Niels Prip – Blog

The Hebrew word for “holiness” is qōdes, a word that highlights the realm of the sacred in contrast to everything common and profane. The adjective qādôš, “holy,” refers to God and what belongs to him. In various places in the Hebrew Scriptures, God is called by the title the “Holy One of Israel.”

We live in a modern world where there are so many things that are common and profane. Those two words, common and profane, can seem to be distant from each other. Common is a general term for things that are not so special. Profane has a more severe edge to it. But these words are used to help us distinguish between what is “holy” and what is not.

Ezekiel 44:23 tells us “Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Some translations use the word “common” instead of profane. So it is safe to say that things common and profane are contrasted with things holy. Things unclean vs clean. We see in the Old Testament that the priests were commanded to teach people the difference between the two. Is that not what Paul taught the church in the New Testament and still instructs us for today? Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 “We are to walk by the Spirit and thereby not fulfill the deeds of the flesh”. The deeds of the flesh are common and profane, anyone can naturally fulfill those deeds. It takes little effort.

The things of the Spirit are holy, they are sacred, they are unique. They are not out of our own imaginations, they stand out as something “other”. We are encouraged in I Corinthians 14:1 to “Earnestly desire the things of the Spirit”. Some translations say “Desire the gifts of the Spirit” but if you look at the Greek the word “gift” is an added word in most Bibles. Young’s Literal translation says “Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things”. We are to pursue all things Spiritual. In all areas of our lives.

We are to be desiring the things of the Spirit in all things. When we walk, we are led by the Spirit. When we pray, we are led by the Spirit. Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”. We are saved and filled with His Spirit for this reason. Lord teach us what is holy, and lead us away from the things that are common and profane.

by Watchman Nee

Brothers and sisters, let me ask something very frankly. Are we really ministering to the believers or to Him? Is the focus of our work really on the work or on the Lord? There is a great difference. Ministering to the house is extremely different from ministering to Jesus Christ. We can see many today ministering and serving, but they are only in the outer court. They have not come near to the table. Oh, many are ministering to the house and not to the Lord. The ministering that the Lord is after — the ministering that He is continually after — is to minister to Him. His desire is not for us to do His work. Laboring is certainly important, plowing the fields is important, and feeding the cattle is also important, but the Lord does not look at these things. Rather, He is after the ministering to God and the serving of God. He wants His slaves to minister to Him and to serve Him. Oh, how happy are those who are able to minister to Him.

Excerpt from Watchman Nee’s- Ministering to the House or to God?

Read full booklet here

The Nature of God

If you consider all the gods thru history, there is quite a long list. You have the gods of the Hindus, the Greeks, the Norse gods, the Roman gods, the Aztec and Celtic gods, the Japanese and Mayan gods, the Chinese gods, the Babylonian gods and many others. Each having an evil spirit behind them, principalities and powers that all have one common goal, to deceive mankind. All this is the result of rebellion against the one true God, the God of Israel. In Deuteronomy 10:17 we are told “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe”.

So, there is one God, who rules over all other gods. Psalm 82 says,

“God presides over the divine assembly, He renders judgment among the gods” You should read the whole Psalm.

The principalities and powers over the nations have all failed God, they have deceived the nations. They have become false gods to try to rival God and to kill the seed of Adam. Those principalities and powers are partial to the wickedness of man, history shows us this. Death and destruction, wars and bloodshed. History is replete with examples. The wickedness of these gods is mostly hidden from view, they are deceivers from the beginning. Their exact nature is hidden from view. Part of their nature has been played out through history thru men like Hitler, Stalin and many others. They are exceedingly wicked.

So, what makes the God of Israel and Christianity different? Well, that is the point of this post. Our God came to earth, He humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant, Jesus the Messiah. Hebrews 1 is a glorious explanation of Jesus- Hebrew 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”.

Ever wonder about the true nature of God? Jesus is the “exact representation” of His nature. In John 1:18 we read the same thing. “No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father]”.

Here we have what other gods don’t have! In Jesus we have the nature of God shown forth! What a wonder He is! We can proclaim what it says in Exodus 15:11 ““Who is like You among the gods, LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?”.

Our God has shown forth His nature in Jesus. He has shown forth His nature in His creation. The principalities and powers have shown forth their nature through their wickedness, through the wickedness of man. Let us look for, and hasten the coming day of our Lord!!! Let us strive to be filled with His spirit and to be like our brother, the Lord Jesus. Let us strive to be conformed to the image of Christ!

By David Ravenhill

I recently read the testimony of a pastor who had drifted into years of sexual sin which ended in costing him his marriage and ministry. In sharing his testimony of restoration, he stated that through it all God was not angry with him or disappointed but caring and loving throughout.

As I pondered his words, I found myself asking if what he believed was really true. Was God truly immune from any feeling of sadness or hurt by his sinful lifestyle?

This growing belief that God is not affected by our sin no matter how wretched it is, may sound plausible to many but is entirely unsubstantiated by scripture. God is not immune from feelings and especially from those of His own children; who if anything exacerbated His pain rather than diminished it.

