I heard a Christian brother, oh,  it must be over 25 years ago now, describe fear as:

 False                                    Evidence                        Appearing                      Real

Over the intervening years, I’ve not only quoted that a great many times in a great many situations, but I’ve also spent a great deal of time contemplating it.  Yes,  considering it in depth, turning it over and over in my mind, looking at it from the outside in, looking from the inside out, from the top, on its surface; even pulling each word aside to examine them individually and as a whole as fully as I am able; praying about it, seeking wisdom from God about it and even putting it away for one season and another, allowing it to marinade inside my heart.

25 years.  Years filled with times and mere moments of great faith.  Years filled with times and circumstances of great fear.  Years filled with activity and movement and joy and pain and sadness and gladness and new friends and old friends and fair weather friends and deeply loyal, loving friends.  Years.  Not moments or seconds or even hours or days.  YEARS!

Here then is the conclusion I have come to, after giving this little homily time to stew and settle in my heart.

(Do you know what a homily is?  I wasn’t sure either, so I looked it up for us, so we could learn something together.  It means a religious discourse that is intended primarily for spiritual edification rather than doctrinal instruction; a sermon.) 

On this little religious discourse I concluded;

THIS IS A TRUE SAYING.

Yup.  That’s my big conclusion.  I never have been one to accept things at face value.  I’ve always needed to analyze and think things through for myself.  On this one, I’ve decided the Christian brother was 100% correct.

EX….CEPT.

Except this one little part…..where this little saying is 100% WRONG.

See, I also thought these thoughts about this little homily. 

Fear of this world, when Jesus told us fear not, for He overcame the world, fear of the devil when Jesus is your Savior, fear of what man can do to you up held against the God who is for you, fear is false evidence that appears real to us.

BUT……

Fear of the Lord is NEVER false evidence.  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  A healthy fear of God can bring you to your knees in repentance which leads to forgiveness which leads to a right and healthy relationship with God your Creator.  Reverent fear of God can keep you from committing sin, which is a wonderful thing that brings blessing and joy and GOOD into your life!

Considering fear then, leaves us with two choices.  One is a way that leads to hardness of heart, cynicism, doubt, mistrust, waste and sickness of mind and heart. 

The other choice?  Reverent fear of the Lord God, Creator and Master of the universe, Sovereign in all His ways, leads to the way of life and LIFE ETERNAL!

We all have fear in our lives.  A godly fear can do a lot of good to overcome other fear.  What fear are you struggling with?  How can they be overcome?

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Radio's, Sin and this thing called CHURCH

Remember when the radio was the
focal point of every home?  It's
still a great source of information.

  I was listening to the radio this week and was especially pleased to hear an interview about     to start with Pastor Jim Cymbala.  At one time I was part of the choir of a sister church with   the Brooklyn Tabernacle and had the distinct pleasure of attending not only several Sunday   services at the Brooklyn Tab, but also of taking part in several choir workshops.  Attending     a Tuesday prayer night at the Brooklyn Tab is not an evening you are likely to forget.  I’m a   fan, too, having read all of his books and looking forward to reading the newest one.  

Can you imagine my shock when the first thing I heard Pastor Cymbala tell the radio host interviewing him that only 6% of Americans are actually Biblical Christians!  He went on to clarify that what he meant by that was only 6% of those identifying themselves as Christians in recent polls also specified belief that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven.

When I could force my dropped jam to snap shut I realized I wasn’t actually that shocked after all.  Over the last several years that Turn the Tide Ministries has been traveling the US and sharing the message of the Gospel, we’ve visited a lot of churches and talked with a lot of folks.  Folks in church, not attending church regularly at this time and those who have never attended church.  In every one of these categories of people we’ve heard their own versions about all the different ways to reach heaven.  We’ve listened to argument after argument that God surely isn’t going to “send” so and so to hell just because they are

·        Homosexual

·        Fornicators; living in sin

·        Abusing drugs or alcohol

·        Telling white lies

·        Only stealing from their company because they are underpaid

·        Cheating on their husband/wife but it’s the spouses fault

See I Corinthians 6:9 and Ephesians 5:5, then we’ll talk more about that.

