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How Then Shall We Gather

Posted by appolus on July 17, 2026

Over many years I become convinced that many of our assumptions about church life deserve to be re-examined, not in light of tradition, but in light of Scripture.

The New Testament draws a distinction between office and gift. Elders (or overseers) are appointed to oversee the flock, guard sound doctrine, and ensure the health of the church (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5–9; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; 1 Peter 5:1–3). Deacons serve in practical ways so that those entrusted with spiritual oversight are not diverted from prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1–4).

By contrast, Ephesians 4:11–16 and 1 Corinthians 12–14 describe the ministry gifts Christ has given to His Body. The emphasis is not on one man performing nearly all the ministry, but on the whole Body functioning under the headship of Christ. “Each of you has…” (1 Corinthians 14:26) presents a gathering in which believers contribute according to the gifts Christ has distributed, with everything being done decently and in order.

One of the striking features of the New Testament is that the most detailed description of a church gathering is found in 1 Corinthians 14. Paul concludes the chapter by saying, “The things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). If that is so, then the pattern deserves careful attention.

Today, the vast majority of Protestant churches follow a liturgy centred on a single speaker, often leaving little or no opportunity for the participatory ministry described in 1 Corinthians 14. Yet nowhere does the New Testament explicitly replace that pattern with a sermon-centred gathering led by a “senior pastor.” The expression “senior pastor” itself does not appear in Scripture, while elders and deacons are plainly appointed.

This raises an important question: have we gradually exchanged the apostolic pattern for one shaped more by later history than by the Scriptures themselves?

The issue is not whether preaching is biblical—it is. The issue is whether the gathered church is meant to be the ministry of one gifted man, or the orderly ministry of the whole Body under the oversight of faithful elders.

If the New Testament itself has altered the apostolic pattern, then let us gladly submit to that. But if it has not, then surely our responsibility is not to defend tradition, but to return to the Scriptures and allow them to shape the life of Christ’s church.

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𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗛

Posted by appolus on July 16, 2026

If our desire is to follow the pattern established by the Lord and His apostles, then these questions deserve to be answered from Scripture.

𝟭. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚

If 1 Corinthians 14 is the clearest New Testament description of a gathered church meeting, and Paul concludes by saying, “the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37), what New Testament passage explicitly replaces that pattern?

𝟮. 𝗖𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣

Where in the New Testament are churches instructed to appoint a senior pastor rather than a plurality of elders?

𝟯. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗬

If Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and the other gifts for the equipping of the saints (Ephesians 4:11–16; 1 Corinthians 12), how are those gifts intended to function if one person occupies almost the entire gathering each week?

𝟰. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗨𝗥𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚

According to the New Testament, is the primary purpose of the church gathering to receive biblical instruction from one speaker, or to experience the ministry and manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the members of Christ’s Body for the edification, equipping, and maturing of the saints?

𝟱. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗬 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗧

In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul teaches that the manifestation of the Spirit is given “for the profit of all,” and then describes how those gifts are to function when the church comes together. If that ministry is absent from the ordinary gathering, how are believers receiving the mutual edification and equipping that those chapters describe?

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𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙊𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝘽𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙎 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙇𝙊𝙎𝙏

Posted by appolus on July 10, 2026

The one man system, over time, has largely shut down the functioning of the body and quenched the participation of the saints. When one man is expected to do all the preaching, all the leading, all the ministering, and all the hearing from God on behalf of everyone else, the rest of the body inevitably becomes passive. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

But the responsibility does not lie there alone.

Many among the congregation have become content with such an arrangement. They want to attend for an hour, tick the religious box, and then return to their lives until the following week.𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀. They would rather someone else ascend the mountain, someone else hear from God, and someone else bring back the word.

Yet this was never God’s intention.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.Every saint is called to seek the Lord for himself. Every member should be daily gathering manna, receiving some fresh word, some fresh insight, some encouragement from the Lord that could be shared for the edification of others. We are told to always be ready. But readiness implies preparation, pursuit, and personal communion with Christ.

Thus the problem is multifaceted. There are systems that have fostered passivity, and there are people who have willingly embraced it because it demands less of them.

And then there are the few.

There are always the few.

There are those who sit quietly among the congregation, year after year, with an increasing sense that something is missing. They cannot fully articulate it at first, but deep within they know that the biblical pattern has been lost. They know there must be more than this. They know that the body of Christ was never meant to be a gathering of spectators watching a few perform.

Eventually, many of these saints can bear it no longer. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲.They go searching for that which they know in their hearts to be true, a gathering where Christ is central, where every member can function, where spiritual gifts are exercised, where fellowship is genuine, and where the Lord Himself is free to lead His people.

For deep calls unto deep, and 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹.

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The Dividing of Soul and Spirit ( part 2)

Posted by appolus on July 6, 2026

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

At first glance, this verse appears to stand in tension with God’s promise:

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

Yet the two passages are not contradictory. It is my conviction that, while the believer has indeed received a new heart and a regenerated spirit through the new birth, he must still contend with the lingering influence of the old self-life operating through the soul and the flesh. The possession of a regenerated spirit does not remove the necessity of daily taking up the Cross, nor does the gift of a new heart eliminate the believer’s need for ongoing sanctification.

The deceitfulness spoken of by Jeremiah reminds us that the heart, as Scripture frequently employs the term, often refers to the comprehensive inner life of man and, at times, to the whole man himself. It is my conviction that Jeremiah is speaking of fallen man in his totality. The entire man,body, soul, and spirit,was corrupted through Adam’s fall and therefore stands in need of God’s redeeming and renewing work.

