BETTER Than PENTECOST
by David Wilkerson
John the Baptist never made it to Pentecost! He saw none of the
cloven tongues of fire and did not hear the mighty rushing wind. He
did not see Jerusalem shaken and multitudes converted. But John
said his joy was fulfilled! He had heard something better than the
rushing wind, better than good reports, better than the sounds of
a joyful bride. He had heard the Savior´s voice.
"He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the
bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly
because of the bridegroom´s voice: this my joy therefore is
fulfilled" (John 3:29).
John tasted of the greatest joy a follower of Jesus can know. He
said, "I stood still and I heard Him talk to me. His voice made my
heart leap as He talked to me personally. I listened to my Lord.
And that´s my joy-just hearing His voice."
John could say, "I loved Him and worshiped at His feet. I told Him
how unworthy I was. My joy, however, is not in what I said to Him
but in what He said to me. I heard Him speak and I rejoice just in
the sound of that voice."
Some people teach that the Lord no longer speaks to men except
through the revealed Word. They cannot believe men can be
directed and blessed by hearing that still small voice today.
Jesus said, "My sheep know My voice; they hear when I call and
another they will not hear." But nowadays we are afraid of all the
abuses, even though they are not God´s fault. Every fake vision,
bogus prophecy, false leading is a direct result of man´s own
pride and self-will. Man abuses every gift of God. Nevertheless,
He still speaks directly to the hearts of those willing to hear.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2).
"Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his
voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 3:7).
-Original source-
http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24879
Kamis, 31 Oktober 2013
Rabu, 30 Oktober 2013
PROPHETIC WORD from 50 YEARS AGO
PROPHETIC WORD from 50 YEARS AGO
by A.W. Tozer
"Let me go out on a limb a little bit and prophesy. I see the time
coming when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by
the Holy Spirit will desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one.
The house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God,
a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, left among them.
I hear Jesus saying...Mat 23:37-38: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the
one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her,
how often would I have gathered your children together, even as
a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
Behold, your house is left to you desolate"
As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of
worldly evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But
the day is coming when the house will be left desolate and there
will not be a man of God among them. I would like to live long
enough to watch this develop and see how things turn out. I would
like to live to see the time when the men and woman of God - holy,
separated and spiritually enlightened - walk out of the evangelical
church and form a group of their own; when they get off the sinking
ship and let her go down in the brackish and worldliness and form
a new ark to ride out the storm."
PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
-Source-
www.sermonindex.net
by A.W. Tozer
"Let me go out on a limb a little bit and prophesy. I see the time
coming when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by
the Holy Spirit will desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one.
The house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God,
a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, left among them.
I hear Jesus saying...Mat 23:37-38: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the
one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her,
how often would I have gathered your children together, even as
a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
Behold, your house is left to you desolate"
As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of
worldly evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But
the day is coming when the house will be left desolate and there
will not be a man of God among them. I would like to live long
enough to watch this develop and see how things turn out. I would
like to live to see the time when the men and woman of God - holy,
separated and spiritually enlightened - walk out of the evangelical
church and form a group of their own; when they get off the sinking
ship and let her go down in the brackish and worldliness and form
a new ark to ride out the storm."
PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
-Source-
www.sermonindex.net
Minggu, 27 Oktober 2013
JOHN MACARTHUR: GRACE to YOU TOO
JOHN MACARTHUR: GRACE to YOU TOO
by J. Lee Grady
Fundamentalist pastor John MacArthur is a gifted preacher, author
and lover of Scripture. His Grace to You radio program points
countless people to the Bible, and his Master's Seminary trains
hundreds of ministry leaders. He´s a staunch Calvinist, but that
doesn´t make him any less my brother in Christ.
Unfortunately, MacArthur can´t say the same about me-and
that´s sad. In his new book Strange Fire, he declares in no uncertain
terms that anyone who embraces any form of charismatic or
Pentecostal theology does not worship the true God.
My brother in Christ has written me off.
