deepestrecesses's Revelife

Thanksgiving; is it in you?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:29:16 GMT

Luke 17:11-19

11While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14When He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they were going, they were cleansed. 15Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine--where are they? 18"Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?" 19And He said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well."

Glorifying God, he fell on his face at His feet.
With a loud voice, he gave thanks to Him.

Thanksgiving... is it in you?

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:15:26 GMT

-- Father-God,

Truly I say, Hallowed is your Name. Let all revere it. Let all esteem you. Let all fear you. And let all Love you.
Restore unity to your Children; I marvel at your works-- I can see only such a small glimpse that you are working in your Children. The testimonies of the Spirit being proclaimed by their messengers are loud and clear! Only, let your children hear. Give to them understanding! Please, I beg for the Church, do not harden our hearts!!!
For if you harden our hearts, then the land will be dry, the harvest will be desolate! "Doctrines" and "Theologies" will increase... and your people will be divided! Forbid it from being so! Strike down those who divide your Church!

Holy and Sovereign Father, defender of the weak! Encourager of the defeated! Defend your Church-- your people! The enemy has moved in, and the attacks are great-- do not let us be overcome or taken away! Those that are not destroyed are being captivated; a 'gospel' that does not lead to life but to death!

If my words are evil- if my prayers are against you, strike me down this minute. For I cannot bear the shame of seeing your people overcome and captivated by lies which lead them back into the law of Sin and Death!
I cannot stand to see the Law, which you pre-ordained to shut everyone up under sin so that, for your Sons Glory, Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior would be our only Hope! I cannot stand seeing people being led astray (out from under Christ) back into bondage to the very thing which Christ died to set them free from! Your Son testified that apart from the Spirit no one could have life. You sent his Apostles, and they too testified that Jesus came to fulfill the Law and bring about Life in the Spirit-- the Same Spirit which resurrected him from the Dead and ascended him into heaven to be at your right hand side!

Father, I humbly thank you; with words I cannot express- for your peace. In the midst of confrontation you are the peacemaker. In tasks that cannot be completed- you are the finisher. You are the All in All.

I credit you all glory due you- for you alone protect me and persevere my efforts. You have taught me not to fear; except in reverence to you. Your spirit has witnessed to my Spirit that your plan is greater than the obsticles that I face, so I seek your plan. I give my life to knowing your will and fulfilling my part in your will.

I look forward to seeing you overcome my newest enemy; my youth. I have been searched by you. I have submitted myself to your will. I have cried. I have repented. I would rather die than to be cast from you. And you, even before I began, loved me. So even while others view my youth as a disability and look down upon me, I am emboldened by you that I might not fall.

It is time for your Children to unconditionally love you. For us to serve you. For us to know you as we ought. To know you so that we can know those who are not from you!

As I pray- So be it (Amen)!

Hear My Prayer- Father

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:50:19 GMT

Romans 7:16-25

¹⁶But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. ¹⁷So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. ¹⁸For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

²¹I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. ²²For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? ²⁵Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Father-God; inside me there is absolutely no good. Even apart from you I would not know how to express these pains. This body has trapped me into weaknesses that I did not want. The nature of sin, cultivated in the flesh, seems unstoppable! You have searched my heart- Oh Lord- and I fear. But I open my heart to you because for you I hope to be found a suitable dwelling place for your Holy Spirit.

By my life I agree that your law is good—even when I am found lacking; you are exalted all the more as perfect!

Even though my eyes are dry it does not mean you do not see the tears.
Because you have always been the one to fight away my fears.

By day and by night you have watched over me as my storms have raged.
Seeing the turmoil’s I face, helpless in this flesh; helpless in this cage.

Even though my eyes are dry it does not mean you do not see the tears.
So your Son you gave, in Love; a lamb taken before the sheers.

Humiliated, broken, and mocked he became a curse so that I could be your son.
Emptied of all his rightful power, Jesus hung upon the cross, breathed his last, and said “All is done”.

Even though my eyes are dry it does not mean you do not see the tears.

Father—hear my prayer; I have cast myself before you, I am placing all my trust in you that I may be saved. I know nothing but that your Son completed your will and fulfilled all that he came to fulfill as he ascended into heaven; sitting by your side—head of the Church—Savior of your children.

I hope in you. I trust in you. I desire only you and yet my body—tired and worn out—seems unwilling to set aside it’s old ways.

Father, grant me patience. Grant me wisdom. Grant me compassion that I may show compassion. These are the tools with which I may work.

I beg, do not let evil hinder me any longer. Protect me from the temptations so set to destroy me. If your Spirit dwells in me, then I will be free to wield love, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and knowledge as tools to do your will!

