Have you identified the key spheres, also known as the 7 mountains (e.g. the family, government, media, arts & entertainment, education, business, church) that you are called and anointed to influence? Obviously we desire that our lives testify of God’s redeeming work through Christ in both deeds and words; hence lost souls are found through saving faith in Christ as He works through your life. Furthermore, each of these spheres represents an arena where ideas are clashing and contending for supremacy. This quote by renowned author, C.S. Lewis, qualifies the reality that we are also called to extend kingdom ideas of life into all spheres of society: “Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” May your kingdom life centered in Christ—the Eternal Anvil of the Ages—be the very hammer that demolishes diabolical philosophy that ensnares the minds of mankind (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
AW Tozer | THE OLD CROSS and THE NEW
The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.
The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.
The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and a jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill-seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship."
The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public. The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross. The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended.
The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more. The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape.
The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die. We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.
God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him. What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die. Having done this let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power.
The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ. To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to God's approval. Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.
(A. W. Tozer, Man, the Dwelling Place of God, 1966).
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
"We Need Men With Balls!"
John Meyer made a statement earlier today on the Converging Zone Network that caught my attention: “Belly laughter in a room full of lovers is way more fun than a room full of dream killers.” Immediately I thought of an experience I had back in ’09 when I ministered at a conference with my friend, Tom. I had ministered at this particular church before and witnessed the Lord move mightily in their midst; for this second trip I recommended Tom to the Pastor as a keynote speaker and he obliged. However it turned out to be one of the WORST ministry engagements I've ever done. Words cannot even express it all. I was slated to minister the opening night which was a bomb (in the sense that it was BAD!). We were shocked when we arrived to hear the pastor question whether or not this conference was of the Lord (just minutes from the start of a conference is not the time for such talk). Then the church bus bringing people to the meeting broke down while we were in his office. The worship was...uh, absolutely "off the charts" in a bad way (even one of the worship team members communicated this to me too). Finally the pastor introduced me in his best impersonation of a Pentecostal preacher and I’m thinking, “This is the same guy who was just preaching doom and gloom in his office and now he’s trying to work up the crowd.” As I got up to minister, there was absolutely no anointing on me for preaching or prophesying—it was humbling, to say the least. Regardless of circumstances, I should have risen above the distractions. I certainly take responsibility for my own action in that I was not prepared for such an onslaught of warfare against the meeting.
The next day Tom was scheduled to be the speaker at their main Sunday morning service, which was a packed house. I was in the front row with Paige Rowland, a dear friend who’s a precious brother. Tom ministers with an uncanny prophetic anointing and has a blunt way of saying things that can ruffle some feathers, especially in a religions setting. Honestly, I was feeling somewhat uptight myself after the horrible service the previous night. Now Tom was ministering as a result of my personal recommendation to the Pastor (I was hoping for a home run so I would somehow be off the hook for the dismal service the night before). In the midst of his message Tom was speaking a direct word to the men in the audience; and he pointedly hollered, “We need men-of-God here…we need men with balls!” At first I couldn’t believe what he said as my eyes widened. And to ensure that no one misunderstood him, he repeated his statement.
I could feel the heat rising as sweat glistened on my forehead. As I squiggled in the pew on the front row, my eyes caught the shocked look on Paige’s face as he glanced at me. When our eyes fastened, we simultaneously burst out laughing—uncontrollably.
Tom continued unabated with his message.
Here I was, with my friend, laughing on the front row for all to see. Just when things would calm down and I appeared to have regained a semblance of composure, I would peek over at Paige and we would burst out in laughter all over. Tears flowed freely down our faces as our bodies trembled with refreshing heaves of laughter. We couldn’t stop. This continued on for a good 10-12 minutes. And it was absolute bliss. It was the best I had felt in months.
And, yes, Tom did hit a home run with his message. It was powerful!
Well, we never did get a thank you follow-up from the church or even the special offering they took up for us after Tom preached (but we didn’t care because that wasn’t the reason we were there). But I did a receive something of far more worth than what money can buy—a good belly laugh amongst my friends Tom and Paige! I’m reminded of the truth of Proverbs 17:22 concerning the value of a merry spirit: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones” (NASB). Dream killers are those who possess a “broken spirit [that] dries up the bones”; whereas, lovers operate within the AGAPE reality, i.e., a joyful heart, that give permission for others to express the laughter of joy that heightens the joy of laughter for all.
The next day Tom was scheduled to be the speaker at their main Sunday morning service, which was a packed house. I was in the front row with Paige Rowland, a dear friend who’s a precious brother. Tom ministers with an uncanny prophetic anointing and has a blunt way of saying things that can ruffle some feathers, especially in a religions setting. Honestly, I was feeling somewhat uptight myself after the horrible service the previous night. Now Tom was ministering as a result of my personal recommendation to the Pastor (I was hoping for a home run so I would somehow be off the hook for the dismal service the night before). In the midst of his message Tom was speaking a direct word to the men in the audience; and he pointedly hollered, “We need men-of-God here…we need men with balls!” At first I couldn’t believe what he said as my eyes widened. And to ensure that no one misunderstood him, he repeated his statement.
I could feel the heat rising as sweat glistened on my forehead. As I squiggled in the pew on the front row, my eyes caught the shocked look on Paige’s face as he glanced at me. When our eyes fastened, we simultaneously burst out laughing—uncontrollably.
Tom continued unabated with his message.
Here I was, with my friend, laughing on the front row for all to see. Just when things would calm down and I appeared to have regained a semblance of composure, I would peek over at Paige and we would burst out in laughter all over. Tears flowed freely down our faces as our bodies trembled with refreshing heaves of laughter. We couldn’t stop. This continued on for a good 10-12 minutes. And it was absolute bliss. It was the best I had felt in months.
And, yes, Tom did hit a home run with his message. It was powerful!
Well, we never did get a thank you follow-up from the church or even the special offering they took up for us after Tom preached (but we didn’t care because that wasn’t the reason we were there). But I did a receive something of far more worth than what money can buy—a good belly laugh amongst my friends Tom and Paige! I’m reminded of the truth of Proverbs 17:22 concerning the value of a merry spirit: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones” (NASB). Dream killers are those who possess a “broken spirit [that] dries up the bones”; whereas, lovers operate within the AGAPE reality, i.e., a joyful heart, that give permission for others to express the laughter of joy that heightens the joy of laughter for all.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
"Prayer for Revival"
A former instructor of mine from Christ For the Nations Institute sent me the following email that I think you’ll find of great blessing. Sally Green is a woman who has a tender heart before the Lord as a prevailing intercessor. When she sends me something from her heart, I take heed to the content. Be blessed and inspired by the Holy Spirit!
Dear Friends in the Lord,
“The Strength of a nation lies in the homes of its people.” Abraham Lincoln
This is my burden and call, for the Spirit of Elijah is to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. I have prayed and poured out my heart for revival. I believe to see the real thing come to our nation and the world.
John Kilpatrick, the pastor of the Brownsville revival has a young revivalist named Nathan Morris with him in Mobile, Alabama. The Spirit of the Lord has begun to fan the flames of revival in their midst. You can go on-line and watch any archive at www.bayoftheholyspiritrevival.com. Many are being touched on-line from around the world.
On Jan 13, 2011 Pastor John read one of the most powerful prayers for revival that I have heard in 36 years. I have transcribed it and did not want to keep it for myself. This is my purpose in sending you this e-mail. I wanted to seed this into each of your lives. This is the prayer that we desperately need to see answered. I personally need to have it answered in my own life.
I will both paste this prayer below…to share with others. If you go to the Jan 13th archive date on their site, Dutch Sheets spoke that night and you may want to hear this word. I am also giving you a public file from my on-line backup where you can hear the 20 minutes on revival from John Kilpatrick including him sharing this prayer. https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D731838_073776_6722193
Secondly for those of you in the DFW vicinity or those who may want to fly in, Pastor John and his team will be coming to Christ for the Nations on Feb 17 and Feb 18. They have had to leave Mobile because Mardi Gras booked everything. They are only coming to two destinations at this point and CFNI is one of them. I highly suggest that you set those nights apart whether in person or by live streaming video. We poured out our hearts for revival at CFNI for 7 years. I still expect to see the full fledged, real thing come set fire to CFNI, Dallas/Ft Worth, America and the nations.