In John MacArthur´s rigid world, anybody who has sought prayer
for healing, claimed a miracle, received a prayer language, prophesied,
sensed God speaking to them, felt God´s presence in an emotional
way or fallen down on the floor after receiving prayer has already
stepped out of the bounds of orthodoxy.
MacArthur says charismatics think they worship God but that
actually we are worshipping a golden calf. "Every day millions of
charismatics offer praise to a patently false image of the Holy
Spirit," MacArthur says early in the book. "No other movement
has done more damage to the cause of the gospel."
He doesn´t just write off fringe elements of our movement; he
skewers the original founders of Pentecostalism and even goes
after Baptist author Henry Blackaby for teaching that God can
speak to people today.
MacArthur, who is 74, urges evangelical Christians to engage in
a "collective war" to stop the spread of the charismatic movement,
which he describes as a "deadly virus," a "deviant mutation of the
truth" and a "Trojan horse" that has infiltrated mainstream
Christianity. MacArthur writes, "Charismatic theology has turned
the evangelical church into a cesspool of error and a breeding
ground for false teachers."
No one familiar with MacArthur is surprised by Strange Fire, since
it is really a rehashed version of his 1993 book Charismatic Chaos.
Unfortunately, some charismatics have given MacArthur plenty of
new ammunition to support his case that we are all a bunch of
sleazy con artists and spiritual bimbos. Our movement is new and
fraught with problems, so MacArthur doesn´t have to look hard to
find examples of troublesome doctrine. But instead of offering
fatherly correction, he pulls out his sword and hacks away.
I´m no five-point Calvinist, but I will make five points here in response
to MacArthur´s book:
1. Not all charismatics and Pentecostals have embraced errors or
excesses. To MacArthur´s credit, he quotes charismatic leaders
who have addressed legitimate abuses and errors in our movement.
But then he writes us off with a broad brush. Actually, the majority
of our movement is not in error, even though we all know of doctrines
and practices that need correction. There are millions of healthy
charismatic and Pentecostal churches around the world that are
winning the lost, launching missionary endeavors and helping the
poor. And charismatics and Pentecostals are fueling the global
growth of Christianity-even with our flaws.
2. We must leave room for the present-day power of God. MacArthur
believes God´s miracle-working power stopped around 100 A.D.
He says healing, tongues, prophecy, visions and other supernatural
manifestations described in the New Testament don´t work today.
MacArthur is particularly irked that charismatics emphasize
speaking in tongues (which he calls "gibberish"); he also complains
that we have a "perverse obsession with physical health" (in other
words, if you get sick, just accept it because God doesn´t heal
anymore). But the New Testament doesn´t tell us that heaven
flipped a switch and turned off the Spirit´s power. That is
MacArthur´s opinion, not a biblical doctrine.
3. The church needs a fresh emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
MacArthur says charismatics are guilty of an unhealthy focus
on the Holy Spirit. He claims that the Spirit points only to Jesus
and that we shouldn´t seek the Spirit´s power or presence because
He likes to stay in the background. My question: If that is true,
why did Jesus teach so much about the Holy Spirit? And why is
the Spirit´s powerful work so clearly highlighted in the book of
Acts and the epistles? It´s true that the Spirit wants all the credit
to go to Jesus, but we are making a huge mistake if we ignore
the Spirit or limit His power. The church today needs God´s power
like never before.
4. There is a difference between biblical correction and judgmentalism.
Anyone who reads this column knows I speak out regularly about
whacky practices in our movement-from prosperity doctrines to
necromancy to adulterous pastors who say God told them to divorce
one wife so they could marry another. I believe we must address
sin in the camp. But there is a difference between confronting
specific sins and condemning a whole movement to hell. John
MacArthur´s book has crossed that line.
5. We should love MacArthur anyway. Strange Fire lists numerous
ways charismatics are misusing or abusing the Holy Spirit, in
MacArthur´s view. But he forgets to mention that one of the
important works of the Holy Spirit is to unify and connect the
Christian community in deep fellowship. The New Testament
urges us to "preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"
(Eph. 4:3, NASB), and we are also told that love is part of the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. But Strange Fire was not written out of a
heart of love.