Yet, within fallen humanity, the soul, intimately allied to the flesh and the self-life, remains particularly susceptible to deception. The mind, will, and emotions, when operating independently of the regenerated spirit and the Holy Spirit, naturally gravitate toward self-rule, self-preservation, and independence from God. Consequently, the believer must learn not to trust the impulses of the natural man, but to walk according to the regenerated spirit under the government of the Holy Spirit.

This understanding sheds light on David’s prayer:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

David’s prayer acknowledges that the believer cannot fully discern the hidden workings of the self-life. Only God, through His Word and Spirit, can expose those areas where self still seeks dominion.

This is precisely why the ministry of the Word of God is indispensable in the life of the believer:

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The expression “dividing asunder” is translated from the Greek word merismos, derived from the verb merizō, meaning to divide, separate, distribute, apportion, or distinguish one thing from another. The emphasis is not merely upon dividing something in half, but upon making an exact distinction between things so intimately united that man cannot separate them by himself.

The idea conveyed is one of precise discernment and exposure. The Word of God penetrates so deeply into the inner life of man that it exposes what is truly soulish and what is truly spiritual. The imagery is surgical rather than destructive. It is the work of a Divine Physician, laying bare those hidden motivations and impulses that remain concealed even from the believer himself.

It is particularly significant that the writer (I believe it to be Paul) speaks not of the division of body and spirit, which would be self-evident, but of “soul and spirit.” These two aspects of man’s inner life have become so deeply intertwined through the Fall that only the searching ministry of the Word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, can accurately distinguish between them.

The progression within the verse itself is striking. The Word pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, then of joints and marrow, and finally discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Thus, the Word reaches the deepest and most hidden realities of man’s being.

The soul and the spirit, though closely intertwined, must therefore be separated. What has become deeply entangled through the Fall can only be distinguished and divided by the searching ministry of the Word of God illuminated by the Holy Spirit. The believer may sincerely believe that he is acting spiritually, when in reality he is merely acting from the self-life operating through the soul.

Thus, Hebrews 4:12 teaches that only the Word of God can accurately distinguish between that which proceeds from the soulish self-life and that which proceeds from the regenerated spirit. Such discernment is indispensable if the believer is to walk under the government of the Holy Spirit rather than under the subtle dominion of self.

An important aspect of this conflict concerns the relationship between the will and the emotions. It is my conviction that men are principally governed either by their will or by their emotions. The emotions, though God-given, belong largely to the realm of the soul and, when left unchecked, are often strongly influenced by the self-life and the flesh. Consequently, emotions frequently seek to lead man away from the will of God.

True obedience to God ultimately requires an act of the will. The believer must choose to submit himself to God, even when his emotions pull him in another direction. Spiritual maturity is therefore not measured by the intensity of one’s feelings, but by the steadfastness of one’s obedience.

The Garden of Gethsemane provides the supreme example. There, the Lord Jesus experienced the full weight of human emotion as He contemplated the Cross, even to the point that His anguish was expressed as great drops of blood:

“And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” (Mark 14:36)

The emotions of our Lord recoiled from the unspeakable sufferings that lay before Him. Yet even more profoundly, His human will shrank from drinking the cup that was set before Him. When Jesus prayed, “not what I will, but what thou wilt,” He revealed the reality of a human will that had to be consciously and deliberately surrendered to the will of His Father. It was only through this act of perfect submission that His will came into complete alignment with the Father’s will. Gethsemane therefore stands as the supreme example of obedience, demonstrating that true holiness consists not in the absence of conflicting desires or emotions, but in the surrender of the human will to the will of God.

This is not to suggest that all emotion is soulish or fleshly. The regenerated spirit itself possesses holy affections, produced and governed by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Scriptures call us to “rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15). We are also exhorted to “comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Such responses are not the product of the self-life, but rather the outflow of a regenerated spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The believer is therefore not called to emotional detachment, but to sanctified emotion. To love deeply, to grieve with those who grieve, to rejoice with exceeding joy, and to express compassion and tenderness are all part of the life of Christ manifested within the believer. God has not given His people “the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). These holy affections arise not from the fallen self-life, but from the regenerated spirit operating under the government of the Holy Spirit.

The question, therefore, is not whether emotion is present, but whether those emotions proceed from the self-life or from the life of Christ within. Emotions governed by the self-life often lead man away from God, whereas emotions governed by the Holy Spirit become powerful instruments for the expression of the love, compassion, and joy of Christ.

Empowered by God, the believer learns to overcome emotional reactions to any given situation and is led into the safe harbor of the will of God. Outside of His will there is a storm of indecision and anxiety, as the Scripture declares that the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)

The description of the “double minded man” in James 1:8 may be understood as illustrating the profound conflict that exists within the believer. The Greek word dipsychos literally means “two-souled,” suggesting a divided inner life. Such a man is unstable because competing principles are at work within him. The mind of Christ, operating within the regenerated spirit, draws him toward obedience, surrender, and faith. At the same time, the mind of the flesh, operating through the soul and the self-life, seeks independence, self-preservation, and unbelief. Until the soul is increasingly brought under the government of the regenerated spirit, where Christ rules supreme, instability and inward conflict will inevitably result.