From Genesis to Revelation we are told clearly, frequently, and specifically that God is affected by our sin. In Genesis we read that God grieved over the fact that He made man. He reminded Israel time after time that he was hurt by their adulterous ways. The notion that God cannot be hurt, wounded, grieved, or sad, is the evolutionary conclusion that ‘God is good all the time.’

As I have often stated, my dear mother believed in the ‘laying on of hands’ with my posterior being the recipient. I don’t recall ever singing ‘Mum is good all the time’ as her hand administered justice upon my behind. Her actions were both loving and painful as both of us suffered by my sin and disobedience.

While talking to my brother recently he quoted one of the church fathers who said something to this effect. ‘Sin is first felt in heaven before it is felt on earth.’ God’s love does not mean He can’t be wounded or hurt by our actions. Every time we as believers partake of communion we are reminded of the fact that Jesus was betrayed by one of His own. Not only was he betrayed but despised and rejected by men.

This false teaching that God never gets angry, hurt or even disappointed by our actions gives birth to the idea that sin is no big thing; and that by some divine power God’s love immunes Him from feelings of hurt or betrayal. Nothing could be further from the truth. I need to emphasize here that God’s anger is not some instant emotional outburst that He regrets later, but rather a righteous anger that is slow to develop. He is also patient and longsuffering and seeks to lovingly woo us back to Himself.

Imagine finding out your wife or husband have been repeatedly cheating on you. You can’t tell me that you wouldn’t be extremely disappointed and hurt by their actions. Our relationship with God is similar in the fact that He is to be our first love. When we involve ourselves in things that God hates, how can we say He is not troubled or hurt by our actions? He is! Let’s also never forget He is a God of mercy and forgiveness. His mercy and forgiveness however do not cancel out his anger or sadness as he is the embodiment of them all.

Link to David Ravenhill blog- https://davidravenhill.wordpress.com/page/7/

In revival, God is not concerned about filling empty churches, He is concerned about filling empty hearts!

Leonard Ravenhill

Revival Meeting- an excerpt from Watchman Nee’s- The Latent Power of the Soul Published in 1972

This excerpt was originally written in 1928. It is amazing how pertinent it is for today!

It is rather amazing how many brothers who preach a lot mention the matter of meetings to me. They assert that if they go to a church hall and find the lights dim, attendance low, and empty chairs abundant, they seem to lose their power upon standing up to preach. But should the lights be burning bright and the audience full and enthusiastic, they appear to grow in power. But what kind of power is this?
May I frankly say that this is none other than the power of your own soul force. The power which comes from the Holy Spirit is never affected by outside environment. Anyone who wishes to know what preaching in soul power is need only attend a big meeting packed with people and provided with the finest equipment, and just listen to the people singing and watch the movement of the audience. You will be able to sense that there is special power in a crowded place. What power is this? Do you feel a force which presses on you? It cannot be the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the soul.

Link to full book- http://www.banner.org.uk/media/books/Nee-LatentPowerofSoul.pdf

It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction is God.– AW Tozer

I have personally seen this kind of thing happening in my lifetime, money being thrown at a famous Christian leader’s feet. Shameful! How many wealthy pastors, evangelists, and TV preachers are there today? There are many! With the world in the condition that it is today, I would have to ask the same question that Elisha asked Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:26 “Is this time to be taking money?”.

What the world and the church is seeing today is totally opposite of what people saw in the Book of Acts.

Acts 4:32-35 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay the money at the apostles’ feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.

What a stark contrast. Today’s rich Christian leaders will justify themselves, and they will also be the ones who claim they really have the Spirit’s power in their meetings. They claim miracles, anointing and power. Today we see them claiming signs and wonders along with their greed.

In Acts they had signs, wonders and power like never seen before, and along with it they had humility. None of the Apostles “claimed that anything belonging to them was their own”. The money laid at their feet was used to meet needs of the saints, all who had need. They did not buy themselves mansions! Behold what manner of outpouring of the Spirit that was! It has never been repeated! Today they want the outpouring without humility, and use it as a channel for power and wealth.

Paul spoke the truth about those who supposed that “godliness was a means of gain”.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain”.

There is a doctrine that conforms us to Godliness, it makes us more like Jesus. Greed has no place! We should desire to be like Jesus, we should desire to have the Spirit like the Apostles! Today’s leaders want the Apostles power and recognition, but many want to keep the money.

There is a friction between Godly men, and men of depraved mind, deprived of truth. This is the comparison! The men of truth were the Apostles, with the fullness of the Spirit, today’s rich leaders are men of partial truth, deprived, having pride but lacking the fullness of the Spirit. I think of a child that is deprived, one who lacks enough food, causing starvation and at times illness. They create followers who are deficient in Godliness and truth. They bring about partial truth, mixed with hype and emotion, not knowing they are wretched. Well did John speak of them in the Revelation, in the Message to the Church in Laodicea

Revelation 3:17-18 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.” This message was to a church, they had a form of Godliness but was greatly lacking.

I encourage you all to avoid these men, do not support them, do not watch them.  As it says in 2 Timothy 3:5 “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these”. What power have they denied? They claim to have great Spiritual power and anointing. But, they have denied the power of humility, the power of the Cross. That is the power that would have conformed them to be like Jesus.