I will start a partial 21-day fast this Friday Jan 28th thru Feb 17th. I invite any of you to join me. May I suggest we use the prayer for revival that John has given to us. You may just want to concentrate on one point of it per day or as Holy Spirit leads.
Thank you for your time in reading this. May the Lord reveal Himself to you in revival fire in your own life and in your circle of influence.
Seeking to prepare the Bride for THE KING,
Sally Green
“Prayer for Revival”
Printed in 1904 from a magazine called “The Old Time Religion”
God thou art in great favor of revival. Thou art now stirring up the sainthood to pray for what you favor. Our every other need sinks into insignificance compared to the need of deep and widespread old time revival.
God send us a revival that will turn the people of God back from their worldliness and idols to serve the true and the living God. Lord turn us back from broken cisterns to the fountain of living waters.
God send us a revival that will take away every desire for worldly amusements and abolish every ungodly scheme for raising money for the support of the gospel.
A revival that will sweep away the pride that prompts all worldly conformity and extravagance in all dress and manner of life.
A revival that will take the people out of their worldly clubs and societies and secret lodges and put them in the secret place of the Most High where they will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
A revival that will save the people of God from covetousness, the love of the world, and all uncleanness of spirit, mind and body.
A revival in which professors of religion will have their eyes open to see and feel their responsibility for souls and in which they will confess with broken hearts their former backslidings, their carelessness and their indifference. And in thousands of cases, their actual transgressions, of Your moral law.
A revival like a flood that will sweep away the refuge of lies and overthrow the hiding places of all them that would hide away from the light of God’s presence.
A revival that will unearth and uncover every devise of Satan for deceiving souls whether found in the church or outside of it. For the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant.
A revival that will make both the church and the world realize the shortness of time and the importance of eternity.
A revival that will make heaven and hell, Calvary and the resurrection, salvation from sin, cleansing through the blood and the gift of the Holy Ghost living realities by the revelation of Your spirit in harmony with the Word of God.
A revival in which the sinfulness of sin will so be revealed that instead of excusing it and pleading for it souls will turn from it in utter loathing and cry out “O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
A revival that will sweep away all selfishness and narrowness and all sectarian spirit and bring those that now spend their time in criticism of each other down on their faces before God crying out for salvation for lost souls.
A revival like a tornado that will sweep away all the old dried up sermons and all the cold formal services and all the lifeless singing and like a whirlwind will carry everyone that comes in its path heavenward.
A revival that will fill the hearts of saints with holy love, and so burden the hearts of God’s ministers, that the Word of God will be like a fire shut up in their bones.
A revival that will help people honor God with their substance and have their barns filled with plenty.
A revival in which the presence of God will be revealed so that multitudes will fall under the power of God and cry out for mercy as they did on the day of Pentecost.
A revival that has so much of heaven and so much of God’s glory in it that all the world will be compelled to see and feel its mighty influence.
A revival that will gloriously defeat the powers of darkness and hell and make earth and heaven ring with shouts of victory over a multitude of souls snatched from eternal burning and run to God and run from hell.
Yeah a revival that will never need to be revived but that will sweep on like a mighty wave of the sea that nothing can stop it until time shall be no more.
And everybody said: Amen! Lord send revival!
Dear Friends in the Lord,
“The Strength of a nation lies in the homes of its people.” Abraham Lincoln
This is my burden and call, for the Spirit of Elijah is to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. I have prayed and poured out my heart for revival. I believe to see the real thing come to our nation and the world.
John Kilpatrick, the pastor of the Brownsville revival has a young revivalist named Nathan Morris with him in Mobile, Alabama. The Spirit of the Lord has begun to fan the flames of revival in their midst. You can go on-line and watch any archive at www.bayoftheholyspiritrevival.com. Many are being touched on-line from around the world.
On Jan 13, 2011 Pastor John read one of the most powerful prayers for revival that I have heard in 36 years. I have transcribed it and did not want to keep it for myself. This is my purpose in sending you this e-mail. I wanted to seed this into each of your lives. This is the prayer that we desperately need to see answered. I personally need to have it answered in my own life.
I will both paste this prayer below…to share with others. If you go to the Jan 13th archive date on their site, Dutch Sheets spoke that night and you may want to hear this word. I am also giving you a public file from my on-line backup where you can hear the 20 minutes on revival from John Kilpatrick including him sharing this prayer. https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D731838_073776_6722193
Secondly for those of you in the DFW vicinity or those who may want to fly in, Pastor John and his team will be coming to Christ for the Nations on Feb 17 and Feb 18. They have had to leave Mobile because Mardi Gras booked everything. They are only coming to two destinations at this point and CFNI is one of them. I highly suggest that you set those nights apart whether in person or by live streaming video. We poured out our hearts for revival at CFNI for 7 years. I still expect to see the full fledged, real thing come set fire to CFNI, Dallas/Ft Worth, America and the nations.
I will start a partial 21-day fast this Friday Jan 28th thru Feb 17th. I invite any of you to join me. May I suggest we use the prayer for revival that John has given to us. You may just want to concentrate on one point of it per day or as Holy Spirit leads.
Thank you for your time in reading this. May the Lord reveal Himself to you in revival fire in your own life and in your circle of influence.
Seeking to prepare the Bride for THE KING,
Sally Green
“Prayer for Revival”
Printed in 1904 from a magazine called “The Old Time Religion”
God thou art in great favor of revival. Thou art now stirring up the sainthood to pray for what you favor. Our every other need sinks into insignificance compared to the need of deep and widespread old time revival.
God send us a revival that will turn the people of God back from their worldliness and idols to serve the true and the living God. Lord turn us back from broken cisterns to the fountain of living waters.
God send us a revival that will take away every desire for worldly amusements and abolish every ungodly scheme for raising money for the support of the gospel.
A revival that will sweep away the pride that prompts all worldly conformity and extravagance in all dress and manner of life.
A revival that will take the people out of their worldly clubs and societies and secret lodges and put them in the secret place of the Most High where they will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
A revival that will save the people of God from covetousness, the love of the world, and all uncleanness of spirit, mind and body.
A revival in which professors of religion will have their eyes open to see and feel their responsibility for souls and in which they will confess with broken hearts their former backslidings, their carelessness and their indifference. And in thousands of cases, their actual transgressions, of Your moral law.
A revival like a flood that will sweep away the refuge of lies and overthrow the hiding places of all them that would hide away from the light of God’s presence.
A revival that will unearth and uncover every devise of Satan for deceiving souls whether found in the church or outside of it. For the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant.
A revival that will make both the church and the world realize the shortness of time and the importance of eternity.
A revival that will make heaven and hell, Calvary and the resurrection, salvation from sin, cleansing through the blood and the gift of the Holy Ghost living realities by the revelation of Your spirit in harmony with the Word of God.
A revival in which the sinfulness of sin will so be revealed that instead of excusing it and pleading for it souls will turn from it in utter loathing and cry out “O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
A revival that will sweep away all selfishness and narrowness and all sectarian spirit and bring those that now spend their time in criticism of each other down on their faces before God crying out for salvation for lost souls.
A revival like a tornado that will sweep away all the old dried up sermons and all the cold formal services and all the lifeless singing and like a whirlwind will carry everyone that comes in its path heavenward.
A revival that will fill the hearts of saints with holy love, and so burden the hearts of God’s ministers, that the Word of God will be like a fire shut up in their bones.
A revival that will help people honor God with their substance and have their barns filled with plenty.
A revival in which the presence of God will be revealed so that multitudes will fall under the power of God and cry out for mercy as they did on the day of Pentecost.