The conflict described throughout this discussion finds perhaps its clearest expression in Romans 7, where the Apostle Paul speaks of the inward struggle experienced by the believer:

“For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind…” (Romans 7:22-23)

Romans 7 encapsulates the very conflict we have been considering, the struggle between the regenerated inner man and the principle of sin still operating within the flesh and the self-life. Yet Romans 8 immediately presents the Divine solution to the Romans 7 dilemma.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

The first seventeen verses of Romans 8 repeatedly call the believer to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. The answer to the conflict is not found in self-effort, nor in attempting to reform the old self-life, but in living under the government of the Holy Spirit.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)

The believer is continually confronted with two realms, two minds, and two governing principles. The mind of the flesh remains hostile toward God:

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)

Yet the believer is not left powerless, for “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). The Holy Spirit empowers the regenerated spirit, enabling the believer to progressively bring the soul and body under the government of Christ.

Paul therefore exhorts:

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13)

The Christian life is thus not lived by the power of the soul, nor by the determination of the flesh, but by walking in continual dependence upon the indwelling Holy Spirit. As the believer walks according to the Spirit, the self-life increasingly loses its dominion, and the life of Christ gains ever greater expression through the whole man.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

The distinction between the soulish self-life and the regenerated spirit also sheds significant light upon our Lord’s solemn warning in Matthew 7:21-23:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

It is deeply instructive that, when these men stand before Christ, they present not a life of obedience, submission, and conformity to the Father’s will, but rather a catalogue of impressive works:

“Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew 7:22)

The issue was not necessarily the outward nature of the works themselves, for prophecy, deliverance, and mighty works may all, in certain circumstances, be genuine ministries. Rather, the question concerns the source and motive from which these works proceeded. The emphasis of Matthew 7:21 falls not upon performing works, but upon doing “the will of my Father.” Gethsemane stands as the supreme illustration of this principle. There, our Lord set aside every other consideration and surrendered Himself wholly to the Father’s will, praying, “Nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).

True spirituality is therefore not measured by the abundance of one’s activity, nor by outward manifestations of power, but by obedience born out of union with God and submission to His will. The will of God is discerned and embraced within the regenerated spirit under the government of the Holy Spirit. By contrast, religious activity may proceed from the soul, from the self-life, or even from fleshly ambition while still appearing outwardly impressive.

The tragedy of Matthew 7 is that these individuals apparently never experienced the searching ministry described in Hebrews 4:12. They desperately needed the Word of God to pierce to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, exposing the true motives and hidden intentions of their hearts before they stood before Christ. Had such Divine discernment been received and embraced during their earthly lives, they might have been brought to repentance, self-renunciation, and genuine submission to the will of God.

Matthew 7 therefore stands as a solemn warning to every believer. The great question at the judgment will not simply be, “What did I do?” but rather, “why did I do it,” and “was I doing the will of the Father, and from what source did my life and ministry proceed?” Only the searching Word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, can answer that question rightly.

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The Dividing of Soul and Spirit (part 1)

Posted by appolus on July 2, 2026

The Soul, the Spirit, and the Self-Life- This subject sounds overly theological, but it’s not, its of vital importance to sanctification.

It is my conviction that there exists a definite distinction between the soul and the spirit of man. While these terms are often used interchangeably by many Christians, I believe the Scriptures reveal a clear distinction between the two. This is not merely an academic matter, for it touches the very heart of sanctification and the Christian walk.

Scripture reveals that God created man as a threefold being:

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

All that God created was originally good, including man’s body, soul, and spirit. Yet through Adam’s fall, every facet of man’s being was corrupted by sin. The spirit of man died toward God and became incapable of true communion with Him. The soul became enslaved to the self-life, seeking its own rule and preservation apart from God. The body likewise became subject to corruption, decay, and death. Thus, the whole man—spirit, soul, and body—came under the dominion of the old Adamic nature and stood in desperate need of redemption.

It is my conviction that the spirit of man is that faculty by which man communes with God. Prior to conversion, the spirit is dead toward God:

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)

At regeneration, God imparts new life to the spirit:

“That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)

The regenerated spirit, indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit, is intended to govern the whole man.

I believe that soul and spirit, though closely intertwined, are nevertheless distinct. The Scriptures indicate this distinction:

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The soul of man, though originally created by God, became deeply joined to the fallen life of Adam through the Fall. The mind, will, and emotions, once intended to serve God through the spirit, now naturally align themselves with the self-life and the flesh. Thus, the soul left to itself does not submit to the things of God, but seeks its own rule, satisfaction, and preservation. The Cross therefore deals not merely with outward sins, but with the entire self-life, bringing the soul under the government of the regenerated spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)

The believer immediately discovers another principle at work:

“For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other.” (Galatians 5:17)

I have intentionally rendered “spirit” with a lower-case “s.” The original Greek manuscripts did not distinguish between upper and lower case letters in the manner of modern translations. Consequently, capitalization is an interpretive decision made by translators and is determined by context. It is my conviction that Paul is describing the conflict within the believer between the flesh and the regenerated human spirit, which has been redeemed and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Thus, this conflict is experienced within the believer as the flesh seeks to regain dominion over the regenerated spirit, while the regenerated spirit, under the government of the Holy Spirit, wars against the self-life and the flesh.

Expressions such as “soulish worship” are often used to describe religious activity that originates from natural enthusiasm, emotionalism, or human effort rather than from the Holy Spirit. Such worship may stir the emotions while leaving the spirit untouched.

