Unusual Requests

We receive strange requests here at Faith every week. Some of these are familiar and frankly, deal with someone coming in off the street with a story we've heard time and again to try to get money out of us (the problem is, we don't give out money). Today's unusual request was from an evangelist in Texas who wants to place a UHF antenna on our building to preserve his licence to set up a permanent television translator here in Bend. It is interesting and unusual at the same time. It also gives us the capability to play DVD's of our services here at Faith on the television airwaves.

You never know what is going to happen in a given day. Sometimes it rains and other times the sun comes out. The only difference with this analogy and the Christian life is that the Son always comes out!

Second Hand Revelation

I've been working on the message for this weekend here at Faith, continuing our series on the subject of "Miracles and Healings from the Book of Acts. We're still in chapter 9, where the power of God flows through Peter to raise a woman named Tabitha from the dead. He was very much following the example of Jesus in Mark 5 where Jairus' daughter was raised from the dead.

As I was thinking about following Jesus' example, I couldn't help but chuckle about the story in Acts 19 where the seven sons of Sceva were running around, following the example of Paul, attempting to drive a demon out of a man. I wonder what they were thinking? "Here's this guy Paul, doing some pretty cool stuff. He has the admiration of others; a man of some standing. We could be like that." The problem was, they didn't know the source of Paul's power. Their experience was completely and totally second hand. They attempted to perform and exorcism in the Name of Jesus...whom Paul preaches. The demon responded, "Paul I know, Jesus I know, BUT WHO ARE YOU?" Here's what happened next:

Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

Acts 19:16 NIV

I've attempted a few jobs where I didn't know what I was doing. I've worked on cars, following a repair manual. I've done projects around my house by calling for advice from my dad the contractor. I've solved computer problems by looking up the answer on the Internet. But this episode is completely different. It isn't the example of another that needed to be followed, but instead they needed to know the problem solver, the author of the manual for themselves. Second hand revelations can look flashy and new. But without the authenticity of a relationship with Christ, this kind of revelation will soon be exposed, naked and bleeding...

Get hold of the genuine!

Paradigm Shift

A member of our staff arrived this morning on cloud nine. They had gotten off the phone before coming into the office with a relative who was going through a difficult time, but not before leading them into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I'm thinking that will not only make my friend's day, but their whole week!

Here at Faith we have a similar response on Sundays. We can even have that one Sunday a year where the 'wheels' of a service seem to fall off, but if someone comes to Christ, it's an awesome day!

I spent part of yesterday's message talking about paradigm shifts. A paradigm is basically a way of looking at things where you can't see outside of that box. A paradigm shift is to see things in a new light. I was applying it to how we view miracles and healing, that we need to change our paradigm to believe the truth the God can do anything in a moment's notice. That includes a changed life - the moment we give our hearts to Jesus Christ. When the world is crashing in around us, we all need a solid place to stand. Sometimes that requires a shift in where we are right now to get on the Solid Rock.

Excerpts from Miracles & Healing 6

The following are excerpts from recent messages at Faith on the topic of “Miracles & Healing” from the book of Acts. I hope you enjoy the flavor of what is happening at Faith as you read these. I’ll be sharing these during the balance of my vacation time. All excerpts/quotes are mine unless otherwise noted. Bold words denote a new excerpt/quote.

“Often our lack of prayer for guidance or our reluctance to be willing to do the Lord’s will gets us into all sorts of skirmishes with are not a part of the real battle we were meant to fight. Our determination sends us off in directions the Lord has not guided. Or we fuss with people over minor issues and end up with a trail of broken relationships. And then too, those areas of our personalities which have not been surrendered to the Spirit’s character-transplant, make us less than effective communicators. The problem arises when we want to point to Jesus and the Gospel as an explanation of why we get into trouble!”

Lloyd John Ogilvie

God is moving in our land. He is making us ready for His coming. The enemy wants us (FCC) to be sick and take our minds off of God. But God says NO! These are my people, I will restore their health. My children call out to Me and I will answer you. I love you and I want to show awesome things. Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. Don’t be enamored with the ways of this world. Know that I made you to yearn for me. I want all of you not just part, not just Sundays – I want to be the first one you think of when you wake and the last thought when you go to sleep. I want you to know that I will always love you. I created you and I create good things. You are mine—you can not be taken from me. I am moving among you. Miracles are happening every day, they are not always big – look for the small miracles, but know I can do big things too. I love you, I want you to remember that, but I am a jealous God. I must be first in your life. I am here –come to Me. I will show you great and wondrous signs and miracles.

Prophetic Word, Karen Jones, July 6, 2008

"Lord, help me rise above the detractors, all the noise that our world makes, so that I might pursue You more; and have signs and wonders follow my life. Help me surrender my hurt and pain and embrace Your healing and miracle working power. Let my blessing be one of being a light in the midst of darkness so that the devil must flee."

