The incarnation, God manifest in the flesh, is critical to our understanding not only of the Godhead but to Salvation itself.  From the beginning we see that the Word expressed the self: “Let there be” and there was.  The worlds were framed by the word of God it was not just the results of word, but of the word expressed.  We often hear the phrase “from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”  Why not so with the incarnation?

     His Word revealed Him.  He was first revealed in creation, and then revealed in written form.  One only needs to look around their environment and see that there is a creator of all things.  Consider the universe and its’ vastness, the complexity of the Earth and all that is in it.  He then gives us His written Word; one has to take into account that His word has stood the test of time.  Many have stood and proclaim it not true but never proven.  Should it not be surprising that He would then come and reveal himself in the flesh?  Consider the very attributes of God; they are distinguishing characteristics of the nature of God.  These attributes are inseparable from the idea of deity and are the basis and ground for His various manifestations to His creation.

     Truth is spoken and righteous deeds are enacted by almost every man.  But truth and righteousness are not inseparable from man.  This is not the case with deity.  You cannot separate your conception of God from righteousness and truth.

     Consider holiness, you cannot separate the two ideas of Al mighty God and absolute purity.  Psalm 145:17 says: “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”  Isaiah 6:3 says, “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”  The Old Testament shows holiness is resident in god alone.  Holiness is constant as part of the nature of God.

     Justice is a principle which affirms the certainty of punishment for wrongdoing, a guard and defense of holiness.  If God is to remain supreme all rebellion against holiness must be stamped out and punished.  Ezekiel tells us the soul that sinneth, it shall die.   Mercy is an eternal principle of God’s nature which leads Him to seek the welfare of those who have failed but want to obey.  The list can go on to consider love, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience.  The question to consider now is could these be put into flesh?

     Traces are found in men, but could all of them become God’s Word personified?  Language must be transformed into life, so “the Word was made flesh” John 1:14.  “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:” Hebrews 10:5  Jesus, the Word, is Immanuel, God with us.

     The meaning of life, the purpose of God in creation, became intelligible in Jesus Christ.

Holiness was dead and buried in formal rules of conduct.  It was paralyzed by man’s universal failure, hopelessly unattainable.  But here was holiness splendidly alive, spontaneous, and free.  Holiness became flesh, the Word Incarnate.

     “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9  He was God’s anointed according to Acts 4:27.  Hebrews 7:26 tells us that He was Holy, separate from sinners.  Exodus speaks of the Passover lamb that was without blemish. I Peter 1:5 teaches us that we are redeemed because of Him.  Our salvation will come as a result of Him.  Justice became flesh when He said, ‘Go and sin no more”.  Mercy became flesh when He said, “they sins be forgiven thee”.  Love became flesh when He said, “God so loved the world”.  Truth became flesh, “I am the way, the truth, the life”.  Omniscience became flesh because He knew forty years into the future that the temple would be destroyed.  When Jesus appeared to his disciples he again proves his Omniscience. “”by taking up Thomas’ challenge in this way, Jesus simultaneously proves that he hears his disciples even when he is not physically present, and removes all possible grounds for unbelief, even the most unreasonable.”  (“The Gospel According to John”  1991, p. 657)  He has all power in heaven and earth, now Omnipotence became flesh.  Jesus saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, thus omnipresence became flesh.  All attributes of Deity.

     Interesting to note how the councils of Nicea and Constantinople both established the Christ was God, yet they chose to embellish on the error of the Godhead stating that He was the second person of a made-up triune Godhead.  

According to I Timothy 3:16, the true mystery of godliness is the Incarnation. There is no mystery as to how many gods there are, for Scripture reveals that God is absolutely and indivisibly one (Deuteronomy 6:4). But the mystery is how did God come in the flesh? How was the baby Jesus and then the man Jesus also God? (“History of Christian Doctrine” 1995, p.142)

     The incarnation is an act of God that materialized, Himself, into a human body.  He was made flesh or made human.  We know that God is a spirit. John 4:24  “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1 Tim 3:16  Jesus is the embodiment of the one true Spirit, the Almighty, the Prince of Peace, the Great I Am, Wonderful, Counselor, and so much more. 

     God could not have been born of Mary, but of the Holy Spirit.  The man, flesh or humanity, was born of Mary.  But God was not born on that day, He was manifest.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”  Rom 1:20-25

Many would desire to change “the truth of God into a lie” yet when we fully comprehend who it is we serve we understand why the Incarnation of the word is so critical to our salvation today. 

