Praying For Our President.

A little over two years ago, Barack Obama was elected to be my nation's president. I have always viewed his election as the hand of God placing him as our leader. Romans 13:1-2 (Amplified Bible) states: "Let EVERY person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authories. For there is no authority except from God [by his permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God's appointment. Therefore, he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged (in divine order). And those who resist will bring down judgement upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]." Barack Obama is our President. As a follow of Jesus, we are called to pray for Him (I Tim. 2:1-2) and for all those in authority over us. II Peter 2:10 states that those "who walk after the flesh and indulge... in scorn and despise authority are presumptious, daring, self-willed, and self-loving. They scoff at and revile (which means to "Criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner") dignitaries without trembling. It is appalling to me that so many Christian are engaged in attacking our President as though God has appointed them to do so. God has raised up our President to "pull the covers back" on racism, hatred, and our lack of discipline in bringing ourselves into accountability." America is at a crossroad... it's not about republican or democrat positions. It's about "whether we obey God's word or not." The church is to take the leadership in leading the way by repenting of our own "wicked" ways II Chron. 7:14 not blameshifting and pointing the finger at our leaders. Pull the beam out of your own eye... so you can see clearly the spect in your brothers eye.

Prophets, and prophecy

Over the last few years, I've become increasingly concerned about "false" prophets in the church. There has been very little teaching on "False Prophets" and "false Apostles" even though the bible warns us about the problem. Here are a few thoughts: (1) The character, integrity, and lifestyle of a person tells you a lot about who they are. When someone has been engaged in a lifestyle of addiction whether sexual or substance abuse they are disqualified from all leadership according to the scripture. The only restoration they should seek is to the Lord not to a ministry capacity. The american charismatic church scene has turned a blind eye to this matter and accepted people over and over who "prophecy" but lack a lifestyle consistent to "leadership".

(2) Much of what is called "prophetic" tends to be like "fortune-telling". I need a word. The New Testament explains to us that the scripture is our guidelines to not only operating the gift of prophecy but also explains that all can hear the spirit and "prophecy". So we don't people give us the latest insight or cutting edge word. It's shear divination in the church. Prophets are intercessors, healers, teachers of God's word. All prophecy should point to Christ not "self". All prophecy is to be judged - which means examined - not just taken at face value. It is always to be corporate. Read the Bible please.

(3) Who holds those engaged in these matters accountable. The scriptures express clearly the "All Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus". What's the testimony about? How God is gonna give you a new car, lots of money, etc. Prophetic words given in scrpitures have to do with famines, healing of disease, blindness, childless women being given promises of having children, nations rising and falling, calls to repentance and fasting, reconciliations, warnings of war, and so on. However, let be clear if it isn't in the bible then we should not be practicing it. Has anyone considered doing an intense biblical study of prophetic words in scripture and examining it against modern "false prophetic" movements.

(4) The gift of prophecy is given as the testimony of Jesus. The Holy Spirit doesn't even speak of himself. Why then is there such clamour given to "personalities" who claim to have the latest word? It's not about them... All prophecy should be directing people to Christ. How many people are coming to Christ as a direct result of the exercise of this gifting in the church?

Ephesian 4:11ff states that the "Prophet" is given to the church to equip the saints in THEIR work of ministry... not to get the saints to support the prophets ministry. How many teaching conferences are there being held in the modern pentecostal/charismatic streams on teaching people how to "listen," "move in words of knowledge," or "discern," and learn how to "prophecy" or speak into other people's hearts and lives that result in them turning to Christ, being healed, delivered from evil spirits, or set free from bondages? This is true prophetic ministry and usually a ministry that isn't concerned about money to continue the "PROPHETS" ministry.

