Comments on: The Missing Ingredient

By: Kendall Richard Albright

Kendall Richard Albright — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:56:44 +0000

the hard thing to do is to give up our own will and our own wants and our own way and allow
ourselves to “gladly spend and be spent in the service of God and of others” we need to just give up we will eventually willingly be comformed to His will and His image anyway. Jesus said
that if we really wanted to follow Him we needed to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow.. it’s always our choice.

By: Chip Brogden

Chip Brogden — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:32:42 +0000

In reply to Macario Cadatal. I agree. "Love comes from God" (1 John 4:7). It does not come from us.

By: Macario Cadatal

Macario Cadatal — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:35:28 +0000

In reply to Bettina.

“to love God and obey His command” is am impossibility for me to do, of my own. I can’t do. So He has to do it through me. Paul said, “…not i but Christ…”. It’s some kind of God loving God and people or Jesus loving Jesus and people only that it is through a human instrument. So love by itself is still half. I think the other half to make it complete is a surrendered life, which only God can bring to pass. It’s like a husband is only half unless he has the other half, which is the better half (just kiding), his wife.

By: Macario Cadatal

Macario Cadatal — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:22:58 +0000

yes, love is the missing ingredient but that love is not mine otherwise it will be flesh love. Instead that kind of love is God’s love flowing through me going out to Him and to others. Paul said, “not i but Christ…” of my own i can’t love so He’s the one loving through me. Nothing to own really. That kind of love, I think, should be coupled with a surrendered life.

By: Bettina

Bettina — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:58:01 +0000

“…rejoice! And again I say to you: rejoice !!!”

Hello Chip,
I’m quoting these words from Paul in the letter to the Philippians because the Lord is the best teacher we can have !
I read your article yesterday and it touched me….but it also left some questions unanswered.
I say this to encourage you because the revelation the Lord gave you lead to another revelation I would like to share with you.
My questions were: How do I get this love and what kind of love is it ? Well, I know, only in JESUS I can find this love. And it can’t be the kind of “love” that is expressed in the world ! But how can we distinguish HIS love working through me from the “love” I think I have for my brothers and sisters ? I really cried out to Him and He lead me to 1.John 5;2,3:
“This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and CARRYING OUT HIS COMMANDS. This is love for God: TO OBEY HIS COMMANDS.” HAllelujah !!! So, when I love God and OBEY then His love works in me to love the children of God !!!
I remember the Lord telling me a few times NOT to help brothers and sisters because HE wanted to teach them and work in them in that situation of need. We always think it is love when WE want to do good. But it is still our flesh !! Some things seem very “good”, like teaching and preaching and knowledge and prophecy and faith that can move mountains (1.Cor.13), but using these gifts in disobedience (without love) we gain nothing !
This was such a blessing to me and I pray that it will be also a blessing to you and my dear brothers and sisters ! AMEN ! JESUS IS AWESOME !!

By: Edie Hicks

Edie Hicks — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:16:28 +0000

Excelent article one can get into a lot of trouble practicing this organized church these days sadly enough!!

By: Heidi McClain

Heidi McClain — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:21:28 +0000

I know you wrote this article some time ago, but it came into my email box today. I was convicted and thrilled all at the same time. Amen! a word I truly needed and so I’m writing to tell you that I receive it…. Right from Gods mouth.

By: Joni

Joni — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:28:50 +0000

Wow, it’s so simple isn’t it? We muddy it up with with thinking and words, but it’s really quite simple.

By: Melissa Barrett

Melissa Barrett — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:02:39 +0000

Amen Amen Amen….thank you for expressing the heart of God and the truth to tear down our “easy” ministry and walk us into the “demand” of the Spirit in this day to truly love one another. Though I have the gifts….etc and have not LOVE…1 Cor. 13 says it all and thank you Chip for once again confirming it!!!!

By: Elton

Elton — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:52:19 +0000

Is only Christ Who can raise brothers and sisters and fathers of the church. What we can do is like Ana said, just to admit that we cannot do anything without Him. There is only Him Who can lead us and makes us useful vessels for His Glory…….
On …the other side, I agree with brother Chip on the reality of missing “fathers” in our generation. This is because to be a father you need to have two basic things: Love and the Cross. You cannot be a real father without loving your kids. And also you must be prepared that you may not receive this love back. This is a part of the cross: to love and not to receive the love back.
Also the fatherhood has not a meaning without a family. You cannot be a father without having a family. The family is the ground where the fatherhood is born and is raised. You cannot be a father without being firstly a son and then a husband. This is the way how it functions in the natural life and it is similar with the spiritual life.
The real problem is that the modern Christians (mostly in the protestant world but not only there) do not see the church as their own family. This is the reason why today the fathers of the church are so rare. The church life cannot be some background of the christian life, but it is the cradle where the christian life is born and is nourished. We learn there to be sons, brothers,sisters, husbands and wives, and then fathers and mothers. (Not only in the natural way, but in the spiritual way).
I have seen recently the movie of the Father Pio of Pietrelcina. I think he is a real father of the church. He has raised many spiritual children and took the cross and followed Jesus step by step. I think we need many people like him. God has His lights on this dark world, may He open our eyes to see that these lights are there. These lights are the proof that the Christian life is not something that belongs only to the first centuries and then it was eradicated from the earth.