Today I came across two things concerning Franklin, Tennessee that caught my attention. First, I found an article that I had read several years ago by Stephen Mansfield; at that time I saved it so that I could reread it later. I tried to find it on http://www.mansfieldgroup.com/ where I originally saw it, but was unable to locate it. Anyways I am posting this excellent piece on the life of E.M. Bounds, who is one of my heroes of the faith. Most should be familiar with his writings on the topic of prayer (if not, please buy one of his excellent books on prayer).
Secondly I came across on CNN tonight a story about a body of a Union Civil War soldier being uncovered in Franklin, Tennessee. As you will read below, the Battle of Franklin had a significant impact on the life and ministry of E.M. Bounds.
E.M. BOUNDS by Stephen Mansfield
His name was E. M. Bounds and, though few may know of him, his books still sound a valiant trumpet call to intercession for those who have ears to hear. With titles like Power through Prayer, Prayer and Praying Men, The Essentials of Prayer, and The Possibilities of Prayer, this revered pastor, author, military chaplain, and prayer warrior has issued a Spirit-empowered call that continues to echo through the corridors of time. Yet if few know of him, even fewer may be aware of his incredible ministry during the War Between the States and the amazing impact he had on Franklin, Tennessee, just after that War. It is a story that bears telling, and retelling, among a people called to walk in his steps.
Edward McKendree Bounds was born in 1835 to Christian parents in Shelby County, Missouri. His middle name came from the famous Methodist circuit rider, Bishop William McKendree, who planted churches from the Atlantic coast to Missouri. As befit his name, Edward was an exceptional young man. In 1854, after "reading the law" as was the custom at the time, he was admitted to the bar at the astonishing age of eighteen. He quickly became one of the most respected attorneys in the area, but in 1859, to the surprise of all, he closed his office. Something had changed in Edward, and only his friends knew that it was a fresh encounter with the Lord Jesus. He began to devour the Scriptures and he read every John Wesley sermon in print. He also consumed the writings of Jonathan Edwards, whose biography of David Brainerd filled him with a passion for prayer. Edward's hunger for God increased and as his Heavenly Father filled him to overflowing, his heart longed to draw others into the transforming intimacy he had discovered. Finally, in 1860, his desire was granted when he was "Licensed to preach the Gospel of Christ" in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
His first pastorate was in Brunswick, Missouri, yet, in the sovereignty ofGod, it would not last long. In the fall of 1861, six months after the start of the War Between the States, Bounds was sitting quietly in his red brick church when Union troops rode up and took him into custody. He had once publicly voiced his opposition to the confiscation of churches by Union troops and for this offense alone he was beaten and consigned to a federal prison at St. Louis. This injustice would have crushed most men, but Edward was a different breed of man, one who had surrendered fully to his Master. Rather than nurse a destructive bitterness, he began to minister to the angry, hurting souls around him. So effective was his ministry and so respected was the character of this godly man, that following a prisoner exchange early the next year, Edward was sworn in as a Chaplain in the Confederate Army.
He now found himself in John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee and a more war-weary band of soldiers have rarely existed. These veterans had seen many a preacher appeal for converts in the quiet of the camp only to flee to the comforts of home when the firing began. Chaplain Bounds was a refreshing change. The soldiers learned that when the fighting broke out, they could find Bounds on the front lines, exposing himself to danger, and drawing fire as he shouted encouragement to "his flock." The men loved him. He was barely over five feet tall and as thin as a rail and when he made his rounds carrying a full backpack, the men laughingly called him "the walking bundle," for the man could scarcely be seen under the huge load. Edward would always smile, eagerly wave, and then turn to the next soul that required mending.
Then came the Battle of Franklin. On November 30, 1864, General Hood launched a frontal assault against the entrenched forces of Union General Schofield near a town south of Nashville called Franklin. It was a hasty, rash move and in a charge as dramatic as anything seen at Gettysburg, 18,000 Confederate soldiers were hurled against Union lines. It was a bloodbath and Hood lost 6,252 men that day, including thirteen general officers. Many prisoners were taken, and among them was Chaplain Edward Bounds. For days afterwards, Edward's heart-wrenching task was to dig mass graves for the very men whose souls he had tended. All the while, though, he sang hymns, quoted Scripture aloud, and offered encouragement to his fellow captives. Finally, after more than two weeks of this horror, most of the prisoners were released on condition that they not take up arms again. Edward accepted and left for his home in Missouri. His business in Franklin, however, was unfinished.
Early in 1865, Edward returned to Franklin. With all his heart he had loved the men in those horrible mass graves----he knew their hurts, the names of their wives and children, the shape of their fears----and he simply couldn't leave them there. He conceived a project to properly bury the dead and commemorate their lives. His vision moved a local farmer to donate some land and during the hot summer of 1865 some 1, 496 Confederate soldiers were exhumed and buried in the new cemetery on the hills of the Carter Farm. He even raised seven hundred dollars to pay local men to tend the graves. But it was not enough for Edward. He made a list of all the men from Missouri he buried at Franklin and published it in the Missouri newspapers to inform the families and generate even more support. Tenderly, he placed the list in his own wallet where it remained until the day of his death forty-eight years later. Throughout his life, he visited the families of his men, wrote them letters, and even helped acquire scholarships for the children of the men he had prayed with in those smokey Confederate camps.
But there was something else stirring him, as well. He had noticed, along with other believers, how a spiritual heaviness hung over the town of Franklin. One might expect this of Nashville, for during the War years it had been a center of prostitution, drunkenness, and the occult that was so much in fashion in the mid-1800's in America. Franklin was different, populated largely by Christian people. Perhaps it was the horrible bloodshed of those six hours on November 30th, or perhaps it was the depression of defeat that blanketed the South. Edward did not know why it was there, but he knew it had to go and that prayer was the key.