A revival that has so much of heaven and so much of God’s glory in it that all the world will be compelled to see and feel its mighty influence.
A revival that will gloriously defeat the powers of darkness and hell and make earth and heaven ring with shouts of victory over a multitude of souls snatched from eternal burning and run to God and run from hell.
Yeah a revival that will never need to be revived but that will sweep on like a mighty wave of the sea that nothing can stop it until time shall be no more.
And everybody said: Amen! Lord send revival!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Ministering Hope to the Hopeless Through the CROSS
I received this email from a ministry in Texas. Honestly I'm not sure how I got on the mailing list; perhaps I met this guy on one of my ministry trips to Texas. Anyways, I felt compelled by the Lord to post his recent story on this blog.
A Friend Who Died.
It was a Tuesday night bible study at the mission, 12 were in attendance.
It was time to close some prayer request were spoken.
There requests for work and a closer walk of faith, a young girl 23 shared.
That she was a cancer survivor and has been told of a positive results on a test.
She was concerned about her 2 1/2 year old child.
We all held hands and prayed .
I spent some extra time with her and after a big hug I shared that,
God will take care of her.
Wednesday the phone rang and it was this girl she reported,
that her time at the mission was up and she would be out as of Friday AM.
The clock has started and I got into my contacts and started calling.
There was no place available for her and the child.
I contacted a safe house and they agreed to allow her for a few days.
Friday came and we got her settled in and some of the ministry partners
helped with the finances of a bus ticket to get her to her family in Florida.
The funding was completed and ticket purchased.
Monday AM I spent some time with her and the little boy.
Helped with some spending cash to eat on.
We took some pictures and we prayed .After prayer I noticed a necklace that she wore had a pentagram.
She said that a friend who died gave it to her.
I shared that this symbol is not what a christian should have any part with.
I asked her to get rid of it and she hesitated.
I went out to the ministry van and found a cross I brought it to her and said,
"This is from a friend who died He will never leave you and His Father God will take care of you".
She removed the pentagram and replaced it with the Cross.
She gave it to me and I broke it and threw it away.
She met the bus and gave us a call when she arrived home.
She began to cry and share that she believes that God will take care of her.
brbruce
Bruce Aspgren
PO box 211
Caldwell, Texas 77836-0211
Website: http://www.rockingaministry.com/
Facebook: Bruce Mary Aspgren
A Friend Who Died.
It was a Tuesday night bible study at the mission, 12 were in attendance.
It was time to close some prayer request were spoken.
There requests for work and a closer walk of faith, a young girl 23 shared.
That she was a cancer survivor and has been told of a positive results on a test.
She was concerned about her 2 1/2 year old child.
We all held hands and prayed .
I spent some extra time with her and after a big hug I shared that,
God will take care of her.
Wednesday the phone rang and it was this girl she reported,
that her time at the mission was up and she would be out as of Friday AM.
The clock has started and I got into my contacts and started calling.
There was no place available for her and the child.
I contacted a safe house and they agreed to allow her for a few days.
Friday came and we got her settled in and some of the ministry partners
helped with the finances of a bus ticket to get her to her family in Florida.
The funding was completed and ticket purchased.
Monday AM I spent some time with her and the little boy.
Helped with some spending cash to eat on.
We took some pictures and we prayed .After prayer I noticed a necklace that she wore had a pentagram.
She said that a friend who died gave it to her.
I shared that this symbol is not what a christian should have any part with.
I asked her to get rid of it and she hesitated.
I went out to the ministry van and found a cross I brought it to her and said,
"This is from a friend who died He will never leave you and His Father God will take care of you".
She removed the pentagram and replaced it with the Cross.
She gave it to me and I broke it and threw it away.
She met the bus and gave us a call when she arrived home.
She began to cry and share that she believes that God will take care of her.
brbruce
Bruce Aspgren
PO box 211
Caldwell, Texas 77836-0211
Website: http://www.rockingaministry.com/
Facebook: Bruce Mary Aspgren
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
THE HOUR OF ISOLATION by David Wilkerson
I know what it is like to face divine silence, not to hear God’s voice for a season. I have walked through periods of total confusion with no apparent guidance, the still small voice behind me completely silent. There were times when I had no friend nearby to satisfy my heart with a word of advice. All my patterns of guidance from before had gone awry, and I was left in total darkness. I could not see my way, and I made mistake after mistake. I wanted to say, “O God, what has happened? I don’t know which way to go!”
Does God really hide his face from those he loves? Isn’t it possible he lifts his hand for a short while to teach us trust and dependence? The Bible answers clearly: “God left him [Hezekiah], to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).
You may be going through a flood of trials right now. You know what I’m talking about when I say the heavens are as brass. You know all about repeated failures. You’ve waited and waited for answers to prayer. You’ve been served a cup of affliction. Nothing and nobody can touch that need in your heart!
That’s the time to take your stand! You don’t have to be able to laugh or rejoice, because you may not have any happiness at the moment. In fact, you may have nothing but turmoil in your soul. But you can know God is still with you, because Scripture says, “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever” (Psalm 29:10).
Soon you will hear His voice: Don’t get excited, don’t panic. Just keep your eyes on me. Commit all things to me. And you will know that you remain the object of his incredible love.
SOURCE - http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/10848
(c) 2010 World Challenge, Inc.
Does God really hide his face from those he loves? Isn’t it possible he lifts his hand for a short while to teach us trust and dependence? The Bible answers clearly: “God left him [Hezekiah], to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).
You may be going through a flood of trials right now. You know what I’m talking about when I say the heavens are as brass. You know all about repeated failures. You’ve waited and waited for answers to prayer. You’ve been served a cup of affliction. Nothing and nobody can touch that need in your heart!
That’s the time to take your stand! You don’t have to be able to laugh or rejoice, because you may not have any happiness at the moment. In fact, you may have nothing but turmoil in your soul. But you can know God is still with you, because Scripture says, “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever” (Psalm 29:10).
Soon you will hear His voice: Don’t get excited, don’t panic. Just keep your eyes on me. Commit all things to me. And you will know that you remain the object of his incredible love.
SOURCE - http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/10848
(c) 2010 World Challenge, Inc.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2011 - "An Unscripted and Formative Year"
2011 – "An Unscripted and Formative Year"
In the moments of waiting and listening for the insights from the heart of the Lord for the up and coming year, two words have reoccurred.
The two words are- “Unscripted and Formative”
The following terms defined, set the tone for what I have been given to share with you Dear Reader, in regard to the Father’s heart towards you personally, His Bride collectively, and those in rebellious resistance to His plan.
Definition:
Unscripted - Spoken or delivered without a prepared script; impromptu.
Definition:
Formative – serving to form or shape something, especially having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development.
The passing of time is nothing new to mankind and certainly not to God. The redeeming of time however is a unique and event that can save someone from error or evil.
The Lord has a tireless passion for redeeming lost year, lost time and lost people.
“Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.” Psalm 119:134
And so the Lord has plans set into motion for this next year that only He knows about and also which only He can execute. These plans are formative, they have a purpose within them to form and develop the lives of those on planet earth. And, the Lord is not going to pass out scripts or roles to those who feel that they deserve a place on the stage where these plans will be presented. He Himself will set into motion each specific event.
LEARNING HUMILITY IN THE HIGH PLACES
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, But with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2
Many powerful men and women who were in elevated and highly visible positions of leadership politically, spiritually, and in the sport and entertainment fields, were uncovered as frauds and vile abusers during the past year of what appeared to be a virulent year of repeated and embarrassing exposures.
The Lord is again FIRMLY warning many out in these arenas, large and small, that there is still an opportunity for you to redeem the time. The falsifying of your claimed insights from God to manipulate financial support, fame, notoriety and honor for good deeds will no longer not only be tolerated, but will in fact be double-stamped with the seal of “liar and thief” if the appeals for connived support are not stopped. God is not behind what you have requested in His Name.
