The Kingdom of God

by Lance Thollander

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “the Kingdom of God”? An image from my youth flashes into my mind of a poorly dressed, somewhat crazy-looking man with a long straggly beard. He’s standing on a street corner in downtown San Francisco yelling at the top of his voice for people to repent. He’s holding a sign that reads: “The Kingdom of God is at hand.”

That was not a good introduction to the Kingdom of God. In fact, it made that Kingdom seem like something to avoid at all costs. God’s enemy would love to see that image, or any other negative one of the Kingdom of God, abound. He does not want to see the Kingdom of God made real. Where it thrives, he is defeated.

Of course, such negative images have nothing to do with the real Kingdom of God. This is a place of vitality, beauty, riches, glory, and humility. When we invite the Lord to bring to light the importance of his Kingdom, whole new vistas open up in understanding his purpose for this earth.

The Name of the Lord

by Lance Thollander

What is the most important thing you have ever been given? Is it your health, your house, an inheritance? What gift have you been given that you treasure more than any other? Could it be a keepsake from a beloved parent, relative or friend?

As I think about what has been given to us as believers in Christ, one of the greatest gifts we have received is the gift of his Name. The enjoyment of that name opens the door of the Heavens to us and offers us more blessing than we can imagine. How does this work?

I will never forget that life-changing evening in Santa Barbara, California, when I intentionally called on the Lord Jesus for the first time. After hearing an older believer in Christ share about the power of calling on the Lord’s name and the beauty of his attendant presence, I was determined to give it a try. I walked out onto the small balcony off our living room, turned my heart as best I knew how in the Lord’s direction, and confessed his name out loud; Jesus, Lord. As I quietly waited, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. A lightness made space in my heart. Peace was present. I sensed the nearness of the Lord. I called his name again, Lord, Jesus. My smile deepened.

That was almost 50 years ago. I have been calling on him ever since.

Walking The Galatian Road

by Lance Thollander

A recent survey of self-identified Christians by noted researcher George Barna yielded this astonishing result: fully 81% of those surveyed said that maturity in Christ is measured by how well one keeps the rules. But when did ‘keeping the rules’ become a benchmark of those who follow Christ? And how have we traded in the Life giving power of the Lord Jesus for a set of restrictions?

In his new book, Walking the Galatian Road, Moving from Law to Life, Lance Thollander peels back the layers of how we got there and shows present-day believers how to leave a life characterized by legalism and guilt and return to the freedom of living by Christ.

Motivated by forty years of experience including relationships with God’s people in many parts of the world, Thollander gives examples to show how the incredible vitality and freedom found in Paul’s letter to the Galatians has been stolen away from believers. Then he returns the readers to the simplicity of life in the Spirit. A powerful combination of history and present-day reality in an easy-to-read format, this book takes the pressure off worn-out Christians to perform. If you are looking for a book that can restore your ‘first love’ relationship with your Heavenly Father; that takes a fearless look at how guilt has operated to short circuit your faith; and that provides frequent invitations for the reader to stop and spend time in the presence of a liberating and loving God, then Walking the Galatian Road, Moving from Law to Life is the book for you.

Buy it now at Amazon.com

FREE EBOOK !

by Lance Thollander

We are happy to announce the offering of a free e-Book. Exploring the Divine, Finding God’s Heart in Words of Wonder offers a refreshing look at some of our most precious Christian concepts. It is an updated and expanded version of Lance Thollander’s first book, Unleashing the Divine. This book will encourage your heart, draw you into fellowship with the Lord Jesus and speak to anyone who has lost sight of the wonder of knowing Him. It is available in Kindle, Nook or PDF format and can be found at Forge Life Press.

From the beginning of time God intended to have a deep communication with his beloved creation, a communication so personal that its end result would be the dispensing of God himself, through Christ, into you and me. To that end throughout Scripture, the Lord introduces us to wondrous truths, full of meaning and carrying an invitation to realms of experience found only in God himself; truths captured in words like Life, the Word of God, the Cross,Heaven, the Church, and the Spirit. These profound words and the meanings they carry were designed to bring us into an ongoing relationship with God. But do they?

Exploring the Divine takes a fresh look at concepts of faith central to a vibrant Christian experience. These concepts have suffered years of trite use, cultural attack, and shallow interpretation thus sapping the vitality of Christian faith in America. These words are sung, prayed and used everyday without deep meaning. As a result their ability to bring believers to a loving relationship with their Lord has been weakened. The book recaptures the depths of these concepts encouraging committed believers and energizing those whose faith has become legalistic or boring. It kindles love for Christ and a desire to pursue him with others of similar passion. Believers from 18 to 80 and beyond will find encouragement in its pages.

This book is available for free as a Kindle and PDF eBook (soon to be available for the Nook).

Download it for FREE from Forge Life Press.