Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Fasting That Kills


My wife and I recently started a 21 day fast, a global fast with Jentezen Franklins ministry. One thing about a fast is that it brings death. Not a physical literal death, but a death to what Christians call 'worldly things'. These 'worldly things' are distractions and petty things that do nothing but steal our attention and time from what God holds as important, to things much less important. I find it interesting that the very thing that led to Adam and Eve getting booted from the Garden of Eden can usher a person into God's secret garden of intimacy just by refusing to eat! Imagine if Adam would of stopped Eve from eating from that tree, personally I think God should of built a wall or a fence around that one tree, but alas He didn't, in His divine providence He knew it was necessary to His overall plan. And so when we push the plate away, or as my wife and I are doing, fasting certain foods, God honors our meager efforts and meets us on a level that we don't usually experience. 2009 will no doubt be a year like many others with it's challenges, pains, victory's and spiritual shifting. The nine in Hebrew represents 'completeness, fullness of harvest'. Thats what I'm believing God for as I prepare myself for this year, a year that He completes some things that He has begun in me, in my life and hopefully, in ministry. So as we push the plate away, partially anyway, I pray, "God, give me a renewed desire and longing for You. I'm redigging some old wells this week Lord"

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Pray for our new President


Though I did not vote for Barack Obama because of differences in beliefs, I'm a proud American tonight to know that 45 years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's great speech, "I have a dream", America has finally elected our first Black President. For that I'm happy for the progress we've made as a nation, though I personally think its been a long time coming, that moment has finally arrived. As a white person I can't fathom the feelings that many of my black American brothers and sisters are experiencing right now, to be honest I've taken for granted alot of things as a white person in this nation that many blacks haven't felt because of the past and even the present actions of too many. I have many black friends who have been gracious to help me understand the struggles of many blacks in this nation, a struggle that I've never felt nor seen while growing up in the far north. I'm thankful that I can finally now say that the desire of our fore-fathers that all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights, has come to be realized by all Americans now. I pray and hope that President Elect Barack Obama can now bring unity to a nation that has been divided on so many levels. So as I've been faithful to pray for President Bush, I plan on praying as much for President Elect Obama, he faces some incredible challenges as the leader of the greatest country in the world. Many believe he will fail, but as Christians we are called to lift our leaders up in prayer and to ask for God's guidance, protection, and wisdom on their lives. So with that I pray that over the next four years God grant President Elect Obama the needed wisdom and strength to uphold the office to which he has been voted into.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Britney


There is a new song out by the Christian singer, Bebo Norman, titled 'Britney'. It's a song about Britney Spears and when I first heard the song it blew me away. The words are very moving and basically its an apology to her for how she has been treated by those around her. As I listened to the song I actually started feeling sorry for her, and in my spirit I was broken for her. You see, like many Christians I find it easy to quickly judge those in the limelight that are going through pain, thinking that they deserve what they get for the lifestyle they live. But after hearing that song I felt convicted, realizing that Jesus would be the first to wrap His arms around her in the midst of her pain and love on her. I think Christians, myself included, act too quickly to judge others without looking at them through the eyes of Christ. Whenever Christ did say a harsh word to someone it usually always was directed to the religious crowd who were quick to judge anyone that did not fit in their circle of fellow believers. You never find Jesus doing anything to the lost other than loving them and admonishing them to put their faith in Him. The other night I was watching a video of a street minister preaching on the streets of Ybor city outside of Tampa. That particular area is known as a party place, a large number of bars are there, including a gay bar, and some strip bars. There was also a well known minister captured on the video who was sitting on his Harley watching as this young street preacher was preaching against homosexuals and sinners. The minister on the bike was laughing as some of the passerbys would mock the young minister and some shouted things at him. As I thought on this I made the comment to my wife that Christ would never do that. He wouldn't stand on a street corner and yell at people passing by, He would go embrace them and love on them. It's possible to love the sinner and hate the sin. Thats what our great God does, He loves homosexuals, lesbians, drunks, druggies, you name it, loving the sinner yet hating the sin. There is a difference in preaching against sin, warning the sinner of coming judgement and about the just demands of a Holy God, and yelling at sinners and preaching to them as if you were happy they were going to hell. As my Pastor likes to say, "you can preach like you're trying to keep people out of hell or you can preach like your happy they are going to hell." I think that is what moved me so much about the Britney song, it speaks the truth very vididly concerning what this world does to others, the world influenced by Satan loves to destroy peoples lives, its time Christians stand up and offer them something better, something that won't leave them hurting and empty, its time we show the love of Christ. To see the video by Bebo Norman follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Q_wVfGAfA

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Climate change is coming.