(5) Finally, why is it that these so called "prophets" are not a part of local church pastoral

teams. Paid staff members, accountable, and a part of a local church eldership? The church at Antioch had "prophets and teachers" as it guiding leadership team. Notice they were not under apostles - they heard and sent out apostles... which is why heirarchy was not a part of the early church. Jesus said I no longer call you servants but friends. Servants have heirarchy. How do friends do ministry together? True New Testament ministry is not based on position rather it is based on "relationship" one to another. The giftings outlined and spoken of in 1 Cor. 13-14 are resident with the Holy Spirit not an individual. That's why they are called "The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit" and he distributes the necessary gifts as he wills... so just because "prophecy" is exercised by someone it does not make him or her a prophet. A prophet is called to uplift and assist in the building up of the local church and partnering with others in planting ministries in places where the gospel is not preached and the multitudes who live in a Christ-less world.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Over the years, I've enjoyed ministering to people all over the world, offering hope, a positive world view, and laying fundamental truth for transformation.  It's been awesome to watch lives change but also very painful to watch when people choose not to change.  In the last 10 days, I've spent a lot of time praying for people who have lost their loved ones (one to cancer, two to heart disease, and one to suicide), three who have chosen their addictions over living lives of faith and promise - hurting their loved ones again, two major accidents, and couples who decided to end their marriages - all because of their own fight/flight behavior.  Drug use/Divorce/and other pain fleeing choices are evidence of not putting faith and trust in Jesus providing us the solutions to the problems we face in life.

There is a solution to every problem we face in life in the Bible. It addresses our selfishness, sinfulness, rebellion, and refusal to grow up!  It's all a decision.  There is no one who any of us can blame for the choices we make in life.  We can make wise decisions or poor ones.  The outcomes of our lives are all based on the choices we make.  I may be called to minister to the broken but the broken have to make a decision to be healed.  One of the greatest questions Jesus asked was in John 5 "Do you want to be healed?"  The couple struggling with one another needs to ask themselves "Do you want to be healed?  The grief stricken person struggling with negative emotions has to be asked, "Do you want to be healed?  The drug addict has to be asked, "Do you want to be healed?  Only they can answer the question.

It is always amazing to me that the same adversity that cause some people to break is the very thing that cause others to break through in life.  God's call on all of us is to "grow up" and take responsibility and make wise decisions.  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; 

do not depend on your own understanding. 

Seek his will in all you do, and 

he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Peter Marshall - mentor and friend

I love my friends. I have so many of them it's hard to keep track and in touch with all of them. And, its a difficult thing when you lose them to death. Dr. Peter Marshall, author of "Light and The Glory," was a good friend who passed away this past week. Peter died on a tread mill. He was always concerned about his heart because heart disease ran in his family. He often told me his father died from heart problems. Peter was a very interesting man. One of the great stories he told me about was about how he received the Baptism In The Holy Spirit. His mother, Catherine Marshall, yes the famous writer, was a regular attender of the upper Octorara Presbyterian Church meetings affectly known as "Parksburg." in the 1970s. She had recieved the Baptism Of the Holy Spirit there under Jim Brown. She called Peter and told him he needed to come to the Saturday night prayer meetings. So to get his mother off his back he drove over to Parksburg in his little sports car, and came to the meetings. There he witnessed people singing, lifting hands, worshiping, and speaking in tongues. He thought they were all crazy including his mother and bolted out of the place. He returned to Princeton University where he was studying only to find himself overcome by the spirit and he began to speak in tongues. next thing you know he starts to share his new encounter of the spirit with others and founded the first Charismatic prayer meetings on Princeton's campus. Peter loved the Holy Spirit as well as writing. His most recent studies were focused on Revival during the civil war.

I hope his book is finished and published. I loved Peter and will miss him very much. Make sure you value your friends before they're gone... because time does go fast and you never know when you're going to lose them.

No Pain, No gain!

This morning I received the sad news that a friend's sister was buried yesterday after having taken her life. What a tragedy. Life is difficult for many people. This past week I've heard of friends losing their parents, friends relapsing on drugs, marriages breaking up, pastors resigning their churches to find other careers and so on. The myriad of trials facing our culture today can be overwhelming. Though there are many problems we all have to face, the problems are not the problem. It's the pain associated with the problem. Too often, when faced with pain people want to flee from it, numb it, or self-medicate so that they don't have to feel it. We should never run from pain in life. The old adage is "No Pain, No Gain!"