     Jesus was the incarnate Word of God.  “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2  This was the city ruled by Jew and Gentile and is here showing the joining of two in redemption both Deity and flesh.  Gal 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”   

     The question of concern now is why the incarnation?  Romans 5:6 says, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”  It was for all mankind.  Without the incarnation the cross would have been insignificant. 

“So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” Matt 1:17-18

     This was the master plan from the beginning.  The Incarnation is a result of the workings of the Holy Ghost.  The reason for the incarnation, it was for you and for me. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

Reference List

Bernard, David K. 1983. The oneness of God. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Bernard, David K. 1988.  A Handbook of Basic Doctrines. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Bernard, David K. 1992. In the Name of Jesus.  Hazelwood, MO:  Word Aflame Press

Bernard, David K. 1995. A History of Christian Doctrine, Volume One.  Hazelwood, MO: Word

       Aflame Press

Carson, D.A. 1991.  The Gospel According to John.  Grand Rapids, MI: APOLLOS

Erickson, Millard J. 1985. Christian theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

The Holy Bible, KJV

Tertullian believed that “heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy,” (Tertullian, Heretics, 7 . Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3, 246). Just like Tertullian, it is my opinion, that  the apostolic movement as a whole fears what they do not understand.  Many of our founding leaders were uneducated men and it was for various reasons and they are to be commended for their fervent pursuit of the Truth.  However, I believe that this caused them to be a bit apprehensive in their dealings with the more wealthy and the educated because they could not relate to them, so they thought. 

I have learned that most conflicts are, in their basic element, an issue of control.  Could it be that the reason for the lack of intellectual conversion is that there is a fear that control will be lost?  Think about it, how many Pastors supply their people with literature, training, resources.  The answer is, mainly those that are growing do.  As a movement we expect people to follow the generals into battle but we don’t want to give them the weapons for fear that they will become stronger than we are.  We in fact have neglected to save the mind and are more focused on the soul. 

In the past  five to ten years I have personally seen a change in this way of thinking.  I do not know if it is the current generations that are stepping up to the challenge of leadership or if the mind set over all is changing.  I do not believe that the apostolic movement as a whole is doing as well as we could be doing in the arena of intellectual conversion.  We focus more on the soul than we do the mind.  Our churches, on a whole, do not  put into place proper discipleship programs.  We rely on the experience without the knowledge of what it all means. The generation before has fought the idea that a person has a right or an obligation to ask the question, why? 

The lack of intellectual conversion is one of the main reasons for people leaving the church.  Other groups are doing a better job in this area and this opens up a door for our people to be asked questions that they can not answer, confusion and frustration sets in and people just give up.  Timothy said “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,”  That seal or guarantee was contingent on the study that one had done.  Their standing sure was a result of what they had place in their mind.  What is on your mind?

I can’t help myself but to choose this topic to write about.  It is something that is on my mind every day that God chooses to allow me to be part of what He is doing.  Do we truly realize the value of a soul?  We know the scripture, Mark 8:36-38, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”  How often do we stop there and not read on.  “Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 

This word ashamed is of interest to me.  I for one do not want to be ashamed when He standing in judgment.  Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words has this to say about the word ashamed in this portion of scripture: 

ASHAMED (TO BE), SHAMETo have a feeling of fear or shame which prevents a person from doing a thing(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) 

I am convinced that we as children of God are not lacking in our understanding of the value of a soul from the point of view of eternity and all that stands with that, yet we haven’t personally won someone to the Lord.  Could it be that what we don’t understand is that we are proving to be “ashamed”?    We could easily replace this word with the word “afraid”.  An American preacher, Jeff Arnold, once said, “Fear is faith in the devil.”  What a powerful thought provoking statement. 

Fear is an amazing creature.  Fear is something that we don’t want to admit we have hidden in our heart, in our home, in our life, in our marriage.  It’s often like the pit pull dog that bites down and won’t let go.  We don’t teach a Bible Study, why?  Not because of lack of time, rather more often it is because of fear.  We don’t pay our tithes, why?  Fear!  We are afraid that the bills won’t be paid or that our savings plan won’t go as scheduled.  We don’t admit when we are wrong.  Why? Try these for answers: fear, guilt, shame, doubt! 

