July 26, 2010
Denying the Power
2 TIMOTHY 3: 1-9
Paul’s writings are an absolute necessity for the church today. Just as the letters were instructions to Timothy, is it also the instructions of our lives today. Often times, we overlook the stringent statutes of the Bible simply because we are only applying it to someone else’s life.
Believers have become spiteful in their hearts against other believers so much that God cannot use them. Paul expresses here that many will have the trimmings of a believer but nothing to show for it. (v.5) God is pressing the church for a revival throughout the land. Our nation and our people are in complete disarray over their futures and safety. Isn’t it about time that church rises up out of the ashes of its deception and “proper trimmings” and stop denying the power that God has for each of us?
A good brother in the faith preached a sermon last night on the “Forgotten Past”. The basis of his sermon covered the topic of Christians forgetting where they come from and become slack for God. He went on to say that if believer truly realized what God saved them from alter calls would never make it to the end of the service.
I want to encourage you to continue the fight. Being a believer is never an easy task, and what’s more being obedient. God has called each believer to a special purpose with one centralized goal- to glorify Him. If your heart has become cold over the years, pray and ask God to pour out His spirit upon you and revive your life.
2010-07-26
2010-07-23
A Call to Fast- 21 days
Friends and Family,
I pray this finds you all well. It is also my prayer that you would find great strength and encouragement to continue the fight for the Faith through this testimony.
I am overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Last month on June 22, 2010 I woke up to dwell in God's word as I usually do. This morning, however was a bit different. As I begin to open and study the word the passage Isaiah 58:6 came to my heart. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” As I pondered and prayed heavily God began to deal with me that I should fast. So selfishly I thought, “I’ll fast today and God will move because Im obedient”. While this sounded like a good plan, this was not at all what God intended. Upon arriving to work I prayed through my hunger and ask God what and how He would have me to fast that it would bring Him and Him alone the Glory. (needless to say, be careful how you ask God what His will is) I opened my email and there staring me straight in the face was a letter that read fast for 21 days! 21 days? I thought, how could anyone do this, medically this just didn’t sound sane. But God quickly reminded me, that we are to be Christ like, in our actions, words, and everything we do- and if His son Jesus Christ did it, we should too.
I arrived home and revealed to Amanda what God has revealed to me, and she said- OK. That was confirmation. Usually when I feel like doing something and God has not confirmed with Amanda she is a bit apprehensive. I must add, that through this fast beside the almighty Father Himself, Amanda was extremely supportive and amazingly understanding!
Thursday July 22 was the completion of the Fast (I chose not to fast on the weekends) and through the entire period of fasting I have been overwhelmed and consumed by the peace and strength from God. I was a bit fearful though when a powerful out pouring of the Holy Ghost did not come during the fast or even on the last day. I thought, “did I miss something?” and God revealed to me that the cleansing process must be complete before the outpouring can begin. This is not to say that I did not feel God’s spirit and power moving- I did. Wednesday night I will be sharing the visions God has given me while on the Fast. This morning at 5:30am was a different story.
I was awakened to a preacher telling a story of “A Man called Norman” – while at first I wanted to hit snooze, the Holy Ghost compelled me to listen. And listen I did, with such intent and vigor. I held on the each passing word of the story of a friendship that was thought to help an unsaved friend, but really meant to open the spiritual blindness of the other. (I urge you to google or youtube “A Man Called Norman”) I began to weep almost uncontrollably as I listened, and prayed and studied God’s word. On the way to work, my tears along with the presence of God and the overwhelming passion of the Holy Ghost flowed more intently than they have in a while. Songs sounded more meaningful, the air smelled sweeter, and the world seemed like a “field white with harvest”. I know this has been a Fast that God has called me to and for that I am grateful. Through the past 2 years of my acceptance of God’s calling to preach, I have never been more consumed by the presence of God than I have through this Fast.
Isaiah 58:8- Then shall they light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be they reward.