Someone once said to me, "Problems are the price of progress. So that is why I've decided to look at every problem as an opportunity for growth... to grow spiritually strong we need to say, "don't bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me." What a philosophy! Bring me problems, they strengthen me. It gives Jesus a great opportunity to come and make himself strong in my weakness. Problems should be viewed as opportunities to grow stronger in faith.

The big question isn't whether we have problems and that some of them are extremely difficult and all of them add to the complications of living. The big issues is our attitude toward the problems we face. How you think and view a problem is more important than the problem itself. Romans 12:2 calls to "renew our minds" with the positive truth of God's word. Every problem we face is an opportunity of personal growth and a testimony that we are making serious progress in fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. Problems bring pain. Pressing through our pain thresholds enables us to become stronger just like weight-lifting. But, it's important to note, our attitudes toward the problems we face in life are more important than the problem itself. Is there any problem too big for God to handle? If not, then with God's help we can handle any problem coming our way today.

Valleys - a place of quiet reflection

A few years ago, prophetic minister David Minor, was sitting with a friend and I and looked across the table and said "young man, you've gone from mountain top to mountain top and experienced Jesus there but you have never been in a valley.  A new season is coming in your life and you are going to go through a valley where you will meet Jesus in a new way, in a valley. It's going to feel like you've been set on a shelf. Then after a period of time God will take you off that Shelf and you'll return to the place of ministry you've known."  What a terrible thought "Valley's," being left on the shelf, not being in the public eye."  That's what many would think who are full of self ambition.  Most public forums of ministry are not that important anyway.  God doesn't care about any of that all he cares about is what you do with your life.  Quiet periods can be used for reflection, study, art, education, writing, filming, blogging, etc.  Valleys are important places in the bible. Ezek the prophet wrote "He set me down in the midst of the valley, which was full of dry bones" and look what happened to those dry bones.  What a priviledge to be sent to a valley of dry bones...  Great lessons await those of us in valleys - even the valley of the shadow of death.  -  Make the most of your quiet periods in life... that's what I'm doing.  I'm plaaning to finish my study of Halogram Technology and how it can be used globally in spiritual formation and discipleship which means I can't always be in the public eye.

I'm not interested in that - that much anyway.  Most people forget you and what you say anyway.  So, give yourself to the more important developmental things in life!

Every problem is a new opportunity!

"Make it as hard on God as possible and as easy on yourself as possible!" - Herald Bredesen

Herald once said this to me and never explained it. Usually, when tough moments come along I am very hard on myself. I'm introspective, self-loathing, and always wondering what I did to myself to get myself in the latest problems I face. I, often tell my friends I don't need an accuser or devil because I am my own. You've heard the old saying, "When tough things happen, the tough get going." But, every problem gives us a unique opportunity to "let Christ become strong in our weakness."
I think that's why Herald said make it hard on God. If God has my problems in his hand then what do I have to worry about. Today's problems give God an opportunity to work in us, through us and around us. That makes it easy for us. So because we have relationship with God - he invites us not to worry about tommorow - that doesn't mean to simply sit back an leave problems unaddressed. It does mean that through Christ we can find solutions. We are called to be a part of his solution - not a part of the problem. So let's get out of the way!

Moving On From The Past

Quietly forgiving and moving on is a gift to yourself.

Recently, I was praying and felt that Isaiah 43:18 was to become a direction for me in order to move forward with my life.  "Do not remember the former things, neither consider the things of old..."  So many good moments, and difficult ones too, can often keep us trapped in the past. That one great success, or that one failed relationship, or that special moment can keep us from more great experiences in life.  Over the past year, with my mom's death, I have had a lot of challenging thoughts.  I am deeply aware of how much I don't like or handle unresolved failed relationships in my friends lives, my extended family relationships, or even in my own life.  The only way I can choose to get past all this is just "let it all go" regardless of the memories these relationships have brought to my life.  It's time to start afresh and use the back half of my life to accomplish all that God has given me to finish... now if only I could only understand all that. All I know is that "Relational Holiness" is a calling God has on all of us today.