What we’ve learned over the last few years specifically is that there is a serious sin problem plaguing  American Christians.  The sin problem isn’t as simple as that people are sinning and need to repent.  It’s a tougher problem even than that!  It’s a problem exacerbated by the fact that few church leaders are preaching against sin, they make light of sin or they are simply excusing it altogether!  If I had a dollar for every time someone told me “Oh, my pastor said God won’t hold (fill in the blank) against me.  I’ll just be forgiven.”  

Forgiveness isn’t automatic and though it is freely given it isn’t cheap and easy.  In first recognizing that we are sinners, that we have committed sin, we must repent in sincere sorrow and ask forgiveness in a heart that does not plan to continue in sin.  That doesn’t seem to be a concept anyone understands anymore.  The teaching we’ve heard goes along the lines of as long as you show up in church regularly and drop money in the offering plate or bucket or basket, you are okay with God and don’t need to concern yourself with much more than that, unless it’s something really obvious, and even then, the teaching goes, grace will cover so just get on with your life and don’t worry about it.

 

HUH!?!?! 

It seems anything goes, as long as you can report a certain number of church attendee’s.  We were invited to visit a church down south and attended the praise and worship practice.  I was frankly shocked at the harshness of the worship leader toward those volunteering their time to provide music.  Perfection was his goal and nothing less down to the minutest detail would be tolerated.  Turns out the worship leader was also the Pastor.  Made me wonder how he behaved toward the sheep entrusted to his care when they fell short of the perfection he demanded.  I discovered the answer the next morning.  

The music was indeed pitch perfect.  It was also cold and lifeless.  There was not so much worship as there was a performance, which the audience, ummm, I mean, congregation, dutifully applauded for when it was over.  The preaching was also lifeless.  No evidence of the Holy Spirit present or invited.  As much as was humanly possible all was orchestrated to a cold, calculated perfection that left me craving some time with God the Father to recuperate from the exhaustion of just watching the attempt to master perfection through the flesh.

YUK!

In a recent editorial, J. Lee Grady, the Editor of Charisma, a Christian magazine, made the following observation.

“I don’t care if you have strobe lights, fog machines, killer musicians and a home-run sermon every week. If people don’t see true brokenness in the pulpit and experience real pastoral care, they will never grow into disciples. Shallow, professional leaders produce shallow Christianity.”  

I agree wholeheartedly!  On the other end of the spectrum, we sat in a service with barely a handful of people and very little polish in evidence.  It was clear these were not trained or educated folks.  Just people reaching out to the Lord.  And they did not quit crying out and singing and praising Him until they broke through and reached the Throne room.  The music was off key, it was obvious none of them actually knew how to play any of the instruments, but it was one of the sweetest sounds we’d ever heard.  I’m guessing it was to God, too, because He showed up and the service was anointed.  The prayers were powerful and the love was evident in abundance.

We have moved so far away from the biblical model we find in the book of Acts, where the truth was preached at all costs, including the cost of their very lives.  Nowadays, we are so concerned with "our" reputations, we have little to no regard for the reputation of the only one that counts.  That of Jesus our Lord and Savior.   Most church leadership would and DOES reject this style of church service.  They appear content to please the people in return for the mammon they worship, oh sorry, I mean, the money they NEED to keep the church doors open and the retirement funds full. 

Church has become about everything BUT Jesus and His gospel message and all about programs, formula’s and our own brand of Christian Celebrities (more on these next week) all carefully wrapped around God, clothed in the name of God but having very little to do with Him at all.  

Daily reading of THIS bread
will keep us well FED!

My bottom line here is similar to how I heard Pastor Cymbala end his radio interview.

When it comes to the gathering of the saints of God, and please do not misunderstand me, I know that gathering to strengthen and encourage and teach and disciple is of great importance, it should not be about well planned programs and it surely should not be about following the latest fad or church growth formula.  The planning stage should begin and end with a sincere and humble heart before God, our Bibles, a quiet time of contemplation and prayer and a fervent request for WISDOM from God the Father in how to “do” this thing we call church.    

