No More Window Shots

Outside of my office window there is a plum tree.  This is the time of year that the tree casts its fruit on the ground where the fermentation process is well on its way.  What follows in inevitable.  The birds swoop in and gorge themselves on the now-thin-skinned fruit, literally into an eating frenzy. 

Then the window hits commence...

Monday morning I had two between 8:30 and 9 AM.  More followed that days and the next.  Basically, the birds become drunk off of the fruit and literally go nuts. 

It's a reminder to me of our lives the past several years.  During days of plenty prior to the recession, our community gorged itself on nearly everything that was available to us.  We got so caught up in what was around us that when the times turned too many found themselves crashing out of control into anything hard that was nearby us.

Sin has a way of doing that.  It's great for a season as we gorge ourselves on the rush or temporary satisfaction it provides.  But after it runs it's course, it's a dead end street with no outlet - except to go back the way we came.

I remember in driver's ed learning how to navigate a three point turn, perfect for getting out of a dead end street.  I've used it many times and have become deft at getting turned around in tight spots, even when we had large SUV's.  What's most exciting about the remedy for sin is that it doesn't require a three point turn, but a one-eighty.  Yes, I'm speaking of a complete turnaround; going one direction and then to be completely turned around and facing another in a moment's notice.  There is only one requirement; to appropriate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in our spiritual heart. 

No more window shots...

We Are One

Our son Zach is starting his sophomore year at a new school, Oregon State University.  Its been a dream of his to attend there, and after playing baseball at a small college in Washington, he is finally getting his chance to be where he's always wanted to be.

Going to a new school is always a bit of a challenge; a new city, new campus and finding new friends.  The friend part of this equation hasn't been a big deal.  When we talked the other day, the weekend before classes started I asked where he was.  He said he was hanging out with a bunch of kids from Bend Sr. High. 

At first glance that doesn't seem like an issue.  But Zach went to Mountain View High School; Bend Sr. High's cross-town rival.  And then he noted that the kid who broke his collarbone in football during both his sophomore and senior years of high school in football games was also there (yes, SAME kid, two different years). 

Hummmmm...

I remember those two games quite vividly.  Our son was a quarterback.  His sophomore year he had thrown the ball and got utterly destroyed on what we clearly believe as a late hit (I know, sounds like a parent, huh?).

 

Yes, I still feel a bit of "wailing and gnashing of teeth" on my part...  That one made us sick because it was unnecessary.

Broken right clavicle.  Done for the rest of the year.

Senior year rolled around and the big game arrived with both schools undefeated.  Near the end of the first half, Zach was setting up to pass on a play that some observers call a "quarterback killer."  Basically the defensive end on the left side is bumped and the quarterback has to get rid of the ball quickly or he will be drilled in the back.  The only problem was no one was open and Zach held the ball too long and the end didn't get 'bumped.'  This time is was a clean, full-sprint hit that broke his left clavicle. 

Senior season over.  Dreams of playing college football effectively finished.

So, Zach was hanging out with this kid...

Last Sunday we were in John 10 where we will be this coming weekend as well.  It's Jesus' word picture of the person of the "Good Shepherd" and how is fulfills that role in every way.  Part of that allegory centers around the shepherd leading his flock out of the sheep-pen.  The sheep know the voice of the shepherd, so even if the flock is intermingled with that of another shepherd, the sheep know whom to follow.  And so they move out together, as a unit.  The irony is that even though they move out together, sheep can be ornery!  They bite, nip, kick and do assorted other deeds to one another.  And yet under the direction of their shepherd, they fall into line and are "one." 

Sadly, Oregon State's football team is having a difficult year already, reminiscent of previous years (decades!) of futility.  And so here are the kids from Mountain View and Bend Sr. High, former rivals who are now under the same proverbial roof together, suffering together through a tough football season, cheering and crying alongside one another.  College has a funny way of uniting people who were once rivals. 

They are one...

In Christ, we come from all different walks of life, we drive different cars and live in apartments, condos and homes, large and small.  We come from a wide range of economic backgrounds and ages.  But we follow the voice of the Good Shepherd.  Even though we may bite, nip, kick, or do whatever else we do...we are one.

Addendum: By the way, we are FINE with our son NOT playing football in college.  We believe that the ability to walk and not have brain damage later in life is a good thing!

A Letter from PM to Faith

Hi Friends,

We're in the downhill week leading up to "Back to Church Sunday!"  I trust you've all invited someone to be at Faith this weekend.  Our goal is to double our attendance in one day.  I've invited more than one other family to be with us this weekend - I challenge you to do the same!  If you haven't invited someone yet, please do so ASAP!  Do whatever you need to do to get people to Faith on Sunday!  We need EVERYONE to participate!

And remember, "ONLY INVITE PEOPLE WHO DON'T REGULARLY ATTEND CHURCH ANYWHERE."  To do so would be morally wrong!

Also on Sunday we'll be having a brief overview of our new Faith Connections Classes (adult Sunday School) along with baptisms during our special weekend.  And no, we will not be holding back in embracing our worship songs during the service.  We want all of our guest to "Experience Authentic Faith!"

That's right, no "bait and switch!"

It has been a pleasure to have Jesus do some incredibly cool stuff in our meetings the last several weeks.  People continue to come to Christ and lives and physical bodies have been changed.  We are so grateful to God for what's happening!  We want to share His goodness in our lives with others. Pray with me for revival to break out in our church and that our city would be transformed!  The best is yet to come!

I'm continuing to dream about a Bible College and re-training ministry taking place through Faith.  There are some opportunities that we have to take hold of in the days ahead to create an environment for these things to happen.  I'm asking everyone to pray, asking God to move us into His purposes for our church and region.  We need for some miracles to take place.  The good news is that we've even had a miracle take place today - so we're used to it!  Please hear me, our greatest opportunities lie just ahead of us...

I want to thank everyone who came to our brief training session last Sunday for our "First Impressions" Ministry teams for Ushers, Greeters and Follow Up.  Thanks also to the majority of you who signed up to participate in these valuable endeavors.

I also would like to thank everyone who had been part of our children's center remodel.  We're at the phase where every change that happens downstairs is dramatic.  The theme rooms have all required a great deal of carpentry, painting and artistic work.  Pastor Steve and Sharon Henning have led this project with creativity and diligence.  We're also excited and working hard to meet our REVEAL GOAL date of SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH.  It's going to be a great day at Faith!

God's best to you this week in getting your friends, family and co-workers to church this weekend.  We're literally changing our church culture in being more intentional about sharing the GREAT NEWS we have with others!

