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2023, Advent 2023

Merry Christmas 2023

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Galatians 4:4-5 KJV

Today we take the time to celebrate the birth of our Savior and King Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ lived a life on earth and fulfilled the Law, He was the only sinless person to live on this earth, and He paid the ultimate sacrifice that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!
Jesus was born of a virgin and conceived from the seed of the Holy Spirit, He was the spotless Lamb of God that came to save mankind. The religious leaders at the time of His earthly ministry rejected Him. He was establishing a Kingdom, but not an earthly Kingdom!
At His death, Jesus Christ suffered under the very wrath of God that we all deserve, and He rose victorious on the third day over death. Our Savior is alive today and He will return at the Father’s appointed time.
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! No matter your past sin, you can be redeemed and clothed in righteousness because of the full complete work of Jesus Christ! Today and every day is the day to call upon the name of the Lord for Salvation!
Christianity is about being restored in a relationship and right standing with God through faith in the work of His Son. Jesus Christ prepared a place for us, the Cross, the plan of salvation, the complete work He did 2,000 years ago. Because through that God now dwells in us the believer, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
When you are genuinely born again, you are born into the family of God, you are a child of the most high God and you receive the righteousness that Jesus Christ paid for us. This Christmas and always let us remember all that Jesus Christ did for us and live in the fullness of our inheritance in Him!

2023, Freedom 2023

Sonship Romans 5

Too many in the church today are bearing things Jesus already paid a price for 2,000 years ago. Step into who you are in Jesus Christ!

Rev. Zachary Muirphy


Therefore, since we have been made righteous through His faithfulness combined with our faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1


If you are truly in Christ you are made righteous. You may not feel like you are, but we are not to live by our feelings we need to live off what the Word of God says.
Many believe in their mind that they are saved but are stuck struggling with this and that. God’s Word says that because of our faith in Christ, we are made righteous.
If believers would spend more time lining their thoughts up with what God’s Word says then they will see much transformation.
If you don’t set your mind on the fact that Jesus paid the price for you to be counted as righteous then you will continue struggling with sin, sickness, anxiety, and all the other schemes of the devil.



For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:19


Romans 8 also talks about Jesus being the firstborn of many brethren. That means that through Jesus we become sons and daughters of God.
The church must grow into maturity, our focus can’t stop on making converts but rather disciple people into sonship.
Sonship is putting on the image of Christ every day and walking in your New Creation reality that Jesus provided. Sonship is walking in the victory Jesus provided for us so that He be glorified and that the Kingdom of God be expanded. It is not about making us known, it is about making the King of Kings known.
Maturity isn’t measured by spiritual gifts alone, while they are important they are not everything. The greatest of all is love, we need to reveal the love of God by putting on the image of Christ every day so that those who are lost on the destructive path of sin will see the light and come to faith.
Sonship is people seeing that Jesus is filling every aspect of your very existence!

2023, Baptism of Holy Spirit

Are Tongues for Today?

Many Christians today are recognizing Pentecost Sunday, this day is often attributed to what occurred on Pentecost in the New Testament Church after Jesus ascended. However, we must realize the origins of Pentecost which come from the Old Testament. Pentecost is one of the three required feasts that we see the Jews celebrating in the Bible, it is usually celebrated at the end of May or very early in June (on our calendar). The Feast of Pentecost was also called the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and it was the celebration of the early weeks of harvest, as well as being associated with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God. Some Old Testament references I would encourage you to read are Exodus 23-24, Leviticus 16, and Numbers 29. 

In Acts 2:1-4 (NLT) we read, “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.  Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.  And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”. 

The entirety of Acts 2 has caused much debate in the church, there is one side that wants to say that the Pentecost experience (including speaking in tongues as well as the other spiritual gifts)  ceased with the early church, while another side wants to say this has continued to be available for today. Now let me say something first before I go further, whether you speak in tongues or not has no bearing on your Salvation! 

Public Ministry Tongues

Tongues for a Sign

You must understand that there are four types of tongues referred to in the New Testament, this is why the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 when explaining the different spiritual gifts, “to another different kinds of tongues”. What we just read about in Acts 2:4 is known as tongues as a sign to unbelievers, this is for public ministry. This type of tongue is an earthly language, for example, you might have someone who comes to your church that only speaks French and everyone else speaks English. Someone in your church who truly has this gift would be able to minister to the French-speaking person in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives them utterance.  