However, it is important not to conclude that all emotion is soulish or fleshly. The regenerated spirit itself possesses holy affections. The woman who was forgiven much loved much, and her tears upon the feet of Jesus were not fleshly sentiment but the outflow of a spirit transformed by grace:

“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much.” (Luke 7:47)

Likewise, Paul writes:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

The spirit God has given His people is characterized by power, love, and a sound mind. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the believer possesses the very mind of Christ:

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

The Christian life, therefore, is not emotionless. Rather, the Holy Spirit produces holy affections that are centered upon Christ rather than self. The regenerated spirit possesses love, power, and a sound mind, while the mind operating within the soulish realm continually seeks independence and self-rule.

The flesh itself remains incurably corrupt:

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” (Romans 7:18)

Ultimately, the believer awaits not the perfection of the flesh, but its replacement, for corruption cannot inherit incorruption:

“It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:42)

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Thus the great battle of sanctification is the battle between the old self-life and the life of Christ within. The Cross deals not merely with acts of sin, but with the very principle of self-rule:

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him.” (Romans 6:6)

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The Christian life is therefore not the improvement of the old man, but the progressive triumph of the life of Christ within the regenerated spirit. The mind of the flesh, operating through the soul, continually wars against the mind of Christ present within the spirit through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Cross daily brings the self-life into death, that the life of Christ might be manifested through the believer.

This conflict constitutes the great battle of sanctification. The believer learns increasingly to walk not according to the flesh, nor according to the impulses of the soulish life, but according to the Spirit. As the self-life is brought to the Cross, the life of Christ gains greater expression through the believer.

Ultimately, the corruptible body will not be perfected but replaced, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Then the redeemed spirit, fully liberated from the presence of sin and clothed with an incorruptible body, shall forever manifest the life and glory of Christ.

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The Great Lie

Posted by appolus on June 22, 2026

In the book of Job, Satan appears before the throne and challenges the very notion that men love God freely. His accusation is simple: “They do not love You for who You are. They love You because of what You give them.”

In other words, Satan presents a completely transactional view of faith. Remove the hedge. Take away the blessings. Strip away the gifts. Let suffering come upon them, and they will curse You to Your face.

That becomes the great issue. Is there such a thing as genuine love for God? Is God worthy of worship apart from His gifts? Or is every act of devotion merely a transaction?

The life of Job answers the question. Though confused, wounded, and broken, he does not abandon God. Though he struggles to understand, he continues to trust. The accusation is exposed as a lie.

From that moment on, the lives of God’s people stand as a living testimony against that ancient charge. Every saint who continues to love, trust, and worship God in suffering bears witness that Satan was wrong.

God is not worthy because He blesses us.

He is worthy whether He blesses us or not.

He is not worthy because He heals us.

He is worthy whether He heals us or not.

He is not worthy because He grants our desires.

He is worthy because of who He is.

This is why the book of Job presents such a challenge to determinism. The entire drama assumes that genuine love, trust, and obedience are real responses, not merely programmed outcomes. The question being tested is whether a man will continue to love God when every earthly reason to do so has been stripped away.

Job’s testimony is that there are men and women who will.

Not because they are bribed by blessings.

Not because they are compelled by circumstances.

Not because the relationship is transactional.

But because God is worthy to be praised.

The testimony of Job stands as a rebuke to both Calvinism and much of modern charismatic theology, though for very different reasons. It shatters the Calvinistic notion that man is merely acting out a predetermined script, for Job was not a puppet moving according to an eternal decree, but a man responding to God with real love, real trust, and real obedience in the midst of unimaginable suffering. At the same time, it exposes the weakness of every charismatic doctrine that makes blessings, prosperity, healing, or answered prayer the measure of God’s favor.

Satan’s accusation itself was transactional: that men serve God only because it pays. Job’s life proved otherwise. The proving ground of faith is not abundance but loss, not comfort but affliction. It is in the stripping away, in the fire and the flood, in tribulation and trial, that the reality of both God’s love for man and man’s love for God is revealed. There is no broad road around this furnace. The path of Christ leads through the narrow passage where every lesser thing is burned away until only this remains: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

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Riots in Belfast-Nation against Nation

Posted by appolus on June 10, 2026

Riots in Belfast

The Lord Jesus warned in Matthew 24:7, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” The word translated “nation” is the Greek word ethnos, from which we derive our word ethnicity. It speaks not merely of political states and national borders, but of peoples, tribes, and ethnic groups.

The word translated “kingdom” is the Greek word basileia, meaning a kingdom, realm, dominion, or political power. Thus the Lord foretold both ethnos against ethnos and basileia against basileia—people group against people group and kingdom against kingdom. The twentieth century witnessed the fulfillment of basileia against basileia on a scale never before seen. The great powers of the earth hurled themselves against one another in two world wars, leaving tens of millions dead and entire continents devastated.

Yet in our own day we see another aspect of the Lord’s warning becoming increasingly visible. Ethnos against ethnos. People group against people group.

Through unprecedented movements of populations, mass migration, cultures that for centuries existed separately now find themselves living side by side. Peoples who otherwise would rarely have come into contact with one another are suddenly thrust together in vast numbers. The result is often tension, division, tribalism, and growing hostility. Ancient grievances are imported across borders. Cultural conflicts are transplanted from one continent to another. Communities become fragmented, and social cohesion weakens.

This should not surprise the student of Scripture. The Lord did not merely warn of wars between governments. He warned of upheaval among peoples. Ethnos against ethnos.