PRAYERS REQUESTS MAY BE MADE BY FILLING OUT THE FORM AT THE TOP LEFT OF THE PAGE.  WE PRAY DAILY AND HOST PRAYER SERVICES ON FRIDAY EVENINGS.  WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP TURN THE TIDE MINISTRIES IN YOUR PRAYERS, AND MAY THE GOD OF PEACE BLESS US ALL WITH WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BLESSED RESURRECTION ~ HAPPY EASTER!

We present for your enjoyment and enlightenment this 

Turn the Tide Ministry original Musical Drama:

MALCHUS; an Easter Miracle!

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four


IT WOULD BE A BLESSING FOR YOU TO SHARE THIS LITTLE PRODUCTION WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MAY GOD BE GLORIFIED!

Our Amazing Lord!

Isn't it amazing how God works? When we get ourselves out of His way, set aside our own will and desire and truly allow His Spirit to lead and guide us we may end up in places we never even dreamed of doing things we hadn't ever thought about and yet they are just exactly the right place and the right things to do, bringing Glory and Honor to His name rather than our own. We are finding this truth applied over and over again in our journeying as Ambassadors for Christ.

You may be familiar with the parable Jesus shares in Luke 12:20 about the man who puts his hope in the physical riches of this world only to enjoy none of the fruits of his labor. His focus was on the temporary things of this world rather than obedience to the Lord. In short the story is a snapshot of his life. He is blessed with abundance of goods, but rather than giving thanks to God and seeking how he might honor the Lord for the abundance he's been granted, he makes his own selfish plans which are never realized as his life ends that very night.

The point or moral of the story is simply to give God the glory, to seek Gods way for our lives and not our own ways. To recognize the temporary nature of this life and keep our focus on the HOPE that is ours in Eternity, precisely so that we won't get fixated on the things of this world. This is an especially necessary reminder in this age of instant gratification. Cell phones keep us in instant constant contact and computers connect us to everything the world has to offer at the push of a button. We've grown so far and so fast, and yet the exhortation remains to WAIT UPON THE LORD. His timing, His will, His plan brought to completion in our lives.

We recently had a "plan" about where we were going and what we were going to do.  It was a good plan that included being a blessing to others, preaching the Word of God and leading people to a saving knowledge of Christ as Savior.  A good plan, but it was our plan, not Gods plan.  Thankfully, as we prayed and sought His way for us, He showed us His way.  It wasn't ours, not what we had thought but His is so much better!

One of the things we've had to guard against in our lives since answering the Lords call to live as Missionaries fully surrendered to Him is a tendency to define what we think "ministry"is or what it should look like based on how it's "always been done." We see it in the churches as well. This is what has worked in the past, so we simply continue in our flesh doing what has worked in the past. A few tweaks here or there to keep up with technology, maybe refresh the music ministry to reflect current tastes, but essentially we plod along doing what we've always done.

In the midst of his discourse to believers in the first century, wherein he touches upon many different subjects, the Apostle James makes this great observation that is timely to our lives today.  "Come now, you who say "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." James 4: 13-15

We are joyfully and even sometimes painfully discovering that MINISTRY as God defines it is very different from "what we've always done" and very different from what we thought it would be. When we insist on defining what His work is, we limit ourselves to our ability and our knowledge. WE BOX GOD IN. We don't stop His work from occurring, we simply stop ourselves from doing His work and begin doing our own. By putting aside our preconceived notions and truly seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will find ourselves doing things we never could have imagined, for He is infinitely CREATIVE, but they will be the things that bring about His glory, His will and have positive Eternal effect on others lives as well as our own.

Thank you for joining us today for an encouraging Word in the Lord!  Subscribe to Tide Turning Tales and get the Teachings and inspiring stories right to your inbox.  Leave a comment and tell us how the Lord is working in your life! We are one body in Christ.  Whatever we do, lets MAKE IT COUNT FOR CHRIST.

