Articles by Bill Furioso

There is a movement afoot where so many run with this verse without considering the context of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians – particularly chapter 14.

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer.” Acts 2:42 This verse tells us that following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Christ Followers of the primitive church “continually devoted” themselves to “the apostles’ teaching and fellowship”,...

“Discipleship”[1] In my article, Discipleship & the Equipping Ministries[2], I discuss at length the particular ministry relationships between a disciple and an apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher. Here, I would like to identify that which each of these Christ-appointed ministries have in common: “Apostolicity”. “Apostolic” “… He gave gifts...

How does one properly interpret the prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament? The same way the apostolic writers of the New Testament interpreted the prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament – recognizing God’s progressive revelation of Christ and His New Covenant.  

Regeneration as a spiritual experience is represented in a multifaceted way in the Scriptures.

I am convinced that, particularly in the age in which we live, the  adjective, “biblical”, has become of  utmost importance. It is definitive, separating true Christianity from all that is not according  to Christ.

“The weakness of God” (1 Corinthians 1:25) – this is, indeed, a captivating phrase penned by Paul the apostle in his letter to the Church. This article is about weakness, meekness, the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12), “a people being formed by the Lord” (Isaiah 43:21), and the commission of...

“I will give You as a covenant.” Isaiah 42:6 The covenant Isaiah refers to is what we know as the “New Covenant”. God’s New Covenant – by which He made the Old Covenant obsolete (Hebrews 8:13), does not consist in the letters of written words, but is embodied in a Person...

To discern the mystery of Christ fully, we must have revelation of Him as the New Covenant Pattern, because the New Covenant is all about the life of Christ in us. This is the subject matter of this article.

More and more of those who are searching for “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3) with regards to corporate fellowship are finding themselves in a wilderness (Acts 7:38). They are actually being “led by the Spirit into the wilderness”. (Matthew 4:1) For God always begins “a new...

For the believer, the subject of faith contains several aspects which could discussed at length. However, here I am examining the subject of faith and the non-believer. Unless one is purposely preparing for a debate, most people do not spend much time studying something contrary to what they currently believe....

The New Testament Scriptures – Descriptive or Prescriptive? Do the New Testament Scriptures command us to gather and worship God according to the Conventional Church “Worship Service”? I would like to give my answer – or answers – and then explain why I have arrived at these answers: The answer...

Some Comments on 1 Corinthians 14 This particular piece is an informal (and non-conclusive) exposition of 1 Corinthians 14. It was given in response to someone’s inquiry about “tongues”. So, this piece touches mainly on the issue of “tongues”, but also contains some brief (non -conclusive) comments on other issues...

This article will be an investigation into the nature of “the elementary principles of the world” (ta stoicheia tou kosmou) – a phrase penned by Paul, the apostle. We will look into the meaning of the Greek word, stoicheia; review the passages of scriptures in which Paul uses the term...

When discussing any topic, it is wise to define the terms one is using so that authentic communication takes place, and a rational, and coherent discussion ensues. As I have previously stated in another article, “Worship. Prayer & Music”, biblically speaking, singing songs is not essentially “worship” – it is...

“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations.”[1] Isaiah 42:6 In the midst of this Messianic prophecy in Isaiah,[2] we see disclosed the fact...

This brief article discusses the following aspects of Experiencing the Manifested Presence of God: Being “In the Spirit” Spiritual Perception “Under the Influence” of the Spirit A Foretaste of Heaven  

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.”[1]  How can we have peace in the midst of tribulation? How can we have courage in tribulation? How can we overcome...

The Holy Spirit is the only One who gives the life of Christ which sustains His Body. (John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6) Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would “take of what is Mine and declare it to you”. (John 16:13-15) “The fellowship of the Holy Spirit” is people...

In other articles, I have written at length about what could be called “THE REVELATION – RELATIONSHIP – REFLECTION CONTINUUM”. The concept is that the life of one who “has received the Spirit of Christ and therefore belongs to Christ” (Romans 8:9-10) can be viewed as the pursuit of Revelation...