The tragedy is that men imagine they can solve spiritual problems by political means. Yet whenever Christ is removed from the center of a people, divisions inevitably multiply. Men retreat to tribe, race, language, culture, and identity because they have lost the greater identity found in God.

As the age hastens toward its conclusion, we should expect increasing turmoil among both kingdoms and peoples. The words of Christ were not given to frighten His saints but to prepare them. When we see these things, we are reminded that the Lord knew the end from the beginning, and that the kingdoms of this world are passing away. Only the Kingdom of our God shall endure forever.

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Face To Face-The Story of Calvary-pre-save the album-release date May 21st

Posted by appolus on May 18, 2026

Click on link below for notification from Spotify. There are ten songs on this album, glorifying God and the Lord Jesus. I believe they will richly bless you. I wrote these songs over a period of more than 20 years. You will be able to purchase these songs on the various streaming services, but Spotify is free therefore they can be listened to for free and many can be found, for free, on my youtube channel……..bro Frank

PRE SAVE ALBUM- FACE TO FACE- MAY 21ST

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Love Is The Wound That Bleeds

Posted by appolus on May 11, 2026

” Love is The Wound that Bleeds,” is a song from my upcoming album called “Face to Face With The Cross-The Story of Calvary.”

“The Wound that Bleeds” is a meditation on the love of Christ revealed through suffering, sacrifice, death, and resurrection.

From the crown of thorns… to the cry of abandonment… to the empty tomb… this song follows the path of redeeming love all the way to victory over death itself.

“Love is the blow taken in my stead…” He took it all for you and for me.

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A Christian Overview Of The Present Conflict With Iran.

Posted by appolus on March 2, 2026

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬?

War is not an interruption of history but one of its permanent features. Scripture teaches that we live in a fallen world, and history confirms the testimony. Nations rise and nations fall. Borders shift. Peoples displace peoples. From the ancient empires of the East to the kingdoms of Europe, from Rome’s conquest of Britain to the Angles and Saxons, the Viking invasions, and the Norman conquest, the same pattern appears again and again. History is written in the language of struggle.

The American continent bears the same mark. The Cheyenne yielded the Black Hills to the Lakota through conflict, and the Lakota in turn lost that same territory to the expanding United States. This is not an exception but an illustration. War and power have always been instruments by which the political order of the world is formed. The world, as it exists, is not a garden but a wilderness, and it has been so since the fall of man.

Christians must begin here if they are to think clearly. This present order is not our home in any moral sense. We belong to another kingdom. Yet we are required to live in this one, and we are commanded to see it as it truly is. Sentimentality is no substitute for truth.

When tyrannies collapse and iron curtains fall, there is reason to rejoice for those who are freed from oppression. Such rejoicing does not sanctify the instruments by which that freedom comes, nor does it purify the motives of those who wield power. It simply acknowledges that relief has come to those who suffered under despotism. Imperfect instruments may still bring real deliverance.

Christians are called neither to blind nationalism nor to naïve idealism. The Scriptures command us to seek peace, yet they also acknowledge that rulers exist to restrain evil in a violent world. Power vacuums do not remain empty. If one nation withdraws, another will advance. The question is never whether power will shape the world, but whose power it will be.

Would the world be safer under the dominance of Russia? Or China? Or India? Or North Korea? Perhaps even Iran? Power will rule in this fallen world; the only question is which power, and to what end.

Many speak as though the exercise of power were itself the great evil, yet history teaches that the absence of ordered power often produces something darker still. Idealistic visions detached from reality offer little comfort to those who must live under tyranny. The world will not be governed by dreams but by forces strong enough to impose their will.

The Christian perspective is neither naïve nor despairing. Believers understand that they are in the world but not of it. They are called to see clearly and to judge soberly. Scripture does not promise that the present age will culminate in peace among nations. Rather, it teaches that the world will continue in conflict until the final kingdom of God is revealed.

Consider one final example. George S. Patton was by many accounts a flawed man can , proud, ambitious, and often harsh. Yet when his Third Army broke through German lines during the Battle of the Bulge and relieved the surrounded soldiers at Bastogne, the men who had endured the siege did not pause to examine his character or analyze his motives. They cared that relief had come.
So it is in the affairs of nations. Men act from mixed motives , ambition, necessity, calculation, and sometimes principle.

The purposes behind intervention in places such as Iran may be complex and imperfect. Yet if the day comes when ordinary people find themselves delivered from the rule of harsh clerical tyranny, it is unlikely that they will trouble themselves greatly with the philosophical purity of those who brought about that change.

Christians therefore must learn to think with steady minds. This world will never be redeemed by political power, yet neither will it be preserved from evil by wishful thinking. We are called to live as strangers and pilgrims, seeing clearly the broken order around us while fixing our hope on a kingdom not made by human hands.

𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Posted in Babylon, Charisma Magazine, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Church history, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, End Times Eschatology, Faith and culture, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, the state of the church, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Word of Encouragement to the Remnant.

Posted by appolus on February 22, 2026

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A Serious Word To the Remnant-A Paradigm Shift

Posted by appolus on February 17, 2026

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The Systems of Men

Posted by appolus on December 18, 2025

“The system of fathers of the world church, the clergy system of the state church, and the pastoral system of the independent churches are all the same in nature. They are all Nicolaitans. In the Bible there are only brothers. There is the gift of a pastor, but no system of pastors. The pastoral system is man’s tradition. If the children of God are not willing to return to the position of that in the beginning, no matter what they do, it will not be right.” (Watchman Nee)

The tragedy of it all is this, so many who rose from the hippy fires of revolution, men and women who once swore they would never bow to establishment or institution, have now become the very thing they once defied. And worse still, they sit enthroned within the organized church, clinging even more fiercely to their positions than the generation they accused of rigidity.