You Are Loved,

PM

It Was Hilarious Until I Used my Brain

I'm sure it started out as something quite funny.  Political humor has a way of touching all of us on some surface level.  It all hinges on whom we voted for and how it makes our selection look.  It's at about this point we respond with hysterics or with indignity over someone saying how ridiculous our point of view looks.  Recently I was made aware of a bumper sticker running around our area that is humorous at first glance.  But then I did engaged my brain and realized how wrong my first response was.  Here is the message:

Pray for President Obama - Psalm 109:8

It really looks quite spiritual until you realize what Psalm 109 actually says.  The Bible itself speaks of praying for those who are in authority over us (1 Timothy 2:1-4) - specifically referencing government (v.2), there is something quite awful in the admonition above.  The passage says (my paraphrase),

"Let his days be few and let another take his office."

[Insert laughter or indignation here]

After you get over yourself, what the Psalmist is writing about is an enemy to himself and Israel.  There is also a context to this passage that the Psalmist wants this enemy to not only be removed from office, but also from the planet. 

That's right, dead.

Verse nine and those that follow says things like, "May his children be orphans and his wife a widow," and, "May his creditors take everything he has."  The passage goes on and on from there, basically to make the man's grave a latrine for the community (yes, my overview of the rest of the chapter!).

Here's what it does; it makes Christians of a conservative bent look awful, ignorant and reckless.  In essence, a weak-minded person reading such a bumper sticker is implored to embrace the concept that it would be a good thing for our President to die in office or be assassinated.

[Cease laughing here]

Yes, I know that's an extreme view, but remember the reason for our solemnity on the ten year anniversary of 9/11 was because of the actions of 'extreme' people.  Those acts, based on an extreme premise were wrong ten years ago. The premise of this bumper sticker, which unconscionably has also appeared on church reader board signs in our country, is just as wrong today.  

What if someone takes this stuff seriously?  The hard truth is, in the midst of laughter or indignation of such humor, someone probably already has...

I pray that no one takes up this rhetoric, putting it into action.

Full disclosure: I did not vote for our President.  That was my decision, not as a pastor but as a citizen.  I do not agree with many of his positions on the issues or policies that reinforce where we disagree.  The truth is, some of his perspectives I disagree with quite severely.  I also detest things written about our leadership that are either untrue or unfair, regardless of whether I voted for them or not.  Regardless, the Scripture is clear that I am to pray for those in authority.  Some will argue that our President has a personal agenda, that he is using his office to put forth some sort of sinister plot to bring America into ruin.

I mean, really?

The thinking is he has thereby disqualified himself from receiving the benefit of the prayers of Christians.  However, I would insist that we get our heads out of the proverbial sand and look at the time when the Apostle Paul wrote this stuff to Timothy 2,000 years ago.  Political leaders were in it for themselves.  What they were up to openly was so much worse than what conspiracy theorists can conjure up right now of what the President might be doing in private.

Do I believe that the President has some sort of plot for the downfall of the nation?  No.  Do I believe that he has at least a socialistic bent of some kind?  Yes - most big government proponents do; and that's the nature of his political party.  What I do know for certain is this: he was elected by the American people, is our President and therefore worthy of our prayers - especially in difficult times like we're in.

Pray for our President, that he would be wise enough to listen to godly counsel and that his decisions, now and in the future, will have a basis in truth and what is right for the country.  Pray that God would bless him, his family and thereby bless the American people through him.  And yes, pray for his health and protection.

And yes, please use your brain when you bring God into any equation...this one was funny and ignorant at the same time, bringing a blight on the Bible and Christianity.

[Pause here for reflection]

A Letter from PM to Faith

Hi Friends,

This weekend at 9:30 AM at Faith we'll be having a congregation-wide training time for our "First Impressions" Teams.  That refers to our Greeters, Ushers and Follow Up Ministry.  EVERYONE in the church should know how to participate in these areas as they are vital in our outreach to our community.  It also creates an environment where you are literally involved in a form of evangelism, helping to make a difference in the "fruit-bearing" portion of your Christian life.

If you have children who are old enough to greet people at the door, work our information centers or help usher people to their seats, PLEASE BRING THEM if you think they would be interested.  They are part of the church too and need to have a ministry!

As I close I need to ask if you've invited your family, friend or co-worker to Faith on "Back to Church Sunday" on September 18th?  Pull out all the stops and do whatever you can to get people to church.  Tell them we're having a special day at Faith (because we are); tell them we're doing something cool with thousands of other churches across the country (because we are); tell them that they'll hear great music and a meaningful message about who God is (because they will)..  Bring them to church or tell them where you will meet them at Faith when they arrive.  Ask people to come to church right away so they can clear their calendars.  That's right, don't invite people who go to church elsewhere, but those who don't go anywhere on a regular basis.  That's who were after...and so is Jesus!

I'm so excited because, the best is yet to come!

PM

Ivy League, Grandbabies & Close to Home

When a family gets to a certain point, difficult decisions must be made.

It begins when your children start thinking about colleges.  The letters seem to begin arriving about their sophomore year of high school.  Inquiries about attending a military academy or in our case, Christian colleges began arriving at our home.  Our kids love getting the mail.  They look at the brochures and begin thinking about their futures.

As they should.

As a parent, you think it's pretty cool and heady stuff, until of course you begin to think about what an education really costs these days.  One thing is for sure, it makes you a praying parent.  But then along the way your kids start expressing interest in a school halfway, or ALL THE WAY across the country.  It's exciting.  It's fascinating.  You get excited for them and their hopes and dreams.  And then the thought crosses your mind:

"If they go to school 'back there,' will they meet their lifelong mate and WHERE WILL THEY LIVE??"

All of the sudden, visions of seeing your future grandkids once in a blue moon becomes a startling reality.  When my brother's kids went to Minneapolis for college from the Seattle area, I thought nothing of it.  I actually said, "Good for them" when I heard it.  Then one stayed back there for a career and the other one now lives in Alaska where she is likely to remain the rest of her life.  My brother has been talking about moving to Arizona.  But I'm wondering if my sister-in-law is having second thoughts.  Anyway you stack it, the plane ticket is a longer ride and therefore, more expensive.

And yes, when those grandbabies start coming, they are a half-continent away.

It's all about squeezing those grandkids and doing what our parents did to our own children; spoiling them so badly that they are completely useless for three weeks after they go home.  I guess that's why having grandchildren is so important.  You get to spoil them to get back at your own children for ruining large sections of your peace and solitude.