This is a brief essay on a passage in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. My “bottom line” flies in the face of a current tendency in much of the professing Church in western nations, including most of the so called “Ekklesia” movements. That tendency is to shun the reality and...

The Divine Perspective Seeing from God’s Point of View  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes: “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”[1] ...

18 “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ 19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but continually proclaimed to those in...

We hope for many things in life. But we all have experienced disappointments – unfulfilled hopes. In his Letter to the Romans, Paul, stated that “hope does not disappoint”. What hope is he talking about? He said there is “a hope that is reserved for us in heaven”. That’s a...

Are there biblically-based affirmations as to the authenticity of one having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit?[1]  I’d like to list some indicators from the Bible that I believe point to the reality of having been born of the Spirit because they indicate the presence and ministry of the Holy...

”… so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”[1] God has a cosmic point to make: God’s WISDOM makes the wisdom of the world and the god of this world look foolish.[2] But...

In this article, I attempt to briefly establish a Christ-centered New Covenant perspective of the Law of Christ. I believe a particular verse in one of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies is foundational to an understanding of the Law of Christ in the New Covenant context: “I give YOU as a covenant to the...

I have been surveying the New Testament scriptures for passages which communicate that God’s intention in the New Covenant is that “the Spirit gives life” in all of our life, rather than in sacralized (set-apart) special religious activities. New Covenant Worship in Spirit and Truth is concerned with the whole...

This article, along with “Worship, Prayer & Music”, “Defining ‘The Presence of the Lord’”, “The Shekinah”, “The Presence of God In Light of the New Covenant”, and“Experiencing the Manifested Presence of God”, are all excerpts from the book “The Manifested Presence of the Lord”. Hopefully, those previous articles help explain...

Introduction It is written in the gospel of Matthew that John the Baptist came preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[1]  And, if you turn the page in the same gospel, you can read that after Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan, and subsequently...

From surveying the Scriptures, walking in the New Covenant – in both our individual and collective lives – seems to involve: Knowing God (Jeremiah 31:33; 9:24) Being Born of the Spirit (John 3:3-8; Romans 8:9) Being Led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14; Cf. John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28; 12;49; 14;10)...

This article, which deals with the subject of “personal identity”, is an excerpt from the book “Wrestling for the Blessing”, which endeavors to show that Scripture reveals God’s desire to offer each individual in Christ a unique expression of their personal identity. This was clearly initiated in the Garden, lost...

Concerning pre-conceived or popular notions and prescriptions regarding how one carries on relationship with God… For example: The following people wrote their prayers to God: David (73 different Psalms) Moses (Psalm # 90) Solomon (2 Psalms, # 72 & 127) The family of Asaph (12 Psalms, # 50, 73-83) The...

A Prophetic Word A little more than 40 years ago, while reading the scriptures, I had a very brief vision : The “canvas” was entirely black. Then out of the blackness, bright golden specs jumped into the center of the picture. This continued until the center had grown into a...

 In New Covenant worship, we are raised up (in Christ) into the spiritual realm – “the heavenly places” – “in the spirit” – in order to experience the Manifested Presence of God and the Shekinah Glory. Because this is spiritual and not physical, does not mean it is not real....

19“In accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 … He (Father God) brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and...

No Christian would deny that Christ is the Foundation of the Church. But what does that actually mean? How is the Foundation of Christ laid in the life of a disciple? What is different about a body of Christians who have been truly built upon the Foundation of Christ?  

 “We are asking God that you may see things, as it were, from his point of view by being given spiritual insight and understanding.” Colossians 1:9, J.B. Phillips Translation  “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1...

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”  1 Corinthians 3:9  We must seek God for guidance in the work of God. When I speak of “seeking God for guidance”, it can be equated with “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit”[1]. Reflect on how Jesus described...