Some of you have gorged yourselves upon the offerings of widows and those who foolishly gave on impulse due to your slick emotional pleas and contrived media images and heart tugging background musical interludes. You have robbed and stolen from others whom God has anointed and blessed in smaller settings, and their cries for help and assistance have not gone unheard from the Heart of heaven.
UNDERGIRD THE UNDERDOG
The Holy Spirit would have you soberly hear the following words.
"There will be a fresh wave of conviction to "undergird the underdogs" and a trending back towards smaller, steady, and steadfast ministries and servants who have faithfully plowed and served in seasons of loss, lack, and persecution. Rob nor more! You have more than muzzled the servant who has been plowing, and you will be judged for feigned ignorance towards their needs and suffering.
To those who feel as if they are more graced, more anointed and who think that they have a "special and more unique calling" that needs a preeminent opportunity to instruct and be seen...
... beware of the pride of life, the lust for power, and the wares of selfish ambition. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
You will be found upon the trash heap of loss and sorrow if you grasp and hold tightly to what was never really yours to begin with. It is mine, mine, mine! If you cannot accept the terms of what I request, you will be know as a divider, weak, and immature.
Again, I will not bless your intentions or your ambitions. You rob the Body of authentic Kingdom service by remaining secretive and destructive to My purposes.
James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
"You have heeded another voice, one who would put you upon the pinnacle of the world and promise you all power and wealth if you but just bow down. The Lord wants you to know, (although I tremble at even delivering this), that you have already bent one knee downward.
Get up and RUN from deception and self-indulgence, blatant lying, and entitlement!
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the typical indicators of idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ.
You have been taken in and spoiled by religious smooth talk. I am furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but who really want nothing to do with Me. You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain.
So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. If you don’t, you will be one of the next in line for pubic exposure. Everything you hide in darkness and in deceit will be brought out into the spotlight for all to see.
Do not waste your time on useless productions and glamor, silly busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. "
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get.
These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly.
Make sure you fully understand what the Master wants."
GOD MOVES AMONG THE CASTAWAYS
“ Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2
You've probably never been marooned on a desert island. But you may know pretty well how it feels. In a world of bad relationships and superficial relationships and broken relationships, a lot of people know the feeling of being emotionally marooned, abandoned, and maybe even discarded. Because of some of what you've been through, you may feel like you're the castaway.
But your days on that island may be almost over. In fact, it could be that all your failed or frustrating relationships have actually been preparing you to experience the central relationships you were being readied for.
Anyone who has ever felt like an emotional castaway needs to hear the fabulous promise of Jesus Christ in this word for 2011 from the Word of God. Jesus says to all those who belong to Him, "I will not leave you as orphans. I WILL come to you.” John 14:18
This is the same Savior who says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews. 13:5
He's the One who promised, "The one that comes to me, I will certainly not cast out." John 6:37
And from now on, that promise of Jesus can be all about you, "The one that comes to me I will certainly not cast out."
The Lord would say these words to you.
“ You now understand the pain of betrayal, losses so great that you can no longer talk about them. You have ached in such agonizing despair, that at times you have begged me to let you die. Friends have turned and chosen to see you through blinded eyes of their own making, and have refused to help you to find your footing again, thinking they are doing you a service by letting you grovel and weep in painful loss and sorrow. You have been reduced in the past season to identifying with those who were forced to make bricks for Pharaoh without straw.
I too was a man of sorrows and endured the shame, in order to be formed, shaped and made ready for the moment of redemption.
And so shall it be with you. Redemption from the losses will come to those who choose obedience over pleasure, servant hood over being the served one, and letting go of the dreams of greatness you cling too, no longer using my name or gifts as a calling card.
Maturation is the call of the moment. Let the follies of your dim visions fall away.
I have a more perfect way that I am forming in you and for you.
I have caused you to cease from striving, from worrying, and from being anxious. You now rest up again my chest, waiting, trusting, wanting only ME. You have become kinder, a better listener, a more trusted confidant.
I can work well with those attributes. Just Watch Me in this Year.
I WILL Open the Way of Hope and shine Light on the pathway for those who have ceased from manipulating the moment.”
SEARED OR SOBER?
“The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. SUCH TEACHINGS COME THROUGH HYPOCRITICAL LIARS, WHOSE CONSCIENCES HAVE BEEN SEARED AS WITH A HOT IRON.” ~ 1 Timothy 4
To have a seared conscience means to cause something to wither. To make (someone's conscience, heart, or feelings) insensitive.
Without the willingness of heart to fall upon the rock of God’s word, allowing every strength and support of our being to be fully broken, the wicked heart of mankind will continue to allow the searing effects of indifference and insensitivity to the effects of their choices to permeate more and more of the moral and sacred places of society.
I have been impressed to warn believers that the increase of sexual lures and smutty language has begun to pay a toll much larger than they realize. Many women who call themselves a follower of Christ have sadly joined the ranks of those who bare their deep cleavage and bellies (and more) as acceptable choices, joining in with “edgy fashions” and have been lulled into trends that sell away the sweetness and purity of a holy life. The warning voice of the Holy Spirit has been pushed away in order to better receive the leering complements from men.
Dear Sisters…
...Redeem the time.
The Lord says, “Wash yourselves clean from the stink of sexual prowling for validation, and come back to the place of simple beauty.”
Many men who call themselves believers have been equally lulled into patterns of television viewing that sears their minds into accepting whorish strutting and teasing to appear attractive and necessary to their manhood.
1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
RUN from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Honor God with your bodies.
Ephesians 5:16
Redeem the time, the days are evil;
MATURED AND SOLEMN
Sobriety-The quality of being matured or solemn.
Huge numbers of people are being brought to ruin because they are not thinking; thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others is the devastation of thousands, and many a precious soul has been shattered through carelessness. The Lord is asking you to "consider your ways," and return to a walk with The Still Small Voice and begin a familiarity with him yet again. With conviction, it would be the most profitable relationship you could fall into! While you covet to see the world, you are a stranger at home.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober.
PRAYER AND A THANKFUL HEART
Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
As I close this word and insights for the year, I will share the last whispers the Lord spoke clearly to me.
“Each day, upon waking, where does your heart and mind wander to? Is it the plans and lists of things you must accomplish for the day? Is it the meal you are about to eat? Is it worry and the bracing yourself for another grinding day of dealing with the pressures of life?
Return to those early awakening moments where you and I share in the dialog of my plans for you. Each day you have to live and to give, you have been given the opportunity to impact someone and to do a kindness or act of training for another. Where has your thankful heart wandered? Without it, evidence of bitterness and drudgery will manifest and sour even the brightest flower of hope.
Return to the heart of the issue and clean away the rusty decay of treadmill thinking. Each day can be a fresh adventure into Kingdom purpose or, a continual repeating of a dreary existence. Choose ever so wisely.”
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as the complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! Copyright © 2010-2011
" THE MESSENGER "
Mary Lindow
http://www.marylindow.com/
In the moments of waiting and listening for the insights from the heart of the Lord for the up and coming year, two words have reoccurred.
The two words are- “Unscripted and Formative”
The following terms defined, set the tone for what I have been given to share with you Dear Reader, in regard to the Father’s heart towards you personally, His Bride collectively, and those in rebellious resistance to His plan.
Definition:
Unscripted - Spoken or delivered without a prepared script; impromptu.
Definition:
Formative – serving to form or shape something, especially having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development.
The passing of time is nothing new to mankind and certainly not to God. The redeeming of time however is a unique and event that can save someone from error or evil.
The Lord has a tireless passion for redeeming lost year, lost time and lost people.
“Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.” Psalm 119:134
And so the Lord has plans set into motion for this next year that only He knows about and also which only He can execute. These plans are formative, they have a purpose within them to form and develop the lives of those on planet earth. And, the Lord is not going to pass out scripts or roles to those who feel that they deserve a place on the stage where these plans will be presented. He Himself will set into motion each specific event.