Still, there is no need to retaliate against MacArthur. He is our
brother because we all believe in and worship the same Savior.
The best thing we can do in response to this extremely unkind
book is to love our brother in spite of his unfortunate bias against us.
-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
by J. Lee Grady
Fundamentalist pastor John MacArthur is a gifted preacher, author
and lover of Scripture. His Grace to You radio program points
countless people to the Bible, and his Master's Seminary trains
hundreds of ministry leaders. He´s a staunch Calvinist, but that
doesn´t make him any less my brother in Christ.
Unfortunately, MacArthur can´t say the same about me-and
that´s sad. In his new book Strange Fire, he declares in no uncertain
terms that anyone who embraces any form of charismatic or
Pentecostal theology does not worship the true God.
My brother in Christ has written me off.
In John MacArthur´s rigid world, anybody who has sought prayer
for healing, claimed a miracle, received a prayer language, prophesied,
sensed God speaking to them, felt God´s presence in an emotional
way or fallen down on the floor after receiving prayer has already
stepped out of the bounds of orthodoxy.
MacArthur says charismatics think they worship God but that
actually we are worshipping a golden calf. "Every day millions of
charismatics offer praise to a patently false image of the Holy
Spirit," MacArthur says early in the book. "No other movement
has done more damage to the cause of the gospel."
He doesn´t just write off fringe elements of our movement; he
skewers the original founders of Pentecostalism and even goes
after Baptist author Henry Blackaby for teaching that God can
speak to people today.
MacArthur, who is 74, urges evangelical Christians to engage in
a "collective war" to stop the spread of the charismatic movement,
which he describes as a "deadly virus," a "deviant mutation of the
truth" and a "Trojan horse" that has infiltrated mainstream
Christianity. MacArthur writes, "Charismatic theology has turned
the evangelical church into a cesspool of error and a breeding
ground for false teachers."
No one familiar with MacArthur is surprised by Strange Fire, since
it is really a rehashed version of his 1993 book Charismatic Chaos.
Unfortunately, some charismatics have given MacArthur plenty of
new ammunition to support his case that we are all a bunch of
sleazy con artists and spiritual bimbos. Our movement is new and
fraught with problems, so MacArthur doesn´t have to look hard to
find examples of troublesome doctrine. But instead of offering
fatherly correction, he pulls out his sword and hacks away.
I´m no five-point Calvinist, but I will make five points here in response
to MacArthur´s book:
1. Not all charismatics and Pentecostals have embraced errors or
excesses. To MacArthur´s credit, he quotes charismatic leaders
who have addressed legitimate abuses and errors in our movement.
But then he writes us off with a broad brush. Actually, the majority
of our movement is not in error, even though we all know of doctrines
and practices that need correction. There are millions of healthy
charismatic and Pentecostal churches around the world that are
winning the lost, launching missionary endeavors and helping the
poor. And charismatics and Pentecostals are fueling the global
growth of Christianity-even with our flaws.
2. We must leave room for the present-day power of God. MacArthur
believes God´s miracle-working power stopped around 100 A.D.
He says healing, tongues, prophecy, visions and other supernatural
manifestations described in the New Testament don´t work today.
MacArthur is particularly irked that charismatics emphasize
speaking in tongues (which he calls "gibberish"); he also complains
that we have a "perverse obsession with physical health" (in other
words, if you get sick, just accept it because God doesn´t heal
anymore). But the New Testament doesn´t tell us that heaven
flipped a switch and turned off the Spirit´s power. That is
MacArthur´s opinion, not a biblical doctrine.
3. The church needs a fresh emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
MacArthur says charismatics are guilty of an unhealthy focus
on the Holy Spirit. He claims that the Spirit points only to Jesus
and that we shouldn´t seek the Spirit´s power or presence because
He likes to stay in the background. My question: If that is true,
why did Jesus teach so much about the Holy Spirit? And why is
the Spirit´s powerful work so clearly highlighted in the book of
Acts and the epistles? It´s true that the Spirit wants all the credit
to go to Jesus, but we are making a huge mistake if we ignore
the Spirit or limit His power. The church today needs God´s power
like never before.