A Pastoral Blessing Prayer at the Conclusion of a Recent Message

Excerpts from Miracles & Healing 4

The following are excerpts from recent messages at Faith on the topic of “Miracles & Healing” from the book of Acts. I hope you enjoy the flavor of what is happening at Faith as you read these. I’ll be sharing these during the balance of my vacation time. All excerpts/quotes are mine unless otherwise noted. Bold words denote a new excerpt/quote.

Matthew 17:20c:

Nothing will be impossible for you. New International Version

Nothing would be impossible. New Living Translation

nothing will be impossible for you" English Standard Version

There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle." The Message

nothing will be impossible for you. New King James Version

nothing will be impossible for you." The NET Bible

nothing shall be impossible to you. New American Standard Bible

nothing will be impossible to you. Amplified

Michael Halleen writes: “Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394-1460) never captained a ship or sailed on a voyage of exploration. He stayed home and read accounts of others who had. He thought about what they said and let his mind march around new theories about what the world must be like. He wondered and imagined, calculated and drew maps. Prince Henry died thirty years before Portuguese explorers were able to test his theories, but when they did, they brought back proof that he had been incredibly accurate. As a result, Portugal took the lead in world exploration for fully a hundred years. Other nations held back, making excuses about internal problems. Other explorers did not see the possibilities or worried about lack of money. They lacked faith to move past what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles.

To feel bound by perceived limits is so human, so common. A century ago there were predictions that no one could ever drive a car 60 miles per hour because the wind would suck one’s breath away. In 1934 the track coach at the University of California laid out what he believed were the absolute limits of achievement in track and field events. All of them, of course, have long since been exceeded. High school athletes today are out-performing Olympic champions of a few decades ago. Last night at our Olympic trials for swimming a 15 year old girl came in second in a race where the first place finisher set a world record and the 15 year old was under the previous American record in the 800 freestyle. There appears to be no limit to how fast we can run, how far we can go, how high we can leap.

So we do well not to set limits on what we can do and become as children of God if we believe in the power of Christ within us. We do well not to minimize the potential of the people of God when we act in faith.”

We read about Peter’s shadow healing people. We think, “Wow, that Peter was some guy. But that kind of thing does not happen anymore.” Really? I’m aware of people who were healed just by walking into a church service. I know others who were healed while worshipping. I know others who were healed the moment they stepped out in the aisle to respond for healing. No one touched them.

What binds us? What keeps us from not experiencing our potential in Christ? Move it out of the way. Step out and pray – even when you don’t really believe something will happen. Keep praying and something will happen!

Monday Moment, 6-25-07 & Mike Johnson (Italics)

“I've learned...that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.”

Andy Rooney

Excerpts from Miracles & Healing Part 3

The following are excerpts from recent messages at Faith on the topic of “Miracles & Healing” from the book of Acts. I hope you enjoy the flavor of what is happening at Faith as you read these. I’ll be sharing these during the balance of my vacation time. All excerpts/quotes are mine unless otherwise noted. Bold words denote a new excerpt/quote.

Every Christian in this room is known by hell. Hell knows you because hell understands the power that you can wield. If only the Christian truly knew the power that we have in Christ…

A lady had been exposed to strep and needed to visit the doctor's office just to have her throat swabbed for a culture. She sat in the waiting room for quite a while with her legs crossed, reading a magazine while other patients came and went. Suddenly her turn was called, but when she stood up to go in, she discovered her leg was "asleep". Not wanting to keep the nurse waiting, she limped and staggered toward the inner office door. She noticed one elderly lady nudging another who sat beside her, as the two of them sympathetically watched her painful progress.

Ten minutes later, her procedure completed and her leg back to normal, she walked easily back into the waiting room. As she strode past the two elderly ladies, she overheard one whisper triumphantly to the other, "See, Myrtle, I TOLD you he was a wonderful doctor!" (from Cybersalt Digest)

Over the holiday [Fourth of July weekend] my son Kyle and I built a hammock frame together. We used scrap materials that I had scavenged from our deck demolition two summers ago. While building it, I had Kyle use some tools that he had never used before. I showed him how to do some things by feel, and helped him understand why the project fit together the way that it did. I’m thinking that he could probably do the project alone next time.

Jesus set the example for the disciples to follow. We not only have the example of Jesus, but that of the disciples as well. We also have examples all through history of miracles and healings that were performed through God’s people. Today there is a healing revival in Lakeland, Florida that many of you have been watching on your computer, or on GodTV. We have that expression, “Wonders never cease.” Well, it’s true. They do not cease. Over the centuries men have tried to explain away things that scared them or exposed their lack in Christ. But time and again God has confounded those that say, “You can’t,” with those who said, “Use me Lord.”