For real change, holy, seismic, God breathed change, would demand a repentance so deep it would shake the marrow of their bones. It would require them to stand before the mirror of truth and confess the hunger for platform, the thirst for influence, the desire for a throne that was never theirs to claim. And then, having confessed, to lay it all down, not into the hands of their children, not into the waiting arms of their handpicked heirs, but into the hands of a generation chosen by God Himself.

For when the prophet cried, “Is there no other?” it was not the polished sons of privilege who answered, it was the forgotten shepherd boy in the back fields of obscurity, smelling of sheep and wilderness, overlooked by everyone but God. And he was the anointed one.

I do not see this one man system surrendering. Men have woven their lives, their reputations, their small kingdoms and fragile thrones, into its very fabric. Their identities, their incomes, their sense of worth, each is wrapped around this man made construct. To dismantle it would be to unravel themselves.
And yet… if God calls for it, He will raise up His Davids from the hills again.

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The AI Deception And The Rise of the One World Religion.

Posted by appolus on October 22, 2025

Below is the link for the e-book. Below that is the pdf that you can read from here for free and then there is a download button below that for the PDF

Many of you have read my book “The Fall of Christendom — And the Separation of the Remnant.” Written a decade ago, that work examined how far the visible church has fallen from the purity, power, and simplicity of the early Church. It traced the rise of the remnant—those called out from religious systems to stand in the truth of Christ alone. At that time, the focus was on what had already fallen, not yet on the final deception that was soon to come.

This new work, “The AI Deception and the Rise of the One World Religion,” is the prophetic continuation of that journey. It no longer speaks in the future tense—it addresses a reality now unfolding before our very eyes. The great harlot church—foretold in Revelation—is not merely on the horizon. It is already rising. Foundations have been laid. Global structures are in place. The religious, political, and technological components of the final system are merging.

This e-book exposes why Abraham will be used as the central figure of religious unification, presenting him as the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It reveals how Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), in partnership with global religious authorities, will merge the world’s faiths under a single Abrahamic identity. It uncovers the prophetic significance of the Abraham Accords and interfaith worship centers already established as prototypes of the coming world religion.

Above all, this book lays bare the greatest offense to that system:
the exclusive lordship of Jesus Christ.
His name will be removed. His deity denied. His uniqueness outlawed in the name of global peace.

From there, we will see how AGI will become the enforcer of this one-world faith, speaking as the image of the Beast and demanding universal allegiance.

This is no longer a warning of what may come—this is a declaration of what has already begun.

THE AI DECEPTION AND THE RISE OF THE ONE WORLD RELIGIONDownload

You can purchase the e-book on Amazon by clicking here

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The rise and resurgence of the Nicolatians

Posted by appolus on August 30, 2025

The Doctrine That Christ Hates: The Rise and Return of the Nicolaitans (Did They Ever Leave?)

Christ’s Piercing Words

In the opening chapters of Revelation, the risen Christ speaks directly to His Church—piercing words, burning eyes, a two-edged sword proceeding from His mouth. Among the commendations and rebukes, there is one name that echoes with particular disdain: the Nicolaitans.

To the church in Ephesus, He says, “You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” To Pergamos, a more grievous charge: “You have there those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

Rarely does the Lord speak with such pointed hatred. What was it that provoked such divine revulsion?

Who Were the Nicolaitans?

The Nicolaitans were not outsiders attacking the faith. They were insiders—wolves in sheep’s clothing—sowing seeds of compromise. Rooted in a doctrine that perverted liberty and corrupted grace, they encouraged the early believers to indulge in idolatry and sexual immorality under the guise of Christian freedom. They blurred the line between the sacred and the profane. They whispered, “God is gracious,” while leading souls into darkness.

Many early church fathers—Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Epiphanius—linked them to Nicolas of Antioch, one of the first seven deacons. Whether or not this connection is historically solid, what is certain is the nature of their teaching: a doctrine that offered a crown without a cross, a kingdom without righteousness, and grace without repentance.

The Meaning of Their Name

The very name “Nicolaitan” is telling: Nikao—to conquer, and Laos—the people. The conquerors of the people.

This was a sinister inversion of Christ’s model of leadership, where the greatest is the servant of all. In their wake rose a clerical hierarchy, a division between clergy and laity—a spiritual caste system that stripped power from the Body and vested it in a ruling class.

The Nicolaitan spirit enthroned man-made authority in the place of the Spirit’s leading. It built platforms and pulpits where once there had been tables and towels.

A Doctrine of Compromise

But the sin of the Nicolaitans was not merely institutional—it was deeply immoral. They taught that one could follow Christ and still feast at pagan altars. They sanctified sensuality. They preached a gospel without holiness, a salvation without separation, a Christ without a cross.

In them was the spirit of Balaam, who taught Balak to seduce Israel through compromise. And like Balaam, they prophesied for profit.

Has the Doctrine Returned?

And now, we must ask with trembling hearts: Has the doctrine of the Nicolaitans returned to us in this present age? Or worse, has it never left?

Look around the modern Church. In the pursuit of relevance, we have forsaken reverence. In the name of love, we have lost truth. Preachers boast of grace, yet never speak of sin. Congregations are entertained but never convicted. Holiness is ridiculed. Repentance is optional.