The apostle said in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” 

That which you fear is exactly what you will serve.  Christ is looking for the unashamed in

If you have ever said, “I wish I could be used in Missions, but I just can’t go overseas.” Perhaps you should consider the X-Project. This is a program with in the Home Missions Division of the United Pentecostal Church. With your Pastor’s blessing you can enlist in this program and go to one of our Metro-Mission churches to help pastors in planting churches.

Contact Rev. David Wiseman for more details: dwiseman@upci.org

You can also visit the HMD website and look up the X-Project under “Ministries”. www.homemissionsdivision.com

I believe that the UPCI is the most impressive oneness, apostolic, truth preaching, teaching organization that exists.  Does this mean that any others are of no value, absolutely not.  Does this mean that the UPCI is the only one that should be considered when looking to belong to an organization? Absolutely not.  Does this mean that some who choose to stay independent aren’t fit to be considered part of this great apostolic movement?  Absolutely not!

Recently the comment was made that the UPCI is the best organization out there and the response was, “Ya, that is what scares me.”  I thought about that for a few moments and had to admit that yes I do find it a bit terrifying to consider that this may be as good as it gets.

Just a couple of years ago I was visiting in Johannesburg, South Africa and we went into a McDonald’s to grab some food, after all we live nearly five hours from the closest McDonald’s.  When we entered in there were over 60 young people all in black and white with their name plates on their white shirts.  They are all Mormons.  I asked one of them if there was a convention in town only to be told, “No, we all live here.”  All of them American young people who gave a year plus of their lives to go into mission work.

This entry is not meant to be an attack on our youth or our elders.  That stated I found McDonald’s popping up all over South Africa as well as the Mormons.  Both motivated to grow and reach their goals.  We have such a “great salvation”, what an incredible message of truth we have.

Some are doing their best to influence our movement to become soul conscience with meetings such as Soul Winners Boot Camp.  I admire the efforts going into such meetings.  But I have to ask the question:  Is this as good as it gets?

Sacrifice is a word that we avoid like a plague not to mention putting it into action.  We no longer have to go onto foreign fields to reach our world.  I pray daily that God gives us a church in New Haven that is full of people who are passionately pursuing a deeper more real relationship with HIM.  A relationship that consumes us to the point that nothing else matters to us than not just seeing people filled with the Holy Ghost but seeing them disciples and nurtured into strong soul winners.  God give us that hunger.  Lets us not be side tracked by all the hurts and pains that our friends, family, and even enemy’s have brought us.  None of it compares to what You endured for me.

I refuse to be satisfied.

PS….perhaps you should read my entry about the X-Project

During our recent red eye flight to Tampa for the General Conference of the UPCI, I watched a younger father (younger than myself) deal with his three very tired children while trying to also handle the airline company that had obviously messed their flights up drastically.

It caught my attention mainly because you rarely see families like this anymore. Husband, wife, children all of which are very close and protective of one another.

We have to protect the sanctity of the family. Sitting here in Houston Inter. I began looking at the word “family.” It is mentioned one hundred and twenty three times in scripture. It is of importance. There is a structure, plan, that God has given us to follow when it comes to family.

The word family literally means a circle of relatives. My mind couldn’t help but think of how the word circle is “relative” to families. For the last few months we have traveled in the western part of our great country and have pointed out to our children the different areas that the pioneers traveled and the things they did to survive. One of those was the wagon train and how they would circle the wagons to protect themselves from those that would choose to harm them. The circle was continues, never ending. The family must be a continuous flow of agreement, lifestyle, love for the things of God. My prayer this morning is that God would help us to build stronger families.

The thought that keeps coming to mind is that a strong church can only exist when there are strong families. I for one will protect my family from any that would desire to harm them. Rev. 12:12 tells us that the Devil has come down having a great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

Devil, you can’t have our FAMILIES!!!!

The follow are notes from a training session I had on multiple occassions with the wonderful people we worked with in Botswana, Africa. These wonderful people are by far the best altar workers I have ever seen. I hope that you enjoy this and perhaps can use it to teach in your local church. Some of this is specific to our situation in Botswana.