As your pastor, I challenge you to let go of the mindset and bondage of, “Can’t,” and grab hold of with both hands a posture of, “Use me Lord.”

Imagine in your mind’s eye the people on litters, lame people, sick people, the demon-possessed, in the streets around the temple. You’d think it was Best Buy on Thanksgiving day, with people lining up to get in first the next morning on the “Black Friday,” the biggest shopping day of the year. Imagine it – see it, the streets teaming with people who needed the power of God to move through them, hoping that Peter’s shadow would pass over them. I mean think about it. Someone hears about Peter, has never seen him before. Get’s their family members to get them to Jerusalem where he gets positioned on the street, hoping for the sun to shine the right direction and praying that Peter is a big man so that his shadow will be long enough and wide enough to touch them.

The tense of this passage in the original language says that people lined up in the streets, not only for days, but possibly, weeks. When you are desperate for a healing, you’ll go to great lengths for something great to happen. Consider what happened in Luke 8 with the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years.

· Her condition made her anemic.

· She also would not be able to enter the temple courts because of her condition.

· She no doubt was limited in many areas of life.

The Bible says that she came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of His cloak, and was healed immediately.

Friend, if you are in that position this morning, and I know we have those because we have one in our own home, don’t lose hope. Healing is on the way – whether here or in the direct presence of Jesus. However, for your sake, I vote here, now and today! And the truth is, your healing is possible, right now.

Excerpts from Miracles & Healing Part 2

The following are excerpts from recent messages at Faith on the topic of “Miracles & Healing” from the book of Acts. I hope you enjoy the flavor of what is happening at Faith as you read these. I’ll be sharing these during the balance of my vacation time. All excerpts/quotes are mine unless otherwise noted. Bold words denote a new excerpt/quote.

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the verse. Little Bobby was excited about the task -- but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Bobby was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know."

Preaching Today Illustrations

How dependant on the Holy Spirit are we willing to live?

I’ve been writing a blog on the internet for a number of months now. Basically, I’m sharing about something that happened during the day, and often some spiritual application that the Lord is either presently showing me, or previously showing me. You know, what I’ve found is that the simple things are the most profound. Too often we as Christians are looking for the deep stuff. In the midst of our search, we can miss what it means to simply walk with Jesus, hear His heart, and apply His truth to our lives. A lifetime of simple truths combine together to make deep truth. That should be the goal of all of our Christian lives, to walk simply and humbly before our God, hear His heart and follow Him.

William Plummer and Bonnie Bell wrote in People Magazine: “The Northwestern University Wildcats shocked the world of college football in 1995 by making it to the Rose Bowl Tournament. The man behind the team’s turn around was coach Gary Barnett……(Barnett) was determined to prove that kids at the Big Ten’s smallest and most academically demanding school could play football. He ordered a Tournament of Roses flag for the football building and kept a silk rose on his desk to remind everyone where they were headed.

“At the first meeting.” Says kicker Sam Valenzisi; “he told us we needed belief without evidence. He asked, ‘Do you know what that is? That’s Faith.

Preaching Today Illustrations

Excerpts from Miracles & Healing Part 1

The following are excerpts from recent messages at Faith on the topic of “Miracles & Healing” from the book of Acts. I hope you enjoy the flavor of what is happening at Faith as you read these. I’ll be sharing these during the balance of my vacation time. All excerpts/quotes are mine unless otherwise noted. Bold words denote a new excerpt/quote.

Howard County Sheriff Jerry Marr got a disturbing call one Saturday afternoon in the Spring of 1999. His 6-year-old grandson Mikey had been hit by a car while fishing with his dad. The father and son were near a bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir when a woman lost control of her car, slid off the bridge and hit Mikey at a rate of about 50 mph. Sheriff Marr had seen the results of accidents like his and feared the worst. When he got to Saint Joseph Hospital, he rushed through the emergency room to find conscious and in fairly good spirits Mikey, what happened?" Sheriff Marr asked.

Mikey replied, "Well, Papaw, I was fishin' with Dad, and some lady runned me over, I flew into a mud puddle, and broke my fishin' pole and I didn't get to catch no fish!"

As it turned out, the impact propelled Mikey off the bridge, over a few trees and an embankment and in the middle of a mud puddle. His only injuries were to his right femur bone which had broken in two places. Mikey had surgery to place pins in his leg. Otherwise the boy is fine. Since all the boy could talk about was that his fishing pole was broken, the Sheriff went out to Wal-mart and bought him a new one while he was in surgery so he could have it when he came out. The next day the Sheriff sat with Mikey to keep him company in the hospital. Mikey was enjoying his new fishing pole and talked about when he could go fishing again as he cast into the trash can.