Since there was no Methodist pastor in Franklin, Edward became the pastor of Franklin's Methodist Episcopal Church. While fulfilling his pastoral duties, he continued to seek God for a strategy to break the darkness that covered the city. Finally, it came. Before long, he called upon the men of the city to join him in prayer. Every Tuesday evening, he proposed, the men would gather in the town square and cry out to God for their city. It must have sounded as strange then as it does today. Yet, the men came, and following Edward's lead, they knelt in the center of the town square and prayed, faithfully, every Tuesday for months. It worked. The darkness began to leave. What is more the Spirit of God began to touch hearts and the city experienced what can only be described as a spiritual awakening. In fact, Pastor Bounds' own church grew from a handful to over five hundred people. Once again, a faithful God granted an outpouring of his Spirit to believers who faithfully persisted in prayer.
Pastor Bounds remained in Franklin for two more years and then moved to Alabama. In time he married, had children, inherited property, and discipled many young men in the ministry. His life was filled with intense seasons of prayer, effective seasons of ministry, and fruitful seasons of writing. Indeed, his books on prayer, filled with wisdom acquired from so many battles both spiritual and human, are still the best to be found on the subjects of prayer and intercession.
Yet nothing stands as a testimony to the man quite like his pastoral ministry to the men who fell at the Battle of Franklin, their families, and the beleaguered city of Franklin. What kind of man is it who risks death to encourage others in Jesus? What kind of man quotes Scripture and sings hymns while burying the men he has pastored? What breed is it that can dig up almost fifteen hundred bodies only to bury them again in a manner that befits their sacrifice? What devotion cares not only for the men who have fallen but their children and even their grandchildren? And what kind of calling leads men to cry out to God for their city when others are lost in blackest despair?
The simple answer is that these are the characteristics of Jesus. What E. M. Bounds had learned was the secret of prayer, and how through the surrender that persistent prayer produces, Jesus pours his life, his heart, and his character. This is the meaning of the life of E. M. Bounds and this is the nature of our Lord.
© 2004 Mansfield Group
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Stephen J Hill's SPRING NEWSLETTER
A dear friend of mine sent out his newsletter today that I want to share with you. If you're a pastor, I would HIGHLY recommend that you consider bringing S.J. to minister to your church. He is a true father in the Lord to many around the globe. And regardless of what others say about him, I think he's pretty funny too! Enjoy!
SPRING NEWSLETTER
Stephen J Hill
May 14, 2009
Hi Everybody,
I can't believe it's May already and time for another newsletter. I pray that you're continuing to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and living in His loving embrace! I've been quite busy the last couple of months with trips to Louisiana, the Philippines, Texas, Illinois, and Holland. I also leave this weekend for meetings in Indiana. I've really enjoyed sharing my passion on the Father's love, as well as getting to meet some great people. If you're interested in keeping up with our traveling schedule, you can visit our web site at www.sjhill.com.
A VICTORIOUS ESCHATOLOGY
For several years, I've been deeply concerned about the prevalent negativity I've seen within a large segment of the Body of Christ concerning the future of our planet. It has made me realize that our eschatology (what we believe about future events) will determine how we live in the present moment. For example, in the early 70's, I watched as men chose not to pursue any higher education because they believed Christ was returning at any moment. Now, many of them are in their late 50's and early 60's, and they're disillusioned because of the direction their lives have taken. Some of them have never liked their jobs, and now they're wondering why they bought into all the speculation presented by the popular "prophecy preachers."
I remember a man who wrote a book years ago that consisted of 88 reasons why Jesus was returning in 1988. Much of his eschatology was based on the belief that what Jesus predicted in Luke 21:32 would take place 40 years (the length of a generation, according to some) after the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948. Still others taught that Jesus was coming again in 2007, 40 years after Jerusalem became the capital of Israel in 1967.
What's sad is that this kind of speculation continues to this day as the "prophecy preachers" scramble to peddle their latest products. And, I'm amazed about how dogmatic many of them are concerning their interpretation of Scripture, especially the Book of Revelation. But how many of you even realize that much of the prevalent thinking about "end-time events" is less than 200 years old? John Nelson Darby started promoting his new beliefs in the 1830's, and they were later popularized with the 1909 printing of the Scofield Reference Bible. While Darby's views were initially rejected by much of the Church of his day, they're now widely embraced by many churches and denominations, as well as many radio and TV preachers.
Now that I'm 60 years old, I'm personally tired of all the speculation and dogmatic, fear-based preaching about "the end." I'm tired of hearing so much about the Antichrist and the mark of the Beast when much, if not more, is said in Scripture about the mark or seal of God placed on believers. And, regardless of your views about the Book of Revelation (Please don't write and ask me about mine; this is not the point of my newsletter.), it was actually an unveiling of Jesus Christ, and not Antichrist.
Speaking of Antichrist, do you realize that during World War II, many in the Church came to believe that Hitler was the Antichrist? Later, it was thought that Henry Kissinger was the Antichrist. I even read a book about 12 years ago that suggested Prince Charles was the Antichrist. Now, I'm hearing Christians clearly stating that President Obama could very well be the Antichrist!
Enough already!! When are we, as Christians, going to quit speculating about "the end" and start doing something about the future of our children and grandchildren? I believe we've been given more authority in prayer than we realize, and we've been called to be "salt" and "light" to this world. And, that's why I'm writing this article. Jesus has invited us to partner with Him in the earth to help accomplish His purposes. There may be those individuals who want to usher in a New World Order and a One World Government, but why aren't we praying against it? Are our views of "the end" actually keeping us from doing the works of the Kingdom? I think this is a valid question that needs to be addressed by everyone of us.