Your Holy Spirit I desire; my only fear is that I disqualify myself from your Spirit and you take it away. I pray you destroy my body before you take your spirit from me!!

I marvel at the complex intricacies of your design and your will. Far more complex than all the universe is your plan for salvation; yet as simple as Jesus Christ—Lord and Savior!

Grant to me that I might know you, Father, and your Son Jesus Christ!!!

Amen!

A Short message from Galatians 5

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:45:44 GMT

Stand Firm! Everyone one of you!

1. For you have been set free from the bondages of the old way;

a. I say to you do not return once again to the things that once entrapped you!

These things are of no value to you!

· Taking Pride in the Flesh; the accomplishments of human efforts.

· If it is in your flesh, your wisdom, or your standing or position in life that you find security in, then of what value is Christ to you?

For it was for freedom from these old ways of boasting in the flesh that Christ died! IF in these things of the old way you stand, then you have NO PART in the GRACE of Christ!

· I tell you that it is not the boasts of what WE think is strength that we are made righteous.

· It is through the Spirit of Christ, by everlasting and enduring FAITH that we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness!!

WE do not follow a book or letters of a law that lead to life and righteousness!
For Jesus said in John 3:3-8:

“Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And when Nicodemus asked how this could be, Jesus said again;

“Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit!”

Therefore, I am saying to you, Just as Paul said to the Galatians, In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything. All that matters, as Paul said in 5:6, is “only faith WORKING through love.”

See to it, then, that you are not persuaded by anyone that there is anything that matters except that which is in Faith.

· Nothing except that through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. (This is Galatians 5:5)

I think we are tempted, today, to place our trust in things other than the faith that is led by the Spirit!

· We might fool ourselves into thinking that if we go to a certain kind of Church with a certain kind of Preaching and a certain kind of Worship and a certain kind of Prayer we will find what truly matters?

· Perhaps we think that our years and TOILS in our Jobs can lay a financial foundation that can keep us safe and secure?

These things have some value, to be sure, but the message that Paul has—and we today have being given to us—is that the Labor of Love by FAITH is all that matters! You who are Christians.

Freedom

You who are Christians, you are free! Only do not deceive yourself into thinking that Christ’s freedom is to be, or even CAN be used as leverage for the flesh! For your freedom is so that you can serve each other in love!

· You have been freed from the boasts of the flesh, from pride, from envy;

· Now, with love, GO and serve one another! Taking full advantage of your freedom!

Is not even the Law, which was made to govern over the flesh (as Paul taught us), fulfilled by this saying; “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

· But, If you return into bondage to the old ways, that is the boasts, pride, and envy of the flesh and begin to BITE and Devour one another, then you will be consumed by each other.

I do not think that this is strange to any of us, is it? We have each seen the effects of inter-fighting.

Walk By the Spirit, Not the Flesh

So I say again, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh!! (Gal 5:16)

We should know, by now, that the flesh desires things that are not of the Spirit and the Spirit desires things that are opposite the flesh! They are at war with each other!

But if you are led by the Spirit then you have life, and you shall not be under the Law which brings death.

So be careful to discern the things that come not from the Spirit but from the Flesh! These things are:

1. Sexual immorality

2. Impurity (both in body and mind)

3. Sensuality

4. Idolatry

5. Sorcery

6. Enmity which is hostility, hatred, or ill-will.

7. Strife which is quarreling, or bitterness

8. Jealousy

9. Fits of anger

10. Rivalries

11. Dissensions

12. Divisions

13. Envy

14. Drunkenness (irreverence)

15. Orgies

And the things of this nature; they are contrary to the will of God and I warn you that those who are enslaved to fulfilling these things will not have eternal life to inherit the kingdom of God as was promised to Abraham!

INSTEAD, because you are led by the Spirit, you should see the fruits of your labor reflected! The fruits of the spirit done in love by faith are:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self-Control

There is no law opposed to these things; nothing that can govern them!

Therefore, LEAVE the passions and desires of your past FOREVER behind as they have been crucified upon the cross!

Closing and Dismissal

For so much of my life I was led to believe, by people of weak faith, that I would live entrapped by the old ways of life- living the day-to-day life led by natural instinct and always trying to find room to boast in my flesh instead of in my spirit.

The Gospel is that by faith God has counted us righteous, and through Christ we have been set free from these, the old ways of life if only that we walk in the Spirit by faith.

Autonomous

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:35:37 GMT

INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! FREEDOM!!!

YOU are an individual! YOU have rights! YOU are autonomous! It is YOUR body, YOUR rights, YOUR life.

The American Way

This is a growing, perhaps already grown, ideology within the Church and it is absolutely 100% false.