When they were alone, Mikey, matter-of-factly, said, "Papaw, did you know Jesus is real?"

"Well," the Sheriff replied, a little startled, "Yes, Jesus is real to all who believe in him and love him in their hearts."

"No," said Mikey. "I mean Jesus is REALLY real."

"What do you mean?" asked the Sheriff.

"I know he's real 'cause I saw him," said Mikey, still casting into the trash can.

"You did?" said the Sheriff.

"Yep," said Mikey. "When that lady runned me over and broke my fishing pole, Jesus caught me in his arms and laid me down in the mud puddle."

This story was verified by Pat Muncey of the Kokomo Perspective

When we look into the mirror, think to yourself, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Gray hair?

Need to gain some weight?

Need to lose some weight?

Should have used a razor instead of the electric one?

I’m so depressed…I’m looking more and more like my parent?

Or among our more self-confident:

“You are one handsome fella!”

“You are one gorgeous woman!”

Or among our students:

I wish I had whiskers!

I wish _______________!

Have you ever thought:

“Mighty warrior of Christ.”

“One whom God moves through to help others.”

“Woman of God.”

“Man of God.” [Notice there are no question marks here.]

“One whom God’s signs and wonders follow.”

“One who lays hands on the sick and see them recover.”

Have you ever thought those latter things about yourself? You know, for many of us here today, we don’t recognize our identity in Christ.

Here is what the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said about us in Ephesians 1:

v.3 – Jesus has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Him.

v.4 – We were chosen before the creation of the world to live for Him.

v.5 – We were predestined to be adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

v.7 – We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.

v.8 – God, according to the riches of His grace has lavished on us all wisdom and understanding.

v.9 – The mystery of Christ has been made known to us.

vs.13,14,18 – We are marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who guarantees our inheritance of heaven.

v.19 – God’s incomparably great power is available for those who believe – the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the Father.

vs.22-23 – Jesus is over all and the fullness that is Christ fills us in every way.

Luggage Rack

It's a long way home from Seattle. I must admit that I am physically hurting from the long drive south. I know it's why they make airplanes, but sometimes you can only do what you can afford. With gas the price it is, I was thinking about a hybrid with a luggage rack. It would have to be a big rack though. A couple of kids would have to ride on top...

Saw regular unleaded for 4.09 at a Chevron in Portland. Best price of the whole trip!

In the Presence of Mine Enemy...the Boston Red Sox

We went to another Mariner - Red Sox game in Seattle tonight. It's our second as a family in two years (just lucky I guess). We try to catch a Mariner game once a year.

Boy, the Mariners are really bad this year...

Last year there were lots of Boston Red Sox fans at the stadium. They would begin a Red Sox chant and the Mariner fans would drown them out with boos. This year, different story. Mariner fans stayed away in droves. Many betrayed their local loyalty by selling their tickets to die hard Boston fans living on the 'Left' Coast.

Funny thing about Mariner fans, they're pretty smart. When Boston comes to town, ticket prices go up. Seattle has been so bad recently that when someone good comes to town it's time to cash in!

So there we were sitting in good seats in right field. The Red Sox fans to the left of us were quite subdued. They just sat there with a smile on their face as if they were located somewhere just East of Nirvana. The people in front of us were Boston fans of a different cut. They were loud, and later in the game demonstrated that they didn't hold their alcoholic beverage as well as we would all like. The Boston fans behind us talked non-stop and were...annoying. I think we've all been around people who think they know it all, but the longer they talk, the more you realize it's just a smokescreen. Bingo, we knew exactly who they were this time and where they were sitting. The fans to the right of us were young boys who incessantly started the, "Let's go Red Sox," chant as often as possible. I hope you're catching on here - this is sarcasm - I'm just annoyed that things went they way that they did...

This time the Red Sox fans outnumbered that of the home team. It was a home game for Boston. And yes, that fact in itself was depressing... So there we were...in what should have been friendly confines...in the enemy's camp. And to make matters worse, we lost 4-0. Awful, just awful.

I like the saying that goes something like this: "Me and God are a majority." The Bible reminds us, "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Yes, there are times as Christians where we are in the enemy's camp, But we are never alone and never the minority...

The Language of Heaven

We have been enjoying our exchange student from Paris, France. Paul is a remarkable young man, is extremely polite and incredibly curious. He is trying to take in as much as possible during his two and a half weeks with us. He's part of a short immersion program, where students come to learn the language. It is startling to realize how much slang we use in our culture. His English is out of a textbook, and enhanced by visits to Great Britain to see his cousin.

