More than 800,000 people made decisions for Christ during crusades evangelist Reinhard Bonnke hosted last week in Nigeria's Delta State.
Read the rest HERE.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Recent World Headlines
It's amazing to just sit and read a few of today's headlines from around the world.
Australian PM: Time For A New World Order; Paris Unrest Will Spread Round The World; Worst January On Record For Stocks; Alaskans Brace For Volcano Eruption; Record Breaking Heat Scorches Australia; Dawn Of New Age Of Industrial Unrest In UK; Quake Jolts Seattle Area; Turkish PM Walked Out On Israeli President.
These are interesting times to be living in. But rather than the Church huddling in doubt and fear, this is the time to seize the great opportunity that we've been given. We were born into the family of God and the Spirit of the resurrected Christ has taken up residence in our hearts. We have the promise of Jesus that the "gates of hell will not prevail against us".
What a most opportune time to allow the glory of God to rise upon us and let His light and life shine through us!
Australian PM: Time For A New World Order; Paris Unrest Will Spread Round The World; Worst January On Record For Stocks; Alaskans Brace For Volcano Eruption; Record Breaking Heat Scorches Australia; Dawn Of New Age Of Industrial Unrest In UK; Quake Jolts Seattle Area; Turkish PM Walked Out On Israeli President.
These are interesting times to be living in. But rather than the Church huddling in doubt and fear, this is the time to seize the great opportunity that we've been given. We were born into the family of God and the Spirit of the resurrected Christ has taken up residence in our hearts. We have the promise of Jesus that the "gates of hell will not prevail against us".
What a most opportune time to allow the glory of God to rise upon us and let His light and life shine through us!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Power Of The Offended Mind
From the book, Dreaming With God.
"When Jesus felt it was time to minister in His hometown of Nazareth, He went to the synagogue. As He began to teach the people, they were quite amazed at His wisdom. They were also very impressed with the healings they were seeing. But when they realized they knew Him, having watched Him grow up, they were offended in their ‘reasonings’. “It is Jesus. We know His brothers and sisters. He grew up here! How can He do this stuff? And where did He get this wisdom?” They were not offended in the typical sense; their feelings were not hurt, nor were they caught up in bitterness. They simply could not put two and two together and arrive at the conclusion – their Jesus was a miracle worker and a man of great wisdom. It didn’t fill them with wonder and awe. Instead it caused them to become hardhearted and reject Him. This unresolved question became the mental stumbling block that was strong enough to shut down Jesus’ anointing to perform miracles and teach with power. To have questions is healthy; to hold God hostage to those questions is not. It sometimes creates an atmosphere that fulfills its own prophecy about the power of God not being for today. It shuts down the very anointing that would teach them otherwise.
Not understanding is okay. Restricting our spiritual life to what we understand is not. It is immaturity at best. Such a controlling spirit is destructive to the development of a Christ-like nature. God responds to faith but will not surrender to our demands for control. Maturity requires a heart-felt embrace of what we do not understand as an essential expression of faith."
"When Jesus felt it was time to minister in His hometown of Nazareth, He went to the synagogue. As He began to teach the people, they were quite amazed at His wisdom. They were also very impressed with the healings they were seeing. But when they realized they knew Him, having watched Him grow up, they were offended in their ‘reasonings’. “It is Jesus. We know His brothers and sisters. He grew up here! How can He do this stuff? And where did He get this wisdom?” They were not offended in the typical sense; their feelings were not hurt, nor were they caught up in bitterness. They simply could not put two and two together and arrive at the conclusion – their Jesus was a miracle worker and a man of great wisdom. It didn’t fill them with wonder and awe. Instead it caused them to become hardhearted and reject Him. This unresolved question became the mental stumbling block that was strong enough to shut down Jesus’ anointing to perform miracles and teach with power. To have questions is healthy; to hold God hostage to those questions is not. It sometimes creates an atmosphere that fulfills its own prophecy about the power of God not being for today. It shuts down the very anointing that would teach them otherwise.
Not understanding is okay. Restricting our spiritual life to what we understand is not. It is immaturity at best. Such a controlling spirit is destructive to the development of a Christ-like nature. God responds to faith but will not surrender to our demands for control. Maturity requires a heart-felt embrace of what we do not understand as an essential expression of faith."
