Author: Kyle Fuller

I love Jesus. I desire to encourage and equip the body of Christ and preach the gospel to those who don't know Him.

How’s Your Love Life?

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I serve as an associate pastor at an urban church in Charlotte, North Carolina. If you went down to your local Walmart and looked around at all the different kinds of people there, you’d have a real good idea of what our church looks like. Now we also have various “ethnic churches” that meet on our campus as well. Lets see… there’s an Eritrean fellowship, a Burmese fellowship, a Montagnard fellowship( I don’t think I’m missing anyone); and once every few months, we all get together and have one big International Service. Today was one of those days.

To be sure, I can’t understand everything that is being said or sung; but, its easy to recognize the same precious Spirit that lives within every believer. As I look around and see all the different people from so many different places, there is a love in my heart that only one who has been born again can know. As we all come together, crying out to God, praying, and singing songs, there is genuine love and compassion that is tangible and heart felt; and I know I am getting a glimpse of what it will be like when those from every tribe, every kindred,  and every tongue gather at the throne of Almighty God and worship Him shoulder to shoulder, with one voice.

You know, the Apostle John said, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.”(I John 3:14)  That’s pretty heavy when you think about it, being able to tell you’re alive in Christ by whether or not you love the people of God. Now we  know that there are other criteria that should also be examined as to how we know if we’re in Christ or not (read I John); but, John assures us that if we are not walking in love we are not in Christ. Wow!! I can be a big time preacher, a gifted worship leader, or a learned theologian; but, if I am not walking in love…

I find it interesting that John was one of the disciples that Jesus referred to as a “son of thunder.” Remember, John was one of the ones who asked the Lord if He wanted them to call fire down from heaven to consume some who would not receive Jesus. (Luke 9:54) Here we have this obviously intense individual who was transformed by Jesus into the “Apostle of Love.” In fact, church tradition says that when John was a very old man, he would often have to be literally carried into the place where the disciples would meet; and all he would tell the believers was, “Love each other little children.” Here was the man who had written the book of Revelation, seen the glorified Christ; and, all he preached towards the end of his life was love.

In Matthew 22: 34 -40 we read:

“But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.  One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?'”

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.'”

So, let me ask you; “How’s your love life?”

Will You

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Will you carry My cross

and be misunderstood

They might think that you’re crazy

That you’re up to no good

Will you show in your living

the way that I died

Letting death work within you

so that others find life

Will you sing in the shadows

remaining unknown

They’ll question your timing

if you play My song

Will you shout on the rooftops

what I show you in prayer

It’ll cost your reputation

and not many will care

Will you drop what you’re doing

and let go of your dreams

Instead of master be servant

Will you follow Me

( “Will You” © 2011 B. Kyle Fuller)

Reflections

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“So which shall we choose? Experience or truth? The left wing of an airplane, or the right? Study or service? Evangelism or discipleship? The front wheels of a car, or the rear? Subjective knowledge or objective knowledge? Faith or obedience?”

“Damn all false antitheses to hell, for they generate false gods, they perpetuate idols, they twist and distort our souls, they launch the church into violent pendulum swings whose oscillations succeed only in dividing brothers and sisters in Christ.”

“The truth is that Jesus Christ is Lord of all- of the truth and of our experience. The Bible insists that we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (D. A. Carson Becoming Conversant With The Emerging Church: Understanding a Movement and Its Implications)

Better Than Life

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

” O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.” (Ps. 63: 1-6 NLT)

When you read these words of David you can’t help but be moved by his expression of longing and love for the Lord. You get a glimpse into the heart of a man who has a very real love relationship with the living God. “I long for you, I thirst for you, I lie awake thinking of you;” these are words lovers use.

David goes on to say that the love of the Lord is better than life itself. In other words, he is saying that if he were to be deprived of God’s unfailing love, life would not be worth living. Lord, your nearness, your fellowship, experiencing your love is something I can’t live without.

Notice what this intimacy, this love inspires : WORSHIP. The  intimacy David shares with the Lord moves him to worship the Lord. He says,  “I will praise you, I will lift my hands to you, I will pray to you, I will sing to you.” Intimacy and worship go hand in hand. As we began to discover how high, how deep, how wide, and how long the love of God is, our hearts will naturally overflow with worship.

Jesus, I don’t want to just know about you; I want to know you.

