Spirit: Jesus is the Sword (Deuteronomy 33:29).

If you are in spiritual warfare or your church is facing a spiritual attack and it is time for you to really ‘dig-in’ and pray, then take encouragement that it is Jesus who is the one that goes before you into battle (Deut 31:8).

It is Jesus who leads the armies of God into war on your behalf and brings the Justice of God into your life (Rev 19:11-16).

He is the Might Warrior (Zep 3:17) and–like the Israelites crossing over into the Promise Land–the Captain of the Lord’s army goes ahead of you with flaming sword (Josh 5:13-14).

Spiritual warfare should never have its focus on you or the devil, but on Jesus. He is the One that will deliver you.

Jesus carries the sword of the Spirit for He is the Sword. The Sword is the Word of God and Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the living Word of God, the active double-edge sword of the Word that comes from the mouth of God and the Word of His sword pierces the enemy.

Did you know that, as Christians, we are clothed in Christ (Gal 3:27)? In fact, Romans 13:14 instructs us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians, we literally ‘put on’ Jesus. We are clothed in Jesus and who He is. This is one of the reasons we are more than conquerors (Rom 8.37) because we are covered in Jesus, covered in His blood and have His mark resting on us. We are clothed in the armour of the Lord Jesus.

He fights for you and He is the armour that you put on and carry. Spiritual warfare should always have its focus on Jesus and be conducted through Him.

Let me encourage you that you are clothed in Christ Jesus, that you wear Him and that you carry His amour upon you. He fights for you.

Mark Gamblin is the founder and leader of Doxa Encounters Ministries. Mark is an ordained minister of the Gospel and has a focus on the prophetic, healing and revival. Equipping and engaging the church is those areas. He is also published world-wide Christian author. To join the Doxa Encounters Ministries online community, visit .

What’s Wrong with Having Children?

Relationships

Yaneke Lewis

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November 18, 2020

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On the day that I gave birth to my first child, my beloved mother asked me, “What’s next?” I had no idea what she meant. So, in weakness and tiredness from the strain of labour, I said, “What do you mean?”

Would you believe my mom suggested that I have a TL (tubal ligation)?!

I was 31 years old, married and a Christian. If I wasn’t allowed to procreate then who was?

What was so wrong with having children?

Children are a heritage

The Bible says in Psalm 127:3-4 that children are a heritage and reward from God. “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” (Psalm 127:5) I had just had a Singleton and my mom was already telling me to quit.

Now I’m not insisting on persons having more than one child, but I don’t think one child fills a quiver! (Well, I guess it boils down to the size of the quiver in question!)

But I certainly don’t think one child warrants the drastic, virtually irreversible surgical intervention of a tie-off!

Parenting is a blessing

I believe parenting is a blessing. It is an awesome privilege. Besides the joy that children bring with their cute talk and funny footsteps, it is also an opportunity for a Christian couple to sow into the future; to impart godliness and uprightness into another generation.

Whether by birth or if you choose to adopt, (or both! My husband still talks about the idea of adopting even after having our third child!) a Christian parent is a blessed person.

I know there are too many sad news reports and photos and experiences of children suffering in overcrowded, terribly impoverished settings. But the reality of a curse does not nullify the truth of God’s word and His promise.

Can childbearing be a curse?

So how does one explain the evident contrast between the blessing of Psalm 127:3-5 and the seemingly unblessed existence that so many people have? I go to the Bible!

In Deuteronomy 28, we see God outlining blessings and curses for Israel. Blessings were to include a blessing on the fruit of the body and the blessing of being plenteous in the fruit of the body (vv 4 and 11).

Curses would include a curse on the fruit of the body; a curse in which their children would be given to another people and there would be a longing for them; a curse in bearing children but not being allowed to enjoy them because of their captivity; and (painful but true) a curse of actually cannibalizing their own children in famine (vv 18, 32, 41, 53-57).

So it is possible to have children but to have them in a condition that does not match up with Psalm 127. That’s just the reality.

But the curse isn’t my reality and if as Christian couples we walk in alignment with the will of God, the curse will never be our reality.

What matters in childbearing for Christian couples is the will of God and faith that He will take care of whoever comes along from our loins.

When God speaks

For some Christian couples the Lord will give a heads-up about pregnancy. I was one of those blessed few. Four months before I first conceived, a minister gave me a word that my womb was open for a miracle child.