BALANCE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

When the teeter totter is not resting upon a proper fulcrum it cannot be rightly balanced.  When we, the Body of Christ are not balanced on the ROCK which is Christ, having Him as our Head and His command as our foundation, the Body likewise cannot find proper balance.

In many of our American churches the work of ministry is resting on the Pastor as its fulcrum, not only in expectation that the Pastor will do the work of the ministry while the sheep of the pasture show up on Sunday to sit for an hour, but many times also resting solely on the Pastors whims, desires and personal dictates.  Why is this?  People have abdicated their responsibility to be accountable to one another. Pastor “power” is running amok precisely because the people God intended to be contributing members of the Body see themselves as less  in spirit or ability than those few considered anointed as clergy.

Failure to individually adhere to Apostle Pauls exhortation in II Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth”,  has left many ignorant and vulnerable to false teaching and the wolves in sheep’s clothing who devour them.  We sit passive in the face of the serious problems cropping up in our churches feeling helpless to stop it. Sin runs rampant and Christians are seen as powerless and ineffective to the very ones we are to example Christ before! 

Somewhere along the way we’ve lost sight of the truth that every born again believer who calls on the name of Jesus as Savior is to be a minister of the Gospel as set forth in Apostle Pauls second letter to the Corinthians 5:17-18 and 6:1 “we then as workers together...”  We have absented ourselves from our role in the Body of Christ and expect to be carried by arms that have no legs to support them!  Apostle Paul revealed clearly in First Corinthians 12:12 the importance of every member of the body doing his or her part. If we fail it is not just we but the whole Body who is failiing!

We turn Pastors, our fellow workers into some sort of celebrity figureheads and bow to them in worship as the foolish Israelites bowed to their own handmade golden calf in the wilderness rather than remain true to the Mighty God who delivered us from slavery to sin.  We place the full weight of ministry upon the imperfect shoulders of Pastors throughout our religious organizations and then we are angry with them at the imperfection that results. As quickly as we shoved them onto pedestals is just how quick  we are to join in the mocking of the world to knock them off with hardly a single prayer and replace them with more imperfect specimens. 

We’ve watered down our Lord Jesus' truth in a false effort to make it more palatable in order to appear we are tolerant and inclusive that the world in turn might find us more acceptable and agree to populate our church pews and include us in return. When that doesn't happen  we seem blind that how they do spitefully use us is really a screaming cry about how desperately in need they are for us to pray for them, to pray for their deliverance from the darkness that grips their souls!

Let me be clear in what I am saying here.  The world does not need Christians to include them, but they violently need us to recognize how lost they are and pray to Almighty God for their salvation.  Jesus sternly rebuked those who took the “work of ministry” to be treated as a light matter. He stressed this important point when He declared in Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the VIOLENT take it by force.” 

Take what by force?  Take the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN by force!

The single most powerful force in the hands of a believer of Jesus Christ as Savior and God the Father as Creator is prayer.  Simple, powerful, zealous and energetic prayer laid as an offering upon the altar of Gods throne of grace.  Both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm prayer is our most powerful weapon, affecting both earth now and all Eternity in Heaven!

I do not point these things out from some lofty position of authority but on the contrary, from the position of lowly servant to the people of the Lord, a sinner saved by the gracious Savior. I cry out as the Holy Spirit of God that is in me reveals in order that we all might come together in unity. 

Church, our Head is calling us to obey Him more perfectly in the way of surrender that He might open a way to fuller understanding and intimate relationship with Him for all His sheep. We must continually strive to TURN TO HIM, JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, in order to serve His purposes and not our own.

All Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version. 

Pastor Marie and her husband continue to travel the US, sharing the Gospel of Salvation through Christ alone and exhorting Unity in Christs Church across denominational lines.

You are welcome to comment on the opinion expressed here. 

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SURRENDER IS VICTORY!

Man did not create the true God for mans purposes, but the true God created man for His own purposes.

Hebrews 11:6 ….for he who comes to God must believe that He is…..

All the human race starts somewhere.   We have a beginning and we realize at some point in our life journey that we will most certainly have an end in this physical world.