4. There is a difference between biblical correction and judgmentalism.
Anyone who reads this column knows I speak out regularly about
whacky practices in our movement-from prosperity doctrines to
necromancy to adulterous pastors who say God told them to divorce
one wife so they could marry another. I believe we must address
sin in the camp. But there is a difference between confronting
specific sins and condemning a whole movement to hell. John
MacArthur´s book has crossed that line.
5. We should love MacArthur anyway. Strange Fire lists numerous
ways charismatics are misusing or abusing the Holy Spirit, in
MacArthur´s view. But he forgets to mention that one of the
important works of the Holy Spirit is to unify and connect the
Christian community in deep fellowship. The New Testament
urges us to "preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"
(Eph. 4:3, NASB), and we are also told that love is part of the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. But Strange Fire was not written out of a
heart of love.
Still, there is no need to retaliate against MacArthur. He is our
brother because we all believe in and worship the same Savior.
The best thing we can do in response to this extremely unkind
book is to love our brother in spite of his unfortunate bias against us.
-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
Rabu, 23 Oktober 2013
IN TIMES of DISCOURAGEMENT
IN TIMES of DISCOURAGEMENT
by David Wilkerson
The first thing the Holy Spirit often does in times of discouragement
is bring to your remembrance the precious promises of Jesus. He
has done this with me as He flooded my soul with promises from
God's Word. "Your life isn't over," He assured me. "You don't know
it, but the best is still ahead of you." The work of the Holy Spirit is
to undo the lies of the enemy and bring encouragement from on high!
Multitudes of Christians enter God's presence every day expecting
to be reproved by Him. How that must grieve our Lord. When we go
to prayer, we ought to be prepared to hear a good word from our
loving Father. For years every time I entered my prayer closet, I
expected to hear a rebuke from the Lord. Thank God, He has
taught me a better way.
On the other hand, there are entire denominations that avoid any
mention of holy reproof. They say very little about sin because they
want to preach only positive, upbeat messages. In the process,
they ignore all the convicting, life-giving reproofs spoken by Christ
and the New Testament writers. Such churches claim to preach a
gospel of love, mercy and grace. But, sadly, they misuse God's
grace, turning it into a license to sin.
I realize I am not writing this message to that kind of people.
Rather, I'm speaking to overcoming Christians who avoid sin as
one way of loving the Lord. I'm speaking to those who enjoy
intimacy with Christ because they hunger and thirst for Him
constantly. If this describes you, and you're downcast and
depressed, please know it is happening because you are under
attack for loving Jesus!
Be assured that all who wait on the Lord will receive His glorious promises:
"Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived
by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what
he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him" (Isaiah 64:4).
"As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
-Source - http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24992
© 2012 World Challenge. All rights reserved. PO Box 260, Lindale,
TX 75771-0260, (903) 963-8626.
by David Wilkerson
The first thing the Holy Spirit often does in times of discouragement
is bring to your remembrance the precious promises of Jesus. He
has done this with me as He flooded my soul with promises from
God's Word. "Your life isn't over," He assured me. "You don't know
it, but the best is still ahead of you." The work of the Holy Spirit is
to undo the lies of the enemy and bring encouragement from on high!
Multitudes of Christians enter God's presence every day expecting
to be reproved by Him. How that must grieve our Lord. When we go
to prayer, we ought to be prepared to hear a good word from our
loving Father. For years every time I entered my prayer closet, I
expected to hear a rebuke from the Lord. Thank God, He has
taught me a better way.
On the other hand, there are entire denominations that avoid any
mention of holy reproof. They say very little about sin because they
want to preach only positive, upbeat messages. In the process,
they ignore all the convicting, life-giving reproofs spoken by Christ
and the New Testament writers. Such churches claim to preach a
gospel of love, mercy and grace. But, sadly, they misuse God's
grace, turning it into a license to sin.
I realize I am not writing this message to that kind of people.
Rather, I'm speaking to overcoming Christians who avoid sin as
one way of loving the Lord. I'm speaking to those who enjoy
intimacy with Christ because they hunger and thirst for Him
constantly. If this describes you, and you're downcast and
depressed, please know it is happening because you are under
attack for loving Jesus!