None of us can be dogmatic about how things are going to turn out in the future. But I do know we're called to love this hurting world and model the Father's love to our generation. Each one of us has a sphere of influence, and Jesus wants to use us to advance His Kingdom. Can we please do less arguing about "end-time events" and do more to change the social climate around us? I pray you'll hear my heart through the things I've shared in this newsletter.
Thanks for your continued prayers. Pam and I really appreciate them!!
Love,
S. J. (Steve) and Pam
P. O. Box 910
Harrisburg, NC 28075
www.sjhill.com
stevejhill[at]juno[dot]com
SPRING NEWSLETTER
Stephen J Hill
May 14, 2009
Hi Everybody,
I can't believe it's May already and time for another newsletter. I pray that you're continuing to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and living in His loving embrace! I've been quite busy the last couple of months with trips to Louisiana, the Philippines, Texas, Illinois, and Holland. I also leave this weekend for meetings in Indiana. I've really enjoyed sharing my passion on the Father's love, as well as getting to meet some great people. If you're interested in keeping up with our traveling schedule, you can visit our web site at www.sjhill.com.
A VICTORIOUS ESCHATOLOGY
For several years, I've been deeply concerned about the prevalent negativity I've seen within a large segment of the Body of Christ concerning the future of our planet. It has made me realize that our eschatology (what we believe about future events) will determine how we live in the present moment. For example, in the early 70's, I watched as men chose not to pursue any higher education because they believed Christ was returning at any moment. Now, many of them are in their late 50's and early 60's, and they're disillusioned because of the direction their lives have taken. Some of them have never liked their jobs, and now they're wondering why they bought into all the speculation presented by the popular "prophecy preachers."
I remember a man who wrote a book years ago that consisted of 88 reasons why Jesus was returning in 1988. Much of his eschatology was based on the belief that what Jesus predicted in Luke 21:32 would take place 40 years (the length of a generation, according to some) after the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948. Still others taught that Jesus was coming again in 2007, 40 years after Jerusalem became the capital of Israel in 1967.
What's sad is that this kind of speculation continues to this day as the "prophecy preachers" scramble to peddle their latest products. And, I'm amazed about how dogmatic many of them are concerning their interpretation of Scripture, especially the Book of Revelation. But how many of you even realize that much of the prevalent thinking about "end-time events" is less than 200 years old? John Nelson Darby started promoting his new beliefs in the 1830's, and they were later popularized with the 1909 printing of the Scofield Reference Bible. While Darby's views were initially rejected by much of the Church of his day, they're now widely embraced by many churches and denominations, as well as many radio and TV preachers.
Now that I'm 60 years old, I'm personally tired of all the speculation and dogmatic, fear-based preaching about "the end." I'm tired of hearing so much about the Antichrist and the mark of the Beast when much, if not more, is said in Scripture about the mark or seal of God placed on believers. And, regardless of your views about the Book of Revelation (Please don't write and ask me about mine; this is not the point of my newsletter.), it was actually an unveiling of Jesus Christ, and not Antichrist.
Speaking of Antichrist, do you realize that during World War II, many in the Church came to believe that Hitler was the Antichrist? Later, it was thought that Henry Kissinger was the Antichrist. I even read a book about 12 years ago that suggested Prince Charles was the Antichrist. Now, I'm hearing Christians clearly stating that President Obama could very well be the Antichrist!
Enough already!! When are we, as Christians, going to quit speculating about "the end" and start doing something about the future of our children and grandchildren? I believe we've been given more authority in prayer than we realize, and we've been called to be "salt" and "light" to this world. And, that's why I'm writing this article. Jesus has invited us to partner with Him in the earth to help accomplish His purposes. There may be those individuals who want to usher in a New World Order and a One World Government, but why aren't we praying against it? Are our views of "the end" actually keeping us from doing the works of the Kingdom? I think this is a valid question that needs to be addressed by everyone of us.
None of us can be dogmatic about how things are going to turn out in the future. But I do know we're called to love this hurting world and model the Father's love to our generation. Each one of us has a sphere of influence, and Jesus wants to use us to advance His Kingdom. Can we please do less arguing about "end-time events" and do more to change the social climate around us? I pray you'll hear my heart through the things I've shared in this newsletter.
Thanks for your continued prayers. Pam and I really appreciate them!!
Love,
S. J. (Steve) and Pam
P. O. Box 910
Harrisburg, NC 28075
www.sjhill.com
stevejhill[at]juno[dot]com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
APOSTOLIC PASSION: THE KING OF GLORY IS COMING TO AUSTIN
Psalm 24:7-10—Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty—he is the King of glory. Selah
In March of 2008 I ministered at the Embracing God’s Glory conference in Temple, Texas. The first night I spoke briefly with a woman at the conference from Austin, which was approximately an hour south of Temple. I was scheduled to minister at the main session Friday night and Saturday morning.
While preaching Saturday morning, the Holy Spirit suddenly directed me in the middle of my message to declare the following to the woman from Austin I had met briefly the first night: “The King of glory is coming to Austin, the King of Glory is coming to Austin, the King of Glory is coming to Austin!” Each time I declared it, it came forth with greater authority. It was a prophetic declaration that was from the very heart of God—never before had I felt any inclination to pray such a thing concerning Austin. Immediately following this prophetic declaration, God’s tangible presence permeated the meeting room. Silence filled the room as hearts were fixated upon the King of Glory. This session that was intended to only be for 90 minutes, went on for almost four hours.
Obviously Austin is on God’s heart in this hour.