Talk about a shock! My husband and I had not been talking or praying about starting to bear children. In fact, everything around us at that time pointed to the sign saying ‘not now!’

But God stepped in. He took the initiative and four months later I was having mood swings and food craves!

The setup for my second child was similar. An intercessor saw me with my first baby still fresh in motherhood at about five months, and said to me, “The next one is going to be born when she (my first child) is one year and three months.”

My mind could not even wrap itself around such a thought. My husband and I had settled into being the happy parents of one child. Now someone was telling me about another one?! And so close to each other! Well, when our daughter was one year and four months (just one day shy of the three months), our son was delivered.

Truth be told, another prophetess had specifically told me that I would have three children—two girls and one boy. One year after our son was born, we had our quiver full with our third child!

Faith, not fear, in parenting

Not all Christian couples have this kind of testimony. But all our children are still blessings from God whether or not God chose to tell us about them beforehand.

Christian parents are the best people in the world to raise children. Fear about financing them or about the kind of world they are coming into, should never get us panicking at positive pregnancy tests.

Always respond with thanksgiving for your soon-coming little blessing. Believe that because you fear the Lord, your children will be mighty in the land and that they will be blessed (Psalm 112:1-2). That’s certainly what I’m believing for mine!

The Biblical Basis for Addiction

Spiritual

Bill Alderson

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November 16, 2020

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Psychology Today defines addiction as “a condition in which a person engages in the use of a substance or in a behavior for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behavior despite detrimental consequences.” Spiritually speaking, the unbeliever is vulnerable to all kinds of maladies and infections because he is subject to his environment. He has no defense against the wiles of the devil who enslaves by corruption the hearts and minds of the unsuspecting. It is an invisible war that controls many to their own destruction.

The devil will employ ones “who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties” (2 Peter 2:10). In verses 18-19, “For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.” There is an organized effort by demonic forces to entrap and enslave those who live in the lusts of the flesh and indulge the desires commissioned by the flesh. When the individual realizes his plight, medication in the form of drugs and alcohol or other excesses become his escape.

Only by the Power of God

Secular society administers many organized programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) with goals to deliver addicted ones from substances such as alcohol, inhalants, opioids, cocaine, nicotine, and others, or behaviors such as gambling or pornography. These efforts have realized varying results, but none have provided true deliverance from the powers at work in the natural man. They typically provide structure around the person to create learned behavior, “muscle memory” to compensate for the lack of will power or an unwillingness to separate oneself from worldly influences. But the power of God alone is capable of total deliverance of man from the control that these infirmities wish to exercise over his life.

Philippians 3:17-21

17 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

The Apostle Paul helps us understand the elements within man that create the environment for addictions. When referring to enemies of the cross, Paul is identifying those who do not employ the power of God available through the cross of Christ (1Corinthians 1:18). These may be non-believers or even true Christian believers not living under the authority of God and His word. They have a problem with their appetites, allowing those cravings to take control to the point where the appetites become a god, creating a pathway to destruction. The Apostle says their value system has been perverted, so they actually derive satisfaction rather than shame from their behavior.

An Earthly Mindset

Then Paul identifies the problem of setting the mind on earthly things (instead of things above – Colossians 3:2). This may be the real heart of the matter. The Greek word is phroneo and it means to have a mindset, involving the will, affections and conscience (Zodhiates Complete Word Study). It is used with the idea of a single-minded commitment to something or someone. When man’s total preoccupation is with earthly matters, he cannot discern spiritual realities. A perfect example is found in Jesus’s response to Peter’s rebuke in Matthew 16:23.

Jesus tells the disciples that He is going to die and be raised on the third day, the message of the gospel. Peter’s response is to forbid it! Who does Peter think he is? Jesus says to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind (phroneo) on God’s interests, but man’s.” Since Peter was single-mindedly preoccupied with man’s interests and not those of God, he became a stumbling block. If it can happen to Peter, how about you and me?