The ideology of individualism. This is the most prevalent thought within America, a thought that inspires (most likely) 99% of all street riots and chaos within our nation; at some point, someone will feel that their rights as an individual have become violated. There is, supposedly, some intrinsic freedom that all Americans have and we do not allow anyone to violate these freedoms.

We can see this nowhere more obvious than with the Feminist and Gay movements in America. The feminists riot, push, and shout for their rights as do the gays.

On the shoulders of individual freedom and personal rule over autonomous bodies, millions of unborn babies have been legally murdered.

“Behold, children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3) and

“For You (God) formed my inward parts; You (God) wove me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13).

Riding high and unchallengeable on the shoulders of Freedom, the monster of abortion was born. In fact, ideological immortality is easily achieved simply by climbing on the shoulders of “freedom” and “Individualistic rule”. Christians are allowed, now, to murder the reward that God hand-wove for them in their own wombs. Why? Freedom!!!! (as Mel-Gibson shouted in the timeless classic, Braveheart.)

God, our creator, created us in his image; the image of a God that is 3 persons in 1. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity; so much so that the Son manifested himself on earth (doing, not his will, but the Fathers) and lifted his head towards heaven and said “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30). It is the Holy Spirit that is also called “the Spirit of God” and “The Spirit of Christ”. It was this God, a God that is 3 in 1, that looked upon his Creation, Adam, and said “It is not Good for man to be alone” and created woman so that with woman “Man would leave his father and mother and become one with his wife”. The man and woman, together as one, would unite to create their Child, the gift of God to them, “one in their flesh”.

We are not free. Christians are not autonomous. There is no such thing as “rights”.

These are all individualistic ideologies that we have idolized since the foundation of this country. In fact, apart from slavery, there can be no freedom. If you are a Christian, than you are not an individual. Neither are you free, and neither do you have rights. Does this shock you? It should not shock you if you have been fed anything other than the elementary teachings of the faith.

· The Christian is an individual born into the slavery of sin that has become an heir to God, Co-Heir with Christ, and has been freed into the slavery of righteousness. We are individuals that have been formed into one body. If one denies this, then one denies the gospel and it’s salvation; for salvation does not, and cannot be given to those who are simultaneously being ruled by sin because “the wages of sin is death”. Romans 12:4-6 “For Just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly…”

· Because of time, I can’t list for you the plethora of scriptures that instruct us as slaves of Christ; the New Testament is composed of these scriptures. It suffices to say that IF there is any freedom as a Christian (and there is) then it is freedom FROM Sin and Death. There is no freedom of will. For we were all set free from bondage of sin (doing the will of sin) in order that we might do the will of GOD (not of ourselves, which, by nature, would be a return to doing the will of sin).

· So then, if we are slaves of Christ, what rights do we have? For Paul writes in Galtians 4:1 that although we are Heirs, we do not differ at all from the slave! What right do you have? Do we even have the right to take offense? No! For it is not us who has received the offense, if we are to be offended, but it is our master, the Lord Jesus who has taken the offense… in fact, our Master came down into the earth and became that offense, For US!

Christians! Give up your falsely perceived “rights” and “freedoms” and take up slavery into righteousness and life. Even as culture (riddled in sin) adamantly teaches us to love and worship freedom, join together as we were intended and listen to what God teaches us: to count our will as loss and follow HIS will.

In this post I wish to ask the professing Christian why they are willing to discuss and share their political views so publically, but their faith… the one thing that should be sustaining them in life… is hidden in a very deep corner of their hearts?

I wish I had more time to address this, but I do not.

So, Christian brothers and sisters, there is a urgent need to realize that we are not individuals, born with intrisic rights that cannot be broken, we were born into bondages with sin, ruled by death, freed into life by our master, Jesus, into the slavery of righteousness, as co-heirs to the kingdom.

Not only do we need to intelectually understand this, but it is time that we practically practice it!

This means that we put aside any "offenses" that we percieve to have received, and we yield our "rights" unto sacrifices for our brethren. We must stop attacking the body of Christ which we are apart of! If there is any error, if there is any wrong within the body, with Love and compassion, rebuke and correct the error! Put down hateful speech and pick up selfless love for this HOLY body!

Rest

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:21:22 GMT

Well, everyone must know when they are beat; Walgreens Financial Analysis report of 2008 has beaten me... for now. So, at 2:30 AM I am temporarily resigning my Analysis until a later date at which I will, hopefully, complete my assignment and be just that much closer to graduating.