So important decisions must be made...you must decide what mail is "appropriate" in your home and what mail is not.  Anything from a college more than a four hour drive from your home should be carefully placed near a garbage receptacle so that it could possibly be bumped into the can itself.  It's really an easy thing to do.  Frequently clean your counters so they are always dry, never sticky and always super slick.  If static electricity would help make the paper move a little easier, we have the Internet for you to figure out how to make that work.  Make sure that a corner of the contraband is hanging off the edge too.  Maybe your child will unknowingly do it themselves, knocking it into the garbage.  Maybe the moment it falls into the can it would be a good time to dump out last week's leftover gravy on top of the offending literature, just to make sure it doesn't get fished out by some chance.  Oh yes, be sure not to use all of the gravy on one letter through; colleges half-way across the country seem to send mail when you least expect it.  Heaven forbid your kid should get good grades because those letters will come from farther away, more frequently, and COST A LOT MORE should they want to go Ivy League on you.  Perish the thought!  I don't know, it just sounds like a good time to triple the batches of gravy being prepared in our home...even if you don't have anything to put the gravy on besides offensive mail from "somewhere else state university." 

It's true, important decisions need to be made by families; but isn't that what being a family is all about?  The journey, the wonder of those whom you've been given charge over by God are so often a mystery.  We don't always know where our kids are headed to, especially during the days that are so trying.  But they grow up and have dreams, some of which you've put into them along the way; and off they go on their great Faith Journey Adventure.  I don't know where the three we've raised will end up.  I have no clue about future grandkids right now.  In the end, the most important decision I need to make on behalf of my family is that I will pray for them and let them go.  Somewhere along the way they'll find God's will for their lives and the joy that comes from being in the center of His will.

But Lord, I'd sure like it if they did all that stuff close to home!

"Wrangler Nation"

"Finally joined 'Wrangler Nation.'  Not quite sure how I feel about it."

That's a post from our oldest son Zach on his Facebook account the other day.  He's up in Ephrata, Washington working on his grandfather's farm, scrimping his last few dollars together before college starts up again this fall.

He joined "Wrangler Nation" because he burned through a pair of used American Eagles' after two days.  Come to think of it, aren't all new "fashion" jeans used, or do they just look that way?

I commented on his post because it dawned on me that now he would actually be 'wearing' his pants.  Around his waist.  Yup, here in Central Oregon, the boys still wear the baggy pants that ride about half-mast over their hind-ends...  And I know that young men all over the country currently like the 'drooping, what-color-undies-do-I-have-on look.'  It's just a cultural thing, like the long hair that my classmates and I used to sport back-in-the-day.

Funny, long hair is making a comeback...I wish I had the ability to re-join the culture!

You see, really, that's what this is all about - culture.  My own Dad wore a crew cut for several years after high school because that was his culture.  So I commented that the boy would need to wear his Wranglers like "normal" people do (MY culture), around his waist.  One of his college teammates from last year wrote, "Like old men?"

Ouch.

I am forever reminded of what is "timeless" and what is "timely."  Timeless are traffic laws; timely are car colors.  Timeless is enjoying and remembering the hair of our youth; timely is having enough hair to comb after we've matured.  Timeless is the Gospel of Jesus; timely is when and how we present it...

Pants?  Humorously I pray that Wrangler Nation rubs off on our oldest, but in the end it's just pants.  What is timeless and timely at the same time is the response of the human soul to the Gospel story.  In the end, that's really all that matters.

Yup, half-mast and going to heaven trumps a hell-bound-belted-waist every time...

Catch Up

As mentioned last week we're gearing up for the Fall and getting ready to 2012.  A good deal of my activity right now has to do with what are called, "Church Systems."  It refers to things like ushering, greeting, follow up, leadership training and a whole array of areas that keep a local congregation moving forward.

Most of us have systems in our lives that keep things moving ahead smoothly.  I enjoy gardening.  A system that I have in my life is that certain things need to happen during specific times during the year for my yard and garden to do what they're supposed to do - LOOK NICE.

Yes, I know I'm shouting.

If I don't stay on top of this system, bad things happen; weeds grow out of control and I end up playing catch up all Summer long.  On top of that, if I'm playing catch up and take a week off away from home for vacation, that puts me waaaay behind.

Think of your child and your relationship with them.  They don't need a parent playing "catch up" with them; they need someone who is ever present, guiding them and helping them toward maturity in every way.  A child's success in life is directly influenced by their catching and applying the excellent counsel and wisdom - or the neglect and poor life skills - that we pour into them.

God doesn't play catch up with us.  He is ever present.  His counsel and wisdom are unmatched.  Are we listening?  Or do we find ourselves making the same mistakes over and over again, trying to play catch up in our listening?

My puny thoughts on these questions are to simply sit at our Lord's feet, hear Him speak into our hearts, and begin to voraciously get into what He is saying to us through His Word.  Be in church and Bible study to be under teaching that encourages and grows you up in the faith.  Oh yes, pick a translation of the Bible you can understand.  It will make all the difference!   And all of this is a life system worth keeping up on.  Your life and that of others who are watching you depend on it...

Smokin'

Our city is smokin' right now...

And it's really bad too.  Lava Butte on the South end of town has had a fire going on about 70 acres for 24 hours now.  It's surrounded by, well, lava flows, so the fire can't escape.  That means the fire service is letting it burn out.  That also means that every asthma patient within 100 miles is suffering severely.  Our receptionist here at Faith has been on her inhaler "like it's candy."

Her words, not mine.

I have a breakfast I attend with some of our guys from Faith every Wednesday morning.  I came out of the restaurant at 7:15 AM and nearly coughed up a lung on my way to the car.  We're begging for the thunderstorms to commence this afternoon that the weatherman teased us with this morning.  It would certainly help us with the smoke, not to mention the lawns that are presently drying up. 

But the truth is, we really have nothing to complain about...

Winter was really long and wet this year.  It snowed the first week of July.  Finally, FINALLY we got some really nice weather and we've had no rain for about a month now.   And so of course, we look for other things to complain about. 

I shared one of my favorite quotes on Sunday with the people at Faith; "If you're content with what you have, you'll never pay full price for what you want."  I want to believe that somehow this quote somehow relates to the weather too, but it's really a stretch.  Central Oregonians live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  People who were not content in other parts of this world, i.e. California (insert laughter here by every native Oregonian), move to Central Oregon in droves.  It's an amazing place to live.  The sun always comes out.  But it also means that during this time of year our contentment is challenged by the wild fires that are most often produced by dry storms and lightening strikes. 