NLI Ministries: “In The Midst of the Madness”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

You hear people say all the time that it seems like the whole world has just gone crazy. The global political and economical landscape is changing at break-neck speed. The ecclesiastical landscape is also undergoing changes; some say for the good, while others warn of impending doom. We need to know that “In The Midst of The Madness” there is a God who is calling us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

NLI Ministries presents a five part sermon video entitled, “In The Midst of The Madness.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNMC1CnkA6w

In The Night Watches

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

It’s late and I really should be in bed right now; but, I sit here with my cat staring at me, trying to put into words all that is on my heart. I have such a burden for the body of Christ; but, there are times when I find myself becoming argumentative, trying to prove a point about this or that.  I’m reminded that Paul told Timothy that the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome.  I struggle with that.

I see those who are ministering within the traditional church trying to hold on to traditions that God is quite obviously shaking to the very core.

I see those who have been hurt and rejected by the traditional church; so, they leave, resolving to “do church” the right way, only they have not allowed the Lord to truly heal them, or reveal to them the desire for power, recognition, and control that lurks within them and they end up becoming the very thing they so adamantly opposed.

I see those who have such a desire to be deep and spiritual that they have rejected the sound teaching that Paul said we must pay close attention to.

I see those who believe that Jesus has called the church to take over the world and right all wrongs.

I see the dispensationalists, amillennialists, post-millennialists, pre-millennialists, preterists, pre-tribbers, mid-tribbers, and post-tribbers.

I could go on and on describing the differences one finds within the body of Christ; but, do you know something we all have in common…? Give up? I’ll tell you: doctrine.

Each camp holds to certain doctrines or teachings. Even the ones who insist you don’t have to worry about doctrine cling to and assert doctrine in the mere act of claiming you don’t need doctrine.

Many within the church today flinch at the word doctrine and because of various reasons (a subject for another time) reject the truth about the importance of doctrine. We have come to view doctrine as a nasty word that stifles the true moving of God’s Spirit when in all actuality doctrine is designed to promote intimacy with Jesus, ensure salvation, and enable one to listen to the very heart of God.

The Greek words διδαχή (didache) and διδασκαλία (didaskalia) are the primary words translated doctrine in our New Testament. It simply means that which is taught, or a teaching concerning something.  Didache or didaskalia is used many times in the New Testament. (Many translators opted to translate these Greek words into our English word “teaching” and that’s perfectly acceptable.) Here are a few scriptures (KJV) that talk about doctrine:

Matt. 7:28 “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine”

Matt. 22:33 “And when the multitude heard [this], they were astonished at his doctrine.”

Mark 1:22 “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

Mark 1:27 “And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What thing is this? What new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.’”

Rom. 16:17  “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

I Cor. 14:26 “Ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”

I Tim. 4:16 “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

I Tim. 6:3  “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness…”

Titus 2:1 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.”

 Titus 2:7 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine [shewing] uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity…”

There are more, but I think the examples cited suffice to show that doctrine is important and not intended to be negative; but, positive, life changing and life giving.

I so desire that we in the body of Christ be able to discern true, sound biblical doctrine; and the way we do it is to come to the Bible humbly asking the Spirit of God to teach us. We need to ask the Lord to remove the presuppositions each one of us bring to the table, and allow Him to teach us the truth. Also, whereas we each do have a personal relationship with Christ, God has set things up so that the life we have in Christ is fully expressed as we live in community with each other. The Holy Spirit will minister to us through our brothers and sisters (Col.3:16), and there is a “checks and balances” system in place. I don’t know everything. I get it wrong sometimes. I need the body of Christ and the body of Christ must adhere to the sound doctrine found in the Bible.

Doctrine was never intended to be some legalistic set of traditions that we have to follow or we’re kicked out of the body of Christ. Instead, doctrine is that which reveals to us the heart of God, creating intimacy with Jesus as His Spirit reveals to us the life we have in Him. The doctrine of godliness is not a goad to be kicked against, but rather that which is to be sought after and embraced.

Remember, true doctrine always glorifies Jesus, promotes intimacy with Him, calls for holiness in life, and reveals the need for Christ to those who are without Him.

Hey Jude

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

It is increasingly obvious that we are in that kairos (see “Preach The Word”)  time when many who name the name of Jesus are rejecting the sound doctrine of the Bible and have made for themselves “another Jesus”. This Jesus is careful not to offend. He is not too concerned if His disciples continue to practice a lifestyle of sin. This “Jesus” is more or less a Gandhi like figure (thanks Mike) whose main concern is social justice and the redistribution of wealth.

I have within me a burden, one that never goes away; always in my heart and on my mind, to preach the truth of God’s word. I have a desire that burns within me to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” So, when I discern these false doctrines that are based on a “self-constructed Jesus” and a mishandling of scripture, I feel compelled to write or preach or respond in someway. But alas, someone has beat me to the punch.