For the moment, since I still have about 30 or 40 minutes of Energy Drink derived energy left in me, my mind has turned again to my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Partially inspired by receiving a new CD from my grandma by the Ottawa Suzuki Strings ensemble. (When I was in high school I had received a invitation to play as a violinist for the Ottawa Suzuki Strings and [to my instructors outrage] I refused the offer [to my never-ending regret]). If it weren't for the fact that my wife is sound asleep I think I would pull out my old violin and see how much I've lost in these years past.

Anyway, back to the point. As my mind has returned to thinking about the Lord, Jesus, I have 3 thoughts in my head;

Rest & Peace
Grace
Repentance

"⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Phil 4:7-9

The reason why this music CD has inspired these thoughts is because, well, I'm tired right now; I'm worn out from being a full time pastor, full time husband, and full time student (the last of which seems to be sucking in way too much time as it is). I remembered how I used to sit down with my violin and play for hours upon hours-- the absolute rest and peace my mind used to find in my music. The "horrors" of my teenage years would fade to the beauty of the gift I know God gave to me to get me through those times in my life. With a swift stroke or a soft melody I could let my thoughts and emotions through no matter how strong they were.

As beautiful as this gift was I have found a far more powerful peace and greater rest than music could ever offer. It is a peace... a settling and contentment that is indefinable. In equally or even more stressful times of my life now, I know my heart is safe and secure in Christ- my mind has one purpose in him.

What better resting place is there than in the Word of God? For the Holy Spirit speaks saying;

¹Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. ²For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. ³For we who have believed enter that rest,⁹So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience." Hebrews 4:1-3 & 9-11.

Finding rest in God's Holy Word.

About this I only wish to add one more thing; the days have grown evil and are already filled with darkness, therefore there is time for training. There is a time that each one must study diligently the sound doctrines of the Word of God as revealed to us through the Word By the Holy Spirit. But, as the days are evil, so are we also weak in our flesh! There comes a time, also, that after having believed and obeyed Gods Word we each must also now allow ourselves to find rest in His Word. Each and every one of us needs to be ministered to. For this reason it is so important to find time, or make time to allow Gods Word to minister to our spirits so that we can be strengthened and refreshed.

Put down the regiments of training that each of us must do, and take up a time to simply read, listen, hear, and be ministered to by the Spirit.

~ ~ ~ ~

Grace

It can be manifested in a plethora of ways and is not restricted to the mighty works of salvation and the grand scheme of Gods plan for the world and his children.

At times when you feel as though neither measure of effort, nor any cosmic force can lighten or overcome the burdens placed before you, then you are sure to find measures of God’s grace that will bring incomprehensible measures of peace to you; it is this grace that I speak of. For it was God at the creation of the world, years before man would ever experience music, that God programmed and designed within our brains coping mechanisms that spring into action when certain kinds of music are played. A classic composition can be therapeutic; in fact I went into hospitals to as a high school student and played for patients with heart problems.

When one begins to “think on these good things” that God has done for us, since the creation of the world, I do not believe one who has truly loved God in his heart can turn a cold shoulder and not be deeply touched!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4

What kindness indeed!

Only when from short and narrow-mindedness does a man say in his heart “why me! O God!” Or does the Child of God say “where is the Fathers Kindness now?”

With measures infinitely more abundant than most have ever considered, God has been kind to us! As the creator of the universe his deeds of Love and compassion in the physical realm have extended into the realms of virtual innumerability!

If a person made resolute to say nothing but the graces of God that lead us unto repentance, his entire life would be a perfect blossom in the many seasons of the earth’s short existence.

In a matter of moments spent in sincere and deep contemplation of these things any person should be inspired into great acts of repentance indeed! Even the most sincere and developed Christian Saint should eagerly cast himself to the floor in repentance when he considers the many kindnesses of God!

As the Holy Spirit has spoken to me, so I hope you find yourself in the same mind so that in every season of your life, whether plenty, scarce, smooth, or rough, you will have reason to rejoice and glorify the name of God the Father!

Bootcamp

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:51:08 GMT

Almost every kid plays “war” when he’s young; it’s innate and as Children grow up they continue to eagerly pursue the “grown up world”. They want to be seen and respected as adults almost before they even learn to tie their own shoes. If you’ve ever played little league basketball, or coached it, or watched it, you know that most kids (even into Jr. High and Sr. High) do not like drills, they want to “scrimmage” and “play the game”. It’s definitely not fun standing in one spot shooting 100 free-throws before you’re allowed to do anything else. But once the game is on the line, and you’ve been fouled, you’ll be glad you did when you sink 2 in the basket and go home the winners!

It should not come to you as a shock that every human being (whether religious or non-religious, aware or unaware) is in a form of Spiritual war-fare.

Our battlefronts, or “game times” come to us in a variety of different forms ranging from late at night, alone, in front of your computer screen, to a mission trip into Trinidad and Tobago or China. You can see a homeless man on the side of the street and immediately, the whistle has blown, and the game is on.