Two days later on March 17th I had the opportunity to minister at Luke 4:18 Ministries (under the leadership of Barb Bucklin) in Austin. There was a word stirring in my heart for the church in Austin concerning apostolic passion—yet I did not sense it was time to release it then. Instead the Lord moved powerfully upon those in attendance as I ministered prophetically to roughly 30 different people. It was an intense time in the Lord as lives were touched and changed.
Afterwards as I was riding back to Temple, I knew that I had to release the word on apostolic passion before flying out of Austin on March 20. I contacted Barb Bucklin to set up a time to meet at the Capital building in Austin to prophetically declare this word over the city as a whole: The King of Glory is coming to Austin as apostolic passion is restored to the Church.
APOSTOLIC PASSION
What is apostolic passion? My definition-in-progress is as followed: An undying steadfastness to glorify God by fulfilling the “original mandate” for which one has been sent to accomplish. Hence this needs to be further delineated in order to fully comprehend the framework of this Spirit-cultivated motivation within the heart. It is one whose heart is fully congruent (i.e., submitted, surrendered, pliable, fashionable, obedient) to the heart of God. It seeks the glory of God above all else, at all cost—to the demise of the praise of man.
In order to better understand what I mean by apostolic passion for the glory of God, I want to share a story with you.
During October of 2004, my wife and I (along with Jerry and Shara Phillips from Texas) visited the historic home of James and Dolly Madison called Montpelier, located in Virginia. This is approximately an hour from our home. James Madison is one of the Founding Fathers of our Nation and was the principal draftsman of the Constitution, thus the namesake, “Father of the Constitution.” Henceforth his influence is indelibly imprinted upon the formation of the United States of America.
Unknowingly to us, this historic home was under a work of restoration, which commenced in December of 2003. Although we were able to walk through parts of it, it was all under heavy construction. The DuPont family had recently given the home to the Montpelier Foundation with instructions to renovate it; therefore the objective was to restore the mansion to the one originally inhabited by the Madison family during the 1820s.
We learned that during an in-depth, meticulous architectural and archaeological examination of the home, it was determined that the expanded DuPont home still contained much of the original parts of the Madison era home. Little did I know that I was about to undergo an intensely personal lesson on the apostolic passion that the Father desires to be evident today in apostolic men and women. This life-changing lesson was epitomized by the tour guide—indeed, a man who was passionate about uncovering anything that was an original Madison. I was fascinated by the absolute passion of the tour guide. He would take us to various parts of the home to show us where they had discovered an original Madison pattern, material, wallpaper, wood, window, or painting. In doing so, he emanated such commitment, dedication, and determination.
The home had been modified over the years as subsequent owners built additional rooms to the original Madison structure. During the early part of the 20th century, the wealthy DuPont family added massive wings to the original Madison home; therefore the deconstruction phase reduced the sprawling mansion from 55 rooms to 22 rooms. This restoration project was purposed to remove everything that had been added on so that it was the exact representation of what James and Dolly Madison lived in. However, as stated earlier, they had to painstakingly ensure each room that was deconstructed didn’t contain any valuable originals of the Madison home. This required commitment. Nothing could be glossed over or eliminated without the utmost care to ensure nothing valuable (i.e., a Madison original) was discarded.
The tour guide was exhilarated about anything that was an original Madison—I was dumbfounded and awestruck at the same time. I couldn’t help but reflect on the reality that if this tour guide was this passionate concerning Montpelier, how much more passionate should I be concerning my Heavenly Father’s house—the glorious Church.
My heart was stirred that day.
I could no longer be comfortable with my own comfortableness concerning my lack of “passion” for the things on God’s own heart. Immediately following this visit to Montpelier, the tour guide’s passion served as a benchmark to me of the passion of apostolic ministry to restore the church to God’s original intentions as revealed in the Scriptures. Our passion for anything in this world should be pale compared for our passion for Christ Jesus and the Church. This is the hour that the Lord is bringing forth apostolic leaders who are passionate about God restoring the Church to its original mandate!
THE KING OF GLORY IS COMING TO AUSTIN
As I stood on the steps of the Capital in Austin, I shared this story with this band of committed believers who continually long to see the King of Glory come to Austin. I exhorted this group to persevere in prayer to become an apostolic company of men and women who obeyed the original intent of God’s heart as revealed in the Scriptures. Together we welcomed the King of Glory to Austin. And we consecrated our hearts afresh to the Lord in unity that no man would take any credit for what was His alone to glory in. Therefore the thrust of apostolic passion is wholehearted concern with the original intent of God’s heart—God is glorified as mankind extends His kingdom throughout the earth.
So what does this look like for the church in Austin and beyond?
More to come….
In March of 2008 I ministered at the Embracing God’s Glory conference in Temple, Texas. The first night I spoke briefly with a woman at the conference from Austin, which was approximately an hour south of Temple. I was scheduled to minister at the main session Friday night and Saturday morning.
While preaching Saturday morning, the Holy Spirit suddenly directed me in the middle of my message to declare the following to the woman from Austin I had met briefly the first night: “The King of glory is coming to Austin, the King of Glory is coming to Austin, the King of Glory is coming to Austin!” Each time I declared it, it came forth with greater authority. It was a prophetic declaration that was from the very heart of God—never before had I felt any inclination to pray such a thing concerning Austin. Immediately following this prophetic declaration, God’s tangible presence permeated the meeting room. Silence filled the room as hearts were fixated upon the King of Glory. This session that was intended to only be for 90 minutes, went on for almost four hours.
Obviously Austin is on God’s heart in this hour.
Two days later on March 17th I had the opportunity to minister at Luke 4:18 Ministries (under the leadership of Barb Bucklin) in Austin. There was a word stirring in my heart for the church in Austin concerning apostolic passion—yet I did not sense it was time to release it then. Instead the Lord moved powerfully upon those in attendance as I ministered prophetically to roughly 30 different people. It was an intense time in the Lord as lives were touched and changed.
