Paul said he was a “drink offering”. This meant that he offered his very life, spirit, soul, and body, to the Lord and to His church as a “living sacrifice” (Numbers 15:4-10; 2 Timothy 4:6; Romans 12:1-2). He also said he not only “spent” but “was spent” for the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:15). When you spend, you donate discretionary resources. When you are spent, you give everything you have, even your life.
During the days of Nazi Germany, there arose a Confessing Church movement that rose against the German Church movement, which became the religious arm of the Fascist Nazi Socialist movement. Of the 18,000 pastors in Germany during that time (from 1933 to 1945), less than 5,000 were aligned with the Confessing Church. Hence, only a remnant held fast to the biblical position, with about half of the confessing churches eventually conforming due to political and societal pressure. Unfortunately, this demonstrates that when push comes to shove, many pastors, churches, and so-called Christians will probably bow to pressure and allow the norms of culture to become their credo for Christianity.
One of the greatest needs in the body of Christ is to release the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15). Since the nation of Israel and the church were modeled after the biblical family structure, its leaders were supposed to function more as spiritual parents than corporate executives. The apostle Paul said that we have only a few fathers even though we have numerous teachers (1 Corinthians 4). Those who have not been properly fathered in the natural, tend to walk with an “orphan spirit.” Unfortunately, many leaders in the church and marketplace still function emotionally with an orphan spirit even though they have been adopted as sons into the family of Father/God.
Paul said he was a “drink offering”. This meant that he offered his very life, spirit, soul, and body, to the Lord and to His church as a “living sacrifice” (Numbers 15:4-10; 2 Timothy 4:6; Romans 12:1-2). He also said he not only “spent” but “was spent” for the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:15). When you spend, you donate discretionary resources. When you are spent, you give everything you have, even your life.
During the days of Nazi Germany, there arose a Confessing Church movement that rose against the German Church movement, which became the religious arm of the Fascist Nazi Socialist movement. Of the 18,000 pastors in Germany during that time (from 1933 to 1945), less than 5,000 were aligned with the Confessing Church. Hence, only a remnant held fast to the biblical position, with about half of the confessing churches eventually conforming due to political and societal pressure. Unfortunately, this demonstrates that when push comes to shove, many pastors, churches, and so-called Christians will probably bow to pressure and allow the norms of culture to become their credo for Christianity.
One of the greatest needs in the body of Christ is to release the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15). Since the nation of Israel and the church were modeled after the biblical family structure, its leaders were supposed to function more as spiritual parents than corporate executives. The apostle Paul said that we have only a few fathers even though we have numerous teachers (1 Corinthians 4). Those who have not been properly fathered in the natural, tend to walk with an “orphan spirit.” Unfortunately, many leaders in the church and marketplace still function emotionally with an orphan spirit even though they have been adopted as sons into the family of Father/God.
Paul said he was a “drink offering”. This meant that he offered his very life, spirit, soul, and body, to the Lord and to His church as a “living sacrifice” (Numbers 15:4-10; 2 Timothy 4:6; Romans 12:1-2). He also said he not only “spent” but “was spent” for the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:15). When you spend, you donate discretionary resources. When you are spent, you give everything you have, even your life.
During the days of Nazi Germany, there arose a Confessing Church movement that rose against the German Church movement, which became the religious arm of the Fascist Nazi Socialist movement. Of the 18,000 pastors in Germany during that time (from 1933 to 1945), less than 5,000 were aligned with the Confessing Church. Hence, only a remnant held fast to the biblical position, with about half of the confessing churches eventually conforming due to political and societal pressure. Unfortunately, this demonstrates that when push comes to shove, many pastors, churches, and so-called Christians will probably bow to pressure and allow the norms of culture to become their credo for Christianity.
One of the greatest needs in the body of Christ is to release the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15). Since the nation of Israel and the church were modeled after the biblical family structure, its leaders were supposed to function more as spiritual parents than corporate executives. The apostle Paul said that we have only a few fathers even though we have numerous teachers (1 Corinthians 4). Those who have not been properly fathered in the natural, tend to walk with an “orphan spirit.” Unfortunately, many leaders in the church and marketplace still function emotionally with an orphan spirit even though they have been adopted as sons into the family of Father/God.
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