John said that we all have an “anointing” and that the anointing will teach us. What is this anointing? How do we get this anointing? How important is to us to know this anointing in our hearts? To speak of this anointing seems to some to be so mysterious that we tend just to put the subject aside and go on to other things. Yet John said that this anointing is what will teach us of spiritual things. It is critical to know this anointing if we are going to be led by the Holy Spirit in all things. This is God’s provision for each one of us. Today we share some encouragement on this subject by Gordon Gentry. The ministry was given in a gathering of a local assembly in 1990.

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

The promise of God is that He will dwell in us and walk among us. A company of believers as the Temple of God is the fulfillment of the promise of God and cost Calvary to make it possible. What should be taking place if the Holy Spirit is given His rightful place? Today we want to continue on the subject of our last program on what we should expect when God is dwelling in our midst and the Holy Spirit is given free control. It is so important that we carefully consider this lest we be caught in simply a religious form that has no meaning to God.

The ministry on our program today is by Gordon Gentry and was given in a small home setting in 1996. Our prayer is that you may find encouragement in this in your own situation and experience the riches of God dwelling in your midst.

(As a side note, the setting was with a few brothers and sisters where questions were encouraged, and one brother was struggling with sleep apnea.)

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Jesus said where two or three are gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst of them. What does it mean to gather in His name? Why do we do that? What are the evidences that He is present? What should we expect? To gather in the name of Jesus is more than just having a meeting, singing some songs, and hearing an encouraging message. That activity can all be done without God’s presence or leading.  God is looking for something more than that. I believe He is looking for us to meet with Him, commune with Him, worship Him, and hear Him speak to us. It is possible for us to just go through a form of meeting, but miss the real purpose of meeting together. Today we want to look at some of the key elements that need to be present in order for a meeting to be meaningful to God and us.

• Why gather together?
  • Love draws us together (Heb. 10:24,25)
  • The church is the temple of God (Eph. 2:21)
  • To commune with God together (I Cor. 10:16)
  • To worship God (Heb. 13:15)
  • To hear God speak to us (Rev. 2 & 3)
• What does it mean to gather in His name? (Matt. 18:20)
  • Jesus is the basis of our gathering
  • To gather in the nature of God
  • He is the focus of our gathering
• What should we expect when we gather?
  • The presence of our Lord Jesus by the Spirit (Heb. 2:12,13)
  • The Holy Spirit in control (I Cor. 12:11)
  • Men available for God to use as He chooses (I Cor. 14:1)
  • The authority of God in ministry (I Peter 4:11)

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/meeting-with-god/

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Paul says that our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers of wickedness in heavenly places. But we are also told that Christ won the victory against the enemy at Calvary. If this is so then why is there still a war? To understand clearly what God did in Christ Jesus at Calvary is critical to being able to view the conflict that we face properly and live in the power of His endless life. We are called to live as overcomers, and the resources to do that are as we abide in Christ’s victory. If we try to live out of our resources, we will be defeated. We are no match for the devil on our own. But as we abide in Christ, we are more than overcomers. Is that our experience today? It should be, and if not it can be.

• The conflict is in spiritual realms
• The victory was won at Calvary
• Christ is seated at the right hand of God (authority)
• By faith we are seated with him
• The enemy occupies territory that is not his
• God uses the warfare to strengthen our relationship with Him
• Every spiritual provision has been provided for us to overcome all things
• Physical death is not a defeat but only graduation if we die in faith

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Probably the greatest war in the world today is the war between men and women. Yet God created the first man and woman and His creation was perfect. Why should there be such conflict, and why should it be such an issue among Christians?  In the Genesis account of creation, we see that the enemy is his cunning way brought division between Adam and Eve and that division and conflict has continued down to our present day. What God intended to be the most beautiful and fulfilling relationship has become the subject of great conflict and confusion, even among Christians. There is an answer to this conflict, and the solution is to come back to God’s original design and let that control every relationship, especially in the church and family. Today we look at some of the key issues with the prayer that God will make the way clear for each one of us to walk in truth and glorify God.

• God is the One who created man and woman
• Woman was taken out of man (Gen. 2:20-24)
• What was separated physically by God is brought together in relationship
• God’s order for man and woman is for creation (I Cor. 11)
• God’s order is expressed in marriage
• God’s order is expressed in the church

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/husbands-love-your-wives/

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/they-two-shall-be-one/

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/woman-an-honored-vessel/

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/the-godly-woman/

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Paul said that the message of the Cross is the power of God to those who are being saved. What is this message of the Cross? In what way is it the power of God? How do we avail of this power to be delivered from this world of sin and enter fully into what God is doing today? Many relegate the “message of the Cross” to our initial deliverance from sin. While that is included, the message of the Cross ( or logos of the Cross) is much more than that. God has provided much more for us at Calvary than just forgiveness of sin. We need that and we never want to diminish the significance of that in any way. But that is just the beginning. Today we want to explore some of the broader meaning of what Jesus did at Calvary and how we enter into that in our experience.