LEARNING HUMILITY IN THE HIGH PLACES
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, But with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2
Many powerful men and women who were in elevated and highly visible positions of leadership politically, spiritually, and in the sport and entertainment fields, were uncovered as frauds and vile abusers during the past year of what appeared to be a virulent year of repeated and embarrassing exposures.
The Lord is again FIRMLY warning many out in these arenas, large and small, that there is still an opportunity for you to redeem the time. The falsifying of your claimed insights from God to manipulate financial support, fame, notoriety and honor for good deeds will no longer not only be tolerated, but will in fact be double-stamped with the seal of “liar and thief” if the appeals for connived support are not stopped. God is not behind what you have requested in His Name.
Some of you have gorged yourselves upon the offerings of widows and those who foolishly gave on impulse due to your slick emotional pleas and contrived media images and heart tugging background musical interludes. You have robbed and stolen from others whom God has anointed and blessed in smaller settings, and their cries for help and assistance have not gone unheard from the Heart of heaven.
UNDERGIRD THE UNDERDOG
The Holy Spirit would have you soberly hear the following words.
"There will be a fresh wave of conviction to "undergird the underdogs" and a trending back towards smaller, steady, and steadfast ministries and servants who have faithfully plowed and served in seasons of loss, lack, and persecution. Rob nor more! You have more than muzzled the servant who has been plowing, and you will be judged for feigned ignorance towards their needs and suffering.
To those who feel as if they are more graced, more anointed and who think that they have a "special and more unique calling" that needs a preeminent opportunity to instruct and be seen...
... beware of the pride of life, the lust for power, and the wares of selfish ambition. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
You will be found upon the trash heap of loss and sorrow if you grasp and hold tightly to what was never really yours to begin with. It is mine, mine, mine! If you cannot accept the terms of what I request, you will be know as a divider, weak, and immature.
Again, I will not bless your intentions or your ambitions. You rob the Body of authentic Kingdom service by remaining secretive and destructive to My purposes.
James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
"You have heeded another voice, one who would put you upon the pinnacle of the world and promise you all power and wealth if you but just bow down. The Lord wants you to know, (although I tremble at even delivering this), that you have already bent one knee downward.
Get up and RUN from deception and self-indulgence, blatant lying, and entitlement!
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the typical indicators of idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ.
You have been taken in and spoiled by religious smooth talk. I am furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but who really want nothing to do with Me. You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain.
So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. If you don’t, you will be one of the next in line for pubic exposure. Everything you hide in darkness and in deceit will be brought out into the spotlight for all to see.
Do not waste your time on useless productions and glamor, silly busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. "
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get.
These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly.
Make sure you fully understand what the Master wants."
GOD MOVES AMONG THE CASTAWAYS
“ Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2
You've probably never been marooned on a desert island. But you may know pretty well how it feels. In a world of bad relationships and superficial relationships and broken relationships, a lot of people know the feeling of being emotionally marooned, abandoned, and maybe even discarded. Because of some of what you've been through, you may feel like you're the castaway.
But your days on that island may be almost over. In fact, it could be that all your failed or frustrating relationships have actually been preparing you to experience the central relationships you were being readied for.
Anyone who has ever felt like an emotional castaway needs to hear the fabulous promise of Jesus Christ in this word for 2011 from the Word of God. Jesus says to all those who belong to Him, "I will not leave you as orphans. I WILL come to you.” John 14:18
This is the same Savior who says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews. 13:5
He's the One who promised, "The one that comes to me, I will certainly not cast out." John 6:37
And from now on, that promise of Jesus can be all about you, "The one that comes to me I will certainly not cast out."
The Lord would say these words to you.
“ You now understand the pain of betrayal, losses so great that you can no longer talk about them. You have ached in such agonizing despair, that at times you have begged me to let you die. Friends have turned and chosen to see you through blinded eyes of their own making, and have refused to help you to find your footing again, thinking they are doing you a service by letting you grovel and weep in painful loss and sorrow. You have been reduced in the past season to identifying with those who were forced to make bricks for Pharaoh without straw.
I too was a man of sorrows and endured the shame, in order to be formed, shaped and made ready for the moment of redemption.
And so shall it be with you. Redemption from the losses will come to those who choose obedience over pleasure, servant hood over being the served one, and letting go of the dreams of greatness you cling too, no longer using my name or gifts as a calling card.
Maturation is the call of the moment. Let the follies of your dim visions fall away.
I have a more perfect way that I am forming in you and for you.
I have caused you to cease from striving, from worrying, and from being anxious. You now rest up again my chest, waiting, trusting, wanting only ME. You have become kinder, a better listener, a more trusted confidant.
I can work well with those attributes. Just Watch Me in this Year.
I WILL Open the Way of Hope and shine Light on the pathway for those who have ceased from manipulating the moment.”
SEARED OR SOBER?
“The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. SUCH TEACHINGS COME THROUGH HYPOCRITICAL LIARS, WHOSE CONSCIENCES HAVE BEEN SEARED AS WITH A HOT IRON.” ~ 1 Timothy 4
To have a seared conscience means to cause something to wither. To make (someone's conscience, heart, or feelings) insensitive.
Without the willingness of heart to fall upon the rock of God’s word, allowing every strength and support of our being to be fully broken, the wicked heart of mankind will continue to allow the searing effects of indifference and insensitivity to the effects of their choices to permeate more and more of the moral and sacred places of society.
I have been impressed to warn believers that the increase of sexual lures and smutty language has begun to pay a toll much larger than they realize. Many women who call themselves a follower of Christ have sadly joined the ranks of those who bare their deep cleavage and bellies (and more) as acceptable choices, joining in with “edgy fashions” and have been lulled into trends that sell away the sweetness and purity of a holy life. The warning voice of the Holy Spirit has been pushed away in order to better receive the leering complements from men.
Dear Sisters…
...Redeem the time.
The Lord says, “Wash yourselves clean from the stink of sexual prowling for validation, and come back to the place of simple beauty.”
Many men who call themselves believers have been equally lulled into patterns of television viewing that sears their minds into accepting whorish strutting and teasing to appear attractive and necessary to their manhood.
1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
RUN from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Honor God with your bodies.
Ephesians 5:16
Redeem the time, the days are evil;
MATURED AND SOLEMN
Sobriety-The quality of being matured or solemn.
Huge numbers of people are being brought to ruin because they are not thinking; thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others is the devastation of thousands, and many a precious soul has been shattered through carelessness. The Lord is asking you to "consider your ways," and return to a walk with The Still Small Voice and begin a familiarity with him yet again. With conviction, it would be the most profitable relationship you could fall into! While you covet to see the world, you are a stranger at home.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober.
PRAYER AND A THANKFUL HEART
Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
As I close this word and insights for the year, I will share the last whispers the Lord spoke clearly to me.
“Each day, upon waking, where does your heart and mind wander to? Is it the plans and lists of things you must accomplish for the day? Is it the meal you are about to eat? Is it worry and the bracing yourself for another grinding day of dealing with the pressures of life?
Return to those early awakening moments where you and I share in the dialog of my plans for you. Each day you have to live and to give, you have been given the opportunity to impact someone and to do a kindness or act of training for another. Where has your thankful heart wandered? Without it, evidence of bitterness and drudgery will manifest and sour even the brightest flower of hope.
Return to the heart of the issue and clean away the rusty decay of treadmill thinking. Each day can be a fresh adventure into Kingdom purpose or, a continual repeating of a dreary existence. Choose ever so wisely.”
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as the complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! Copyright © 2010-2011
" THE MESSENGER "
Mary Lindow
http://www.marylindow.com/
Thursday, December 2, 2010
S.J. Hill Ministering this Sunday in Gainesville & Culpeper (December 5)
S.J. (Stephen) Hill is returning to Virginia to minister this upcoming Sunday in Gainesville and Culpeper. I have known S.J. personally since ’07; and of him since ’03 when a former student of his gave me his excellent book, Enjoying God (a must read!). As many others have said, S.J. is an excellent communicator of God’s word. I believe it would well be worth your time to have the opportunity to allow this man-of-God to minister to you as he expounds on the Word of God—I know I’m looking forward to it!