Tongues for Interpretation

The second type of tongues is tongues for interpretation, this type is as well for public ministry. This is when one speaks in tongues to the whole church and then someone else interprets it. This will require one person to speak in tongues, and then for someone to interpret the tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28(NKJV) tells us, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.”.  Why would we want someone to speak in tongues and then interpret it for the whole church during service? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV) “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”. All these things are to be done for the edification of the body of Christ. Edify means to improve or instruct spiritually. So, when one gives a message in tongues in front of the church there should be an interpretation so that the church can be edified.  

Tongues for Private Prayer Life

Tongues for Personal Edification

Now let’s move on to the two types of tongues for the believer’s personal prayer life, this is available to all believers and this should be sought by all believers when they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The first one is your personal prayer language. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:2 (AMP) “For one who speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to people but to God; for no one understands him or catches his meaning, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries [secret truths, hidden things].”. I would like you to notice that it uses the word unknown tongue, which is probably a language not known on Earth.  Having your own personal prayer language is important because you edify yourself, 1 Corinthians 14:4 tells us, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.”. In the next verse we will find that Paul wants us all to speak in tongues, he also mentions the importance and greatness of prophesy and tongues with interpretation, “I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”.  

Tongues for Intercession

The last type of tongue I would like to discuss is tongues for intercession. Romans 8:26-27 (AMP) tells us, “In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.  And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will.”. I believe that tongues for intercession will usually come during your personal time in praying in the Spirit. With intercession, you might be interceding for your own self or for someone else. The important takeaway is this is as the Spirit gives you utterance.  

Tongues for Today?

Now that we have broken down the four types of tongues that are recorded in the New Testament, what is the Biblical evidence that this is for today? If we go on in Acts 2:38-39 (NLT), “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 

Many translations rightly have a footnote in verse 39 where it says “an to those far away”, noting it can also be translated as “and to people far in the future and to the Gentiles”. Many of us are Gentiles, and we are certainly a far future away from the first-century church. Aside from this one verse, what other Biblical evidence is there? 

What Did Jesus Say?

Jesus commissioned the church in Mark 16:15-18 (NLT), “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”. 

Many of these signs Jesus talked about here are recorded in the list of spiritual gifts the Apostle Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 12. Jesus made a commission to all who believe that certain signs would follow them, and one of those is speaking in tongues. Jesus didn’t say that this was for the “first-century church”, He said this was for those who believe. 

The Bible tells us God does not change (Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8). God has kept the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for centuries. We have seen a rise in revivals of God’s outpouring. From Azusa Street to the Latter Rain Movements, as well as people God used mightly in this area from Kathryn Kuhlman, Kenneth Hagin, David Wilkerson, AB Simpson, and many others. While certain moves of God can lead to some extremes if we are not careful enough to be led by the Word of God, we can ultimately learn from previous moves of God. 

Balance

With this discussion comes the subject of abuse of spiritual gifts. Some people will say you are not a Christian because you do not speak in tongues. Others will mix in the occult with spiritual gifts because they want to be more spiritual. You may even see ministers using spiritual gifts as a means of building a big name for themselves. Spiritual gifts are about glorifying God and advancing His Kingdom on the earth, when we lose focus of that we have gotten out of balance. We need to stick to what the Word of God says, if it cannot be backed by the Word, then spit it out! 

Living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit is not just about speaking in tongues, or signs and wonders. It is about living a life that is fully dependent upon the Holy Spirit. The first-century church did not change the world because of their academic excellence, but because they were clothed with power from God, they were full of the Holy Spirit, and they built their faith up by praying in the Spirit. Jude 20 (NET) says, “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit”.

Living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit will also build godly character in your life, it will help you reflect the Light of Jesus every day. This is why the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:18 (NKJV), “ I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all”. 

As we reflect on Pentecost today, let us examine ourselves, are we lacking in any area where we are not reflecting Jesus? If so we need to repent and ask God to fill us up a fresh and a new! 

2022, Christianity, Discipleship, Inspiration

More Than Conquerors

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39 (AMP)

There are many Christians who struggle with various difficulties in their life and they sincerely believe in Jesus Christ, however, they do not live in the fullness of the victory that has been given to us in Christ alone. Many in our churches still struggle with addictions, and yet the American church has dumbed things down and all people hear about are 10 steps to be happy or have a better marriage. While there is no problem with Biblically rooted encouragement, believers need to awaken to who they are in Christ Jesus. 