Romans 8:3-6

“3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”

The transformation of the man of the flesh, the one governed by earthly desires, to become a spiritual man is found in the right mindset. The right mindset involves right priorities and sets the Holy Spirit free to do what man cannot do: replace the earthly mind with truth, God’s truth, His eternal viewpoint. This work is not based on keeping the law, trying to live under its standards, but allowing the law of God written on human hearts, the essence of the new covenant (Hebrews 8:10) to manifest its influence in the mind. This process represents a guaranteed pathway to life and peace. Do I accept God’s evaluation of me as complete, perfect within my relationship with Christ (Colossians 2:10) or do I believe the lie that I am not worthy of His grace? The victory of Christ’s sacrifice is realized in the details of life for everyone who believes the truth.

We Belong to Christ

The truth is, we have all been the subject of addictions to one degree or another. The cross of Christ provides the ultimate deliverance from the powers of darkness that have aligned themselves with human weaknesses for the purposes of man’s destruction. In Galatians 5:24, Paul says, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Paul was trying to tell us that we have been purchased by the blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20) and spiritually belong to Him. To embrace this spiritual position empowers us to “put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). He wants us to experience all the blessings associated with that reality.

This conversation continues in part two…

Four Steps to Deliverance from Addictions

Virtual Event Moderator Checklist

Events

Matthew Schoenherr

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November 13, 2020

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Congratulations! You’ve been selected to be a moderator at an upcoming virtual event! Here are some things to consider as you prepare for your session.

Prepare the speakers. Prior to the event, discuss the flow of virtual session with the speakers. Review content and logistics. For example, if you are moderating a panel discussion, you may want to guide the response order (e.g. “Let’s hear from John, and Erin will follow.”) This directs the speakers and reduces the chance they will talk over each other (which could be fun, actually.)

Pro tip: Share your cell phone numbers between presenters and moderators. If an emergency arises, you will want to contact each other quickly.

Prepare the audience. As moderator, you are the host of the virtual session. It’s up to you to make the session go smoothly. This means managing not only content and rhythm but technology too.

As people join your virtual room—but prior to the start of the presentation—you might occasionally remind them they are on mute. (Some platforms allow you to set this as the default “upon entry” state; this is preferred.) Also, though it should have been posted with the link to join and the session description, remind them what time your session will start. You may also post this in the chat.

Once it’s time for the presentation to begin, greet the audience and establish the ground rules. Some basic considerations might include:

Will you mute participants?
Will you be recording the presentation? If so, announce when recording has begun and announce when recording is being ended.
When can the audience expect you’ll take their questions (during or after?)
Should participants submit questions in the chat or use some other method for being called upon?
If you’re using chat, do you need a co-moderator to help track, organize and prioritize the questions?
If there is more than one speaker, how will you bring each speaker into the discussion?

Listen well. If you’re hosting a panel discussion, you need to pay particularly close attention to listen for interesting things that come up in the conversation. Your line of questioning needs to be established but still held loosely enough to change directions if the conversation takes an important turn.

Use dry runs for practice. Do any of your presenters need to show slides? Do you need to play a video or audio clip? Will you be recording? Make sure you and your presenters have tested these features beforehand because nuances shift between different webinar platforms (e.g Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Google Hangouts, Facebook Live, etc.) Schedule a number of practice sessions (otherwise known as “dry runs”) to ensure everyone is familiar with the software.

Let go. You can’t control everything. Do your best to put the presenters (and yourself) at ease. Prepare as best you can for the worst, but pray for the best. Enjoy the journey!

Moderator Session Checklist

Here are the beginnings of a session moderator checklist. Use this list as a starting point for framing the moderator responsibilities for your next virtual summit or event.

At session start

Ensure all audience members are muted.
Remind folks they are on mute and that they should use the chat feature to ask a question.
If they don’t see chat, they can raise their hand to be unmuted.
Let attendees know when questions will be answered by presenters (e.g. at set times during the talk or at the end.)
If they are having an audio/video issue, advise them to log out and log back into the conference platform. If that fails, they should restart their machine.
Are you offering continuing education units (CEUs)? Have attendees who need CEUs check in at the beginning of the session and check out at the end via chat. Transfer these names to whatever log your administrating authority is using.
Announce the session will be recorded and press ‘record’ on the control bar.
Introduce your presenters.

During the session

Monitor the chat for questions.
Ask questions to the presenters at the pre-determined times. (Pro tip: Have some canned questions ready in case the audience is slow to ask.)

At session end

Thank the presenters and attendees for a great session.
Remind folks who need CEUs to check out via chat.
Announce and stop the recording.
Hover until most of the attendees have left the room and then close the session.

LEVAIRE