Afterwards as I was riding back to Temple, I knew that I had to release the word on apostolic passion before flying out of Austin on March 20. I contacted Barb Bucklin to set up a time to meet at the Capital building in Austin to prophetically declare this word over the city as a whole: The King of Glory is coming to Austin as apostolic passion is restored to the Church.
APOSTOLIC PASSION
What is apostolic passion? My definition-in-progress is as followed: An undying steadfastness to glorify God by fulfilling the “original mandate” for which one has been sent to accomplish. Hence this needs to be further delineated in order to fully comprehend the framework of this Spirit-cultivated motivation within the heart. It is one whose heart is fully congruent (i.e., submitted, surrendered, pliable, fashionable, obedient) to the heart of God. It seeks the glory of God above all else, at all cost—to the demise of the praise of man.
In order to better understand what I mean by apostolic passion for the glory of God, I want to share a story with you.
During October of 2004, my wife and I (along with Jerry and Shara Phillips from Texas) visited the historic home of James and Dolly Madison called Montpelier, located in Virginia. This is approximately an hour from our home. James Madison is one of the Founding Fathers of our Nation and was the principal draftsman of the Constitution, thus the namesake, “Father of the Constitution.” Henceforth his influence is indelibly imprinted upon the formation of the United States of America.
Unknowingly to us, this historic home was under a work of restoration, which commenced in December of 2003. Although we were able to walk through parts of it, it was all under heavy construction. The DuPont family had recently given the home to the Montpelier Foundation with instructions to renovate it; therefore the objective was to restore the mansion to the one originally inhabited by the Madison family during the 1820s.
We learned that during an in-depth, meticulous architectural and archaeological examination of the home, it was determined that the expanded DuPont home still contained much of the original parts of the Madison era home. Little did I know that I was about to undergo an intensely personal lesson on the apostolic passion that the Father desires to be evident today in apostolic men and women. This life-changing lesson was epitomized by the tour guide—indeed, a man who was passionate about uncovering anything that was an original Madison. I was fascinated by the absolute passion of the tour guide. He would take us to various parts of the home to show us where they had discovered an original Madison pattern, material, wallpaper, wood, window, or painting. In doing so, he emanated such commitment, dedication, and determination.
The home had been modified over the years as subsequent owners built additional rooms to the original Madison structure. During the early part of the 20th century, the wealthy DuPont family added massive wings to the original Madison home; therefore the deconstruction phase reduced the sprawling mansion from 55 rooms to 22 rooms. This restoration project was purposed to remove everything that had been added on so that it was the exact representation of what James and Dolly Madison lived in. However, as stated earlier, they had to painstakingly ensure each room that was deconstructed didn’t contain any valuable originals of the Madison home. This required commitment. Nothing could be glossed over or eliminated without the utmost care to ensure nothing valuable (i.e., a Madison original) was discarded.
The tour guide was exhilarated about anything that was an original Madison—I was dumbfounded and awestruck at the same time. I couldn’t help but reflect on the reality that if this tour guide was this passionate concerning Montpelier, how much more passionate should I be concerning my Heavenly Father’s house—the glorious Church.
My heart was stirred that day.
I could no longer be comfortable with my own comfortableness concerning my lack of “passion” for the things on God’s own heart. Immediately following this visit to Montpelier, the tour guide’s passion served as a benchmark to me of the passion of apostolic ministry to restore the church to God’s original intentions as revealed in the Scriptures. Our passion for anything in this world should be pale compared for our passion for Christ Jesus and the Church. This is the hour that the Lord is bringing forth apostolic leaders who are passionate about God restoring the Church to its original mandate!
THE KING OF GLORY IS COMING TO AUSTIN
As I stood on the steps of the Capital in Austin, I shared this story with this band of committed believers who continually long to see the King of Glory come to Austin. I exhorted this group to persevere in prayer to become an apostolic company of men and women who obeyed the original intent of God’s heart as revealed in the Scriptures. Together we welcomed the King of Glory to Austin. And we consecrated our hearts afresh to the Lord in unity that no man would take any credit for what was His alone to glory in. Therefore the thrust of apostolic passion is wholehearted concern with the original intent of God’s heart—God is glorified as mankind extends His kingdom throughout the earth.
So what does this look like for the church in Austin and beyond?
More to come….
Friday, December 12, 2008
Ed's Recommended Leadership Books
I am always on the lookout for good leadership books to read. Often I’ll spend time on Google to find leadership bibliographies in order to track down worthwhile sources. Also I like reading book reviews on Amazon to get a feel for certain books that I'm considering purchasing.
A few months ago I came across Ed Brenegar's website while researching a specific topic in leadership. I enjoyed his articles and contacted him to express my appreciation. We have continued a rapport through Facebook. Ed is the owner of Community of Leadership, which is a "consultancy speciallizing in leadership development, change management and transition planning." He describes himself on his Facebook page: "I am a husband, father, Presbyterian minister, business man, Boy Scout leader, and writer, columnist and blogger." He has also served as a professor in leadership thought.
Last week I asked him to consider sharing his top recommended leadership books—he graciously obliged. Here is the article: A Leadership Book List.
It is an excellent list for those involved in organizational leadership and who desire to build an ongoing framework for successful leadership that is action-oriented and not just theoretical.
Check out the list. Do any of the books appeal to you?