AM Meeting
AM Meeting
WHO: House of Prayer
WHEN: 9:30am service
WHERE: Bull Run Middle School - 6308 Catharpin Road - Gainesville, VA 20155-144
WEBSITE: http://myhouseofprayer.org/
PM Meeting
WHO: The Micro-Conference (hosted by Reade Clayton)
WHO: The Micro-Conference (hosted by Reade Clayton)
WHEN: Sunday, December 5 - 3-9pm service
WHERE: Novum Baptist Church - 1629 Novum Church Rd - Reva, VA 22735
WHAT: Reade has invited a few ministers and worship bands for an extended time of worship and ministry through the preaching of God's Word.
S. J. (Steve) Hill – Speaker, Teacher, and Author.WHAT: Reade has invited a few ministers and worship bands for an extended time of worship and ministry through the preaching of God's Word. Reade states: “Bring Your Baggage for The Father to Take - Bring Your Emptiness for Holy Spirit to Fill - Bring Your Chains for Jesus to Break”
There will also be a dinner together; all are welcomed to bring a covered dish.
Texas Guest: Steve Burke
Madison's Own: Jeff Farmer
North Carolina Guest: S.J. Hill
Madison's Own: Jeff Farmer
North Carolina Guest: S.J. Hill
BIO:
S.J. Hill is a gifted teacher and leader in the Body of Christ with over 38 years of experience in the ministry. He has traveled extensively, pastored, and been on the faculty of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry. He has also taught at Mike Bickle’s Forerunner School of Ministry in Grandview, Missouri, as well as F.I.R.E. School of Ministry in Concord, North Carolina.
S. J. continues to travel throughout the United States and around the world, teaching and inviting believers to a deep intimacy with their heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. His all-consuming passion is to see the Church come to an understanding of the beauty of God’s incredible personality.
S.J. has authored four books — BURNING DESIRE, ENJOYING GOD, PERSONAL REVIVAL, and GOD’S COVENANT OF HEALING. He and his wife, Pam, are the parents of two sons, Jonathan and Lance.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Dr. Tom Dooley Exposes Injustice in Alabama
Please pray for my friend Dr. Tom Dooley who recently campaigned for the District 4 seat on the Alabama Board of Education. Although he lost, I’m extremely proud of him. I’ve known Tom for almost four years and have served on the board of his ministry. In the aftermath of the elections, several issues came to the forefront regarding his opponent and the shortcomings of the law in the state of Alabama.
The first issue involves questions about the qualifications of the opposing candidate. Here’s an excerpt from a press release highlighting this serious breach of trust on behalf of the candidate and the affiliated party (Democrats):
Ms. Richardson has been a “professional educator” during the five years prior to the election. Under Alabama statutes in Title 16: Section 16-3-3 anyone who has been employed as a “professional educator” during the five years prior to the election is excluded from qualification as a candidate and as a member of the SBOE:
The members of the board shall be qualified electors of the State of Alabama, and each member shall be a qualified elector in the district which he represents. No person who is an employee of the board or who is or has been engaged as a professional educator within five years next preceding the date of the election shall be eligible for membership on the board. For the purposes of this section the term "professional educator" shall include teacher, supervisor or principal of any public or private school; instructor, professor or president of any public or private university, college or junior college or trade school; any state, county or city superintendent of education; or other person engaged in an administrative capacity in the field of education. [Code of Alabama – Title 16: Education - Section 16-3-3 - Qualifications of members.]
When Tom first shared this with me, I was shocked. How can anyone in right conscience campaign for an office in which, by law, they are not permitted to hold? Obviously you don’t need a degree in Political Science to understand this clearly written and articulated statute in the laws of Alabama. However a simple search through the Internet reveals that Tom Dooley’s opponent has been a “professional educator” in the past few years which is prohibited for all candidates vying for this seat. Why would there be an exception to the law for Ms. Richardson? Again the press release mentions several of these stints:
First, Ms. Richardson’s political campaign website lists her career experience in the Fairfield City Schools (including Superintendent), Russell Co. Schools (including Superintendent), and Virginia College (currently employed as the Associate Dean) and all within recent years. The “Experience” is noted verbatim on her campaign website:
“Currently Associate Dean Virginia College, Birmingham campus, 31 years in public education; Teacher, Assistant School Principal, School Principal, Director of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendent, Interim Superintendent, Superintendent – all within the Fairfield City School System (29 years), Superintendent Russell County School System (1 year 10 months), Education Consultant, Adjunct Professor (Miles College, Samford University, Troy University).” [www.yvetteforthechildren.com]
Furthermore, another issue has arisen due to a “flaw in the law” as stated in another press release sent out by Dr. Tom Dooley:
In an earnest effort to seek to “contest” to challenge Ms. Richardson’s qualifications in the General Election as per Section 16-3-3 and prior to the results being certified by the Secretary of State Beth Chapman (likely early next week), Dr. Dooley has learned that there is apparently “a Flaw in the Law”. The Alabama Code should provide specific instructions within Section 17 on how any eligible voter within the district can challenge the results of the election or in this particular case the qualifications of a candidate.
In other elected offices (e.g., statewide, district, county), there are state statutes that serve as glide paths for voters, attorneys, judges, and other elected officials to rely upon as the procedures for a contest. But, that apparently isn’t the case for the office of the State Board of Education. Perhaps somehow this particular elected office was overlooked when the elections contest statutes were prepared!
Efforts to identify the appropriate AL statute(s) in the event that any eligible voter within District 4 desired to challenge have been unproductive. It appears likely that all of the voters of District 4 (or other SBOE Districts) may have been denied the right of due process under the law with regard to an election contest. Ditto for Dr. Dooley as the Republican nominee in this election. What is “just” and “right” sometimes isn’t even permitted by the letter of the law. That just isn’t right! A clear path should be possible going forward.
If you are a resident of Alabama, please consider forwarding this to those in the media to generate attention. At the very least this “flaw in the law” needs to be addressed by state legislators in order to avoid similar injustice on behalf of any citizen wishing to contest a clear violation in a candidate’s election to the State Board of Education. I know Tom is seeking to ensure that justice is attainable for all under the state laws of Alabama in the future.
Thank you!
Brian Francis Hume
The first issue involves questions about the qualifications of the opposing candidate. Here’s an excerpt from a press release highlighting this serious breach of trust on behalf of the candidate and the affiliated party (Democrats):
Ms. Richardson has been a “professional educator” during the five years prior to the election. Under Alabama statutes in Title 16: Section 16-3-3 anyone who has been employed as a “professional educator” during the five years prior to the election is excluded from qualification as a candidate and as a member of the SBOE:
The members of the board shall be qualified electors of the State of Alabama, and each member shall be a qualified elector in the district which he represents. No person who is an employee of the board or who is or has been engaged as a professional educator within five years next preceding the date of the election shall be eligible for membership on the board. For the purposes of this section the term "professional educator" shall include teacher, supervisor or principal of any public or private school; instructor, professor or president of any public or private university, college or junior college or trade school; any state, county or city superintendent of education; or other person engaged in an administrative capacity in the field of education. [Code of Alabama – Title 16: Education - Section 16-3-3 - Qualifications of members.]