Do you feel it? When the weather changes we can feel it in the air, when summer changes into fall we feel it and we see it in things around us, the trees change color, in some parts snow begins to fall. We walk outside in the morning and we can see our breath. When we change from winter into spring we feel the newness in the air and see the effects of life being renewed about us. There is something stirring in the spiritual realm, do you feel it? The climate is changing. We are moving from one season into another one. The number eight in the Hebrew means open gates, new beginnings, this is 2008 and God has been doing some new things in the church, leading His people through gates of opportunity and spiritual gains. The number nine in Hebrew means completeness and fullness, literally a 'harvest of fullness'. I believe what we are doing now for Him will translate into a harvest of fullness in the coming season. During this time of new beginnings He is changing your spiritual climate, things that mattered to you but weren't high on His priority list is being replaced with His heart. Do you feel it? The climate is changing and when you move from this season of your life into the next, into fullness, like winter changing into spring, a new passion, a new desire for the Spiritual, a desire for His heart will replace the things from the winter months. Don't dread the winter season, though its the time that things appear to die and have no value, its a necessary process in God's order of things, though it may appear dead, the trees actually have life flowing through them. Your life may reflect death on the outside, your dreams may appear over, but the climate is about to change, fullness of harvest is coming, spring will come and life will bubble over. Do you feel the climate changing? The greatest days of the church are just about upon us, we are living in exciting times, times that the Bible has spoken about. The climate is changing!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Jesus' State of the Union Address to the American Church