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Who In The World Is "Isa"?
So I was listening to "America's Pastor" (Rick Warren) pray at President Obama's inauguration and as he got ready to close in prayer he said: "I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus..."
Now Yeshua and Jesus I know - but what's with this Isa name?
Upon further review, Isa (pronounced 'eee-sa'), I discovered is the false Jesus of the Qu'ran (Koran) and the Muslim Hadith.
Isa is the Islamic Jesus who was but a prophet and who certainly did not experience a sacrificial death on a cross let alone resurrect from the dead. In fact, in Islam the prophet Isa is actually the destroyer of Christianity - not it’s Savior. Obviously, this is simply not the same Jesus as is Yeshua. (More info on Isa can be found HERE.)
Perhaps even more important to me, when praying, particularly in public - I think it's important to use Jesus' messianic title of "Christ". After all there are many "Jesus'", but there is only One Anointed of the Father, only One true Messiah, and only one name given under heaven whereby all men must be saved - Jesus the Christ. The title of "Christ" speaks of Jesus' ability to forgive sin, heal the sick and restore us to right relationship with our Creator.
Not trying to be nit-picky here, and I'm not sure if this is a case of Warren getting caught up in trying to be politically correct, or trying to appease Muslims, or both - I really don't know. But if we are going to try to proclaim Christ - let's proclaim Christ.
Now Yeshua and Jesus I know - but what's with this Isa name?
Upon further review, Isa (pronounced 'eee-sa'), I discovered is the false Jesus of the Qu'ran (Koran) and the Muslim Hadith.
Isa is the Islamic Jesus who was but a prophet and who certainly did not experience a sacrificial death on a cross let alone resurrect from the dead. In fact, in Islam the prophet Isa is actually the destroyer of Christianity - not it’s Savior. Obviously, this is simply not the same Jesus as is Yeshua. (More info on Isa can be found HERE.)
Perhaps even more important to me, when praying, particularly in public - I think it's important to use Jesus' messianic title of "Christ". After all there are many "Jesus'", but there is only One Anointed of the Father, only One true Messiah, and only one name given under heaven whereby all men must be saved - Jesus the Christ. The title of "Christ" speaks of Jesus' ability to forgive sin, heal the sick and restore us to right relationship with our Creator.
Not trying to be nit-picky here, and I'm not sure if this is a case of Warren getting caught up in trying to be politically correct, or trying to appease Muslims, or both - I really don't know. But if we are going to try to proclaim Christ - let's proclaim Christ.
The Devil's Beatitudes
These have been floating around for a while - thought I'd post them here today:
The Devil's Beatitudes
1. Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians - they are my best workers.
2. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked - I can use them.
3. Blessed are the touchy ones who stop going to church - they are my missionaries.
4. Blessed are the troublemakers - they shall be called my children.
5. Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears to them.
6. Blessed are those who allow a bad attitude to enter their heart towards the preacher - for they get nothing out of his sermons.
7. Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church - for he is part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
8. Blessed are those who gossip - for they shall cause strife and division that please me.
9. Blessed are those who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry and quit.
10. Blessed are those who do not give their tithe and offering to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.
11. Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister - for he shall be with me forever.
12. Blesses are you who, when you read this, think it is about the other person instead of yourself - it pleases me when Christians don't take responsibility for themselves.
The Devil's Beatitudes
1. Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians - they are my best workers.
2. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked - I can use them.
3. Blessed are the touchy ones who stop going to church - they are my missionaries.
4. Blessed are the troublemakers - they shall be called my children.
5. Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears to them.
6. Blessed are those who allow a bad attitude to enter their heart towards the preacher - for they get nothing out of his sermons.
7. Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church - for he is part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
8. Blessed are those who gossip - for they shall cause strife and division that please me.
9. Blessed are those who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry and quit.
10. Blessed are those who do not give their tithe and offering to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.
11. Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister - for he shall be with me forever.
12. Blesses are you who, when you read this, think it is about the other person instead of yourself - it pleases me when Christians don't take responsibility for themselves.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Healing Testimonies
Thought I'd link to some testimonies from more healings that God did this past Sunday morning at church. God is really doing some awesome things!
Monday, January 19, 2009
John 3:16
Interesting places that you will find the Bible verse John 3:16 printed that you may not have expected:- On the bottom rim of an In-N-Out Burger paper cup.