The Church The church is made up of a group of people of which not all are part of the church. There is a nucleus that is the church. Don’t let the others frustrate you. Don’t let their lack of participation disrupt your faith. Participate as you desire too. If you came ready to worship, worship! Dance, sing, shout, come believing God for great things! Church Service There is a reason why we have church services. Think about it you find Peter preaching in a house, on a rock, etc. So why do we have church services when you don’t really hear of them in scripture? Acts 16 Paul and Silas go to the jailer’s house and have a Pentecostal service. Somehow we have come to our service as a result of passed down traditions, not necessarily from scripture. But not necessarily a bad thing either. The church service should be a time were we come together expecting God to do something and it doesn’t have to fit in our mould. Our own thinking.

I’m talking about faith. Faith is when my mould fits into His mould. When I can’t understand the situation but I allow God to take control. We can not come to church with a pre-conceived idea of what God is going to do. That is not Pentecost. Pentecost is coming expecting God to do something great, allowing Him to have his way. There is a reason for having church and it’s not to go through a song service, have prayer time, take up an offering, listen to the preaching, and then possibly have a time of prayer. No it is to discover the will of God! He will give us all kinds of different services. There is a reason for a church service! A Pentecostal service can not be summed up in a simple sentence; God comes to our service to move on many different types of people in many different types of ways often at different times not just the preaching, or the altar call. The most important part of the service: It is not the preaching, not the singing, not the prayer time….it is that moment were God is allowed to operate as He wills. It’s that one moment that an individual has to touch God and they may never be in that position again. When we walk through the door of the church we don’t need to know or understand what God is going to do, but we do need to understand that God is going to DO!

Unity in the Service From the time we gather together we have to be in agreement on every aspect of the service. When we enter into these evangelistic services we have to enter into them in Unity believing that ANYTHING can happen. People receiving this experience is not based on our abilities, our talents, but it is based on us not limiting God and allowing him to operate as He desires. The most powerful thing in the world is not the will of God, not the Devil, but the Will of Man! We can limit, hinder, and destroy what God desires by our own stubborn will. We need to have unity in believing that is going to operate in every area of the service! Yes even the OFFERING! If we agree on it and believe He will do it, something can happen. We may see what He does, or we may not. In matt. Jesus preaches a 45 sec sermon on the parable of the sower. Some leave and a small group is left behind. Someone asks what does this mean? He says to you who remain it is given to know the mysteries of God. Those who left, those who don’t participate, let it be a mystery….

But we need to stay in unity of faith believing it is going somewhere! Come ready to minister/develop a spiritual sensitivity: Get your heart right long before the service.You are there to minister. You are there to see people saved.Five seconds in the prayer room isn’t going to cut it.Be in a mind and spirit of prayer.Come ready to worship! WE MUST HAVE AN INTENSE DESIRE TO SEE GOD DO SOMETHING! AND THAT SOMETHING BE HIS WILL AND NOT SOME PRE-CONSIEVED IDEA OF WHAT WE THINK SHOULD HAPPEN! When you’re making your task list for the next day or week.When you’re sleeping.When you reading your Bible rather than paying attention what is happening.When you’re counting the ceiling tiles or timing the preacher…When you’re praying and your mind is so far from the prayer your praying…. YOU’RE MISSING the whole thing! YOU GOTTA GET A HOLD OF YOUR SELF BECAUSE YOU ARE BEING SUCKED INTO THE DEVILS COMPRAMISE!!!! The Church service is IMPORTANT! When you are spiritually sensitive you don’t have to prove it to anyone. It is put there in you by God, by His Spirit. Not for you to make a scene for yourself. Being spiritually sensitive means you have allowed the Holy Ghost to energize you to be involved in a service as the service moves on. “Lord help me to be sensitive to you so I know what you would have me to do and Lord help me be responsive to you to do what you would have me to do.” Don’t let the supernatural become ordinary! There will be people in these services that no matter how we feel the service is going they will be experiencing something so powerful, so awesome, yet we feel its boarder line DEAD. Remember God is trying to accomplish something! So the next time you think “Oh, he says that all the time” or “We’re singing this again”….remember that God is trying to accomplish something and it is a trick of the enemy to keep us separated in mind and spirit! Prayer

1. James 5 – pray out of compassion. I don’t to be the professional prayer with all the correct phrases and so on…..

The Altar Service Are they becoming a tradition in our church? Do you realize that we don’t find altar services in the Bible?Yet another aspect of our church that has been passed down over time. Here is the danger that I see…. We have a mentality at times that it is the only time someone can receive the Holy Ghost, or anything else from God as far as that goes. We need to come EXPECTING God to do what He desires at anytime in the service! Don’t limit God!!! This is not to diminish the altar time, it’s good, it works, and it isn’t against scripture……

5. Instruction

5. 1. We will give instruction from the pulpit. (give instruction now on repentance and lifting hands, surrendering to God)
   2. You may need to give further instruction if you recognize that the person isn’t sure of what they should do.
   3. You’ve got to be spiritually sensitive while praying with someone.