I've been busy writing a childrens book as well as a Christian book on the American Church, I've now completed chapter five and have included an excerpt from that chapter entitled Jesus' State of the Union Address, it will give you a glimpse of what my book is about. I believe He would say something like this: “Good evening sons and daughters of the Most High, it is a pleasure to once again address you and to bring to your attention some things that I have observed this past year. Unfortunately we’ve had some more of my servants; some of my best known servants give in to temptation again this past year. Dear one’s when are you going to learn that when you harbor secret sin, if you refuse to repent of it, I have no choice but to expose it? I can’t allow homosexuality and sin to reign unchecked within My body. Like yeast, it will eventually poison the whole lump. Remember Achan and what I did to him and his family because he couldn't keep his hands off of that which was forbidden! So I tell you again, be sure and know that your sins will find you out. Come out from among the world, and don’t touch the unclean things! It breaks my heart to see such foolishness taking place, even more so when it’s my choice servants that are doing it. I didn’t allow Aarons sons to offer strange fire before me, neither will I allow my servants to practice hidden sin, and go unpunished. Though it may appear harsh, exposing your sin openly, and even using the media to do so, it really is for your benefit. I don’t want to see anyone perish and be separated from Me, and if I didn’t intervene and offer you forgiveness you would be separated from me. Despite teaching my people that they must be different from the world, it has come to my attention that the lines separating the church and world have become so blurred that its now impossible to tell the two apart. I speak this to your shame, is it true that some of my servants think that they can divorce their wives and remove them from the church, and then remarry their secret lover and keep their church? And to think that my people sitting in the pews say nothing of such blatant rebellion and open sin! I’m not pleased with what I see happening behind closed doors in the places that I have blessed and raised up to touch this world. Have you so quickly forgotten that you are my hands and feet while on the earth? Have you forgotten that you are supposed to be my mouth piece to a lost and dying generation? Yet your too busy competing with one another over who has the largest ministry and arguing over non essential doctrine rather than walking in love. I did not die in vain, nor will I have a weak and anemic church on the earth. Upon This Rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not, hear Me my people, the gates of Hell will not prevail against it! I must also remind you that I have spoken in My Word that unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it. I’ve noticed that some of my servants and houses of worship have resorted to offering money and shopping sprees to those who come and visit, and have their name drawn. Have you forgotten that My house would be called a place of prayer, yet by your foolish actions, like those earlier when I walked the earth in my human body, you have turned My house into a house of robbery. When you do such things you not only look foolish in the eyes of the world, but you do me much disservice by such antics. I threatened to vomit out the church of Laodicea because they were not walking in my Revelation, they weren’t a church of refreshing and healing, and they were lukewarm and good for nothing. I’m afraid that should you continue on the current road that you have embarked upon, I will be forced to vomit you out also. The abuse of young children at the hands of priests and pastors will not be tolerated, know that I will expose such sin, so that my bride will be spotless and pure. Everything I do is for My sake, for My glory to be revealed. You can’t offer healing and purity to those who are lost and caught up in perversion if you yourselves are also walking in perversion. There has been an increase in technology, and as I spoke in My word that knowledge would increase, you are seeing those things take place before your very eyes. With knowledge and technology though, come greater responsibility, and a greater need for integrity and purity. It saddens me to watch as my people, and my ministers behind hidden doors view pornography and fill their minds with all sorts of perversion. How can you minister effectively when you have allowed the temple of the Holy Spirit to become corrupted and filled with sin? Do you honestly think that I can continue to anoint you to speak My Word when you do such things? I tell you no, most assuredly not! I will withdraw myself from those who practice such things, and know this, when you do such things and fill your minds and hearts with such blatant sin, you’re on your own when you stand to minister, My Spirit will not, cannot dwell in an unclean vessel. Repent of such things, before its’ too late and I come and remove you from your position. I judged Ananias and Sapphira for lying to Me, don’t think that I’ve overlooked or winked at your sin, or that judgment won’t come, I promise you that I will judge, I will punish, because you are My child, when correction is needed, I will correct you, this is for your benefit in the hopes that your eyes will be opened and you would repent of your sin, and come back to me. Many of my people are suffering needlessly, yet so many of my ministers refuse to follow my directive and exercise their authority that I have given them, to use My Name to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to bring deliverance! You see what I’m doing overseas in the nations of Africa, in China and among the Muslim nations; those who put a demand on My ability are being mightily used. You have allowed the enemy to lie to this nation, to convince the lost and yes, even my own people, that their cure lies in mans ability. Though I have blessed doctors with the ability to cure some diseases, I have empowered My people to do what doctors and physicians can’t do, I have anointed you to expose the enemy, to send him packing, yet still too many of my people look for help in psychologists and pills, and hope to cover over the problem with a band aid rather than deal with the root of the issue. I still heal, I still deliver, I still raise the dead, make a demand on My anointing, on My ability! It saddens me that so many sit in the pews and live a life of joylessness, I paid too great a price for my people to suffer with depression and unhappiness. How can you offer the world Me when they see My children with long faces and broken hearts? Have you forgotten that the Joy of the Lord is your strength? I came to set the captives free, to rescue those from despair, to deliver those in bondage, yet many of my ministers are too busy trying to build a lasting legacy to themselves here on earth, rather than storing for themselves riches in heaven. Doing this has kept them from giving themselves wholeheartedly to those I’ve placed under them to minister to. I will not stand for the fleecing of My flock from my servants, if My ministers continue to abuse their calling and gifts, I will come and bring judgment. My people have gone into debt to appease some of my servants, and I will not stand for the erroneous teaching of finance that is currently being spread through My body. I am weighing My American Bride in the balance, and should you be found wanting, I will not only bring judgment and correction, but will also bypass you all together and raise up servants who have my heart, and will do My biding. I long to visit you with a Holy visitation, I long to shake the cities and yes your own nation too with My glory. How I long to touch your leaders and bring a reformation to your government and to those in high leadership. I want to visit my people in their houses of worship, to visit you in the secret place, and send you forth to do great exploits in My name. There is such a season of overwhelming blessing and power that will come, if My people will humble themselves, repent and call upon Me. I have much in store for My children, there is still a work to be done that My American Bride must do, yet as long as you allow the spirit of Jezebel to operate, as long as you tolerate open sin in the pulpit, and refuse to confront the sin in the pew, I can’t do as I want to, I will not use a dirty, unclean vessel for my use. I require holiness, from my ministers in the pulpit, to my people in the pew, not a man made holiness, not a holiness determined by outward acts, but a deep inner holiness, birthed from within the secret place. A holiness that reflects Me, that refuses to touch that which is unclean. You have broken My heart by your actions, the pain of the crucifixion has been felt afresh within me by your actions. You stand naked before me, I see all things. I see your innermost thoughts I see what is done behind closed doors. Every act of adultery, every homosexual thought and act, every word of gossip, every raping of My people, every false doctrine for gain, every impure motive for personal gain and exultation, I see it all, and it grieves me that those I died for could act in such a way, those who go under My banner, acting like the ungodly. You must change your ways, and you must change them quickly. I give everyone a time and a season to repent, and then I’ll expose and bring every hidden thing to the light. I love you My children, I also remind you that there is also much good within My body, those of My servants who are making a difference in their cities and reaching out to the nations of the world. I have My remnant that loves spending time alone with me in the secret place, those who are experiencing a new depth of intimacy and relationship. Many who are not known on Christian television yet are known by Me. And you can be sure that they are known in hell also, for the enemy fears those who have not bowed to the worlds system, nor to the enemy’s deception. These servants of mine will one day come upon the scene, bold, radical and on fire for Me! Many will be surprised when they see these brands plucked from the fire of hell, transformed by My blood, and having a boldness to confront the evils of their generation, and the apathy of some in My body. What I find upsetting is that though there is much good among my people, it is over shadowed by those who prefer to chase after fleshly gain and popularity. I remind you of what I said when I walked the earth and told my first disciples, ‘unless your righteousness exceeds the righteous of the scribes and Pharisees you shall in no way enter the kingdom of Heaven’. Consider your ways, and repent my Bride, behold I’m coming quickly, and there is still much to do. How I long to use you, those who walk in obedience and surrender, I will not cast away, I will raise them up. I love you My children, and soon your trials and time here on earth will be over, I will come again as I promised, until then, busy yourself about Your Fathers business.”