A few months ago I came across Ed Brenegar's website while researching a specific topic in leadership. I enjoyed his articles and contacted him to express my appreciation. We have continued a rapport through Facebook. Ed is the owner of Community of Leadership, which is a "consultancy speciallizing in leadership development, change management and transition planning." He describes himself on his Facebook page: "I am a husband, father, Presbyterian minister, business man, Boy Scout leader, and writer, columnist and blogger." He has also served as a professor in leadership thought.
Last week I asked him to consider sharing his top recommended leadership books—he graciously obliged. Here is the article: A Leadership Book List.
It is an excellent list for those involved in organizational leadership and who desire to build an ongoing framework for successful leadership that is action-oriented and not just theoretical.
Check out the list. Do any of the books appeal to you?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Your Chance for a Free Leadership Book
There is a blog that I frequent called Leading Blog that is currently giving away five free copies of a book by Marcus Buckingham called The Truth About You: Your Secret to Success. Within leadership thought, Marcus has been a rising, steady voice this decade concerning the need to capitalize on your stregnths in order to maximize your leadership potential.
All you need to do is go to the Leading Blog post and leave a comment: http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2008/11/stimulus_package_1_free_book_t.html#comments.
This Friday they will select five winners. It would be great to see some of my readers possibly win a few of the books! God bless you!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation
Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us , Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'
Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God.' If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends. 'If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything.'
NOTE: I reprinted this from Jaeson Ma's blog.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Stand with Beth Hislop
When I ministered at the Embracing God's Glory conference in Temple, Texas last March, the worship was led by Beth Hislop. She did a phenomenal job—her love for Jesus enabled all to focus solely on Him during worship. Honestly I don't think I would've been able to minister at such a high level of the anointing at the conference apart from the worship she led. Without question I came to a deeper appreciation for her ministry during that time—now I know firsthand the value of the heart that she possesses.
I want to stand with her in what the Lord has called her to pursue in this hour. Read on and prayerfully consider standing with her as she stands before God for our Nation.
Dear Friends,
This is an urgent request for prayer and emergency support. I have been asked by Matt Lockett, the director of Bound 4 Life, to come and serve at the Justice House of Prayer in Washington, DC. (http://www.jhop.org/) I believe this is a summon from the Lord for me.
I received a call from Matt last week. Since Lou Engle has asked all of the teams and interns from all of the JHOP’s to go to San Diego for 40 days of prayer and fasting leading up to The Call San Diego and the Elections, Matt is assembling a team to fuel the JHOP in DC. Because of the vital need for intercession to go up in DC leading up to the election, and for the continued presence at the Supreme Court, Matt asked me if I would be willing and available to be on the team for the Facedown 40 and come live in DC starting on September 18th. As the leadership of the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace is releasing me and sending me, I will be joining the team as I feel God is calling me to lay aside that time to serve Lou, Matt, the cause for the ending of abortion and crying out for mercy during the next few months leading up to the elections in November. I believe this is a pivotal point in the History of our nation. I believe that the next 7-8 weeks will shape the course of our history.
I believe that God has summoned me to go, but financially I cannot do it without your help. I am sending this letter as a request for emergency support. God is my provider, and He has shown himself so faithful to me! I had several dreams last night of getting gifts and of prosperity financially, so I know He will provide. With that said, I really felt led to take this step of faith to ask you if you would prayerfully consider donating financially, a one time gift, to support me while I am at JHOP.
Many of you know I am in the process of raising support as I am now on full-time staff with the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace. I will still continue my fundraising for the last months of this year and for next year with the official launch of the Prayer Furnace. However, I do not have the finances at this point to support myself enough to go to DC. Having looked at my finances and needs, I need to raise $800 by Sept. 15th in order to go to JHOP. I will also need another $800 by the end of my time in at JHOP in November.All donations are tax deductible. (http://www.theprayerfurnace.org)/
In 1999 Bob Jones spoke that the next president would come out of Texas and he would be a Burning Bush, and that IF the church would pray, in the second part of his second term he would do more to end abortion, restrain the homosexual agenda and to put prayer back in schools.” Then the word went on to say, “…if the church will pray, we will get eight more years of righteousness.” I believe the time is urgent to pray. We are already in a historical moment with these elections. As our nation decides who will be our next president, we must pray. Also, I ask for your prayers as I enter into this battle. Our team will be small. 12 people. But we will fight in intercession and worship for our nation and for our next president and for the ending of abortion.
Thank you so much for your prayers and consideration. I am so excited about what the Lord is doing and is going to do. I am excited to go fight, for our country and for our leaders, in intercession.
During the 40 days, as a team, we will be consistently sending out updates on what is going on and you will be able to watch video clips of the prayer room online. I will let you know how to access this information once it is set up. If you have a twitter account, we will be sending out updates on that as well.
If you could please consider responding within the next 5 days, And as always please keep me and the team in your prayers. Blessings to you!
I love you.
Bethbhislop[at]theprayerfurnace[dot]org
You can send your checks, made out to: Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace, to:
Beth Hislop
255 Maryfox Rd
Tappahannock, VA 22560
All donations are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt in the mail.
I want to stand with her in what the Lord has called her to pursue in this hour. Read on and prayerfully consider standing with her as she stands before God for our Nation.
Dear Friends,
This is an urgent request for prayer and emergency support. I have been asked by Matt Lockett, the director of Bound 4 Life, to come and serve at the Justice House of Prayer in Washington, DC. (http://www.jhop.org/) I believe this is a summon from the Lord for me.