We've been looking at the subject of, "Basic Training for the Prophetic Ministry," using a curriculum by Kris Vallotton during our Faith Connection time before morning worship. Vallotton reminds us that the language of heaven isn't English.

I know, your world just stopped for a moment...

But because of the love of God for mankind, He stoops to our level so we can understand. That's why He sent Jesus...

The Good Stuff

At Faith we've been studying miracles and healing in the Book of Acts on Sunday mornings. The power of God to transform and radically change a life in a moment's notice was amazing 2,000 years ago, and is just as incredible today. We're seeing marvelous healings already, and more are near! Philippians tells us that the same power that resurrected Jesus from the grave dwells in every follower of Christ. This fact reminds us that all things ARE possible. And yet at the same time I'm thinking of the person that received hard news today, that they have a physical problem that only surgery...or an act of God can heal.

I'm grateful for the medical profession. Sometimes God uses the people in it in the healing process. But I'm even more grateful for God, who in a moment's notice can perform surgery without incision.

My friend and associate Dick Stein is a leukemia survivor. He makes an incredible observation about our mortality and healing. It goes something like this:

"If God heals me, great! If I die, I'm still healed because I'm in heaven with Jesus!"

Yes, Pastor Dick believes that God can use the medical profession. No, he is not talking about declining assistance from the medical community. But this is not the point. He understands a perspective that many of us can only begin to fathom when in times of great difficulty - that our God is great and bigger than our own understanding. The indwelling presence of Christ requires no incision, no physical operation. When our heart is engaged with the Master's, our own mortality takes on a completely different understanding of life, sorrow and death. We forget that eternity began when we were born. Life in this imperfect shell we call a body, though fearfully and wonderfully made, is temporary. Certainly God can repair His creation. But I wonder if one the main purposes for this temporal existence is for God to demonstrate His love over and over again in a variety of creative ways? But our perspective is sometimes flawed in that we want and want and want, when all along God wants to supply what we need...

We need to know and embrace His love. The rest (miracles, healing, provision, etc) is all the good stuff that comes with it...

Special Meeting

Abover is a flyer for those in Central Oregon. There is a special opportunity coming to town on Wednesday night, July 23rd. Pastor Gil Miller of Desert Streams Church has invited the church community to be with them for a meeting with Pastor Jackson Senyonga. Senyonga pastors a church of 40,000 in Kampala, Uganda. I am encouraging the church I serve and the body of Christ in Central Oregon to participate. The meeting starts at 7 PM and an offering will be received for the speaker.

One

Last night I was doing presbyter stuff, meeting with a church in our region who are without a pastor. I met with their pulpit committee and helped point them in the right direction. I loved their enthusiasm and excitement about the process. They were clearly sad to have lost their pastor, but understood that God has great plans for their church. It buoyed my heart to hear that their hearts were one.

I remember a song when I was a kid by Three Dog Night titled, "One is the Loneliest Number." Referring to relationships, it certainly can be. Referring to the body of Christ, when we are 'one,' we have more friends and more power than we know what to do with.

Lord, help us be one...

Saying "Yes"

Here is an excerpt from last Sunday's message. As I'm in sermon preparation today, I thought about this point again. While a warning, it is constructive that we stay clear of the snares in life that could easily bankrupt our souls...

In my study of miracles and healings I’ve come to note that when these supernatural acts occur, there will always be detractors of one kind or another. In Acts chapters 4 and 5 we see the apostles coming before the Sanhedrin, the religious ruling body of the Jewish people, on two occasions. This larger body made up of two groups, the conservative Pharisees and the liberal Sadducees were not necessarily against the miraculous. They were against it happening in the name of Jesus. Further, if they were not involved in the process to receive their own glory, then that wasn’t a good thing either.

Pure and simple, they were jealous. Acts 5:17 says,

“Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducee's, were filled with jealousy.”

The passage goes on to say that not only were these leaders jealous, but they were also furious with the apostles. The term that is used here means, “torn apart,” or “sawn apart.” Like many of us today who seek to be in control of everything, the Sanhedrin wanted to be the end all when it came to signs, wonders and religion in the region of Palestine. They controlled everything from that standpoint. They had position in their communities. It was a Jewish mother’s dream to have a Pharisee for a son. To a certain extent, this fact provided some social standing for the parents.

These were all aspects of the culture that needed to be protected. So the members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling group of religious leaders comprised of the Pharisees and Sadducees stood against any movement of change to their order. Add in the issue of the Romans who would enter into the fray at the moment of contention, and these religious leaders would have more on their hands than someone whom they sent to the cross to die, only to be resurrected, and to have zealous followers who were willing to lay down their lives for a cause.

In every great revival in our nation’s history, there have been forces within and outside the church that have sought to stop it.