If we haven’t already been introduced to the Creator of Heaven and earth it is certain that we will start thinking thoughts of this nature.  Once we do, we discover a choice must be made.  To believe or to reject.  How fearsome a thing is free will after all.  Rejection has its own consequence. 

This morning, let us consider the consequence of believing.

As we begin to learn and grow in understanding it is very possible and almost probable that we will find ourselves again in conflicts.  Conflicted between our new heart’s desire to please the Almighty God we’ve now chosen to abandon ourselves in obedience to and the old, fleshly desire of sin that continues to rear its ugly head and demand our attention.  Most of us might even come to agree that this is the hardest “fight” in the life journey of a believer.  When won, it is almost surely a long arduous battle which has left many scars.  We take courage in the knowledge that all believers face this fight.  We are enlivened to know we do not struggle in this alone, but our brothers and sisters in Christ struggle as well. 

But there is another battle.  One more subtle than the battle of flesh and spirit quarreling over our attention.  One deep in our heart we wrestle mightily with and are hard pressed to see anyone else’s struggle in order to be encouraged by it.  It is the struggle of FAITH, wrapped snugly around and intertwined with the struggle of understanding.  Being human, we want to SEE before we believe, but that is not an available option.  We form our thoughts and behaviors on our experiential history, but this struggle often defies that avenue of wisdom.

It is the struggle to reconcile ourselves to trust and believe and obey and surrender our complete and whole and total selves to a God we cannot see, hear, taste, touch or smell in the even harder circumstance of what appears to be contradictions.  He is a God of GRACE and MERCY, yet also a God of WRATH and RIGHTEOUSNESS.  He is kind and forgiving, while remaining completely HOLY and JUST.  He LOVES US, yet CHASTISES US in our disobedience sometimes quite severly.

And we are to TRUST HIM, not in spite of these seeming contradictions, but inside these very contradictions.  Brothers and Sisters, this is hard!  Hard to walk by faith, hard to live in obedience.  Yet this is the place of SURRENDER.  Not blind faith, not foolish faith.  Perhaps not even faith at all.  Simple SURRENDER, embracing the spiritual knowledge that when one comes to the Lord, one must believe that He is…..AND that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

In the diligent seeking is where you will find, not easy to follow directions, but the strength and grace necessary to SURRENDER.  Consider the idea in this sentence deeply and well:

Man did not create the true God for mans purposes, but the true God created man for His own purposes. ~ Reverend Marie Krebs

You are welcome to click on and share your comments.  We welcome interaction with our Readers. Click and begin sharing!

LISTEN IN!

http://www.reverbnation.com/turnthetideministries/song/15923084-too-much-slack-time

Thanks for listening!  Hope you enjoy the song
We'd really appreciate any comments you may like to share!  Speaking of sharing, we'd appreciate any sharing you'd like to do with your friends!
Blessings,
The Pastors at Turn the Tide Ministries

Is there a Doctor in the House?

I was absolutely certain of what was in my heart, but not so certain if it were just me in my own desire.  So I asked God “Why would you call ME Lord, to preach your righteous, holy words of life giving salvation to others?”  I knew well, as did God, the sin in my life.  Though I had repented, surely such a past as mine disqualified me from the future dream my heart was forming even as I rejected it as nonsense. 

But I had vowed a vow, when that day of full surrender came to my heart finally after years of stumbling and sinning and trying to “be good” on my own.  A simple yet powerful vow I could do nothing else but keep.  To obey Him, the Lord, in all things as best I could, no matter the difficulty.  And God was, as clearly as I could understand it, calling me to take the necessary steps to obtain the validation of men He had already freely anointed me for, to be a Minister of the Gospel.  Every ordinance man had ordained was against such an occurrence, yet the strength of conviction in my heart could not be denied.

So I began a journey, difficult yet filled with joy in obedience to the Call of my Heavenly Father.   Who would accept one such as I, divorced, bankrupt, a sinner with sin that was very evident and impossible to hide.   To make it even more difficult, I am female! 