Unfortunately, in order to have one form of beauty, you often need to put up with "another" difficulty that comes along with it.  The San Francisco Bay Area has weather and earthquakes, Atlanta is an amazing metropolitan city but is also known as "Hotlanta" this time of year.  In fact every time I've been to Phoenix where all the Pacific Northwest snowbirds fly for the winter, I've always been asked by the natives, "Why are you here?"  I think it is because I always seem to wind up there in the summer...

There are trade-offs in this life in so many areas.  The toughest part are our choices; to choose so well that the difficulties seem non-existent. 

I have found one life choice that far outweighs perceived difficulty.  Isaiah 61:3 tells us that God will exchange  "beauty for ashes" through His Son, the Promised One of Israel.  It's true.  In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke of a businessman who was seeking fine pearls.  When he found one of infinite value, he went home and sold everything so he could have it.  That "pearl" is the Christ.  No matter what happens in this life, no matter what people say about you or your faith, it is worth it all...

Addendum - Full Disclosure: Our kids are natives, my wife and I are foreigners...from Washington state.  Yes I'm laughing too!

When the Bible Says Stuff I Don't Like

In my reading to strengthen my personal life today I stumbled across one of those places in the Bible that I don't like.  Basically it's because it hits me right between the eyes.

That happens more often than I'd like to admit...

I found myself reading Romans 13.  The first seven verses speak of obeying our government and it's laws because God Himself put them in place over us. As I read the passage I suddenly saw all 40 political cartoons and emails I've received the last few weeks, insulting, calling out, deriding, castigating or making fun of our current leadership, pass before my eyes.

I think it's because I laughed at too many of them.

Okay, I laughed at ALL OF THEM...

The Apostle Paul explains that the government that God has allowed to be in place over our lives exists to help us do the right things, that He uses government to punish evil doers.  It's a flawed proposition to think that our legal system works perfectly every time; but then again in my line of work I recognize that it is only by God's grace that any of us can stand.

I was thinking about the positions that our government has taken and signed into law that I believe are not only immoral but anti-Bible.  We shout, "What about ____________ (you can fill in the blank for yourself)?"  We want to grab hold of anything that we think is wrong so we can say that our government or leadership is ALL wrong.  But then we must consider Paul, writing during a time when godless leaders dealt swiftly with evil doers, of whose system of law the American Republic has embraced as its model.  Remember, during this writing the Romans themselves recognized slavery as being legal in certain circumstances.  To think that Paul is writing this stuff under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit creates some difficulties for many of us who are destined to wear our trousers as high as our chests, move to Florida and complain about the government full-time...

Someone said a long time ago that we get the leadership that we deserve.  The longer I walk with Jesus, the more I believe it's true.  Bad leadership brings a nation to its knees to repent and pray.  The Bible says we're supposed to be praying for our leaders anyway, much less ourselves.  Have we ever wondered if the reason why we perceive things aren't going so well is because we haven't been lifting up our leaders up all along?

You know, it's sure painful when all of my self-righteousness gets sucked out of the room...

A Letter to Faith from Pastor Mike

I'm very excited for what God has in store for us this Fall at Faith!  I've been meeting with ministry leaders and moving ahead with a really cool new direction in 2012 that will radically transform who we are as followers of Jesus.

Before we get to the new year, we have some great opportunities to touch our community in a positive way.  Saturday, August 28th from 11 AM to 2 PM is our annual "Back to School Block Party."  We'll have all of our inflatables up that day, provide lunch, children's activities, and give away school supplies.  We need "all hands on deck" for this one so we can get to know everyone who comes to Faith's parking lot on that special day. 

The second event is our "Back to Church Sunday" event on September 18th.  We're participating with thousands of churches across our country, inviting our family, friends and acquaintances to be at Faith on that special day.  I've already invited my friends - how about you? 

Did you know that 82% of those you invite will come to church with you?  Did you also know that only 2% of all American Christians actually invite people to church.  With stats like these we're reminded of how easy it is to step out and have a positive experience!  Perhaps we should make every Sunday, "Back to Church Day?"  Invite your friends that Sunday, it's going to be a great day! 

The best is yet to come!

Oblivious to the Obvious

A fresh blanket of snow covered our city, once again this morning.  We are on an emergency weather alert with mountain passes, our link to the rest of the world, requiring chains on all vehicles. 

It's a bit hilarious because we were just mandated by the state of Oregon to remove our studded tires the other day...

I came out to a flat on my wife's car, which means I pump up the tire, grab my portable compressor and toss it in the back.  I'm driving her car today, which is my responsibility as the man.  Lunch will be spent at the tire store today, or perhaps getting up early tomorrow and beating all those folks who are presently in violation of the law to the tire store. 

After airing up the foul tire, I drove to the main intersection of our subdivision and cross street.  As I looked each way, I couldn't help but notice the lovely snow crystals still on my windows, remains from what I had missed from scrapping this morning.  I began pulling out, slamming on my breaks in time to see a white SUV turning left in front of me.

Never saw them coming until it was almost too late.

I tooled through a three traffic lights and began to fiddle with the heater that wasn't getting as warm as I'd like it to, slowing down to drive past the middle school.  My head was down, looking at the climate control and speedometer as I rappidly decended to 20 mph. 

That's when I saw the person coming up to the crosswalk...

I was legal as I motored through - but just barely.  If I would have been paying attention, I would have stopped for them, so that I was in CLEAR compliance with the law.  Bend's finest LOVE writing tickets for such violations - which we should all appreciate on a certain level...

Have you ever had those days where you feel like you're oblivious to the obvious?


I'm reminded to the phrase from our venacular, "Ninety percent of success is just showing up."  I looked it up and Woody Allen said something like it, but even he can't decide if he said it first.  But taking the phrase at face value, I think it's true to a certain point.  And yet if going through the motions after your arrival is the other ten percent, we miss way to much...

We are on day seven of our church fast at Faith in Bend.  Many of our people have been talking about hunger pains - and trust me, "I feel your pain!"  (Sorry, couldn't resist.)  But that isn't the point.  I struggle with having all kinds of apparatus around me, everything in perfect order so I can function.  So when I fast, I've got to have the program all laid out in front of me to accomplish my precious goals.  I'm reminded that it's so easy to get caught up in the process that I miss the obvious behind why I am engaged in the process in the first place.  


Lord, protect me, protect us from being oblivious to the obvious!