When Tom first shared this with me, I was shocked. How can anyone in right conscience campaign for an office in which, by law, they are not permitted to hold? Obviously you don’t need a degree in Political Science to understand this clearly written and articulated statute in the laws of Alabama. However a simple search through the Internet reveals that Tom Dooley’s opponent has been a “professional educator” in the past few years which is prohibited for all candidates vying for this seat. Why would there be an exception to the law for Ms. Richardson? Again the press release mentions several of these stints:
First, Ms. Richardson’s political campaign website lists her career experience in the Fairfield City Schools (including Superintendent), Russell Co. Schools (including Superintendent), and Virginia College (currently employed as the Associate Dean) and all within recent years. The “Experience” is noted verbatim on her campaign website:
“Currently Associate Dean Virginia College, Birmingham campus, 31 years in public education; Teacher, Assistant School Principal, School Principal, Director of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendent, Interim Superintendent, Superintendent – all within the Fairfield City School System (29 years), Superintendent Russell County School System (1 year 10 months), Education Consultant, Adjunct Professor (Miles College, Samford University, Troy University).” [www.yvetteforthechildren.com]
Furthermore, another issue has arisen due to a “flaw in the law” as stated in another press release sent out by Dr. Tom Dooley:
In an earnest effort to seek to “contest” to challenge Ms. Richardson’s qualifications in the General Election as per Section 16-3-3 and prior to the results being certified by the Secretary of State Beth Chapman (likely early next week), Dr. Dooley has learned that there is apparently “a Flaw in the Law”. The Alabama Code should provide specific instructions within Section 17 on how any eligible voter within the district can challenge the results of the election or in this particular case the qualifications of a candidate.
In other elected offices (e.g., statewide, district, county), there are state statutes that serve as glide paths for voters, attorneys, judges, and other elected officials to rely upon as the procedures for a contest. But, that apparently isn’t the case for the office of the State Board of Education. Perhaps somehow this particular elected office was overlooked when the elections contest statutes were prepared!
Efforts to identify the appropriate AL statute(s) in the event that any eligible voter within District 4 desired to challenge have been unproductive. It appears likely that all of the voters of District 4 (or other SBOE Districts) may have been denied the right of due process under the law with regard to an election contest. Ditto for Dr. Dooley as the Republican nominee in this election. What is “just” and “right” sometimes isn’t even permitted by the letter of the law. That just isn’t right! A clear path should be possible going forward.
If you are a resident of Alabama, please consider forwarding this to those in the media to generate attention. At the very least this “flaw in the law” needs to be addressed by state legislators in order to avoid similar injustice on behalf of any citizen wishing to contest a clear violation in a candidate’s election to the State Board of Education. I know Tom is seeking to ensure that justice is attainable for all under the state laws of Alabama in the future.
Thank you!
Brian Francis Hume
Saturday, September 11, 2010
James W. Goll: The Greatest Youth Awakening is Coming!
The following outline is taken from my Prayer Storm Study Guide and corresponds with the related chapter in my Prayer Storm book. This material carries one of the four major themes the Holy Spirit spoke to me to call forth: 1) Revival in the Church, 2) Prayer for Israel: All Descendants of Abraham, 3) The Greatest Youth Awakening the World Has Ever Seen and 4) Crisis Intervention through Intercession.
Prayer for Another Great Awakening—Youth
And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29 NKJV
The Time Has Come for Another Great Awakening
In 1967, a youth revival known as the Jesus Movement broke out, sweeping across the country, exploding on college campuses and in coffee houses.
The Catholic charismatic renewal, one of the largest movements in neo-pentecostal history, started the same year and ushered thousands of Catholics and Protestants into fresh encounters with Jesus, including the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
In 1967 also, Jerusalem was once again brought under the control of the Jewish people and the state of Israel. This marked the shifting of eras; the dispensation of the times of the Gentiles began to shift to the time when Jerusalem will become the last days' focus for God's activity in the earth.
All of this has significance for us today, more than 40 years later, because we need another great awakening, specifically a youth awakening, in order to see God's plan come to fruition.
Revolution—Always Begins With Young Adults
Revolutions always start on campuses. Almost every revolution—bad or good—has started with students on college and university campuses. From Marxism, communism, and Nazism to the Moravians, the Azusa Street revival, and the Jesus People movement, every one has started with students or has had a great influence on students, who are hungry for change and willing to lay down their lives for a cause.
1. The campuses are where the future leaders are living and being trained.
2. More than 550,000 international students attend American universities and 600,000 more attend foreign universities.
3. Statistics show that more than 77 percent of all Christians make a decision for Christ before the age of 21.
Campus ministry, Cambridge style: In 1799, an evangelical move of the Holy Spirit began at King's College, Cambridge, England. By 1877, students from across Cambridge's 17 colleges organized the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU), which in turn caused an increased interest in salvations and missions. An evangelistic campaign led by D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey resulted in a noticeable increase in enrollment in theology schools and involvement in missions, including the launching of the "Cambridge Seven" to China, led by C.T. Studd, who had been a well-known cricket player. More than a century later, CICCU still exists and has helped with the formation of organizations such as InterVarsity, Campus Crusade for Christ, and the Navigators.
The First and Second Great Awakenings: The First Great Awakening in North America and Europe was ignited by a Yale University graduate named Jonathan Edwards and by Oxford students John Wesley and George Whitefield. The Second Great Awakening was sparked by Timothy Dwight, the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, at Yale University. After his 1797 message to Yale students, nearly half of Yale's student body came to Christ in a few short months.
The "Haystack Five": Samuel Mills was a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts in 1806, when he met with four friends for prayer about revival and world missions. When a rainstorm hit, they took refuge under a haystack and continued to pray (thus becoming known as the "Haystack Five"). "When the rain subsided, Mills stood up, slammed his fist into his hand, and announced, 'We can do this, if we will!'" These five young collegians stepped out in faith and not only initiated the first nationwide student movement, but also began the first six mission agencies from North America.
Student Volunteer Movement: In 1886, a 20-something young man named Luther Wishard, newly appointed leader in the YMCA, heard the story of the Haystack Five. Inspired by the story, he committed himself to a revival of the same vision and went on to found the Student Volunteer Movement, which became the largest missions movement of all time.
Over the next generation, students on every campus in the U.S. committed themselves to the "evangelization of the world in this generation." Over 20,000 of them sailed to the foreign mission field, and over 80,000 others had personally committed themselves to prayer and to financially support those being sent out.
Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival of 1904: At the age of 13, Evan Roberts began to seek the Lord. When he was 26, revival came to his hometown in Wales. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers, "Send the Spirit now for Jesus Christ's sake," and, "Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake." God's Spirit came so powerfully that 100,000 people were born again.
The Prophetic Promises of a Great Youth Awakening
1) Read your Bible with an eye toward young adults. You can see how readily God engages this generation for His purposes—even before colleges and universities existed. Biblical prophecies about the first and second comings of Christ are not confined to the prophetic books of the Old Testament. A surprising number are found in the Psalms.
The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." The Lord will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion; You will rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your troops will be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn You will receive the dew of Your youth. Psalm 110:1-3 NIV
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight. 1 Timothy 1:18
2) When prophecy (Biblical or personal) is neglected, the prayer movement is weakened. Prophetic utterances strengthen our resolve in prayer and obedience, providing significant focus.
A. In 1975, the prophet Bob Jones had the first of a series of encounters with angels who spoke about an outpouring of the Spirit that would be characterized by prophetic intercession. In 1984, the Lord showed Bob that prophetic intercession would need to be joined by "compassion and worship" to be complete. The combination of these anointings would results in several things: revival in the Church, power evangelism in world missions, justice in society, pockets of mercy ("cities of refuge"), and worldwide intercession for Israel. Between 1975 and 1983, Bob was given over 100 prophetic revelations about a worldwide youth movement.
B. In 1995, I had an intense dream and visionary experience in which I saw stadiums filled with young people praising God. I heard this piercing word, "The stadiums will be filled as out of the belly of the Promise Keepers movement shall come forth a Youth Extravaganza that will rock the nations." I'm expecting to see the fulfillment of this word.
The Law of Night and Day Prayer
"And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly..." (Luke 18:7-8 NIV).
Why should 24/7 prayer and worship arise today?
1. 24/7 worship and prayer is done in Heaven and, therefore, should be done on earth.
2. 24/7 worship and prayer releases God's justice on the earth.
3. 24/7 worship and prayer fuels the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:19).
4. 24/7 worship and prayer hinders the plans of the devil.
5. 24/7 worship and prayer releases revival breakthrough.
6. 24/7 worship and prayer prepares the way for Christ's second coming.