- On the bottom of a shopping bag from Forever 21 (my daughters favorite clothing store).
- Tornado Fuel Saver prints it on their box as well.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Friday, January 16, 2009
Why I'm Rooting For Kurt Warner
Whenever athletes testify publicly about their faith in Jesus - I personally love it. I realize that not everyone loves it and in fact you could find some Christians who don't care for it for varying reasons.After his last second win verses Ohio State, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy's first post game words were, "I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." I've also noticed that several Ohio State stars like James Laurinaitis and Terrelle Pryor were proclaiming their faith as well by putting Bible verses on their eye black. Tim Tebow, quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida (pictured) is another athlete who is unashamed of his relationship with Jesus Christ.
It's not that I think God cares about football or even helps decide the outcome of the game (although He could if He so desired), I just love it when the genuinely saved give glory to the One who gave us breath in a public forum where it's considered 'taboo' to ever say the name Jesus - particularly when it's not being used as a swear word.
This weekend we have an opportunity to watch one of the NFL's best quarterbacks and most radical Christians play - Arizona Cardinal quarterback, Kurt Warner. Warner already has a Super Bowl ring and two NFL MVP's in his resume - but more than that Kurt is the genuine article when it comes to being a servant of Christ. He was raised Catholic but he gave his life to Jesus in 1996.
When he played for the Rams, and after he received a huge signing bonus of 40 plus million dollars, he immediately visited his pastor (Assembly of God church, BTW) and dropped off his tithe check.Recently after a practice he was asked by a reporter if he thought his faith gave him an advantage on the field to which Kurt replied: "I walk by faith and not by sight. I walk according to what I believe, and what I believe the power of God is, as opposed to what the world tells us, or what circumstances appear to be." He went on to say: "So much of this business is 'Me, me me,'...My faith has allowed me to step back from that and say, 'Hey, this isn't about me.'"
EDIT: Tim Tebow is pictured above on the night that his Florida Gators won the National Championship. The next day the number one Google search was: John 3:16.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Naturally Supernatural
In the past few months I've become increasingly aware of my limitations. Perhaps humbled after 7 years of church planting that, at times, has left me feeling as though I was the one bringing a knife to a gun fight - that certainly has a way of lowering a person. In fact this general feeling of being truly incapable of doing anything great for God has the 'second guesser' in me going crazy.
But through these last few months God has been speaking to me and moving me in a direction that I somehow knew I should always be going in.
I trace this personal evolution back to October when I took three days off and did a 20+ mile Appalachian Trail backpack trip. Three days alone with God will do wonders for you - but more than that, I began to realize that the Holy Spirit speaks to me (and us) far more often than I was ever aware.
That's when I decided I was going to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit.
While I'm increasingly aware of my limitations, I've become increasingly aware that God desires to intersect with the lives of people on this planet far more than we can imagine and it's for this reason that He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to live a naturally supernatural life. A life where His saving, healing and delivering power flow through us to the lost and hurting around us - a supernatural lifestyle not limited to the four walls of a church service:
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction...And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:1,7-8.
I love those words, "as you go". What great words to end your next Sunday service with - calling believers in your congregation to go out and declare that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
History records believers doing exactly what the verses above are describing - going all the way back to the Book of Acts. I've come to the conclusion that we (the Church) have been, for the most part, operating far below the level of power that Christ has given us to operate in. Seemingly the vast majority of the Church today is either paralyzed by simple doubt, unbelief, or man made doctrines that have marginalized or extinguished the supernatural.
Since my rendezvous with God last October, I've been trying to listen - and stand on what the Word of God says - and live a naturally supernatural life.
I've got great news to report - our God still heals the sick and He still does miracles. In the past three months I have seen more healing miracles than I've witnessed in the previous seven years.
I've seen arthritis, knee injuries, cysts and other painful conditions healed by God's power.
The most incredible miracle happened New Year's Eve as I was on my way home from the office and honestly not feeling particularly 'spiritual' that day. I thought I'd quickly stop by the nursing home near my home and visit a lady who used to attend our church. When I arrived in her room and greeted her, she introduced me to her roommate who was a kind and coherent elderly lady whose recent health crisis had brought her to this particular nursing home.