In the First Great Awakening (1740-1744), Charles Chauncey led the attack against Jonathan Edwards and other pastors in New England who embraced the move of God that was going on in their area of the country. People were coming into relationship with Christ by the droves. Miracles and healings were taking place. The meetings were quite spirited. Reading the descriptions, these meetings might even be calm by some of today’s standards, but were quite revelatory 268 years ago.

Chauncey hated anything to do with any kind of emotional appeal. Because of his discomfort, it eventually led him to denying the work of the Holy Spirit in this great revival. He wrote letters and booklets defaming the extremes that he saw among those who were, well, extreme during the Great Awakening. In the end it killed the movement.

It is interesting that among Chauncey’s contemporaries, he was a leader. However, in our history books today he is merely an asterisk, and does not come off looking so good. In fact, most of you have never heard of him. Instead it is Jonathan Edwards who led the Great Awakening that is well known as a great leader and theologian. Everyone who has had some Bible college or studied early American history knows who he is.

Chauncey’s predilection of denying the work of the Spirit led him to also throw out the trinity as well. Every liberal clergyman New England flocked to his side. Soon he taught that everyone was going to heaven, a theology called, “universalism.” He also became the founding father of the Unitarian church, known today as a deist sect.

While working on my dissertation project concerning the transfer of revival from one church to another, I read a good deal of literature in book form, periodicals and on the Internet that was against the focus of my study, the great local church revival at Brownsville Assembly of God from the mid to late 1990’s. This is not news. Modern healing evangelists (I don’t have to mention names here) have always had those who would brand them as strange or out of step.

At times I think that some of them are strange and out of step… That however doesn’t mean that God doesn’t use them…

The current healing revival in Lakeland, Florida is led by a short, overweight fellow who is covered with tattoos, has several body piercings and does and says things that you and I wouldn’t do or say. Does he have detractors? Oh my. The Internet is full of people who are after him, opposing the work of God taking place there. But if we've learned anything from the Pharisees and Sadducees, we need to be careful how we handle the work of God in other locales, whether it be across town or on the other side of the world. Our guide must always be the Scripture instead of our own comfort zones.

All this makes me wonder how much alike we are with the members of the Sanhedrin?

And then we have another kind of opposition to the work of God. It is our own bitterness and unforgiveness. God wants to move powerfully in our churches and in our hearts. He wants people to come to Christ and have miracles and healings take place. But we oppose His move when our hearts are not right. We hold things against others; we are bitter toward institutions; we are bitter toward where we’ve ended up in life. Some are even bitter toward God but don’t want to verbalize it. We receive communion in this condition like nothing is wrong; all the while hurting ourselves and the local church in the process. This must not be so. We need a corporate holy repentance. We need a corporate walk that is consecrated before God so that He will have freedom to reign in our churches.

We used to live in a Christian culture in the United States. That means that even though many did not know Christ as Savior, everyone understood what a Protestant work ethic was and the principles of Scripture that created our laws that we live by.

Now we live in a post-Christian world where few have any understanding of the principles by which our laws were created. That is why we see abortion made legal. It is why we read about homosexual marriage being legalized. It is because we have slipped off of our spiritual moorings as a nation, as a culture.

If you are a Christian, you will experience opposition in this culture. There will be an attempt to marginalize you. You can play into that, get bummed out and get angry. That is a bear trap from the pit of hell. The Bible says that we are overcomers, that we are children of the King, that we’ve been made more than conquerors. Rise above. Live like a king’s kid and declare the goodness of God.

Our faith is a positive faith. God continues to say “yes,” and we are the one’s who say, “no.” The Pharisees and Sadducees said “no” as a group and missed the Messiah.

Yes to God anyone?

Special Grace

I think we can all agree that some days are better than others. On those down days we need a special grace. I've often found that this grace begins in my heart and my soul when I begin to worship.

Our Intercessory Prayer Meeting starts at 9:30 AM on Tuesdays. Our staff meets with the group during the first 30 minutes before going into our own meeting, preparing for Sunday. I had already had a busy day, rising early and working. My brother and I had exchanged 10 e-mails, I had tied up some loose ends, and well, by the time I arrived at prayer meeting, had already had a day. Not a down day - but a busy one for sure!

As I entered the prayer room I could sense the pressures of the day that I had imposed on myself, begin to slip away. The more we worshipped, the more release there was. We find rest, peace and refreshing in the presence of Jesus Christ.

How do we do this when we don't work at the church or can't attend a prayer meeting? Take a few minutes at work or in your home to decompress. Get a favorite worship CD or you ipod out and light it up! Listen and allow yourself to get lost in the presence of Christ for a few moments. It will bracket the rest of your day for the glory of God! You'll add life to your existence and joy unspeakable...