The Adventure Begins

Today marks the beginning of a month long prayer and fasting emphasis at Faith Christian Center in Bend.  I have been talking with several in the Church about what their plans and focuses were as we move through this special season, preparing our hearts for what Jesus would do on May 1st, a day of Expectancy of miracles and breakthroughs.

We had a similar day last year.  It was a remarkable day of praying for Jesus to change hearts, lives and bodies, and for jobs and better jobs to come to pass.  We give thanks for the change we've seen in our church and community since then.  God has been so good to us!  But we understand and know that the best is yet to come.


I was talking with someone at Faith the other day who said they were going to fast drinking pop.  On the surface, that may not seem like a big deal, but it really was to this person.  Their spouse confirmed that this persona drank A LOT of the sugared beverage.  What is more, there will clearly be withdrawal issues related to this fast. 

I can only imagine how their head is going to be feeling on Sunday, the third day of caffeine withdrawals...

But God has an incredible way of honoring those kinds of things.

The person was actually going to leverage God's help in their life during this season to overcome another life controlling habit on the horizon.  I'm so proud of them.

Here is how it will work for them.  During those times they would normally drink pop, they would pray through their prayer list (life, home, family, church, community), and ask Jesus to help them overcome the cravings that are so real during a fast.

I'm looking forward to breakthroughs in the life of this precious family at Faith BEFORE our special day, and for so many others.

Yes, the best is yet to come!

The Great Adventure of Fasting & Prayer

Faith Christian Center is entering into a corporate fast and prayer season during the month of April, preparing for a “Miracle & Breakthrough” Sunday on May1st.  We had the joy of experiencing such a Sunday in 2010 where hearts and lives changed in a moment’s notice.  We have greater expectancy for what God will do in our lives, homes and places of business at this year’s event.  If you are not an attender of Faith, I encourage you to follow along with this series of devotionals and tips during this time, praying for the church you attend…and perhaps for all of us at Faith!

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 – ¹⁹“Do not quench the Spirit.  ²⁰Do not despise prophecies, ²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good.  ²²Abstain from every form of evil.”

As we prepare ourselves for a season of fasting and prayer at Faith, it’s important to keep in mind that where we begin spiritually may not be where we end up.  In fact, the things that we start out with on our prayer list is likely to change as we pray during our meal times, or through whatever it is that you are fasting (see my blog, Monday, March 28^th for more information on fasting).  You may even consider yourself to be an extremely spiritual person.  But part of this journey is to yield ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, recognizing that we are all still in the “perfecting” process as Christians.

In devotions this morning I read the above passage.  It was a reminder to now quench the Spirit.  We do this in so many ways.  When we think we have all the answers, we quench the Spirit.  When we function in this life within our own power to the neglect of the Spirit, we quench Him.  When we do not spend time with Jesus and forget to listen to the voice of the Spirit, it’s just another form of quenching what He wants to do within us.  The truth is, I can write and write and write for the next hour, making a list of ways we can quench the Spirit, and still not do the text justice. 

I love Jesus.  The fact that you’re reading this says that it is likely that you do as well.  But our faith only begins with belief and love of the Savior.  The godhead demands that we be permeated by the presence of God, that every aspect, every nuance of our lives is lived within the Holy Spirit.  He leads, teaches, corrects, guides, prods, convicts…you get the picture. 

It is my prayer that as we enter into this solemn season, that joy will break out in our lives as we invite the presence of the Spirit to impart to us in fresh, new ways.  As contemporary music artist Steven Curtis Chapman sings, “This is the Great Adventure!”

"Fasting & Prayer"

The following was shared at our “Men of Faith” Meeting on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011, in preparation for Faith’s church fasting and prayer season during the month of April.

Tami and I went to Schlotzky’s today for lunch. She ate something with jalapeno’s on it and her face turned red, along with red blotches on her chest. It’s not the heat, but her condition called dermatomyositis. It’s an autoimmune disorder where the body rejects it muscle and skin. She was having a flash. The end game is a lung and heart transplant, if she can qualify for one.

I have something to pray about.

My son Zach plays is a freshman in college. Need I say more?

My daughter Lauren went on a date week before last. Need I say more?

Kyle is driving now. He's a good driver, but a new driver.  Any questions?

I have some things to pray about.

How about you?

We’re preparing for a special “Miracles & Breakthroughs” Sunday at Faith on May 1st. To get ready, starting Friday, April 1st, we’re challenging everyone who attends Faith to participate in a month of fasting and prayer. The following is a guideline for fasting that we’ve used extensively in the past. Please choose a form of fasting that is appropriate for you, and a schedule that works for you. For those with health issues or advanced age, please contact your doctor for guidance.

FORMS OF FASTING [This is the same material from 3.28.11 blog.  More new information follows if you've already read this.]

For each form of fasting, it is understood that the individual who fasts will pray during those times that they give up food as an offering to the Lord. This means that you would find a place to pray, possibly write a journal to God, or do some other form of expression for our Savior during mealtimes, and/or other set times during your day. [As a side note, it may be more appropriate for you to give up an activity, something that dominates your life – which is also a form of fasting].

The following is a list of five kinds of fasts; the first three are actual forms of personal fasts, with the last two speaking of corporate calls. Again, this list is not meant to be exhaustive, but are provided for your understanding.

1. The Normal Fast.

A normal fast means abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water. This is possibly the type of fast that Jesus went on for those 40 days and nights in Matthew 4. Since the body can normally function no longer than three days without water, we assume that He drank water during this time. If you have never fasted before, you might try a juice fast, using "soft" juices like unsweetened apple or grape juice. Avoid juices with citric acid.

Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ went on his first 40-day fast in 1994. During that time he drank the fluid from boiled vegetables, receiving their natural vitamins in the process. Should you decide on an extended fast (seven days or longer), you may wish to use this method.

2. The Absolute Fast (Acts 9:9) "For three days he ... neither ate nor drank."

An absolute fast is abstaining from food and drink. Normally, this type of fast went on for no more than three days; any longer period may prove injurious to your health. (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9). In these instances the fast of food and drink occurred in the midst of great crises or change.

3. The Partial Fast (Daniel 10:3) "I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth."

The emphasis here is on restriction of diet rather than complete abstinence. Daniel 10:2-3 tells of a special season of seeking God with a restricted diet. This is an excellent way to begin if you have never fasted before, or have health issues. A partial fast could also include cutting out one or two meals during the day, or the elimination of foods that you enjoy eating on a regular basis. If you choose to allow your children to participate in this fast, you might remove candy or ice cream from their diet.