Be assured that all who wait on the Lord will receive His glorious promises:
"Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived
by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what
he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him" (Isaiah 64:4).
"As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
-Source - http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24992
© 2012 World Challenge. All rights reserved. PO Box 260, Lindale,
TX 75771-0260, (903) 963-8626.
More GREAT QUOTES -Sermonindex
More GREAT QUOTES
-Sermonindex
"Beloved, God is not a cosmic vending machine!" - Ron Hembree
"I was invited to a gathering one time, where their brochure
announced there would be a worship leader demonstrating radical
worship... the term "radical worship" did cause me to think of a
couple of instances in the Bible which I would describe as being
radical worship. Job, a righteous man, afflicted by Satan with
God´s permission so that he lost almost everything, and was
afflicted with a very severe skin disease and sat in a pile of
ashes, worshipping God. I would call that very radical."
-George H. Warnock
"You dedicate and then God consecrates." - Keith Daniel
"Men tell us they were thrilled when John Hyde prayed. They were
stirred to their inmost being when he just pleaded the name "Jesus!
Jesus! Jesus!" and a baptisim of love and power came upon them.
But it was not John Hyde: it was the Holy Spirit of God whom one
consecrated man, filled with that Spirit, brought down upon all
around him. May we not all become "Praying Hydes"?'
- Anonymous
"If no immediate choice has to be made, one should wait. The Lord
orders our stops as well as our steps. When the time comes that
a decision must be made, one can proceed in the direction that
seems best. As you conscientiously seek His guidance, He will
not let you make a wrong choice." - George Mueller
"A soul-winner can do nothing without God. He must cast himself
on the Invisible, or be a laughing-stock to the devil, who regards
with utter disdain all who think to subdue human nature with mere
words and arguments."
- Charles Spurgeon
-Sermonindex
"Beloved, God is not a cosmic vending machine!" - Ron Hembree
"I was invited to a gathering one time, where their brochure
announced there would be a worship leader demonstrating radical
worship... the term "radical worship" did cause me to think of a
couple of instances in the Bible which I would describe as being
radical worship. Job, a righteous man, afflicted by Satan with
God´s permission so that he lost almost everything, and was
afflicted with a very severe skin disease and sat in a pile of
ashes, worshipping God. I would call that very radical."
-George H. Warnock
"You dedicate and then God consecrates." - Keith Daniel
"Men tell us they were thrilled when John Hyde prayed. They were
stirred to their inmost being when he just pleaded the name "Jesus!
Jesus! Jesus!" and a baptisim of love and power came upon them.
But it was not John Hyde: it was the Holy Spirit of God whom one
consecrated man, filled with that Spirit, brought down upon all
around him. May we not all become "Praying Hydes"?'
- Anonymous
"If no immediate choice has to be made, one should wait. The Lord
orders our stops as well as our steps. When the time comes that
a decision must be made, one can proceed in the direction that
seems best. As you conscientiously seek His guidance, He will
not let you make a wrong choice." - George Mueller
"A soul-winner can do nothing without God. He must cast himself
on the Invisible, or be a laughing-stock to the devil, who regards
with utter disdain all who think to subdue human nature with mere
words and arguments."
- Charles Spurgeon
A LESSON on LISTENING
A LESSON on LISTENING
by David Wilkerson
God had to teach Elijah a lesson on listening so He took him to
the top of Mr. Horeb and gave him an illustrated sermon.
"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.
And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent
the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but
the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;
but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake
a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still
small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in
of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,
What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13).
When that wind began to howl, I think Elijah thought, "It´s about
time, Lord. Blow Jezebel right off her throne and throw her and
her sinner friends to the winds. Blow them all away!" But God was
not in the wind!
Suddenly, there was a great earthquake and Elijah said, "That
ought to scare them good. God will get even. He will shake them
right out of their shoes." But God was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake, a fire! The heavens were aglow with white-
hot flames! Elijah said in his heart, "Lord, they didn´t accept the
fire that fell on the altar so burn them out! Burn out wicked Ahab!