Rage Against the Machine

Last Thursday I spilled one of my diet beverages on my computer laptop. The laptop decided it wasn't on a diet and responded accordingly. After having paid the price over the weekend, I'm sitting here today with a new external keyboard, new mouse and a 500 gig external hard drive.

I think we know who won that exchange...

I'm eyeing vacation on the horizon soon, which means the computer will have a couple days at the spa. I on the other hand will likely be doing penance by pulling weeds, pouring concrete or spreading gravel.

Guess who won that exchange?

Losing in life to an inanimate object is humiliating to say the least. This morning I strategically positioned my water (part of the diet) and cup away from the computer. I took out a package of diet flavoring for the water and put it in the cup. I put water in the cup. I filled it about half full and began to swirl it around because I forgot a stir stick. I splashed liquid red die #44 on my shirt and jeans. The computer, safely out of the way, snickered.

Machine wins again...

I keep thinking to myself that this thing can be replaced. One problem. The thing will probably get repaired while at the 'spa' and last forever.

I think I just saw the monitor laugh at me...

God Must Be Laughing

I normally like to blog earlier in the day, but it was just not possible. Along life's journey we all have occasion to note others who do something really "unwise." We think to ourselves that we would never be so cranium deficient as to do what others do. Well, today I joined the club. The wrong club. I am now officially on the "others" team.

My crime? I spilled my special diet beverage drink on my open laptop computer.

What a complete bummer!

I did it this morning and spent the rest of the day not being able to use three rows of keys, including the numbers, symbols, F keys and home/end/delete/help me be smarter buttons.

Wow, how did I do that?

I was starving. It was time for my mid-morning snack. I'm on one of those metabolism diets where you eat every two to three hours. In my haste to set up my special beverage and additional water supply at my work station, I poured a bunch of it out on my machine. To make matters worse, I overcooked and overflowed my soup for lunch in the microwave, losing about a third of it. I spent the rest of the time trying to type Sunday's message WHILE HUNGRY.

And I'm already feeling sorry for the congregation this weekend. No delete button.

To make matters even more desperate, I'm sitting here in the dark typing this blog with a new wireless keyboard. I still can't delete because I don't have a clue where it is on this thing. But I think things are going to work out alright. I'm really looking forward to sharing this message. With the exception of numbers, dashes and exclamation points (AND no delete button), the thing flowed pretty easily. I love being on the same page with the Spirit. It's just so much easier when I do it His way.

As I think about today's computer escapade, I'm reminded that God must be laughing. If I can bring Him one moment of pleasure, it will be worth it all!

Middle School Student

It was one of those ridiculous and yet amazingly humorous adventures today. I realized that I've had the ringer turned off on my cellphone since last Friday, five days ago. I remember is distinctly. I had one of our dinner companions turn it off for me...because I didn't know how to myself.

Where is a middle school student when you need one?

I only missed about 15 important calls. Life has sure been peaceful these past five days...

Wisdom

I've been praying for wisdom lately...

An advertisement says, "Life comes at you hard." I completely get it. While living in God's grace, we still dwell in a fallen world around us who's only hope is Jesus Christ.

The same is true in the church...

I long to see bodies be repaired by God instead of acquiescing to a lifetime of pain; I desire to see emotions righted, bitterness eradicated and freedom in God's house...and in the lives of His people. We've seen some pretty exciting healings take place recently, but understand that these are merely a trickle of the potential waterfall that we could be experiencing. All we need to do is get rid of the roadblocks that we too readily put up. And that's why I need wisdom - for the roadblocks in my own life and the lives others that come and camp on my doorstep.

It's called ministry...

Random Piles

I'm having the humorous feeling this afternoon, that I've lost touch with the random pile of papers on my desk. The point is, it's the same stack that's been on there for two months. I've come to the place where I really don't know what's in it...

I know, scary, huh?

I'm thinking that a strategically placed garbage can will solve the problem, but I have a fixation with not losing anything 'important' so I won't be dumping the whole thing at once.

Some folks feel like they are part of that 'random pile' as they go through life. No one notices them, but they wish that someone did. One of my favorite sayings is, "Invest in things that are eternal; people are eternal." It is so true. As God's creation, not one of us is random, and all are worthy of investing in...if only everyone would receive the free gift...

Bible Stuff

Being a holiday weekend here at Faith, we celebrate what we call a "Jubilee Sunday." Basically it means that we give our Sunday School teachers a break from teaching this week. We do this three times a year, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. This way we don't have the scramble of finding teachers to fill in for those who are going to be out of town. We also take advantage of the opportunity for Christians to get together and do what they do best; talk and eat during the vacant Sunday School time.