This brief article is an excerpt from my book The Manifested Presence of God. What the Hebrews called “the Shekinah” is the manifestation of God’s glory which “appeared” between the two angels of the Mercy Seat which rested on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Three things took place...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28 “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

 A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28 “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28  “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28  “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

A prophetic word – Ladysmith (uMnambithi), South Africa in 1987.

Concerning the phrase “speaking the truth in love” which we find in Ephesians 4, verse 15: To begin with, a more literal, or more accurate, translation of the Greek would be: “living out the truth with love”. In other words, “walking the talk”. However, we are also called to speak...

Introduction What this article is about: To be clear, salvation is totally dependent upon the work of the Holy Spirit: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” (Psalm 3:8) “No one can by any means redeem another.” (Psalm 49:7) But we are called to co-labor with the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9) So, we need to understand...

Maher-shalal-hash-baz Isaiah 8:1  A Prophecy for a People Not Unlike Ourselves *******  “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; and listen, all remote places of the earth. Get ready, yet be shattered. Get ready, yet be shattered. Devise a plan, but it will fail. State a proposal, but it will not stand, for God is with us. For so the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me...

“For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9 ******* This essay is about “tearing down” and “building up” the people of God – “God’s field” or “God’s building”. There are plenty of scripture references which speak about exposing error.[1] This essay is NOT questioning...

Concerning the title, “The Even GREATER Commission for the Church” ….[1] We are all familiar with what is called the Great Commission – to preach the gospel and make disciples.  In his epistle to the Church in Ephesus, I believe Paul is explaining what could be called the “Even Greater...

 WHAT Do We Mean By “The Cross”? The first mention of “the cross” in the Bible is spoken by Jesus Himself: “And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse...

“What does the future hold?”, if we were to give a one-word answer to that question, that one word would be “TRIBULATION”.  Jesus told us this 2000 years ago. In Matthew 24 Jesus said the indications of the end of the age[1] would be deception[2], lawlessness[3] and tribulations[4]. “Deception” and...

Are the ministry gifts of apostles and prophets mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (4:11-16) still operative in the Church today? Admittedly, there is much abuse and controversy in connection with these ministries. However, as the Latin phrase states: “Abusus non tollit usum. Abuse does not cancel use. Misuse...

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the...

What is the essence of the New Covenant? The most significant scriptural reference to the New Covenant is Jeremiah 31:31-34. Its significance is attested to in that the writer to the Hebrews, who was focused on distinguishing the New Covenant from the Old Covenant, chose to quote Jeremiah verbatim in...

In Search of New Covenant Worship in Spirit & Truth In his book, “Custom and Command”[1], Stan Firth’s stated purpose was this: “All I am trying to do in this book is to encourage dear friends in the unstructured churches that they are well within God’s framework in the way...

What is real? How do I understand reality? What do I perceive when I look out at the world? What are the implications of what I perceive?  These are some fundamental questions of human existence. Each of us answer questions like these according to how we perceive reality. And that...

Before writing this article, I had conducted a small online survey on “The Manifested Presence of God”. Some of the questions were specifically about the role of music in worship, prayer and our relationship with God. The survey confirmed my personal impression that most Christians would agree that the “special...

From the moment of his birth throughout most of his life, Jacob “wrestled” with people – particularly his brother. He wrestled in order to position himself – that is, in order to get things the way he wanted them. It was his nature to wrestle with everyone he encountered before...

The writer to the Hebrews tells us God is shaking the heavens and the earth – all created things. There is a revelation of “the shaking”, there’s a realization of “the shaking”, and then there is the fruitfulness of “the shaking”.

John 3:1-11[1]  1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless...

This article, which deals with the subject of “personal identity”, is an excerpt from the book “Wrestling for the Blessing”, which endeavors to show that Scripture reveals God’s desire to offer each individual in Christ a unique expression of their personal identity. This was clearly initiated in the Garden, lost...