Fry Jezebel. Cause your fire to consume the wicked." But God
was not in the fire!
"And after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah
heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle" (verses 12 and 13).
Can you imagine this? A prophet who was not afraid of a hurricane
or an earthquake or heavenly fireworks is frightened by a still small
voice! Elijah covered his head with his coat. Why? Had not this
prophet talked to God many times? Was he not a great man of
prayer? Hadn´t God used him mightily? Yes! But Elijah was a
stranger to the still small voice! When he finally allowed that voice
to speak-alone, quiet, away from all the power displays-he got
the most specific directions in all his ministry.
"Go to the wilderness of Damascus; anoint Hazael king over Syria;
anoint Jehu king over Israel; and anoint Elisha to be the prophet
to follow you" (see 1 Kings 19:15-16).
How many busy children of God today have never had the voice
come to them? They are busy witnessing-doing good-praying
for a spiritual awakening-fasting. So intense-so dedicated. Yet,
they have heard everything but the voice of the Lord.
-Source-
http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24387
© 2012 World Challenge. All rights reserved. PO Box 260, Lindale,
TX 75771-0260, (903) 963-8626.
by David Wilkerson
God had to teach Elijah a lesson on listening so He took him to
the top of Mr. Horeb and gave him an illustrated sermon.
"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.
And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent
the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but
the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;
but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake
a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still
small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in
of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,
What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13).
When that wind began to howl, I think Elijah thought, "It´s about
time, Lord. Blow Jezebel right off her throne and throw her and
her sinner friends to the winds. Blow them all away!" But God was
not in the wind!
Suddenly, there was a great earthquake and Elijah said, "That
ought to scare them good. God will get even. He will shake them
right out of their shoes." But God was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake, a fire! The heavens were aglow with white-
hot flames! Elijah said in his heart, "Lord, they didn´t accept the
fire that fell on the altar so burn them out! Burn out wicked Ahab!
Fry Jezebel. Cause your fire to consume the wicked." But God
was not in the fire!
"And after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah
heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle" (verses 12 and 13).
Can you imagine this? A prophet who was not afraid of a hurricane
or an earthquake or heavenly fireworks is frightened by a still small
voice! Elijah covered his head with his coat. Why? Had not this
prophet talked to God many times? Was he not a great man of
prayer? Hadn´t God used him mightily? Yes! But Elijah was a
stranger to the still small voice! When he finally allowed that voice
to speak-alone, quiet, away from all the power displays-he got
the most specific directions in all his ministry.
"Go to the wilderness of Damascus; anoint Hazael king over Syria;
anoint Jehu king over Israel; and anoint Elisha to be the prophet
to follow you" (see 1 Kings 19:15-16).
How many busy children of God today have never had the voice
come to them? They are busy witnessing-doing good-praying
for a spiritual awakening-fasting. So intense-so dedicated. Yet,
they have heard everything but the voice of the Lord.
-Source-
http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24387
© 2012 World Challenge. All rights reserved. PO Box 260, Lindale,
TX 75771-0260, (903) 963-8626.
DENYING THIS KEY TRUTH
ANDREW's NOTE: I so agree with the major point made by John
Anderson below. Would appreciate your comments, my friends.
DENYING THIS KEY TRUTH - The One Huge Lie
by John Anderson
Lee Grady's article is tremendous. However, the four flaws he
mentions are not the beginning of the problem; they are rooted in
a flawed message which is in turn rooted in a flawed, distorted
view of the holy God.
Distortion of God's character was the essence of the temptations
in the Garden of Eden, as with deadly subtlety the enemy of God
lured Eve toward sin by stripping God first of His Integrity --- by
casting doubt on His truthfulness: "Has God said that you should
not eat..."; and then stripping Him of His Justice --- by denying the
truth that God would judge: "You shall not surely die..."
Beginning with God's warning to Adam and Eve that if they ate of
the forbidden fruit they would die, the stern but vital truth in Scripture
is that the God of Justice says every evildoer is under His wrath
(John 3:36); and unless he or she repents and receives forgiveness
and cleansing made possible through His Son's shed blood on the
Cross, they face eternal damnation in hell.