As usual, the Bible has addressed this time we live in (wow, you would almost think God’s word is alive and able to transcend time and culture) with astonishing clarity. Jude says:

1This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.

2 May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

The Danger of False Teachers

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

8 In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels,did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) 10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.[e] They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

16 These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

A Call to Remain Faithful

17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

A Prayer of Praise

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. (Jude NLT)

Preach The Word

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

” I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (II Timothy 4:1-4)

The Apostle Paul is writing to young Timothy here, and he is prophesying that there will come a “time”, within the church, when people will not not want to hear, put up with, or endure sound doctrine. The reason I put the word time in quotation marks is because that word time is the Greek word kairos. Paul is not speaking of  time (Greek word chronos)  that is measured by seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years ; rather, he is speaking of an appointed time, a time on God’s calendar if you will. Bruce Hurt (preceptaustin) tells us that kairos has a “window of opportunity” aspect to it. In other words, there is going to be a “season” or a foreordained time when many church people will reject sound doctrine, and “pile up” for themselves teachers who will tickle their ears, or, tell them what they want to hear.

Friends, I believe we are living in that time. So many Christians do not want to hear  the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ anymore; but, have opted instead for preachers who will confirm their presuppositions and feed their lusts. It is even common within the church today to hear people reject doctrine all together arguing that Jesus wants us to be free, and that  “doctrines” are divisive, Pharisaical, and Spirit-quenching.

To be sure, much of this “rebellion” is due to the cold, dead traditionalism that marks many of our churches. People are weary of “holding to a form of godliness, but denying it’s power.” The majority 0f Christianity is rejecting the cessationism (a point of view which teaches that the spiritual gifts like prophesy, tongues, healing, etc… are not for today) which has characterized so many  churches in the past. God’s precious Spirit is opening the eyes of His people to the fact that Jesus is more than three hymns and a sermon, that there is to be a living, vital union with and in Christ by which we have real fellowship with the living God. But tragically, this rejection of  tradition has become a breeding ground for many false doctrines.

I John 2:27 tells us that we have received an anointing from God (Holy Spirit) which teaches us the truth, and that it teaches us to abide in Jesus. If you will study your Bibles as to the role of the Holy Spirit, you will find that He always points to Jesus, glorifying Him. Jesus assures us in John 5: 37-39 that if you are truly hearing from God, and truly understanding the scriptures, you will come to Him. True doctrine is life giving and full of the freedom which draws us to Christ. It is always about Jesus! When you hear doctrines and teachings which are self-promoting,  that concentrate on how wonderful, powerful, and anointed we are-beware.

If you are a believer, on a consistent basis, take all you think you know and lay it at the feet of Jesus. Ask Him to rid you of your presuppositions and teach you by His Spirit. Prayerfully study the word of God remembering, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”(II Timothy 3:16,17)

If you don’t know Jesus, will you come to Him today? He is the way, the life, and the TRUTH.

(I had a friend named Norman who would always ask, “What does the Bible say?”  Well, when considering Traditional Theology, Dominion Theology, Kingdom Now, Liberation Theology, Emergent Church, Emerging Church, Apostolic Reformation, Home Church Movement, etc… “What does the Bible say?”)

Shamgar

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Here in America we seem to be under the impression that we are all called to be superstars. Most of us grow up thinking that one day we’ll be rich and famous; you know, an actor, rock&roll star, athlete, etc… Whatever the dream, it has to big and everybody has to know my name. Sadly, this mind-set has crept into our churches and one has to ask, “Are we really serving Jesus or just building up our own little kingdoms?”

Judges 3:31 tells the story(if you can all it that) of Shamgar: “After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.” That’s it; one whole verse is all Shamgar gets. Not too impressive is it?

We can learn a lot from Shamgar. Although he is relatively an unknown, he saves Israel from the Philistines, killing 600 of them with what basically amounts to a stick. He had no special powers that we know of, just an ox goad and a willingness to be used by God.  Shamgar is mentioned only one other time in the Bible (Judges 5); and again, no accolades are given.

Are we willing to take what we have in hand and offer it to God for His use? You may think that you don’t have any special gifts or skills. Shamgar had a stick! You may think you’re a nobody; well, let me ask you, “Had you ever heard of Shamgar before today?” Contrary to the mind-set of our culture, you don’t have to be a superstar to be used by God. Just offer yourself and all you have to Him; He’ll take care of the rest.

Are there any Shamgars in the house?