I received a call from Matt last week. Since Lou Engle has asked all of the teams and interns from all of the JHOP’s to go to San Diego for 40 days of prayer and fasting leading up to The Call San Diego and the Elections, Matt is assembling a team to fuel the JHOP in DC. Because of the vital need for intercession to go up in DC leading up to the election, and for the continued presence at the Supreme Court, Matt asked me if I would be willing and available to be on the team for the Facedown 40 and come live in DC starting on September 18th. As the leadership of the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace is releasing me and sending me, I will be joining the team as I feel God is calling me to lay aside that time to serve Lou, Matt, the cause for the ending of abortion and crying out for mercy during the next few months leading up to the elections in November. I believe this is a pivotal point in the History of our nation. I believe that the next 7-8 weeks will shape the course of our history.
I believe that God has summoned me to go, but financially I cannot do it without your help. I am sending this letter as a request for emergency support. God is my provider, and He has shown himself so faithful to me! I had several dreams last night of getting gifts and of prosperity financially, so I know He will provide. With that said, I really felt led to take this step of faith to ask you if you would prayerfully consider donating financially, a one time gift, to support me while I am at JHOP.
Many of you know I am in the process of raising support as I am now on full-time staff with the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace. I will still continue my fundraising for the last months of this year and for next year with the official launch of the Prayer Furnace. However, I do not have the finances at this point to support myself enough to go to DC. Having looked at my finances and needs, I need to raise $800 by Sept. 15th in order to go to JHOP. I will also need another $800 by the end of my time in at JHOP in November.All donations are tax deductible. (http://www.theprayerfurnace.org)/
In 1999 Bob Jones spoke that the next president would come out of Texas and he would be a Burning Bush, and that IF the church would pray, in the second part of his second term he would do more to end abortion, restrain the homosexual agenda and to put prayer back in schools.” Then the word went on to say, “…if the church will pray, we will get eight more years of righteousness.” I believe the time is urgent to pray. We are already in a historical moment with these elections. As our nation decides who will be our next president, we must pray. Also, I ask for your prayers as I enter into this battle. Our team will be small. 12 people. But we will fight in intercession and worship for our nation and for our next president and for the ending of abortion.
Thank you so much for your prayers and consideration. I am so excited about what the Lord is doing and is going to do. I am excited to go fight, for our country and for our leaders, in intercession.
During the 40 days, as a team, we will be consistently sending out updates on what is going on and you will be able to watch video clips of the prayer room online. I will let you know how to access this information once it is set up. If you have a twitter account, we will be sending out updates on that as well.
If you could please consider responding within the next 5 days, And as always please keep me and the team in your prayers. Blessings to you!
I love you.
Bethbhislop[at]theprayerfurnace[dot]org
You can send your checks, made out to: Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace, to:
Beth Hislop
255 Maryfox Rd
Tappahannock, VA 22560
All donations are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt in the mail.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Great Quotes!
These quotes came in an email from the Revival Center.More GREAT QUOTES- www.Sermonindex.net
"God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God." ~H.A. Ironside
"Being broken is both God's work and ours. He brings His pressure to bear, but we have to make the choice...All day long the choice will be before us in a thousand ways." ~Roy Hession.
"Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision." ~Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.
"When we become too glib in prayer we are most surely talking to ourselves."
- A. W. Tozer
"When filled with holy truth the mind rests." ~C.H. Spurgeon
"We must frankly face the fact that there is in this teaching a revolutionary element which could be dangerously subversive of our existing ways of thought. Let us admit that it is part of the fallen human nature of ecclesiastics, no less than of others in responsible positions, to desire always criteria of judgement which can be used without making too heavy demands upon the delicate faculty of spiritual discernment, clear-cut rules by which we may hope to be saved from making mistakes -- or rather, from being obviously and personally responsible for the mistakes. We are uncomfortable without definite principles by which we may guide our steps. We fear uncharted country, and the fanatics of all kinds who, upon the alleged authority of the Holy Spirit, summon us with strident cries in all directions simultaneously. Only those who have never borne the heavy burden of pastoral responsibility will mock at the cautious spirit of the ecclesiastic." ~Lesslie Newbigin
"Some people read their Bible in Hebrew, some in Greek; I like to read mine in the Holy Ghost." ~Smith Wigglesworth
"I am convinced that many evangelicals are not truly and soundly converted. Among the evangelicals it is entirely possible to come into membership, to ooze in by osmosis, to leak through the cells of the church and never know what it means to be born of the Spirit and washed in the blood. A great deal that passes for the deeper life is nothing more or less than basic Christianity. There is nothing deeper about it, and it is where we should have been from the start...What we need is what the old Methodists called a sound conversion. There is a difference between conversion and a sound conversion. People who have never been soundly converted do not have the Spirit to enlighten them. When they read the Sermon on the Mount or the teaching passages of the epistles that tell themhow to live or the doctrinal passages that tell how they can live,they are unaffected. The Spirit who wrote them is not witnessing in their hearts because they have not been born of the Spirit. That often happens." - A W Tozer.
"No Task will be so sordid and base, provided you obey your calling in it, that it will not shine and be reckoned very precious in God's sight." - John Calvin
"With all your getting get unction." - Leonard Ravenhill
"When the Lord reveals His will to us and we obey, our mission will be a success regardless of the results." - Chinese housechurch leaders, Back to Jerusalem movement
"Those who are God's true witnesses are firmly anchored in Him, in love or in suffering, no matter what God may give or take away. They do not set much store by their own methods; if they prove helpful to their spiritual life, well and good. But God, in his loving foresight, often shatters their foundations and thus they frequently find themselves thwarted. If they want to keep vigil, they are obliged to sleep; if they like to fast, they are made to eat; if they would like to keep silence and be at rest, they have to do otherwise. In this way, everything they cleave to crumbles, and they are brought face-to-face with their bare nothingness. Thus they are shown how total is their dependence on God, and they learn to confess Him with a pure and simple faith, with no other support to sustain them."- Johannes Tauler.