Today's visible church has made an art form of dodging the
inconvenient Scriptural truth that God clearly says the wicked are
under His wrath, preferring to market God in more appealing ways
by ignoring or downplaying His judgment. So we've happily replaced
the true gospel with all kinds of seeker friendly pseudo-gospels
focused on prosperity, success, self-image, motivation and how
to have a good sex life. All this revealing of course that today's
visible church, like Eve, has been seduced to buy into Satan's
distortion of God's character.
The point here is that the consequence of the distorted view of
God and His message so popularized today is that it produces
a professed, likely self-deceived preacher whose ministry is not
marked by brokenness, humility, and servanthood; but is marked
by the frauds of ministry Lee Grady cited: charlatanism, entitlement,
arrogance (this should head the list), and professionalism.
The true minister of God is marked by brokenness before the Lord,
humility and a servant's heart whose desire is to please the Lord
and proclaim His Word. Such ministers do not play to celebrity,
nor need strobe lights, fog machines, armor-bearers, special
treatment, rock bands and other evidences of today's god who
doesn't judge.
Thank you Lee Grady. As you said: "Let's become leaders who
act like Jesus."
-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
Anderson below. Would appreciate your comments, my friends.
DENYING THIS KEY TRUTH - The One Huge Lie
by John Anderson
Lee Grady's article is tremendous. However, the four flaws he
mentions are not the beginning of the problem; they are rooted in
a flawed message which is in turn rooted in a flawed, distorted
view of the holy God.
Distortion of God's character was the essence of the temptations
in the Garden of Eden, as with deadly subtlety the enemy of God
lured Eve toward sin by stripping God first of His Integrity --- by
casting doubt on His truthfulness: "Has God said that you should
not eat..."; and then stripping Him of His Justice --- by denying the
truth that God would judge: "You shall not surely die..."
Beginning with God's warning to Adam and Eve that if they ate of
the forbidden fruit they would die, the stern but vital truth in Scripture
is that the God of Justice says every evildoer is under His wrath
(John 3:36); and unless he or she repents and receives forgiveness
and cleansing made possible through His Son's shed blood on the
Cross, they face eternal damnation in hell.
Today's visible church has made an art form of dodging the
inconvenient Scriptural truth that God clearly says the wicked are
under His wrath, preferring to market God in more appealing ways
by ignoring or downplaying His judgment. So we've happily replaced
the true gospel with all kinds of seeker friendly pseudo-gospels
focused on prosperity, success, self-image, motivation and how
to have a good sex life. All this revealing of course that today's
visible church, like Eve, has been seduced to buy into Satan's
distortion of God's character.
The point here is that the consequence of the distorted view of
God and His message so popularized today is that it produces
a professed, likely self-deceived preacher whose ministry is not
marked by brokenness, humility, and servanthood; but is marked
by the frauds of ministry Lee Grady cited: charlatanism, entitlement,
arrogance (this should head the list), and professionalism.
The true minister of God is marked by brokenness before the Lord,
humility and a servant's heart whose desire is to please the Lord
and proclaim His Word. Such ministers do not play to celebrity,
nor need strobe lights, fog machines, armor-bearers, special
treatment, rock bands and other evidences of today's god who
doesn't judge.
Thank you Lee Grady. As you said: "Let's become leaders who
act like Jesus."
-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-
http://www.revivalschool.com/
Rabu, 16 Oktober 2013
FOUR FATAL FLAWS that RUIN MINISTRIES
FOUR FATAL FLAWS that RUIN MINISTRIES
by J. Lee Grady
Our movement began unraveling a few years ago because of flawed
leadership. We will not recover until we clean up our act.
I spend a lot of time investing in young leaders-and I constantly
urge them to learn from the mistakes we made in the previous
move of God. I appreciate the positive things the Holy Spirit did
during the charismatic movement, but we made a mess because
we didn´t lead with integrity.