Sometimes things can get so hectic and chaotic out on the basketball court that your just dribbling as fast as you can, towards the goal, hoping you can penetrate the defense and make a basket. Spiritually, we’re in the same boat. Satan puts so many “defenders” up between us and the basket that we feel like we’re driving towards the goal with no success…. maybe even losing the ball most of the time!

In fact, this brings me to my main point; without going through boot-camp, you’re bound to lose the ball. Satan’s got the #2 defense in the league, and if you’re not the #1 offense, it’s game over!

Consider our youth-groups. How many of these youth-groups have at least 1 mission trip a year? How many add to that mission trip 1 or 2+ service projects each year? I’m pretty certain every youth group has at least 1 summer camp, and most have 2 or 3 other camps in addition to that.

In almost every youth-groups case that I have ever heard of, each of these events are “game-time” or “battlefronts”. Yes, even the camps; as a youth, I faced some of my greatest temptations at youth group camp. Girls and guys get to “hook up”. Peer pressure to really cream that kid on the basketball court to make yourself look good (probably for a girl). Gossip, slander, envy, lying, cheating…. all these things will, unavoidably, be present at any decent sized and diverse youth group event.

Add to that the fact that the popular curve in the youth group method is away from Bible teaching and towards entertainment, testimonies, and singing, and Sunday school is no different.

Is it any wonder, then, that our kids are driving on a top-ranked defense and losing the ball? We’re seeing a lot of “star players” get injured or discouraged and turning to “other pursuits”.

None of our kids have gone through “boot-camp” and they’re getting pummeled.

I’m speaking from experience. My youth group, growing up, was about 200 registered, and 150+ active.

We had a lot of “all-stars”; kids expected to grow up into great spiritual men and women. They were expected to become “tomorrow’s leaders”. I can look at my youth group, and my Christian High School graduating class, and count on 1 hand those who are reverent towards Christ. Those who are trained and ready to lead the Church in the direction it needs to go.

Before I receive e-mails and comments reprimanding me for “judging”, I encourage you to remember the numerous times that we can all recall complaining, or at least partaking in, complaints about the “pitiful state of the Church”. I think that if we were to then, after remembering these complaints, listen to Paul’s words where when he spoke saying:

“¹¹But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? ¹³But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES”. (1 Cor. 5:11-13)

I am of the persuasion that these “complaints” exist because we do not judge our brothers in the Church.

So, what has happened to all our young “all-stars”? Why is there no reverence in the Church? Why are we experiencing, first hand, the destruction that God spoke of when he said “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”?

It is my opinion, based off of observation, prayer, and study, that we are being destroyed from the inside out. The entertainment switch in our youth groups has become a burden to the Church that is collapsing it.

So… what must we do?

We must begin, once again, to train our Children. Parents must, therefore, take it upon themselves to put additional “training time” in—no matter how good your pastor is, one 30 or 40 minute sermon (20 minutes at most places) a week will not catch you up to speed!

Youth ministers, if you are reading this, regardless of what will happen to your “number count”, you need to train the kids in righteousness; in the way that they must walk. Equip them to face the trials that are sooo heavy upon them daily.

I’ve noticed some things that are missing; basic things that may seem irrelevant at first, but should be things that any child could do—

· Can they say the books from Genesis to Revelation.

· Are they able to tell you the basic idea and purpose of each book?

· If you were to ask them to recommend a book in the Bible that deals with any given topic, can they make at least one good recommendation?

Some of the more advanced things that are also lacking:

· Could they outline for you (from the Bible) what the Church is?

o Why we meet.

o The role of Elders, Deacons, Evangelists, etc.

· Are they receiving and learning training in regards to reverence (one of the most fundamentally lacking principals yet)

· What about repentance? Do they think of it as a one-time deal, or a lifestyle?

· Can they tell you about the Holy Spirit?

· Can they tell you about Prayer?

· Would they include Paul’s teaching about Salvation coming to us through a Promise if you asked them to explain salvation to you?

So, why am I so concerned with all this? I mean, as long as the kids know how to recite “Jesus, born of virgin Mary….. (etc)” and get people to say “the sinners prayer”, isn’t that enough? No! It’s not!

Because I love them too much to send them into the battlefield with a butter knife and have them watch their friends fall to Satan’s attacks… and possibly see them fall as well.

I know my audience on here is limited, but I hope someone listening will take these words to heart. It breaks my heart seeing kids separated from God because their foundations were weak or non-existent. My friends, my buddies in high school that are now graduating college and masters programs are falling away. I have friends content to read 1 verse a day (maybe), and I have friends who spend so much more time with movies, with other friends, and consumed by their own life that they have completely rejected Christ—not in word, but in reality.