4. Congregational Fast (Joel 2:15-16)

This is the kind of fast that our church will be participating in. Joel 2 says, "Blow a trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly." NIV

At least a part of the congregation of the church at Antioch were fasting together in Acts 13:2, as evidenced by Luke's words, "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting."

During our fast, there will be normal fasts, absolute fasts, and partial fasts taking place throughout the congregation. The prayer focus is based on a sense of the leading of the Spirit over the previous several months by the pastor and other church leaders.

5. National Fasts (2 Chronicles 20:3).

Here is the response of King Jehoshaphat to an invasion in 2 Chronicles 20:3: "Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah."

The Jews were called to a national fast in Nehemiah 9:1 and Esther 4:16, and the king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast in response to the message of Jonah.

Over the course of our fast, please check back with this blog for tips and devotions to encourage/enhance your experience. You have the address on your sheet.

Let’s look at some Scripture:

Luke 18:1 - One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Jesus never asked us to do what He wouldn’t do Himself. The gospels depict 23 unique instances where Jesus prayed. Each one is an amazing window on whom the Savior is. We can make a big deal about praying like Jesus. And yet I admonish each of us to learn how to pray like…whom God has made us to be.

The following is from Enrichment Journal [Spring 2011, pp. -35] in an article by our General Superintendent, George O. Wood titled, “A Better Way to Pray – Praying Like Jesus.”

On February 9, 1958, a young Assemblies of God pastor in a rural town in Pennsylvania was watching the late show on TV while his wife and small children were asleep. On that night he evaluated his life. How much time am I spending in front of the TV each night? he asked himself. A couple of hours at least. What if I sold the TV set and spent that time praying? The next morning he and his wife agreed to sell their TV if, after putting the ad in the paper, it sold within ½ hour after the paper hit the streets.

At the 29th minute the phone rang. “How much?”

The young pastor had not even thought of the price — but he instantly said, “$100.”

The caller said, “I’ll take it. I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

On February 25, a late Tuesday evening near the end of his prayer time — just 2 weeks and 2 days after the decision to sell the TV — this young pastor was in his study praying and began to feel a great heaviness. He felt an urge to pick up Life magazine, but resisted at first because he didn’t want to fall into a trap of reading a magazine on his prayer time. He had been fidgeting that evening — his wife and children had been away visiting grandparents in Pittsburgh. The magazine beckoned to him from his desk. Finally, he said, “Lord, is there something You want me to see?” He sat down in his brown swivel chair and opened the magazine.

He leafed along and came to a page that at first seemed to have nothing to interest him. It carried a pen drawing of a trial taking place 350 miles away in New York City — a place he had never been. The eyes of one of the seven figures in the drawing, on trial for murder caught his attention. The look in the boy’s eyes was one of bewilderment, hatred, and despair. The young pastor began to cry. He said aloud to himself, “What’s the matter with me?”

He looked at the picture more carefully. The boys were all teenagers. They were members of a gang called the Dragons. They had brutally attacked and killed a 15-year-old polio victim named Michael Farmer. The seven boys had stabbed Michael in the back seven times with their knives, and then beat him over the head with garrison belts. They went away wiping blood through their hair, saying, “We messed him good.”

The story revolted the young pastor. It turned his stomach. And, then a thought came — Go to New York City and help those boys. On Friday morning the young pastor was in the courtroom — and the rest of the story is history. Had David Wilkerson not given himself to prayer, Teen Challenge would never have happened.

Since that time the ministry of Teen Challenge has transformed hundreds of thousands of lives. Around the world today and every day, 24,000 men and women are currently in a center being sent free by the power of Christ.

There’s a needlepoint in David Wilkerson’s office from his daughter, Bonnie: “My dad is famous not for who he is, but because he dared to listen when God wanted to hold conversation.”

May we also listen when God wants to hold conversation. The Early Church father, John Chrysostom, expressed it eloquently and succinctly: “God can refuse nothing to a praying church.”

Back to the Scripture:

Luke 18:1-8 - One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"
6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man* returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?" NLT

Look at whom we’re dealing with here – the Creator of the universe! Am I telling you to sell your television? No. Actually, not at all. But I am asking you not to waste your life. There is so much for you and I to do as we aim towards eternity. Live, have fun, laugh lots, and be a servant of the King. Come to think of it, life is about being a servant of the King. Have the time of your life doing it!

Make a list of things to pray about. It won’t be hard. Pray for your family and kids. Pray for faith, and pray for Faith Christian Center. Pray for more and better jobs. Pray for God's power to be released in our city for revival.

Ben encouraged!  The best is yet to come!

Getting Ready for a Fast at Faith

We're preparing for a special "Miracles & Breakthroughs" Sunday at Faith on May 1st.  To get ready, starting Friday, April 1st, we're challenging everyone who attends Faith to participate in a month of fasting and prayer.  The following is a guideline for fasting that we've used extensivley in the past.  Please choose a form of fasting that is appropriate for you, and a schedule that works for you.  For those with health issues or advanced age, plese contact your doctor for guidance.  If you are not part of Faith Christian Center, we encourage you to make fasting a prayer a part of your spiritual walk.  If you would like, we would love for you to join us in believing Jesus for so much more than the wonderful things He is already doing in our midst!

Forms of Fasting

For each form of fasting, it is understood that the individual who fasts will pray during those times that they give up food as an offering to the Lord.  This means that you would find a place to pray, possibly write a journal to God, or do some other form of expression for our Savior during mealtimes, and/or other set times during your day.  [As a side note, it may be more appropriate for you to give up an activity, something that dominates your life – which is also a form of fasting].

The following is a list of five kinds of fasts; the first three are actual forms of personal fasts, with the last two speaking of corporate calls.  Again, this list is not meant to be exhaustive, but are provided for your understanding.

1.  The Normal Fast.

A normal fast means abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water.  This is possibly the type of fast that Jesus went on for those 40 days and nights in Matthew 4.  Since the body can normally function no longer than three days without water, we assume that He drank water during this time.  If you have never fasted before, you might try a juice fast, using "soft" juices like unsweetened apple or grape juice.  Avoid juices with citric acid.

Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ went on his first 40-day fast in 1994.  During that time he drank the fluid from boiled vegetables, receiving their natural vitamins in the process.  Should you decide on an extended fast (seven days or longer), you may wish to use this method.

