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AN OUTREACH OF IOM AMERICA | INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF EXCHANGED LIFE
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November 26, 2014 - In This Issue:
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INFORMATION ON JIM FOWLER
Jim Fowler has been a pastor at the Neighborhood Church in Fallbrook, California for the last twenty-three years. His wife, Gracie, and their five children (Philip, Charis, Kirsten, Sarah and Sandi) have been very supportive in Jim's teaching, preaching, and writing ministries.
Jim's educational background includes Manhattan Christian College, Friends University, New College-University of Edinburgh, Bethel Theological Seminary, Palomar College, and Jubilee Theological Institute.
In recent years, Jim has spent much of his time writing, as can be viewed within the resources of his website. He is currently researching and writing several other articles and books.
Feel free to contact him at jimfowler@christinyou.net
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"The purpose of Jesus' incarnational advent and His ministry here on earth as a man was not to establish a new religion, nor to inculcate a new teaching, nor to lay down a new morality system. Jesus came to bring Himself, the presence and dynamic of His own divine being, expressed in the humanity of one perfect man, so that He might be expressed as divine, eternal life in the humanity of all men. The gospel that Jesus brought was entirely Christocentric. There is no message of "good news" apart from the ontological reality of the very Being of God in Jesus Christ who is the essence of Christianity. Christianity is Christ!" - Jim Learn More About Jim's Studies:
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"This book details the primary discussion of this year's World Grace Summit. I considered the discussion of "Dialectic Formatting" to be of the highest priority of dispelling Universalism in its attack on the true Church of Christ."
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"When Christians say the Christ-life is in them, they do not mean simply something mental or moral. When they speak of being "in Christ" or of Christ being "in them," this is not simply a way of saying that they are thinking about Christ or copying Him. They mean that Christ is actually operating through them..." ("Mere Christianity" Macmillan Publishing. 1978. pp.64-65). -C.S. Lewis
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HISTORICAL CHRISTIAN BIBLES
For over a decade now, Jim Fowler has been collecting Bibles for an exhibit that shows "The History of the Christian Scriptures." A new website has been developed to show featured items in this collection. View at www.fowlerbiblecollection.com.
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| Spirit Union as Spiritual Character |
 Lordship of Christ It is not possible to have spirit-union without recognizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When we receive the Trinity into our spirit at regeneration, we receive the Lord God. Some have suggested that Jesus can be received as one's personal Savior, and later accepted as Lord. This is impossible, for Jesus is both Savior and Lord, and to receive Him is to receive Him for all that He is. He cannot be dissected and received partially. The initial confession of the early Christians was a verbal confession that "Jesus Christ is Lord" (Rom. 10:9; Phil. 2:11) by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Those who think that they can agree that "Jesus is Lord," and disallow Him to "lord it over them," have no understanding of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus has been given "all authority in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18), and when we are converted "from the authority of Satan to the authority of God" (Acts 26:18), we are agreeing to submit to the "one Lord, Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 8:6). Watchman Nee referred to the indwelling Jesus as "Resident Boss." 1 In spirit-union, we "sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts" (1 Peter 3:15). Spiritual Character When Christ comes to dwell in a Christian, He comes complete with the divine character of God, for His character cannot be detached from His Being. Paul describes the divine character as the "fruit of the Spirit" which is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and godly control of the self" (Gal. 5:22-23). These are not merely external behavioral traits or psychological attitudes, but they are the divine character we receive when the triune God indwells us in spirit-union. For a Christian to complain that he/she lacks "patience" or "gentleness" or any other feature of divine character, and then to seek to develop such through educational instruction or psychological procedures, is to deny all we have received in spirit-union. The inner spiritual character that is ours by the presence of God in spirit-union is intended to be transformed into attitudes in the soul, and behavioral expression in the body. Spiritual Gifts Even the charismata, the so-called "spiritual gifts," are all ours in spirit-union. These are but the grace-expressions or the Spirit-actions of the ministry of Christ. Christ enters into us in spirit-union with all the potentiality of His ministry within His Body, the Church. The spiritual gifts are not trophies of spirituality, nor are they power-toys with which Christians perform their "ministries." When the living Christ comes into each Christian, He comes complete with all of His abilities to minister and serve. "We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us" (Rom. 12:6), and "to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor. 12:7). In spirit-union Christ within us possesses and conveys all of His intended action and ministry through us. Complete in Christ In spirit-union we are "complete in Christ" (Col. 2:10), lacking nothing ... Read Full Article
1 "Resident Boss" from A Table in the Wilderness: Daily Devotional Mediations from the Ministry of Watchman Nee © Angus Kinnear, 1957.
All Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (Parentheses added by this article's author for emphasis or clarity.)
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Jim Fowler
P.O. Box 1822
Fallbrook, CA 92088-1822e-mail address: jimfowler@christinyou.net The work of IOM America is viewed by readers worldwide - a growing list of 39,000+.
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IOM AMERICA | P.O. BOX 71, STERLING, KS 67579 | www.IOMAmerica.org | drphinney@IOMAmerica.org
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