The Lord, so full of Love for His children, took me to an earthly ministry known for its stringent regulations concerning Ministers, particularly concerning women.  I hid nothing, kept nothing back, and even as all the rules of man said NO, God said YES! Accepted into the Ministerial Program, I was credentialed in June 2006.  Next, on to full Ordination.  I was on track, with many powerful and influential men and women speaking for me in this.

BUT GOD…. Have you ever noticed that when man says “But…” it is usually something rather negative that follows?  BUT GOD, when He steps in, He brings about miracles.  He overcomes the world, just as He promised when He walked this earth as a man, and encouraged His disciples, warning them that in this world there would be trials and tribulations, but we should take heart, for He has overcome the world!

Years before, when I finally let go of my dreams and desires and surrendered all to the Lord, broken, broke and divorced,  in jest to my friends I declared I would never marry again unless God Himself brought that man right to my front door!  Then I put all that aside and began to walk in the path my Lord was leading.

As I was moving forward in the hierarchy of the church, Thanksgiving day 2007 there came a knock on my door.  January 2008 I married for the last and only TRUE time in my life.  But man – man declared this was “unrighteous” and removed all support for me as a Minister, even so far as taking away those hard-earned credentials!

BUT GOD – who is the One who called and anointed me, brought me to a place where GRACE was spoken, and once more His call as anointed Minister was validated by man as I received  full Ordination as Minister of His precious Gospel. 

All through I kept questioning, asking “Why would you call ME Lord, to preach your righteous, holy words of life giving salvation to others?”   One day, the Lord spoke these words to my heart, and I repeat them now to encourage others, broken Brothers and Sisters who need to hear.  I heard these quiet questions in answer to my seeking.

“When you have an electrical problem, who do you call?   An electrician!  When the plumbing isn’t working, who do you call?  A plumber!  When you want a picture drawn, who do you call? An artist!  When I want sinners to hear of my forgiveness and grace – I call a sinner who has been forgiven.”

This is why Turn the Tide Ministries exists, why we travel all over the USA , presenting our dramas and working with local churches.  To bring life giving truth to sinners, that it is the GRACE of God that will set them free and change their lives.   He alone is the Healer of broker hearts! That no matter what the sin, there is forgiveness and wholeness through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! 

RESOLUTIONS

Great insight and great revelation was given to the Apostle Paul after his conversion on that road to Damascus.  Once introduced to TRUTH Himself, Paul never looked back, but set himself on a forward seeking mission that cost him a great deal in his personal, physical life but gained him a far greater reward in his spiritual, eternal life!

Phil 3:10-11 (Amplified Version) “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in Spirit into His likeness even to His death in the HOPE that if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body."

WOW! Now there is a mouthful of spiritual transforming POWER! Read that a few times to let it sink fully into your heart.

From this we see that Paul had 2 distinct, specific and IMPORTANT goals in mind for his relationship with Christ.

1.)  TO KNOW JESUS

            How do we ever really get to know the heart, thoughts and being of another?  First, we must spend TIME with them and pay close attention to them; observe them in situations; listen to the words they speak; discover their likes and dislikes, the behavior patterns that indicate who they are in relation to others and how they treat other people.  Not just their friends and families, but people in general, how they behave toward them, how they speak of others, especially when not in the presence of those persons!

To KNOW JESUS we need to observe Him both in His humanity that we can relate to which we will find in the Gospels, and also in His divinity which shines through the Old Testament prophesies of His coming.  To know Him, we must read the book written about Him.  Whether for five minutes, an hour or a chapter a day – immerse yourself in His written Word and you will get to know WHO HE IS IN RELATION TO YOU!

2.) TO KNOW THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION

            This goes far deeper than simply acknowledging that Jesus was raised from the dead.  Lazarus was also raised from the dead as was Jarius’ daughter, but in their resurrections there is no indication of power on their parts.  In Jesus’ resurrection POWER from Him personally and made known to US PERSONALLY is available!  Power to overcome sin!  Power to transform lives!  Power to bring LIFE and that ETERNAL!  How does it work?  Why does it work?  How does it affect each of us in our lives?