It is time, I think, to start fighting back. Because you love the Church and the Church body, Judge it so that you might know whom to save (not that you save souls, but that you might know how to strive after and point back to the solid foundation of Christ Jesus, our Savior). No one can contest my love for the Church unless I selfishly refuse to judge and defend it from false teachers and teachings. Lets return to instructions regarding sound doctrine, and perhaps most importantly, teaching them how to petition God in prayer and learn Gods word through the Holy Spirit has been lacking for far too long.

Keep laboring.

Keep defending.

Protect the Church with Love, Compassion, and Boldness!

Faith

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:07:46 GMT

Right now the world is filled with news; good, bad, wanted, and unwanted. Lives are changing every second of every day. Some people are getting married to the love of their life, some are mourning the loss of their love. Some are starting their very first job after graduating from years and years of study; others are back to square one looking for a new means to bring home the bacon.

Revelife is filled with stories about perseverance, dismay, pessimism, and optimism.

It’s not only not uncommon, but it is rather common to hear even Christians ourselves vocalizing the dismal state of the Church. Equally common are the affairs that go on day by day that spur these concerns over the Church; pastors caught in adultery, Elders, deacons and other members lie, steal, cheat, and envy one another on a regular basis. Add to this the decaying level of Godly knowledge and a seemingly disappearing presence of the Holy Spirit and it’s no wonder that so much news is negative, even among the Christians.

However, this post is not one of those.

Yesterday I was truly humbled and amazed by a man’s faith; it is not an every day event that one is truly amazed by someone’s faith—but this was one of those days.

Our congregation has been struck with an attack. Ray (one of our elders) was electrocuted and fell 13 feet off his roof while trying to fix an electrical attachment of some kind—unfortunately, being 80+ years old, he forgot to turn off the circuit breaker.

David (his son) within the past 5 years lost his wife and has been blaming God since then. He has only now returned to Church. Being 56 years of age himself this is a key time for him to remain in the Church. And his return is being threatened by the intensive care of his Father, who sustained electrical burns, broken hip, pelvic bone, 2 lower-back vertebras, and 2 vertebras in the neck.

Paul Wayne (also his son) has been hospitalized because his left ventricle in his heart has a hole. For the first time in many, many years a couple Sundays ago he returned to Church with his two sons and a friend of his sons who has never been in Church before.

Rob (which happens to be David’s best friend, and also another elder of our Church) just got diagnosed with prostate cancer and they’re checking the lymph nodes to see if it has spread.

It is with Rob that I am amazed.

After praying with Rob yesterday he began to talk to me about his visit to the Houston Cancer hospital. He said that the prevailing thought there that many of the patients had was “why me?”

Rob opened up and he confessed that his only thought was “why not me?”

He said that he has done many things in his 65 years of life that were wrong; he’s lived a happy life and been blessed with all that he has needed. This man began to tear as he thought about the children at that hospital (completely bald from treatments) that were facing trials greater than his. “Do they know the Lord?”
“Has anyone told them of the salvation offered by God to take them into imperishable bodies?”

I’ve seen God overcome a great deal of “insurmountable” obstacles at this Church; years and years of division, envy, and hatred.

Now this Church faces perhaps its greatest challenge and, in a way, how it responds to this trial period will determine the entire course of the Church.

As I met with Hillary (our other Elder) and John (the preacher at Amite) I laid out some plans for them; both regarding these men, and also a few efforts I have cooking to try and unite the Churches in the area through Christ with our youth and teen groups. I have to admit, I felt a little bit like “the new Quarter Back” that’s about to face the Leagues #1 defense; they just looked as if nothing could make a difference.

This Sunday is going to be an extended service; we’re going to move from the worship hall to the fellowship hall. We’ll ask Rob, his family, and the Little Family to gather in the middle and surround them and pray over them. Up to this point, every effort at bringing the Church together on a regular basis in prayer has been overcome by Satan—but those efforts were early on (the first thing I did when I got here). I pray that the conviction of the Spirit will be over the Church; that all will be able to come and pray over them.

I share this story for two reasons: as I have been in prayer over this Church, the evidence of Satans attacks have increased. I am increasingly aware of the battle that we’re in—and this is perhaps the next biggest battle. I have prayed boldly that God would both unite us and purge/purify us; as such I know the consequences of losing this battle. So I am writing to petition prayers.

Equally I am writing that your faith may be increased by Robs demonstration of faith.