God’s word tells us to fast in secret, because “whatever is done is secret shall be revealed in light” (Matthew 6: 17-18) I told only my wife of this Fast because I wanted unhindered, selfless acts of total submission to God. And that’s exactly what I found!
I pray this finds you all well. It is also my prayer that you would find great strength and encouragement to continue the fight for the Faith through this testimony.
I am overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Last month on June 22, 2010 I woke up to dwell in God's word as I usually do. This morning, however was a bit different. As I begin to open and study the word the passage Isaiah 58:6 came to my heart. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” As I pondered and prayed heavily God began to deal with me that I should fast. So selfishly I thought, “I’ll fast today and God will move because Im obedient”. While this sounded like a good plan, this was not at all what God intended. Upon arriving to work I prayed through my hunger and ask God what and how He would have me to fast that it would bring Him and Him alone the Glory. (needless to say, be careful how you ask God what His will is) I opened my email and there staring me straight in the face was a letter that read fast for 21 days! 21 days? I thought, how could anyone do this, medically this just didn’t sound sane. But God quickly reminded me, that we are to be Christ like, in our actions, words, and everything we do- and if His son Jesus Christ did it, we should too.
I arrived home and revealed to Amanda what God has revealed to me, and she said- OK. That was confirmation. Usually when I feel like doing something and God has not confirmed with Amanda she is a bit apprehensive. I must add, that through this fast beside the almighty Father Himself, Amanda was extremely supportive and amazingly understanding!
Thursday July 22 was the completion of the Fast (I chose not to fast on the weekends) and through the entire period of fasting I have been overwhelmed and consumed by the peace and strength from God. I was a bit fearful though when a powerful out pouring of the Holy Ghost did not come during the fast or even on the last day. I thought, “did I miss something?” and God revealed to me that the cleansing process must be complete before the outpouring can begin. This is not to say that I did not feel God’s spirit and power moving- I did. Wednesday night I will be sharing the visions God has given me while on the Fast. This morning at 5:30am was a different story.
I was awakened to a preacher telling a story of “A Man called Norman” – while at first I wanted to hit snooze, the Holy Ghost compelled me to listen. And listen I did, with such intent and vigor. I held on the each passing word of the story of a friendship that was thought to help an unsaved friend, but really meant to open the spiritual blindness of the other. (I urge you to google or youtube “A Man Called Norman”) I began to weep almost uncontrollably as I listened, and prayed and studied God’s word. On the way to work, my tears along with the presence of God and the overwhelming passion of the Holy Ghost flowed more intently than they have in a while. Songs sounded more meaningful, the air smelled sweeter, and the world seemed like a “field white with harvest”. I know this has been a Fast that God has called me to and for that I am grateful. Through the past 2 years of my acceptance of God’s calling to preach, I have never been more consumed by the presence of God than I have through this Fast.
Isaiah 58:8- Then shall they light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be they reward.
God’s word tells us to fast in secret, because “whatever is done is secret shall be revealed in light” (Matthew 6: 17-18) I told only my wife of this Fast because I wanted unhindered, selfless acts of total submission to God. And that’s exactly what I found!
2010-07-21
Revival: What is it and Why do we need it?
Revival is a seemingly old-fashioned word that conjures up numerous definitions, some of which have little to do with authentic revival, or "times of refreshing" sent from the Lord as described in Scripture. To aid in defining what I mean when I reference true, biblical revival I want to draw from one of the most important modern documents written on the topic, An Urgent Appeal—To Christian Leaders in America for Consensus and Collaboration on the Biblical Nature and Hope of Corporate Revival. The Appeal was drafted in 2003 with input from nearly 100 national Christian leaders who joined together for one purpose: "To urge all churches and all Christians of America to unite in seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, persistently asking our Father to send revival to the church and spiritual awakening to our nation, so that Christ's Great Commission might be fulfilled worldwide in our generation" (National Revival Network, [NavPress: Colorado Springs, CO, 2003]).Included in the Appeal is the following definition by J. Edwin Orr that, I think, captures the biblical meaning of revival quite well: ----
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