6. Keep your eyes open! (also your ears) If we have an overwhelming amount of seekers and not enough altar workers look around for those with tears in their eyes! They are sensitive, they are feeling something, they are allowing God access!
   1. If there are more than one altar workers, the more experienced altar worker should be in charge. They should give instruction, only one person given instruction! The rest are there to help worship.
   2. All are always under Pastoral Leadership, yes even Pastor Perry is under Pastor Simoneaux’s leadership. If pastoral leadership tells you to go pray somewhere else, do it, realize that there is a reason even if you don’t know the reason. Yet another reason to keep your eyes and ears open!
7. Be sensitive to anything that may be a hindrance to the seeker.
   1. Visitors card in hand, or pen, etc.
   2. Baby in arms
   3. Not closing eyes
   4. If the person you’re praying for is not making progress. Something is wrong! It should happen the first time you pray for them.

i. Maybe they didn’t repent? ii. Maybe they think they can live their old life. iii. There heart must be broken. Recognizing who God is and that they are a sinner! iv. Lack of repentance = NO HOLY GHOST. You can’t force them. It is their choice; they may need your friendship, a Bible Study, etc.e. A lack of commitment may also be a hindrance. “I’ll do what you say Lord”f. A lack of faith. i. Maybe they have lived such an awful life that they don’t believe God will do this for them. ii. God is not against them but the sin. iii. The attitude has to be I can receive the Holy Ghost right now! Not tomorrow or the next time. Think about it. We believe in a God we can’t see. We believe in the laying on of hands. We believe in speaking in tongues. WE ARE ALL ABOUT FAITH! “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak in other tongues.” They spoke. The last step or act of faith is obeying by speaking in tongues! COME EXPECTING, BELIEVING IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!

Why Metro-Missions?

By Rick Perry Metro Missionary to

     Metro-Missions, an evangelizing arm of the Home Missions Division of the United Pentecostal Church International, is a means to send men and women into our metropolitan areas of the

     The great commission is clear, we are to go and teach all nations.  What an opportunity that awaits us to fulfill this great commission.  Many say, “I am glad that you were called to the foreign field because I just couldn’t go there myself.”  There is great news you don’t have to go outside of your own country to “teach all nations.”  The mission field has come to the

           The United States has become a great mission field within nine metropolitan areas alone there are over 11,854,118 people living there who were born outside of the United States.  If we are conservative and assume that each of these on average have two family members attached to them who are now U.S. Citizens the number jumps immensely to 48,785,092.  Again this is just those who are very closely linked to another culture yet are living within our own boarders in only nine of our metropolitan areas!  With a total population in these areas of 80,698,203 it is feasible to believe that over half have links to nations outside of ours.

  Gods most powerful mechanism is the local church.  It’s the local church that will effectively reach these areas.  Perhaps it will be in the beginnings of a daughter work, perhaps in the sending of men and women, perhaps in supporting a Metro-Missionary.  For many it is a fearful thought to open our doors to the multitudes of which we don’t understand.  We can not relate to their culture, style of worship, language.  Let’s bridge this gap by reaching into these communities and finding men and women within these communities who can then go back and reach their own and perhaps back to their homelands and be engaged in revival afar off.

“…and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8  It begins at home.  What an awesome God we serve as He has brought the harvest to us.  What will we do to reap what is setting ready in our back yard?  Why Metro-Missions they ask, perhaps it can be answered with this question, why not?  Consider supporting a Metro-Missionary today with a monthly PIM commitment for a period of three years.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  The fact you have taken time to visit encourages us to move forward.  Before you leave please consider partnering with us by following the links on to:

http://25minuteoffering.com/metroMissionary_Perry.asp. 

After 14 years in Botswana, Africa we are excited about the opportunity God has given us to start another church in the metro area of New Haven, Connecticut.