A man with a wife, grandchildren, and great grandchildren (all of which he dearly loves—and his grandchildren cause great worry to him because of their souls), he has a lot to live for. He’s going to face a challenging and very painful cancer. One that can be beaten, but one that can change your life forever; yet he remains firmly assured that his life will never end. His life continues on into eternity in an imperishable, incorruptible form; his humble recognition that he does not deserve to ask “why me” but that he is still thankful for what he has had and embraces what he now has.

This is a reminder that all people need. It is a very real, modern day example of Job.

Open Your Eyes and See

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:27:01 GMT

I’m at a loss for words.

Lost in my past are a great many things that I have done which I know are wrong—sins that were buried long ago.

The other day I came across a verse that I have read many times—a verse that I actually pray to God quite often—a verse that promises that the Spirit of God will come, and in him we will bear “much fruit”.

The past few weeks have been very difficult for me and I began to become discouraged. Satan was on the prowl, I’m sure. He seized the opportunity afforded to him and began to whisper into my ear.

As the King of (deceptive) Logic here is how this conversation went;

“the word of God is true, correct?” (yes)

“God would not lie to you, right?” (yes)

“Surely God is powerful enough that he can fulfill this promise in you, right?” (yes)

“In fact, you can do all things through him who strengthens you, right?” (yes)

“…that is…. if he is strengthening you…. if you have the Holy Spirit…. IF you are actually gods child…. IF you have not been disqualified….” (oh, snap!)

I began to desperately look around for any cheap little thing I could call a fruit! I mean… I probably would have taken a tomato (does anyone actually know if it’s a fruit or a vegetable now?)

nada.

So I began frantically searching! I started to ask a few questions;

“Why did I give up going immediately into China for this?”

“what if God didn’t call me into this place?”

“What is wrong? Have I offended and thus separated myself from God!?

To be honest, for a couple days there, I lost sight of my calling. My sermon outline was, for the first time ever, BARELY one full page. Philippians chapter 4 and I could not even come up with one full page?

Sunday morning came around and I was up early. I went into Church about an hour and a half before any got there and just knelt down and prayed allowed to God.

For about an hour and a half I brought everything I could before God.

“Father, Holy Father, I am overcome.”

“Father, Holy Father, Show me!”

“Father, Holy Father, I must hear your voice calling! I must hear! Open my eyes to see!”

For roughly an hour I inquired of the Lord and finally a peace fell over me and I sat there listening.

The Lord spoke and I’m here to tell you that his wonders are made known to me!

“Open your eyes and see!!!”

Once again, God reminded me of who he is!

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4)

Then the Lord opened my eyes to the fruits being produced in this harvest.

This entire time I was looking for scraps… for any excuse for a fruit… and before me was God’s work!

God has poured forth his spirit!

“Who has been able to do the works and wonders of God except for God!”

Two men; family; separated by 15 years of pure hatred.

A man blaming God for the death of his wife… 5 years ago.

A Church family that could not agree upon anything for over 30 years has been without any division for near 5 months.

But to my greatest astonishment God was not done answering me. For indeed perhaps one of his greatest workings so far manifested Sunday before my eyes and left me, momentarily speechless.

In July I had visited a man. This man uprooted his two sons from our Church over 10 years ago and left vowing to never return. He was sick of all the arguing and there was nothing at that Church for his children. He was so set against this Church that I decided not to continue pursuing him.

Last year this man added to his family—not in the form of a new-born baby—one of his children (now 18, and the other 19) had a friend who woke up one day to find that his only family member, his mom, left him behind.

Sunday, this Man, his two sons, and his son’s friend walked in the door! For the first time ever this friend was walking into a Church building, and for the first time in 10 years, this man and his two sons returned!

I t was as if God was saying “Open your Eyes and See!”

On my knees I say thank you! Father! Thank you!

Holy, Holy Father!

Thank you for opening my eyes!

For giving me Faith!

Let your name be great among the nations!

Let your Children, with one achord, say HOLY is our FATHER in heave!

Jesus' Words on the Holy Spirit (Part 2)

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:01:05 GMT

So far we have looked at the Spirit of God being our Helper in times of great trial and even in our daily life; we have looked at its origins (from God, not the world), and we see that in our life it plays a specific roles in bringing us eternal life.

We started out looking at John 14 as the foundation of understanding how the Spirit is distributed.

Building off of that foundation we are going to once again reinforce that the Spirit is a good and precious gift from God. We’re going to see how the Spirit, as a precious gift, functions in many different ways.

Jesus was once approached by his disciples; they asked him to teach them to pray, just as John was doing. So Jesus began to teach them to pray;

^“It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."

And He said to them, "When you pray, say:
         'Father, hallowed be Your name.
         Your kingdom come.
    'Give us each day our daily bread.
   'And forgive us our sins,
         For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
         And lead us not into temptation.'"

Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.'"I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs”. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened."Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?"Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" Luke 11:1-13

Jesus does not stop teaching his disciples to pray with verse four as many suppose. He provides his disciples an example of prayer including praise, request, repentance, a pledge, and a plea for protection, but verses 5-13 are spent showing his disciples the attitude of prayer. Then in v13 we are given one of the greatest and most reassuring pledges of Christ; that if we ask of the Father we will receive the Spirit!

You have to come to grips with this aspect of Christianity—God gives, we do not earn or take. I fear too many Christians have never asked for the Spirit from God! I’m not saying that the Christian does nothing—“do nothing” Christianity is as far from the truth as the pharisaic “merit salvation” Christianity. The Christian does a lot—a Christian who does not do the will of his father simply is not a Christian. But you are a Christian, and remain a Christian, because of the gifts of God ranging from grace and mercy all the way to the distribution of the Holy Spirit—and this comes to you not because God needs you and can’t function without you (i.e. you’re so great) but because you have submissively asked God and waited for His answer.

So then the Spirit is Holy, it is the Spirit of Truth, it is the Helper, and it is now also our most precious gift! Jesus could have chosen any array of gifts to bestow upon those who ask the Father in His name; knowledge, wisdom, authority, power, insight, healing, love, prophecy, etc. Above all, He offers the Holy Spirit.

We’ve already mentioned the Spirit of God as our Helper. He is that indeed! He is also our Teacher. Briefly it is necessary to look at these words spoken by Jesus;

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (John 14:26)

One of the most important functions of the Spirit is as our Teacher (as we have mentioned before); with him as our instructor we will learn to testify in the name of Christ properly!

Before you nod your head and continue you, I want you to stop and see how horribly we have failed to implement this into our Faith.

Where do your preachers and biblical teachers come from? They come from Universities; they no longer come from the Church itself. In protestant circles we depend 100% upon the schools to produce our seminary students. This should not be! I myself attended schools and studied under professors and I learned from men. Yet all of the knowledge that I gained during this venture proved worthless once I had received the Spirit of God!

No, I did not learn about the Holy Spirit—in fact you will find very few “scholarly” works on the Spirit in print by modern scholars today. I learned about the Holy Spirit of God when my mentor, an untrained man, taught me.

I hope you realize that the Spirit of God is to be our teacher. Meditation cannot be replaced by scholarly books; oh indeed these books have their uses! I spend a great deal of time looking through these books in study, but those days of relying upon them are gone for me! My priority, reflected by time spent, is upon prayer and meditation!

I realize that I am moving off topic slightly again, but this is a much needed topic to be addressed; one of the reasons why people have stopped depending upon the Holy Spirit to guide them is because it is painful. If you are constantly spending time in the Holy Spirit, praying, meditating, and reflecting, He will reveal to you things that are inhibiting you and He will require you to remove things from your life! A great many pastors and teachers have taken the easier route of books because they are frustrated and tired of persevering in the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God will, indeed, be heavy to bear so long as you hold onto the world—and James warns that God will remove His Holy Spirit from those who keep holding onto the world (James 4:5). But, for the one who purifies himself in the Blood of Christ, and lets go of the world (perhaps continually as this is certainly a process), the Spirit of God is also our Keeper!

What would happen to us apart from Jesus? His ascension into heaven would certainly be a terrifying and dreadful event for all those staking their lives upon faith in Him, would it not? Our leader, our Lord and supposed Savior, gone?

“he must leave but that he has not left us as orphans but has given us the Holy Spirit forever and will return to us soon.” John 14:16-19

Fear not! For we have a keeper! We are not lost and abandoned like orphans but a keeper has been given unto us, forever! What greater joy could we have than to know that our Savior, Lord, and Master will be compassionately with us forever? There can be none!

We can end our study on a the Spirit of Worship!

In this point we find another stumbling block for the Christian believer. Unfortunately many “worship” pastors have lost faith in the Spirit to create true and sincere worship. The trust of many has been place in light-shows, and finely tuned instruments! A cheap trade indeed!

Jesus tells us that the time has now come for Gods true worshipers will worship him, not from a mountain or temple, but in the Spirit and in Truth; from the soul of man he will worship God in truth! (John 4:21-24)

The words spoken by Jesus the Christ regarding the Holy Spirit are quite numerous, and often overlooked; I have by no means captured the entirety of Jesus’ teaching on the precious gift but I have outlined a foundation by which I hope to launch into the Epistles and Old Testament letters and complete our study upon the Spirit.

As I have mentioned in this study, intellectual study will not gain you the Holy Spirit, but it can and does point us in the direction that we are most certainly in need of going!