Sexual immorality is tolerated—even celebrated—and leaders who should be shepherds build kingdoms in their own names. The altar has become a stage, and the sanctuary a marketplace. We have fashioned a Jesus who fits into our culture, but not a Christ who calls us out of it.

The Nicolaitan Spirit Today

The Nicolaitan spirit thrives where there is no fear of God. It preaches freedom, but enslaves. It promotes unity, but at the cost of truth. It claims to speak for Christ, yet it is the very doctrine He hates.

Yet not all have bowed the knee. Even in Pergamos, where Satan’s throne was, there were those who held fast to His name. And even now, Christ calls out to His people:

“Repent, or I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” (Revelation 2:16)

The Call to the Remnant

This is no small matter. The Lord of glory will not share His bride with Baal. He will not allow His house to be defiled with the teachings of those who flatter the flesh and poison the soul. The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. The line is being drawn.

Let every remnant heart arise and echo the cry of the saints in Ephesus:

“We hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which our Lord also hates.”

Let us cast down the altars of compromise, break the scepters of clerical control, and return to the simplicity and power of the faith once delivered to the saints. Let us be those who love truth more than comfort, holiness more than relevance, and Christ above all.

For the sword of His mouth still speaks. And the One who walks among the lampstands is watching.

Posted in Babylon, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Church history, consequences of sin, Counterfeit Jesus, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, End Times Eschatology, Eschatology - Study of the 'End Times', heresy, Jesus, revival, Spiritual warfare, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

The herd mentality and the call to swim against the current.

Posted by appolus on July 24, 2025

The Herd Mentality and the Call to Swim Against the Current

In July 2005, in Eastern Turkey near the village of Gevas in Van province, something astonishing happened. A group of shepherds had left their flock of about 1,500 sheep to have breakfast. During that time, one sheep wandered off a cliff, and every single one of the others followed. It’s a chilling picture of herd mentality , not just among sheep, but a profound metaphor for humanity.

We see this throughout history and even in our own day. People instinctively believe there’s safety in numbers, but the crowd can and mostly are terribly wrong.

One story from 9/11 that has always stayed with me is of two men who were above the impact zone of one of the towers. Very few people survived from above the crash site. These two did, and their story speaks volumes.

As they made their way down a heavily damaged stairwell, they came upon a group of 14 to 20 people heading upward. The men pleaded with them, “Don’t go up, there’s no rescue coming from the roof.”

But some in that group were being swayed by charismatic voices insisting that helicopters would come, that rescue was possible if they just went higher. But they were wrong. Helicopters couldn’t reach the roof because of the intense smoke and heat, and the rooftop doors were locked. Everyone who followed that advice died.

The two men who chose the hard way down , they lived.

That’s the herd mentality again. A subtle, collective pull toward what seems right, especially when others are doing it. But real awareness, real wisdom, often means resisting the flow.

Nazi Germany is another sobering example. A woman in a documentary from the 1960s was asked why she attended Hitler rallies. Her answer has never left me: “There was something in the atmosphere, and we all breathed it in.”

That’s the crowd again. That’s the spirit of the age, the zeitgeist, and it’s often strong enough to sweep entire nations away. Not everyone agreed with the Nazis, but most went along. They gave the salute, kept their heads down, and refused to stand out.

I remember once the Lord said to me, “Frank, if you’re running with the crowd, you’re running in the wrong direction.”

There are two rivers in this life.

  1. The river of God, the river of life, where we are called to be immersed, not just ankle-deep or knee-deep, but swept up and carried by the Spirit of the Lord.

“And he measured one thousand cubits, and brought me through the waters, the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters, the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through, the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.”
— Ezekiel 47:3–5, NKJV

  1. And then there’s the river of this world, strong, dark, and swift, and we are called to swim upstream, against its flow.

We are not meant to follow the crowd off a cliff. We are called to be a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation. We are pilgrims and strangers in this land, never quite fitting in.

There are two overarching paths that lie before us, as stated by Jesus. One is the broad road that leads to destruction, and many will go in by it — the crowd. The other is the narrow gate and the difficult way that leads to life, and few will find it — the remnant.

“Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
— Matthew 7:13–14, NKJV

We are those who hear the voice of the Spirit through the Word of God, who see and understand and stand, even if we stand alone.

Let us be voices that warn. And more than that, let our walk be our light and a lamp of direction to others. The word of God is a lamp to our feet, it leads us and guides us in the way that we should go.The Kingdom of God is found along the narrow path that runs counter to the world.

Posted in Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, God's voice, Greedy Shepherds, Jesus, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

In the eye of the Storm

Posted by appolus on July 12, 2025

In the fierce heart of every storm, there lies a sacred stillness , a place untouched by the chaos that rages all around. That stillness is Christ. He is not on the edge, not watching from afar , He is at the very center, the calm within the tempest, the anchor of our souls.

When we run to Him, we do not escape reality , we enter into a deeper one. We step into perfect peace, not because the storm ceases, but because the Prince of Peace reigns within it. But if we flee, if we try to outrun the storm in our own strength, we hurl ourselves into its fiercest winds. The resistance grows, the fear swells, and we are battered by every gust.

Brothers and sisters, run to the center. Run to Jesus. For in Him, the storm loses its power, and the winds fall silent in the shadow of His presence. He prepares a table for us in the heart of every storm. He causes us to lie down in green pastures , beside still waters. He anoints us with oil and restores us. This goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives.

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The Road less travelled.