2.  The Absolute Fast (Acts 9:9)  "For three days he ... neither ate nor drank."

An absolute fast is abstaining from food and drink.  Normally, this type of fast went on for no more than three days; any longer period may prove injurious to your health.  (Ezra 10:6;  Esther 4:16;  Acts 9:9).  In these instances the fast of food and drink occurred in the midst of great crises or change.

3.  The Partial Fast (Daniel 10:3)  "I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth."

The emphasis here is on restriction of diet rather than complete abstinence.  Daniel 10:2-3 tells of a special season of seeking God with a restricted diet.  This is an excellent way to begin if you have never fasted before, or have health issues.  A partial fast could also include cutting out one or two meals during the day, or the elimination of foods that you enjoy eating on a regular basis.  If you choose to allow your children to participate in this fast, you might remove candy or ice cream from their diet.

4.  Congregational Fast (Joel 2:15-16) 

This is the kind of fast that our church will be participating in.  Joel 2 says, "Blow a trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.  Gather the people, consecrate the assembly." NIV

At least a part of the congregation of the church at Antioch were fasting together in Acts 13:2, as evidenced by Luke's words, "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting." 

During our fast, there will be normal fasts, absolute fasts, and partial fasts taking place throughout the congregation.  The prayer focus is based on a sense of the leading of the Spirit over the previous several months by the pastor and other church leaders.

5.  National Fasts (2 Chronicles 20:3).

Here is the response of King Jehoshaphat to an invasion in 2 Chronicles 20:3:  "Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah."

The Jews were called to a national fast in Nehemiah 9:1 and Esther 4:16, and the king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast in response to the message of Jonah.

Over the course of our fast, please check back with this blog for tips and devotions to encourage/enhance your experience.

Update on Flood Damage at Faith

Hi Friends,

On Thursday of last week we discovered that the fire suppressant line under the East parking lot was leaking, creating a sink hole and depositing mud and three inches of water in our basement that houses Faithtown, our childrens ministry. There was extensive damage to the 10,000 square foot facility. Here is an update on what's up.

The carpet is nearly all ripped out. Every sheetrocked wall is losing the bottom two feet. The check valve on our sprinkler system is being changed out. The leaks and sink holes in the parking lot should be completely repaired and covered by the end of today.

We've just found out that the new restrooms downstairs may both be demolished as there is significant water damage.

The contents that we're keeping have been removed to a drying facility. All contaminated items have are being photographed and then removed from the Church to be destroyed. All electronics will be re-checked for functionality before coming back into the Church.

Re-carpeting and painting will commence at the end of a couple of weeks, waiting for the sheetrock job and priming to conclude.

And now the GREAT NEWS:

Pastor Steve and our "creatives" at Faith are working on a plan for the new-look children's center. It's going to be great - a fresh canvas to work from! We need to be getting excited about this - a new season for our children and those who will be coming to Faith in the weeks, months and years ahead! It is amazing to have a new children's pastor with a fresh, new vision and the opportunity this temporary difficulty affords us!

While we don't know the bottom line outcomes, we do have good insurance. We are aware that the parking lot may not be covered. But we know that God is good.

Yes, I'm really excited and you should be too!

Blessings,

PM

Ten Steps to a Great New Year

By popular demand, here are some notes from yesterday's message at Faith.  The author wrote this in 2007.  Enjoy!

Ten Steps to a Great New Year

Timothy Satryan of Wilmington First Assembly of God offers ten rules to make 2011 truly a happy new year!

1.         Today I will not strike back.

If someone is rude; if someone is impatient; if someone is unkind...I will not respond in like manner.

2.         Today I will ask God to bless my "enemy."

If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.

3.         Today I will be careful about what I say.

I will carefully choose and guard my words, being certain that I do not spread gossip, slander or malign anyone in any way.

4.         Today I will go the extra mile.

I will find ways to help share the burden of another person. I will find ways to make life more pleasant.

5.         Today I will forgive.

I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way. (I will also work to forgive injuries that have been inflicted upon me in the past)

6.         Today I will do something nice for someone, but I will do it secretly.

I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another person.

7.         Today I will treat others as I wish to be treated.

I will practice the golden rule -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you -- with everyone I encounter.

8.         Today I will raise the spirits of someone who is discouraged.

My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.

9.         Today I will nurture my body.

I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods; I will thank God for my body.

10.       Today I will grow spiritually.

I will spend a little more time in prayer today; I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to God's voice!

The Azusa Street Revival (1906-1909)

The following is an excerpt from my dissertation project on the subject of revival. I wrote the book over a two year period, finishing in 1998. Given the current state of the American Church as a whole and what we've sensed God doing at the church I serve in Bend, Oregon, it's appropriate to include this material here for this season. Hope you find it interesting. This snapshot is of The Azusa Street Revival.

The Azusa Street Revival (1906 - 1909)

As the work in Wales had moved across the ocean, things were just beginning to heat up in Los Angeles, where the Azusa Street Revival was in its infancy.  Several leaders in California had been in contact with Evan Roberts by mail, with both sides encouraging one another to continue pressing in with God.

Azusa Street was preceded however, by evangelist Charles G. Parham who was leading a Bethel Bible College class in Topeka, Kansas.  Just prior to Christmas 1900, he gave an assignment to his students to study the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Three days later, the students assembled with Parham and corporately reached the conclusion that tongues were the normal result of this subsequent filling after salvation.  The students and teachers then embarked on following the Biblical pattern of praying and waiting for this Spirit baptism.  On New Year’s Day, 1901, forty students and 70 visitors were gathered in the chapel when the first students began speaking in tongues.  Within three days, nearly all of the students spoke in other tongues, along with a group of 12 ministers from a variety of denominations.

As notoriety of this outpouring spread, an influx of people came to hear and see for themselves what was going on.  Reporters, linguists, the curious and God seekers all came. 

Soon, Parham fell into a period a difficult times and re-grouped in Houston, Texas, where he began teaching Bible school classes once again.  Among his students was William Seymour, a black Nazarene Holiness preacher.  Being black (and blind in one eye), and living in a time of extreme prejudice, he had to sit in the doorway of the building to hear Parham lecture.

In 1906, Seymour moved to Los Angeles to accept an associate position in a local church.  While he had not yet spoken in tongues, in his first meeting in the church he told of what he had heard and seen in Houston. He stated in his sermon that when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you spoke in tongues. The church’s senior pastor Julia Hutchins thought otherwise.  That afternoon he returned to church for service and found himself locked out of the building.  The trouble was the issue of “initial evidence.” Pentecostals teach that the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.  At this juncture of history, all but a small handful of Christians believed otherwise;  that one did not have to speak in tongues to have the baptism.  This led to Hutchins locking the church door.