I'm getting ready to preach this morning. I'll be in prayer in a few moments. We are continuing our focus today on healing and miracles from the book of Acts. Today we're in chapter five where Peter's shadow heals people. I had a funny thought this morning, that I've refrained from putting in this morning's message. The thought was simply, "What does my shadow do?"

Hummmm...

It gives much needed shade for small animals on a hot day.

It scares my children when they know they're doing something they shouldn't be doing.

It causes my pond fish to scatter, thinking that I'm the biggest raccoon on earth, coming to eat them.

It gives my wife a break from direct sunlight while sitting at our boy's baseball games (no kidding, she moves her chair throughout the game accordingly; the only problem is, I'm not allowed to move).

It helps me remember the importance of the diet I'm on.

It helps people know that they are not alone, that I am nearby.

It helps those who are hurting know that in a moment...the miraculous can happen because I believe and practice the 'Bible stuff'.

What do you practice? 'Bible stuff' anyone?

What Can Make Us Great

I hope everyone who reads this has had a great Fourth of July Weekend. My time off ends in a few hours as I work on Sundays. But then again, I love Sundays!

It is a privilege to live in such a great land. I've been to countries on three continents, very much enjoyed the visits but there is no place like home. Last night we sat on lawn chairs in the street with our neighbors and watched the fireworks go off on an extinct cinder cone volcano located in the middle to town (the only American city with a volcano inside its borders). It was really great. I've worked on the 'honey-do' list the last three days, along with building a hammock stand with my youngest (it was for him). I'm appreciative to have a nice home where it matters to have a nice yard. I've been to many places where one good meal a day is the worry, not the color and length of lawn.

As I reflect I understand that a good portion of those who came from England in the first waves of people, did so to experience greater religious freedom. Today the United States is a melting pot of people from all over the planet. We've certainly had our blunders as a country. In fact, some of you who read this blog from overseas may not even like us (14 countries so far, and yes I've been counting because I find it to be completely amazing). But what makes this such a great place to live is that we tend to learn from our mistakes. We are a people who have been sheltered from much of the cruelty that has taken place in other locales far away...until recently. Now the problems of the world are at our doorstep in much more visible ways.

When those ships began arriving on our Eastern shores in the 1600's, they carried with them the costly commodity of hope. That hope came through the sacrifice of the person of Jesus Christ. Unknowingly those early American Christians carried with them the answer to mankind's problems today. That answer is what has made us a giving nation, one that will stand by its' allies in times of trouble, and one that will step in when no one else will. The teaching of the Bible has made America good. A personal relationship with Christ among its' citizen's is what can make us great.

Sack of Seed

During study today I was thinking about the size of a mustard seed compared to the near tree-like bush that it produces. In Matthew 17, Jesus says that having the faith of a mustard seed can make the impossible, possible. To think of the power in that little granule to bring about such correspondingly magnificent product is utterly amazing.

I'm speaking again this weekend on the subject of healing. If our faith, the spiritual potential within us can be measured by a mustard seed and its results, wow...

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26 NIV

Think about it. The church is like a sack of seed waiting to cut loose!

Simple Stuff

I've noticed something on the path of my Faith Journey Adventure. I've come to realize that if I can demonstrate mastery in the simple things like prayer, Bible reading, being a person of character, etc., that all those things combine together to bring spiritual depth.

What a relief.

Many Christians chase after 'the next big thing.' I'm not immune to that in the least! If I sense that God is in something and doing something new, I want to be in the middle of it! Don't we all want to be part of the cool stuff that God does? However, we must also be careful to make sure that it is God doing it and not of human invention. Along this line, in the Christian pursuit sometimes we long for the 'deeper things' of God. I've heard lots of great teachers who bring out nuggets and truths of the Scripture that I haven't thought much about. I've spent untold amounts of time in personal and ministry study that has drawn me deeper as well.

Funny thing about this pursuit of the depths and riches of Christ - it all begins with the simple things.

The more I read about God's love for you and I, the more I meditate on these principles, the more I incorporate them in my life, the more I've come to understand the depth of His love. The same is true in nearly all other areas of the Christian life.

My son has worked a few times for a contractor in our church that has had him help pour concrete. Putting in a foundation is pretty straight forward. You need forms set up precisely where the house is going to sit. First you pour footings and then the stem wall on top of that. Now you have a platform from which to build your house. A strong foundation carries the weight of whatever you put on top of it. If you're building a skyscraper, you'll need more cement!

We need deep things of God that we can embrace. We are only able to put our arms around such things when we have a foundation on which to support the teaching. A foundation of Bible reading and prayer will support whatever weight...you're time spent will allow it to support.

Stack the simple things of discipleship on top of each other and soon you'll experience what embraceable depth is all about.