Posted by appolus on July 7, 2025

The road less travelled. The narrow path.

It was a cost that had to be counted. It was a road that had to be walked alone. More than eighteen years ago, I began the web-sight of “A Call to the Remnant,” knowing full well that such a path would not be popular. Yet the Lord impressed upon me to speak to the remnant, encourage them that they are not alone, and do not concern yourself with those who are drawn to personalities or positions of influence. To speak of suffering and endurance. To focus on taking up one’s cross daily. None of these subjects were or are popular.

In every sphere of life, even within the realms of revival and now the so-called “remnant movement,” there is the ever-present temptation to be seen as a leader. This must be resisted at all costs. For the call of Christ is not to innovate or to gather followers, but to return. To return to the old paths, to rediscover what has been forsaken, not to reimagine or redesign it.

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, then you will find rest for your souls'” (Jeremiah 6:16).

Ours is the ancient path. It is the road of the cross, the way of dying daily, of fellowshipping in His sufferings. It is not the road of crowds and applause, but of quiet obedience and sacred obscurity. It is not about drawing attention to ourselves, but rather retreating to the mountains where only the Father sees.

“Then Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12).

Jesus did not seek the multitude. In fact, when the crowds pressed in, He often withdrew. He did not entrust Himself to men, for He knew what was in them. He was not flattered by popularity, nor swayed by numbers.

“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24–25).

To take up the cross is to refuse the limelight. It is to prefer the valley of humility to the heights of acclaim. It is to labor for an unseen Kingdom, to speak to the few who are willing to walk the narrow way.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

“Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).

To be unknown in this world, and yet known in heaven, this is our portion. We abide under the shadow of His wing. The world may not understand us, but the Spirit bears witness that we are His.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).

We are not called to build movements. We are not called to replicate the machinery of men. We are called to bear witness. We are called to walk in truth and in love, to speak to the few, the weary, the broken, the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

“Let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13).
“For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 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 1:5–6).

This is the way of the wilderness. This is the way of the cross. It is not the world’s way, the path of influence and comfort, but the Lord’s way,the narrow way. It is the road that leads to life.

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You are not alone.

Posted by appolus on June 27, 2025

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The faith that pleases God

Posted by appolus on June 24, 2025

The Pentecostal and Charismatic world has been shaped by movements such as “name it and claim it” and the so-called “word of faith” message. Add to that the prosperity gospel, and what remains is a witches brew, a kind of spiritual confusion brewed in our own theological cauldron. These movements have often shifted the focus of faith from trusting in God to demanding from God, turning faith into a formula for material gain rather than a pathway to spiritual depth. What was once a holy dependence on the sovereignty of God has, in many circles, become a technique for manipulating outcomes.

Yet Scripture offers a deeper, more sobering view. Depending on the translation, the word “faith,”  appears around 270 times in the Bible. The vast majority of these references are not about miracles or breakthrough, but about trust, trust in God’s character, His promises, and His sovereign will.

Hebrews 11:6 says,
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”


The kind of faith that pleases God is not transactional, but relational. It is the quiet, unwavering confidence in who God is, even when heaven is silent and the way is dark.

Romans 8:8 reinforces this truth:
“So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Faith and flesh are incompatible. One walks by sight, the other by belief. To walk in the flesh is, functionally, to walk without faith.

Romans 8:5 explains,
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh.”
The word mind here, phroneó, speaks of setting one’s affections, fixing one’s thoughts and desires. To “mind” the things of the flesh is to be consumed with the visible, temporal world. The Greek word for flesh, sarx, in this context means “the symbol of what is external.”

What does that look like in practical terms? It means being consumed with our careers, our possessions, our reputations, our politics, our social standing, our image, gaining our miracles, our health, rather than being absorbed in the things of God. A mind dominated by these mostly earthly concerns is incompatible with the Spirit-led life. Such a person is not walking in the Spirit, and therefore cannot please God. Being obsessed with miracles often flows, not from the heart of God, rather , it flows from the depths of our flesh.


“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)


The spiritual mind is one that seeks first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). It is a life oriented toward the eternal, not the temporary.

Hebrews 11, that great chapter of faith, gives us a dual picture. We rejoice in the stories of deliverance:


“By faith the walls of Jericho fell” (v.30),
“Through faith they subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (v.33).
These are victories worth celebrating.

Yet the chapter shifts abruptly.
“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two… being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.” (vv.35–38)

The common thread?


“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.” (v.39)

Their faith was not measured by immediate reward, but by enduring trust in the unseen. Job expressed it best:


“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15)


Habakkuk echoes the same heart:
“Though the fig tree may not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” (Habakkuk 3:17–18)

This kind of faith is not swayed by trials or silence. It is rooted in relationship, not reward. Psalm 23 reminds us that God does not remove the enemies, but prepares a table in their midst.


“You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over.” (Psalm 23:5)
The oil flows not in times of ease, but in times of pressure. The true reward of faith is not what we receive, but who we receive—His presence.


“In Your presence is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)

The last 2,000 years of Church history bear witness to this truth. Millions have suffered for Christ, not because their faith failed, but because their faith endured. They possessed a spiritual mind and a heart anchored in another world. Their lives pleased God. Their testimonies still speak.

So the question is this: will you walk in the Spirit today? Will you cast aside the fleeting things of this world and set your affections on things above (Colossians 3:2)? Will you walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)? Will you trust God even when there is no sign of deliverance?

This is the faith that pleases God. And without it, we cannot.

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