Many people have been talking about a Great Awakening for revival, and yes it is crucial that America has a genuine revival, many in the church need to awaken to the knowledge of who they are in Jesus Christ. Too many people when they get saved only have a limited awakening to who they are in Jesus Christ, and are more awakened to man-made traditions. 

When someone is genuinely born again, a new spiritual nature is born inside them. Too often religion gets in the way of that, yet with good intentions, and instead of awakening to our new nature the born-again believer is given a long list of dos and don’ts. When you give over to the new nature you receive the moment you are born again, you will not walk in the sinful lust of the flesh. 

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”.

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

We need to awaken to this fact and live our lives like it is supreme. Too often we live our lives as though we are just like everyone else in the world, where the fact of the matter is we have been bought with a price, and we are no longer just regular human beings, we are now one with a new nature birthed inside of us. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

Often this verse is quoted and only understood in the context of one making it to Heaven. While yes it is true that through genuine Salvation that one will go to Heaven when they pass from this life or until Jesus returns, there is more to this everlasting life. This everlasting life we get when we are born again is not just about eternity it is about here and now as well. The everlasting life we have as believers is a new type of lifestyle we receive through the new nature, this lifestyle allows us to live in God’s unshakable Kingdom that is within us. This everlasting life is the same kind of life that Adam walked in originally in Genesis, but we see through temptation he fell and gave up that everlasting life.

Thankfully we know that God was not caught off guard when the fall happened in Genesis, because God had a plan for Salvation from the beginning.

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”.

Revelation 13:8 (NKJV)

Jesus Christ is the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world, there is so much depth in that and it would not be possible to cover in just one post. But looking at the whole Bible we see that God is never caught off guard by mankind’s decisions!

It is time for believers to wake up to the truth that we are purchased with a price, we are washed with the precious and powerful Blood of Jesus Christ. It is only through Jesus Christ that we can walk in victory, it is only through Christ that we can enter into our inheritance as citizens of God’s Kingdom. We need to identify with the fact that we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ, rather than identifying with the difficulties of this world. When there are global crises going on, we need to remember that we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ. Don’t let the news media shape how you feel, let the Word of God shape how you feel. Walking in this truth does not mean that we will have an easy life. Walking in this truth is not about glorifying oneself, but being a living testimony for the glory of God!

2022, Christianity, Faith

True Happiness

True happiness does not come from worldly pleasures, but from faith in God. We need to rely on our walk of mountain-moving faith, and let the joy of the Lord be our strength every day in our lives. We need to ask God daily to fill us up so that we overflow with the power of His Spirit, and His joy in our lives. Living this life is a supernatural life, which will keep us strong in our faith during difficulties in life, temptation, and sickness. Many people today struggle with a sin that they have not brought into subjection, a part of their flesh. The reason for that is you have not allowed the joy of the Lord to flow in your life in every area, because you do not know your true identity in Christ. It is time to identify who we are in Christ so we can live the life He called us to glorify His name and make His Kingdom known.

Uncategorized

Selfishly Reading the Word?

Too often people only read the Bible with a self-centered mindset. People will promptly dive into Scripture to gain something for themselves with only selfish ambitions, rather than a Kingdom mindset. Too often when reading the Word of God,  we only care about the parts that benefit us in the now, rather than the full picture of the Full Gospel that is shown from Genesis to Revelation. Our purpose each time we read the Word of God ought to be to learn about the Author, and to continually cultivate an intimate relationship with the Word of God as it transforms us each time we read it, study it, and meditate upon it.