TO KNOW THAT POWER is to understand your own place in this world, the purpose you were born and live for and why the Almighty Maker of Heaven and earth loves you so very much!  You can read about this power in the Bible, but that isn’t the extent of it.  That tells you stories of this power, but it isn’t personal – YET!  Once you KNOW JESUS, then you are in a position to KNOW THE RESURRECTION POWER up close and personally in your own life, your own circumstances.

From this knowledge springs forth a life that honors God the Father and releases extraordinary JOY into the life you live right now – and ushers you into a joy filled ETERNAL LIFE as well.

Paul knew how to make a New Years Resolution!  What is your resolution?  Will you move closer to the One Who created you this year?  “Draw near to me” says the Lord, “and I will draw near to you.”

THE RIGHT KINDLING

You cannot start a fire without kindling of some kind, something that will spark a flame.

Since we are still here and the earth hasn’t been destroyed and civilization hasn’t ended – not yet anyway – the Christian call to carry out The Great Commission continues.  We are to go into all the world and be witnesses for Christ.  I am certain we are not the only ones finding this more difficult in these “last days”.   The things that motivate people have changed, apparently drastically, and so our task becomes FINDING THE RIGHT KINDLING TO SPARK THE FIRE in each individual. 

A simple message of “repent of sin and receive forgiveness” no longer resonates in the hearts of those who hear it, for they have little to no concept of sin.  Sin has been validated as normal, common and everyday in the society we currently live in.  In fact, it has been legalized by misguided (though I’d like to believe well meaning) judges in the United States attempting to discern the Constitution devoid  of any Biblical moral guidance for the general citizenry of the country.  Murder becomes a gentle “choice”, reprobate sexual perversion is simply an “orientation”.  To say otherwise is HATE SPEECH.   How clever of our adversary satan to compromise the very message of Gods great LOVE by causing the world to declare it hate. 

To reach the heart of each person requires we carefully work our way through layer upon layer of

• political correctness
• deeply embedded false teaching
•  acceptable social thinking
• AND the inherent  sin nature of mankind! 

Many have tried to do this by mimicking the ways of the world in order to appeal to a wider audience.  Our message has become watered down in its insistence of being “seeker friendly” or has become completely compromised in favor of filling seats in our church services.   In my humble opinion this has failed and falls FAR SHORT of fulfilling our mission to Preach the Truth, as well as failing to Glorify God as Holy and Righteous.  We find ourselves DEFENDING God as good.   God does not need or desire our pitiful attempts at defending Him!   

Jesus warned against and warned of all that we currently see occurring.  

He prophesied in Matthew 24: 8-13 (KJV)

ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS.   

THEN SHALL THEY DELIVER YOU UP TO BE AFFLICTED AND SHALL KILL YOU;  AND YOU SHALL BE HATED OF ALL NATIONS FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.    

AND THEN SHALL MANY BE OFFENDED AND SHALL BETRAY ONE ANOTHER AND SHALL HATE ONE ANOTHER.    

AND MANY FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY.     

AND BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND THE LOVE OF MANY SHALL WAX COLD.  

BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED.

TRUTH is the ONLY kindling that will start the HOLY SPIRIT fire burning in a heart!

The fire of the Holy Spirit cleanses and refines us, but until it’s lit and burning brightly…

Planting, Watering and HARVESTING!

There just isn't any other feeling quite like the JOY that comes from assisting someone out of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Living God!  That's really all we do you know, assist others.

It is GOD Who calls all people to His Kingdom.  It is His goodness that draws them to Him.  It is His Holy Spirit that anoints them to hear.

Many plant seeds of truth and many more water and nurture those seeds, blessing them with the warmth of the SON and the food of His truth until one day, God graciously allows one of His Ambassadors the awesome privilege and honor of escorting one across the border - from dead in trespasses and sins to ALIVE ETERNALLY in Christ Jesus the Lord!  And what a responsibility - reaping the Harvest of Souls for the glory of God the Creator and Savior!

We are thanking God the Father for just such a "border crossing" privilege, as Kim made confession of Christ as Savior, asked and received forgiveness of sin. 