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Tragedy That Is


I've watched with sadness and listened with pain in my heart over the senseless and brutal actions of the young man who went on a killing rampage yesterday at Virginia Tech. Many people are trying to make sense of it all and will continue to debate how one could be so cold and heartless as to do such a thing. To be honest with you, these things will only increase in the days ahead. The Apostle Paul said to Timothy, 2 Tim 3:11 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." We can expect that evil will continue to increase, and when you add to it that in this country, we've pretty much written off God from being part of our society. When we teach our children that 'doing right' and 'morality' is whatever you make it, what more can we expect? When we so senselessly take the lives of over a million unborn babies a year, for the sake of convenience, the message we send is that human life isn't dear nor is it precious. When we've removed the ability to pray in school, let alone teach the Bible, which would teach men and women to respect human life, and to fear God, what should we expect the consequences to be? That's not to say that evil still wouldn't raise its ugly head from time to time, but common sense teaches us that when we promote mass killing in our video games, and show cold hearted, thoughtless murder on television and in the movies, impressionable minds will be effected, add into the mix that there is a very real enemy lurking around, Satan, who wants nothing more than to be mayhem, destruction and death, then we've created a stew of sorts, that can produce anything, including cold hearted killers bent on wreaking as much pain and death as possible. And this will not go away, not as long as Satan is allowed to move around unrestrained, and we give him ample room to operate and tools to use by our ungodly actions within the mainstream media, Hollywood, and our very lives. It's time we wake up to the fact that we've got a real dilemma and its this, America is not the Christian nation we claim to be, our pastors and teachers aren't preaching the full Gospel as they should, and people need to place God back at the forefront of their lives again! And that my friends is the reality of it!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

There's Still The Issue Of The Cross


The other day while driving through Brooksville, Florida for my company I came to an intersection and off to the side of the road was a large cross. Upon further inspection, I noticed a man kneeling down, with the cross resting sideways on his shoulder. I honked my horn in both support and appreciation of this stranger who was silently reminding us that there's still the issue of the cross. I thought on that for awhile as I continued down the road on my way to my next stop. There is still the issue of the cross, it stands in stark contrast to this worlds system. With everything that goes on in the world, there is still the issue of the cross. And whether we take note of it or not, we've got to answer for it. I've debated with Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Atheists, Muslims, Non-Believers and yes, even some Christians. And I've always pointed them back to the cross. You see no matter where you stand on politics, global warming, the rights of individuals, or a host of other issues that occupy our time, we'll only answer for one thing, and that is what did we do about the Cross? God isn't interested in anything else we've done, He's going to point at the Cross and ask us what we did with it. I can hardly stand to read the news anymore what with the influx of evil that seems to be getting worse with each passing day, yet I do read it, if for no other reason than to see where we're at on God's timetable. And when I look at Brittney Spears, and Marilyn Manson, and Rosie O'Donnell, to name just a few, I realize that the conscience of our nation has been seared. We need a move of God, we need an outpouring of the Spirit badly, and to those people I'd say, There's still the issue of the Cross! And that my friends is the reality of it!