2022, Christianity, Discernment, Discipleship

Standing for Holiness Video Notes

Notes (Link to Video on YouTube)

  • In today’s culture, many do not have a Biblical view of God.
  • Romans 3:23
  • Isaiah 6:3
  • Do we truly recognize the holiness of God in the mainstream church today?
  • Some examples: (all these people we ought to be praying for because they are not saved)
    • Most recently and notably Carl Lentz of Hillsong – we recently have heard of his affair and not only that but has been at bars and nightclubs with other celebrities like Justin Beiber. But yet many young Christians will go to Hillsong conferences not because God is glorified but because their leaders talk and act like the rest of the world. I truly pray for these people’s Salvation. I don’t like having to mention names but many people in my generation have drunk the toxin of this Hillsong culture that is absolute trash.
      • While Hillsong has done an excellent job of attracting crowds of young people, they have not done it with a Biblical worldview. 
    • Jen Johnson of Bethel has described the Holy Spirit as “sneaky, and like the blue genie from Aladdin”.
      • I can say Bethel may have good songs, and there might be good preaching. But when one of your leaders gives zero reverence when describing the Holy Spirit that is treading on dangerous waters. 
      • Jesus described the Holy Spirit in John 14:16.
    • Why do I call them out by name?
      • Paul called out false teachers by name in 2 Timothy 4:10. 
      • When I see young people my age following these dangerous people if I do not say anything then blood is on my hands. 
  • Exodus 15:11
  • Revelation 1:8
  • Revelation 4:5-8
  • Romans 12:1
  • John 4:24
2022, Christianity

Resurrection Life

It is only by the Resurrection of Christ, that believers enter into the newness of life and gain eternal life. Eternal life is not a future event of life for us, it is now because the Kingdom of God is now and within us.

We must partner with our identity in Christ, rather than the identity of our own strength or what dead religion will tell us!

Romans 8:11(NKJV) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Uncategorized

What is Your Reality?

I’d like to ask you this question, what is your reality as a Christian? For many people when they were evangelized they might have just been told, pray the sinner’s prayer, and you will live a happy life and make it to Heaven when you die. Anyone who honestly looks at the New Testament will find no such mention of a sinner’s prayer, this does not mean that everyone who has prayed that prayer isn’t genuinely saved. However, this type of evangelism more often than not puts people on a foundation of sinking sand. 

Salvation is when one is convicted of sin, repents, and believes in the finished work of Christ for the redemption of sin and everything tied to the old nature that we inherited from the first man Adam. We cannot in our own strength gain right standing with God, it is only through the finished work of Christ. 

Now when you are truly born again does that mean that you get to do as you please and you will still make it to Heaven? No, you cannot say that you have had an encounter with God and still remain unchanged. Being Born Again is having an encounter with God when His Spirit convicts you of your sin, and then come into your spirit man and makes you a New Creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus even said in Matthew 3:8 (NKJV), “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,”. Additionally, the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:12 tells us, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”.When we are genuinely Born Again there are fruits as a result of God’s work in our lives. Some people’s process of sanctification might be slower or faster than some. However, one thing remains true for those who are Born Again, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” (Philippians 1:6). 

Often in the church, many people get stuck in the rut of believing that if they sin they just need to repent and try harder. While it is true we must continue in a desire to live holy and sanctified we must also come to the realization that we are New Creations in Christ Jesus, and that old things have passed away and all things are new. 

If you are struggling today with sin in your life, and have already placed your faith and trust in Christ, then I’d like to ask you what is your reality? Is your reality just “I am saved and I just have to deal with this bad sinful habit in my life and try harder”. Or is your mindset renewed and set on the fact that you are made new in your spirit man? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”. We need to realize mankind is a tri-being. We have a spirit and a soul in our bodies. Our spirit is what is transformed the moment we are born again, and it is our soul or mind, will, and emotions that need transformed by the Word of God, and let dominate in our bodies. 

Colossians 3:3 (NKJV) says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”. When we are born again, we enter through Christ’s death and come out resurrected in our spirit man. Our old nature is dead, it is crucified, but too often because of watered-down preaching many don’t come to the revelation of this. It is time to come to the revelation of in Christ your old life is dead, that nature you inherited from the first man Adam is dead, and you have a new nature planted inside of you and it is time to cultivate that seed and let it grow. Yes, there will be times it is painful, even when we grow up as children to adults there are growing pains and puberty. Don’t rush the growth process, trust the Lord and yield to His work in your life! 

Our confession as believers shouldn’t be “I am saved, and just need to try harder not to sin”, our confessions should be “I am saved, and I have the righteousness of Christ, sin is dead in my life, I walk in righteousness by the power of Christ and will glorify the Lord in every area of my life.”. We need to start believing right about who we are in Christ, rather than accept the devil’s lies of defeat. The devil will do everything in his power to throw your past at you and trap you back up in your old nature, but when you live in the revelation that you are made new as a born-again person you will see change!