• The Old Man has been crucified
• The New Man has been created in Christ
• We are in the New Man by our union with Christ by the Spriit
• Put off the deeds of the Old Man
• Put on the deeds of the New Man
• The importance of relationships in the body
• Be filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit
• Walking in the light, in truth, in Christ together

http://www.ntchurchsource.com/literature/read/the-message-of-the-cross/

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Jesus told the early apostles to go and make disciples. He also said that it is enough that a disciple be as his master. The goal of God is mature sons and daughters, able to bear responsibility in His family. How is this goal of God to be realized? I think that every sincere Christian believes that God wants maturity in His children, but there is not always agreement on how that maturity is to be accomplished. I believe the truth presented by Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 is the way in which God has designed for the maturity to be realized. We are not at liberty to design our own way, but rather we are to let the Holy Spirit reveal God’s way through the scriptures. There are reasons that God has structured His family this way. Today we seek to examine some of those reasons.

• One God, one faith, one body
• Grace has been given to every member
• Every grace is necessary to achieve God’ goal for each member
• Exercise (or functioning) of every member is critical
• Speaking the truth in love requires relationships
• Experiencing Christ, Expressing Christ
• Perfection or maturity in love

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Paul said that God had commissioned him and the other apostles to make known the “mystery” which was hidden to the prophets of old but has now been revealed. What was that mystery? What is the practical meaning of that to us today? A mystery is something that is hidden. This mystery was hidden from the Old Testament prophets, but now has been revealed. The mystery that Paul was commissioned to reveal is that now the full grace of God has been made available to both Jews and Gentiles in one body. Full access into the riches of God’s grace was opened up to every person through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the administration (or fellowship) of this grace is experienced in what is known as the church. Today we want to focus on “the unsearchable riches of Christ” that we may avail fully of this grace for the purpose and glory of God.

• The summary of God’s present working is given in Eph. 2:19-22
• Paul was given grace to reveal how that is to work out in practical terms
• The full access into heaven and the promises of God is now open to every person
• The administration (or fellowship) of this grace is in one body, the church (Eph. 3:9)
• Prayer is a place of access into the riches of God’s grace
• Christ dwells in our heart through His Spirit as we move in faith
• The fullness of God is experienced together in love
• The glory of God is seen in the church both now and in eternity

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

In writing to the Ephesian Church, Paul said that God had reconciled Jews and Gentiles in one body. There was no more distinction, and in that context He is fitting us together as a Temple of God. What does that mean to you and me in practical terms? We refer to the church as “The Body of Christ” and “The Temple of God.” and rightly so. But the deeper meaning of those terms often escapes us. In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul seeks to give us some understanding of the significance of what God has done in Christ. An increasing comprehension (revelation) of what God has provided for us in Christ forms the vision that should control us as we work out the details of God’s purpose for us in everyday life.

• Alive to God through Christ
• Jews and Gentiles one in one body
• Members of God’s household
• Growing into a holy temple
• Built together a dwelling place of God
• Access to God through Christ by the Holy Spirit
• Brought near by grace through faith

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

Paul said he laid Christ as the foundation of God’s building. To build properly on that foundation we must also build according to Christ. To do this we must have supernatural revelation of Christ from God. How do we get this revelation? The building of God is all spiritual. It cannot be done with natural understanding. This leaves us on our knees before God for spiritual insight that only He can give. Within that revelation of Christ is the light we need to walk in to be effective in our labor for God’s purpose and glory.

• The foundation is a true relationship with God (Eph. 1:15)
• We are dependent on God (Eph. 1:16-17)
• In this relationship with God (union and communion)
  • We see God’s hope (eternal goal--Eph. 1:18)
  • God’s final inheritance in those whom He has redeemed)
  • The power of God to accomplish His purpose (Eph. 1:19-21)
• The vessel in which He is working His eternal purpose is the church (Eph. 1:22)
• God’s purpose is to reveal Himself  through the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:23)
• Our part for God to be able to impart this revelations is:
  • Acknowledging our utter dependence on God for all things (John 15:5)
  • Willing to pay the price (Rev. 3:18)
  • Obedience to what God has revealed to us (John 14:19-21)
• God wants to reveal Christ to us. Are we hungry for that revelation?

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]

When writing to the Corinthian church Paul said that he had laid a foundation as a wise master builder. What was the foundation that Paul laid? If we are going to build properly we need to have a clear revelation of that foundation. We are continuing today on the subject of “Building in God” and are using the account of the beginning and growth of the Ephesian assembly as our outline. We have in the first three chapters of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians the foundation of the gospel he preached and the revelation truth of the church as the structure within which God is building today. The foundation is Jesus Christ, but what does that mean? We want to try to answer that question in some degree.

• Jesus Christ as the foundation
  • Jesus is God revealed in a human body (Col. 1:15, 2:9)
  • Christ is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1-3)
  • God is uniting all things in Christ (Eph. 1:10)
• Jesus Christ is our life (John 5:26, Col. 3:4, I John 5:12)
• Jesus Christ is the Head of the church (Acts. 2:36, Eph. 1:22, Col. 1:18)
• The Foundation of our salvation is the work of Christ at Calvary
  • Our deliverance from sin (Rom. 6:5-11)
  • The basis of the indwelling God by the Spirit (John 16:7)
  • The basis of our walk of victory over sin, death, and the devil (I Cor. 15:56)
• Every further aspect of building must always be related to Christ and Calvary
• The reality is experienced as we abide in Christ (union) (Eph. 1:1-14)

• Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [email protected]