As I was getting ready to leave, the lady from our church asked if I would pray for her eye as she was experiencing some pain around it. After I prayed a short prayer asking for God to heal her eye pain, her roommate asked if I would pray for her as well. I asked what it was she wanted me to pray for she said: "I'm blind in my right eye and I can't see very good out of the other."
I laid my hand on her shoulder and began to pray for God to open her blind eye, I noticed that after a few moments she begin blinking her eyes. I stopped and asked her what was going on. She replied "It's getting better - I can see". I said "Let's keep praying!" I prayed for her two or three more times and each time I did she said her vision got clearer. I had her cover the eye she could see out of and she began to call out things that she could now see with her right eye that she told me she was blind in a moment before. It was an amazing moment. The first lady I prayed for declared that her eye pain was gone and immediately both of these ladies lifted their hands and began praising God out loud. It was a very touching seen.
Leaving that facility I was amazed yet again at how God's power can flow out of us so naturally if we will just step out in faith, stand on what His Word says and simply believe. My reoccurring thought lately is that if we don't have faith to see the Holy Spirit move supernaturally - how in the world do we have faith for the rest of the Christian life then?
If we will provide the natural, God will provide the 'Super'.
But through these last few months God has been speaking to me and moving me in a direction that I somehow knew I should always be going in.
I trace this personal evolution back to October when I took three days off and did a 20+ mile Appalachian Trail backpack trip. Three days alone with God will do wonders for you - but more than that, I began to realize that the Holy Spirit speaks to me (and us) far more often than I was ever aware.
That's when I decided I was going to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit.
While I'm increasingly aware of my limitations, I've become increasingly aware that God desires to intersect with the lives of people on this planet far more than we can imagine and it's for this reason that He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to live a naturally supernatural life. A life where His saving, healing and delivering power flow through us to the lost and hurting around us - a supernatural lifestyle not limited to the four walls of a church service:
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction...And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:1,7-8.
I love those words, "as you go". What great words to end your next Sunday service with - calling believers in your congregation to go out and declare that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
History records believers doing exactly what the verses above are describing - going all the way back to the Book of Acts. I've come to the conclusion that we (the Church) have been, for the most part, operating far below the level of power that Christ has given us to operate in. Seemingly the vast majority of the Church today is either paralyzed by simple doubt, unbelief, or man made doctrines that have marginalized or extinguished the supernatural.
Since my rendezvous with God last October, I've been trying to listen - and stand on what the Word of God says - and live a naturally supernatural life.
I've got great news to report - our God still heals the sick and He still does miracles. In the past three months I have seen more healing miracles than I've witnessed in the previous seven years.
I've seen arthritis, knee injuries, cysts and other painful conditions healed by God's power.
The most incredible miracle happened New Year's Eve as I was on my way home from the office and honestly not feeling particularly 'spiritual' that day. I thought I'd quickly stop by the nursing home near my home and visit a lady who used to attend our church. When I arrived in her room and greeted her, she introduced me to her roommate who was a kind and coherent elderly lady whose recent health crisis had brought her to this particular nursing home.
As I was getting ready to leave, the lady from our church asked if I would pray for her eye as she was experiencing some pain around it. After I prayed a short prayer asking for God to heal her eye pain, her roommate asked if I would pray for her as well. I asked what it was she wanted me to pray for she said: "I'm blind in my right eye and I can't see very good out of the other."
I laid my hand on her shoulder and began to pray for God to open her blind eye, I noticed that after a few moments she begin blinking her eyes. I stopped and asked her what was going on. She replied "It's getting better - I can see". I said "Let's keep praying!" I prayed for her two or three more times and each time I did she said her vision got clearer. I had her cover the eye she could see out of and she began to call out things that she could now see with her right eye that she told me she was blind in a moment before. It was an amazing moment. The first lady I prayed for declared that her eye pain was gone and immediately both of these ladies lifted their hands and began praising God out loud. It was a very touching seen.
Leaving that facility I was amazed yet again at how God's power can flow out of us so naturally if we will just step out in faith, stand on what His Word says and simply believe. My reoccurring thought lately is that if we don't have faith to see the Holy Spirit move supernaturally - how in the world do we have faith for the rest of the Christian life then?
If we will provide the natural, God will provide the 'Super'.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
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