Many planted truth seeds, many watered and nurtured.  How WONDERFUL it is when the BODY OF CHRIST works together!

MERRY CHRISTMAS indeed!

America and God

We’ve been so “Americanized” about our Christianity that although in our churches you hear us say the words ‘its not about us”; in our hearts – ITS ALL ABOUT US!  Why aren’t WE getting things just the way WE want them?  Why aren’t WE seeing just what WE want to see?  Why isn’t God doing just what WE want Him to do?  Need proof?  Look closely at and READ the words of our modern day so-called “worship” songs.  READ THEM!  Here I AM to worship.    I am bowing down, I AM giving glory, I - I - I - I - I – Oh- we’re worshipping alright – we are worshipping the CREATURE (ourselves) and not the CREATOR!  The truth is- there is only ONE I AM and it ain’t you and it ain’t me!  Jesus declared the only  truth, “before Abraham was I AM” 

Ever wonder why so many miracle stories seem to come from what we consider “third world countries” about AWESOME things God is doing in hearts and lives?  Why their churches are growing by 10’s of thousands on a regular basis?  I wonder if it doesn’t have something to do with the fact that they aren’t spoiled and pampered and convinced that the whole world and God included “owes” them something? Perhaps they have a better understanding of “gratitude” because they haven’t had every luxury handed to them since birth and been brain washed into believing its their RIGHT  to have whatever they think they need.  It may even have something to do with an awe toward God that we seem to lack here in our American churches, allowing us to think its no big deal if we “sell” Gods good news or use it to enrich ourselves.  In the name of Christianity we’ve made “celebrities” of those God has blessed and anointed and then gleefully torn them to shreds when they bought into the hype and started to think they really were something! (Do we really need to name names here?  Just think of headlines in the last few years - Swaggert, Baker, Haggard and more!)

It is very difficult to separate politics from religion in spite of the best efforts of America to do so.  (In fact, I maintain it is IMPOSSIBLE!)  Who we are as a nation is absolutely reflected in who we are as people in our personal lives.  Are we a people who follow a moral code and have a reverent fear of God our Creator?  (See Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.)  America was founded on religious freedom.  NOT freedom FROM religion – but freedom to express religious beliefs as each individual might choose to worship.  NOT freedom FROM worshipping God, but freedom TO worship God in the manner you choose for yourself and your family.  Or not to have any religious expression in your life if that is what you choose.  BUT also not the right to STOP others from religious expression! 

Right now I sincerely hope many reading this are sputtering about “separation of church and state.”  I hope that, because it means we’re being read by those who don’t know the Lord as their God.  And that’s GOOD!  You can’t learn if you never read about things you don’t already know about and it is Gods most ardent desire that every single soul of His creation KNOW HIM!  He doesn’t have ONE specific criteria for HOW you worship either, but just THAT you worship the ONE TRUE GOD.  (See Exodus chapter 20.)  God speaks of having no God before Him, and not bowing down to idols and having no graven images – yet He does not limit your expression of worship to Him.  It is for YOUR health, for YOUR well being and for YOUR blessing that HE desires you to know His truth, because He loves you so very much and He knows the only possibility of YOU being TRULY blessed is to know HIM.

FOR THE RECORD; there is NO such statement found ANYWHERE in the Consitution of the United States of America.  It states that congress shall make NO LAW concerning a religion – not that religion has no place in our laws.  In fact, it is our laws that give our citizens the right to have NO RELIGION IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES if that is what they choose to do, however,  IT DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO INFRINGE UPON OTHERS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TO HAVE RELIGION IN THEIR LIVES!  If the majority of Americans celebrate Christmas – then MERRY CHRISTMAS it is and not Happy Holidays for the majority of us.  Which brings me to this “silent majority” stuff.  If we are in fact the majority,  WE’D BETTER STOP BEING SO SILENT BEFORE WE ARE SILENCED ALL TOGETHER!

You may agree with my sentiments here.  You may not agree with my sentiments.  That’s okay.  That’s the beauty of America.  You have a right to your opinion AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO MINE.