"Worship renews the spirit as sleep renews the body."- Richard Clarke Cabot
"It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe, in Him, if you do not do anything He tells you." - George Macdonald
"The saintly Andrew Bonar used to soak his pillow with tears every Saturday night in Scotland as people below trampled the streets returning from the taverns and shows. He would cry from the depths of his agonizing heart, 'Oh! They perish, they perish!'" (doesn't list author)
"God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God." ~H.A. Ironside
"Being broken is both God's work and ours. He brings His pressure to bear, but we have to make the choice...All day long the choice will be before us in a thousand ways." ~Roy Hession.
"Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision." ~Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.
"When we become too glib in prayer we are most surely talking to ourselves."
- A. W. Tozer
"When filled with holy truth the mind rests." ~C.H. Spurgeon
"We must frankly face the fact that there is in this teaching a revolutionary element which could be dangerously subversive of our existing ways of thought. Let us admit that it is part of the fallen human nature of ecclesiastics, no less than of others in responsible positions, to desire always criteria of judgement which can be used without making too heavy demands upon the delicate faculty of spiritual discernment, clear-cut rules by which we may hope to be saved from making mistakes -- or rather, from being obviously and personally responsible for the mistakes. We are uncomfortable without definite principles by which we may guide our steps. We fear uncharted country, and the fanatics of all kinds who, upon the alleged authority of the Holy Spirit, summon us with strident cries in all directions simultaneously. Only those who have never borne the heavy burden of pastoral responsibility will mock at the cautious spirit of the ecclesiastic." ~Lesslie Newbigin
"Some people read their Bible in Hebrew, some in Greek; I like to read mine in the Holy Ghost." ~Smith Wigglesworth
"I am convinced that many evangelicals are not truly and soundly converted. Among the evangelicals it is entirely possible to come into membership, to ooze in by osmosis, to leak through the cells of the church and never know what it means to be born of the Spirit and washed in the blood. A great deal that passes for the deeper life is nothing more or less than basic Christianity. There is nothing deeper about it, and it is where we should have been from the start...What we need is what the old Methodists called a sound conversion. There is a difference between conversion and a sound conversion. People who have never been soundly converted do not have the Spirit to enlighten them. When they read the Sermon on the Mount or the teaching passages of the epistles that tell themhow to live or the doctrinal passages that tell how they can live,they are unaffected. The Spirit who wrote them is not witnessing in their hearts because they have not been born of the Spirit. That often happens." - A W Tozer.
"No Task will be so sordid and base, provided you obey your calling in it, that it will not shine and be reckoned very precious in God's sight." - John Calvin
"With all your getting get unction." - Leonard Ravenhill
"When the Lord reveals His will to us and we obey, our mission will be a success regardless of the results." - Chinese housechurch leaders, Back to Jerusalem movement
"Those who are God's true witnesses are firmly anchored in Him, in love or in suffering, no matter what God may give or take away. They do not set much store by their own methods; if they prove helpful to their spiritual life, well and good. But God, in his loving foresight, often shatters their foundations and thus they frequently find themselves thwarted. If they want to keep vigil, they are obliged to sleep; if they like to fast, they are made to eat; if they would like to keep silence and be at rest, they have to do otherwise. In this way, everything they cleave to crumbles, and they are brought face-to-face with their bare nothingness. Thus they are shown how total is their dependence on God, and they learn to confess Him with a pure and simple faith, with no other support to sustain them."- Johannes Tauler.
"Worship renews the spirit as sleep renews the body."- Richard Clarke Cabot
"It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe, in Him, if you do not do anything He tells you." - George Macdonald
"The saintly Andrew Bonar used to soak his pillow with tears every Saturday night in Scotland as people below trampled the streets returning from the taverns and shows. He would cry from the depths of his agonizing heart, 'Oh! They perish, they perish!'" (doesn't list author)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
My Polish Bride
Long ago I set up a blog for my wife with the intention of utilizing it to write out her testimony. I called it Aneta's Sacred Rendezvous: A Life Set Apart. I thought the title was appropriate for Aneta because my wife is indeed a worshiper! She is one who longs to present her heart to the Lord, and to Him alone.
Since meeting her over eight years ago I have heard her share her amazing testimony countless number of times—yet, I thoroughly enjoy hearing every second of it. It reminds me of God's goodness to us. And it causes me to pause and reflect upon the fact that I have the most amazing woman as my wife—that is a reality that I refuse to allow to slip the grasp of my appreciation and affections. So while my love is visiting her family in Poland along with our growing daughter, I have been writing out her testimony in her absence.
Although I have a lot of details missing, I have posted my first jab at this project. Here is the first draft of many more to come. You can check it out here:
Aneta's Testimony (Part 1)
Let me know what you think. Some of you may have known her from the "early" years of her walk with the Lord or during her time at CFNI...please feel free to provide any feedback so that I can improve Aneta's story—a story that I am ever grateful for.
Since meeting her over eight years ago I have heard her share her amazing testimony countless number of times—yet, I thoroughly enjoy hearing every second of it. It reminds me of God's goodness to us. And it causes me to pause and reflect upon the fact that I have the most amazing woman as my wife—that is a reality that I refuse to allow to slip the grasp of my appreciation and affections. So while my love is visiting her family in Poland along with our growing daughter, I have been writing out her testimony in her absence.
Although I have a lot of details missing, I have posted my first jab at this project. Here is the first draft of many more to come. You can check it out here:
Aneta's Testimony (Part 1)
Let me know what you think. Some of you may have known her from the "early" years of her walk with the Lord or during her time at CFNI...please feel free to provide any feedback so that I can improve Aneta's story—a story that I am ever grateful for.
A Great Quote...
“What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.”
— Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
— Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
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