The role of prayer in student revivals: In order to understand revival, we must understand the role of prayer in the history of revivals. J. Edwin Orr, the famous revival historian, said, "Young people in student-led prayer cells have been at the forefront in almost every awakening." Even the Moravians have a share in this fact. (By the time Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf had graduated from the equivalent of high school at the age of 16, he had started no fewer than seven different student prayer groups, and he continued his prayer disciplines while he was a student at the University of Wittenberg from 1716 to 1719.)
Maturity and Strength
We need to move in the spirit of Elijah, which means, we need to say, "God, give me a spiritual son or daughter." Young people in this "fatherless generation" need to look for spiritual parents who encourage them and intercede for them, helping them find their God-given passions and destinies.
Elders must bless young people with their time, knowledge, wisdom, strength, vision, and every good thing, treating them like full-grown plants and like "corner pillars," bestowing on them a high appraisal of their value and helping them to envision their future in the family of God. They must help them in practical ways by providing necessary resources and releasing authority to them to accomplish their God-given commissions. "Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace" (Psalm 144:12).
Summary
Moves of God always involve the younger generation. Every one of us must pray for awakening and renewal among young people.
With a Heart for this Generation,
James W. Goll
Encounters Network • PrayerStorm • Compassion Acts
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com
Prayer for Another Great Awakening—Youth
And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29 NKJV
The Time Has Come for Another Great Awakening
In 1967, a youth revival known as the Jesus Movement broke out, sweeping across the country, exploding on college campuses and in coffee houses.
The Catholic charismatic renewal, one of the largest movements in neo-pentecostal history, started the same year and ushered thousands of Catholics and Protestants into fresh encounters with Jesus, including the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
In 1967 also, Jerusalem was once again brought under the control of the Jewish people and the state of Israel. This marked the shifting of eras; the dispensation of the times of the Gentiles began to shift to the time when Jerusalem will become the last days' focus for God's activity in the earth.
All of this has significance for us today, more than 40 years later, because we need another great awakening, specifically a youth awakening, in order to see God's plan come to fruition.
Revolution—Always Begins With Young Adults
Revolutions always start on campuses. Almost every revolution—bad or good—has started with students on college and university campuses. From Marxism, communism, and Nazism to the Moravians, the Azusa Street revival, and the Jesus People movement, every one has started with students or has had a great influence on students, who are hungry for change and willing to lay down their lives for a cause.
1. The campuses are where the future leaders are living and being trained.
2. More than 550,000 international students attend American universities and 600,000 more attend foreign universities.
3. Statistics show that more than 77 percent of all Christians make a decision for Christ before the age of 21.
Campus ministry, Cambridge style: In 1799, an evangelical move of the Holy Spirit began at King's College, Cambridge, England. By 1877, students from across Cambridge's 17 colleges organized the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU), which in turn caused an increased interest in salvations and missions. An evangelistic campaign led by D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey resulted in a noticeable increase in enrollment in theology schools and involvement in missions, including the launching of the "Cambridge Seven" to China, led by C.T. Studd, who had been a well-known cricket player. More than a century later, CICCU still exists and has helped with the formation of organizations such as InterVarsity, Campus Crusade for Christ, and the Navigators.
The First and Second Great Awakenings: The First Great Awakening in North America and Europe was ignited by a Yale University graduate named Jonathan Edwards and by Oxford students John Wesley and George Whitefield. The Second Great Awakening was sparked by Timothy Dwight, the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, at Yale University. After his 1797 message to Yale students, nearly half of Yale's student body came to Christ in a few short months.
The "Haystack Five": Samuel Mills was a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts in 1806, when he met with four friends for prayer about revival and world missions. When a rainstorm hit, they took refuge under a haystack and continued to pray (thus becoming known as the "Haystack Five"). "When the rain subsided, Mills stood up, slammed his fist into his hand, and announced, 'We can do this, if we will!'" These five young collegians stepped out in faith and not only initiated the first nationwide student movement, but also began the first six mission agencies from North America.
Student Volunteer Movement: In 1886, a 20-something young man named Luther Wishard, newly appointed leader in the YMCA, heard the story of the Haystack Five. Inspired by the story, he committed himself to a revival of the same vision and went on to found the Student Volunteer Movement, which became the largest missions movement of all time.
Over the next generation, students on every campus in the U.S. committed themselves to the "evangelization of the world in this generation." Over 20,000 of them sailed to the foreign mission field, and over 80,000 others had personally committed themselves to prayer and to financially support those being sent out.
Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival of 1904: At the age of 13, Evan Roberts began to seek the Lord. When he was 26, revival came to his hometown in Wales. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers, "Send the Spirit now for Jesus Christ's sake," and, "Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake." God's Spirit came so powerfully that 100,000 people were born again.
The Prophetic Promises of a Great Youth Awakening
1) Read your Bible with an eye toward young adults. You can see how readily God engages this generation for His purposes—even before colleges and universities existed. Biblical prophecies about the first and second comings of Christ are not confined to the prophetic books of the Old Testament. A surprising number are found in the Psalms.
The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." The Lord will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion; You will rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your troops will be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn You will receive the dew of Your youth. Psalm 110:1-3 NIV
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight. 1 Timothy 1:18
2) When prophecy (Biblical or personal) is neglected, the prayer movement is weakened. Prophetic utterances strengthen our resolve in prayer and obedience, providing significant focus.
A. In 1975, the prophet Bob Jones had the first of a series of encounters with angels who spoke about an outpouring of the Spirit that would be characterized by prophetic intercession. In 1984, the Lord showed Bob that prophetic intercession would need to be joined by "compassion and worship" to be complete. The combination of these anointings would results in several things: revival in the Church, power evangelism in world missions, justice in society, pockets of mercy ("cities of refuge"), and worldwide intercession for Israel. Between 1975 and 1983, Bob was given over 100 prophetic revelations about a worldwide youth movement.
B. In 1995, I had an intense dream and visionary experience in which I saw stadiums filled with young people praising God. I heard this piercing word, "The stadiums will be filled as out of the belly of the Promise Keepers movement shall come forth a Youth Extravaganza that will rock the nations." I'm expecting to see the fulfillment of this word.
The Law of Night and Day Prayer
"And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly..." (Luke 18:7-8 NIV).
Why should 24/7 prayer and worship arise today?
1. 24/7 worship and prayer is done in Heaven and, therefore, should be done on earth.
2. 24/7 worship and prayer releases God's justice on the earth.
3. 24/7 worship and prayer fuels the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:19).
4. 24/7 worship and prayer hinders the plans of the devil.
5. 24/7 worship and prayer releases revival breakthrough.
6. 24/7 worship and prayer prepares the way for Christ's second coming.
The role of prayer in student revivals: In order to understand revival, we must understand the role of prayer in the history of revivals. J. Edwin Orr, the famous revival historian, said, "Young people in student-led prayer cells have been at the forefront in almost every awakening." Even the Moravians have a share in this fact. (By the time Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf had graduated from the equivalent of high school at the age of 16, he had started no fewer than seven different student prayer groups, and he continued his prayer disciplines while he was a student at the University of Wittenberg from 1716 to 1719.)
Maturity and Strength
We need to move in the spirit of Elijah, which means, we need to say, "God, give me a spiritual son or daughter." Young people in this "fatherless generation" need to look for spiritual parents who encourage them and intercede for them, helping them find their God-given passions and destinies.
Elders must bless young people with their time, knowledge, wisdom, strength, vision, and every good thing, treating them like full-grown plants and like "corner pillars," bestowing on them a high appraisal of their value and helping them to envision their future in the family of God. They must help them in practical ways by providing necessary resources and releasing authority to them to accomplish their God-given commissions. "Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace" (Psalm 144:12).
Summary
Moves of God always involve the younger generation. Every one of us must pray for awakening and renewal among young people.
With a Heart for this Generation,
James W. Goll
Encounters Network • PrayerStorm • Compassion Acts
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com
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