Seymour simply went down the street and held services.  On April 9th, Edward Lee received this baptism.  Soon, crowds were so large that the floor caved in during one meeting because of all the people.  Seymour began preaching from a store-front porch to hundreds on a lawn, and finally moved to a large room at 321 Azusa Street.

Services ran almost continuously.  Seymour would sit behind his makeshift pulpit of two wooden boxes, often with his head in the top one while he was praying.  Frank Bartleman, an eyewitness of the revival wrote,

Seeking souls could be found under the power almost any hour of the day or night.  The place was never closed nor empty.  The people came to meet God.  He was always there.  Hence a continuous meeting.  The meeting did not depend on the human leader.  God’s presence became more and more wonderful.  In that old building, with its low rafters and bare floors, God broke strong men and women to pieces, and put them together again for His glory.  It was a tremendous overhauling process.  Pride and self-assertion, self-importance, and self-esteem could not survive there.  The religious ego preached its own funeral sermon quickly. [Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street, 58.]

Seymour began producing a newspaper publication titled, The Apostolic Faith, which chronicled the events in Los Angeles.  Stories of people being baptized in the Spirit and miraculous conversions seasoned its content.  The mailing list eventually reached as high as 25,000.  As a result, people began flocking to Azusa Street from across the United States, Canada and Europe.  Bartleman relates the following,

It seemed that everyone had to go to Azusa.  Missionaries were gathered there from Africa, India, and the islands of the sea.  Preachers and workers had crossed the continent and come from distant lands with an irresistible drawing to Los Angeles.    They had come up for “Pentecost,” though they little realized it.  It was God’s call.  Holiness meetings, tents, and missions began to close up for lack of attendance.  Their people were at Azusa.  Brother and Sister Garr closed the Burning Bush Hall, came to Azusa, received the baptism in the Spirit, and were soon on their way to India to spread the fire.  Even Brother Smale had to come to Azusa to look up his members.  He invited them back home promised them liberty in the Spirit, and for a time God wrought mightily at the New Testament Church, also. [Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street, 53-54.]

Most came seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues.  Others came to mock, ridicule, and shut the meetings down.  Seymour braved the criticism, riding it out on his character.  Importantly, after someone began speaking in tongues, he instructed them not to go out into the streets speaking in an unknown language, but instead to speak about Jesus.

As a ten-year-old, A.C. Valdez was an eyewitness of the Azusa Street revival.  Evidence of the fruit of this move of God came from his own household.  He shares his first-hand exposure to the baptism in the Holy Spirit:

Late one night when I was fast asleep, my mother came into my dark bedroom after a service at the Azusa Street Mission.  She bent over and touched my shoulder.  As I brushed the sand out of my eyes to wake up, she began talking fast in some language I had never heard before.

I was frightened.  Why wasn’t she talking English?  What had come over her?  Then, suddenly, she began crying, but I knew right away she was crying from joy, not sadness.  I kept wondering if she would ever use English again.  Then the other language stopped, and she said:  “Son, I have had a most glorious experience!  I have just been baptized in the Holy Ghost and have been given the gift of tongues!” [Valdez, and Scheer, Fire On Azusa Street, 3-4.]

While many were saved in this move of God, the main focus was the re-discovered gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Other manifestations were present as well, such as interpretation of tongues, singing in the Spirit, [simply, to sing in “glossalalia,” or one’s “prayer language] prophecy, quaking, running, [sometimes as God touched an individual, they would arise from their seat and run all over the building, hugging as many people as possible because of the joy that they were experiencing] healing and falling under the power of the Spirit.  “Men would fall all over the house, like the slain in battle, or rush for the altar en masse to seek God.  The scene often resemble a forest of fallen trees.” [Valdez and Scheer, Fire On Azusa Street, 60.]

It is interesting that Seymour himself did not speak in tongues until some time after the mission on Azusa Street had opened.  Bartleman adds that everyone who was baptized in the Spirit spoke in tongues.

The revival commenced from 1906 to 1909.  Seymour continued on as pastor of the church until his death in 1929.  The modern Pentecostal movement was jump started around the world from Azusa Street, as key individuals came, experienced, and carried the baptism in the Holy Spirit back with them to their country.  While the emphasis was on tongues, one must remember the New Testament purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit;  it was power in witnessing.  After the resurrection and prior to His ascension, Jesus in Acts 1:8 said,

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The fruition of this prophecy came a chapter later in Acts 2:1-4.  It reads,

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The very nature of emphasis within this revival necessitates witnessing.  As this emphasis spread around the world, many were won as a result of a Christian receiving this gift.  The Pentecostal movement itself has experienced rapid growth because of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Sun

We love to talk up the region that we live in! Central Oregon is a tremendous place to live. From any city, town or wide space in the road we can be camping in 15 minutes. Mt. Bachelor, part time home of the U.S. Ski Team and various other international Olympians, is within close driving distance. For example, I can be there within 25 minutes of leaving my front door.

One of our boasts is that the sun comes out 360 days a year. Do the math; that leaves only five days when the orange ball in the sky hides.

'Been having a few of those days lately...

It's amazing how often it snows here, even when it's not freezing. I've seen flurries fly on the Fourth of July, where 70 degree weather marked the earlier part of the day and mid-forties proved to be sufficient to get a white surprise. Today we were in the high 30's. The rains fell until the temps hit about 35, and then every place where there wasn't pavement the white stuff stuck.

No sun today.

We've just hired a great associate pastor who moved his family from Bakersfield, California. Not only a culture shock, but the week they moved it was the first time his kids had ever seen it snow! I want them to love the people here, but a little warmth sure wouldn't hurt their transition. But then again, sometimes you've just got to go with the flow of the season. The snows today will give way to green lawns and forests to enjoy in just a few months. They're going to love it!

As I worked on this Sunday's message and watched the snow fall as I peered through the window of my study, I was thinking about the people who call Faith their home and what their lives are like right now. What a tremendous people whom I am privileged to serve! And yet like for so many in our city, times haven't always been easy the last couple of years for some of our folks. Sometimes it seems like the sun just won't come out. It's in those times that we strive to remember that in a little while, seasons change to one that we like a lot more than what we're in right now.

On the other hand, our region's skiers are loving this weather, a reminder that even when the sun doesn't come out, something good is likely happening whether we know it or not!

And that's when we realize that the Son never went away...