The apostle Paul gave us a crash course in leadership in his
second letter to the Corinthians. While studying that epistle
recently, I identified four of the biggest mistakes we made during
the charismatic revival. I pray we've learned our lesson so we can
avoid these flaws in the next season.
1. Charlatanism. We charismatics lost our credibility during the
past 30 years because certain greedy preachers manipulated their
audiences to pad their own pockets. Just as a little leaven spreads
to the whole lump of dough, the charlatans ruined it for all of us.
The apostle Paul told the Corinthians, "For we are not like many,
peddling the Word of God" (2 Cor. 2:17, NASB). The Greek word
for peddling, kapeleuo, means "to make money by selling; to
corrupt; to get gain by teaching divine truth." How many well-known
charismatic preachers started out well but ended up as pitiful
peddlers, begging for dollars to pay for luxury cars and mansions
they felt they needed to prove their importance? (And now some
of these guys have their own reality show, The Preachers of L.A.,
which airs in October and features Noel Jones and Clarence
McClendon.)
2. Entitlement. Paul continually reminded the Corinthians that he
was a servant: "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus
as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus´ sake"
(2 Cor. 4:5). Servanthood is the most fundamental requirement for
any leader. Yet in our movement, we celebrated the opposite
attitude by allowing leaders with out-of-control egos to demand
special treatment.
I know of one conference speaker who routinely sends a 23-page
list of requirements to churches that want her to speak! In the past,
some charismatic preachers have demanded shopping money (in
addition to their honorariums) and luxury accommodations; others
insist they can´t travel without their "armor bearer"-basically a
minion who carries a preacher´s briefcase, handkerchief and water
bottle to make him look important.
News flash! Paul did not have an armor bearer, and he would have
rebuked any minister who insists on acting like a fat cat.
3. Arrogance. The apostle Paul modeled teamwork. When he went
to Corinth, Thessalonica or Crete, it was not The Paul Show. He
traveled with Luke, Silas, Timothy and many others. He told the
Corinthians, "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among
you" (2 Cor. 8:23)-and Paul exhorted the church to view Titus with
the same respect they showed him.
Yet in our movement, we put men on pedestals and under spot-
lights. We created a culture of preacher worship. Leaders began
using titles. Then came the limousines and private jets. Some high-
profile speakers went so far as to promote the use of bodyguards.
And I know of at least one preacher who demanded that a church
fly special beef to his hotel so he could have the steak he required.
Pride turns men of God into monsters.
4. Professionalism. Somebody got the bright idea a few years ago
that churches should be managed like businesses. So pastors
became CEOs, and ministry was put on an assembly line.
Congregations became franchises competing with each other to
see who could offer the coolest music, the hippest sermons and
the best lobby coffee bar. But a funny thing happened on the way
to the megachurch: We lost the relational touch.
I´m not against big churches, cool music or coffee bars. But my
fear is that leaders today might assume they can buy success by
copying the style of this month´s most popular rock-star preacher.
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.
Leaders must be real. Our ministry must flow out of passionate
love for God and genuine love for people. The apostle Paul never
wore a mask. He was touchable and affectionate. He never went
through the motions. He was broken. He knew he was nothing
apart from Jesus. He told the Corinthians, "Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may dwell in me" (2 Cor. 12:9).
Paul told the Corinthians he was careful not to offend in any area
"so that the ministry will not be discredited" (2 Cor. 6:3). I wish we
had been that careful to guard what God gave us in the charismatic
revival. Our flaws have grieved the Holy Spirit. Let´s trade in
charlatanism for financial integrity; entitlement for servanthood;
the celebrity syndrome for teamwork; and professionalism for
touchable authenticity. Let´s become leaders who act like Jesus.
-Source-
http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/18703
by J. Lee Grady
Our movement began unraveling a few years ago because of flawed
leadership. We will not recover until we clean up our act.
I spend a lot of time investing in young leaders-and I constantly
urge them to learn from the mistakes we made in the previous
move of God. I appreciate the positive things the Holy Spirit did
during the charismatic movement, but we made a mess because
we didn´t lead with integrity.
The apostle Paul gave us a crash course in leadership in his
second letter to the Corinthians. While studying that epistle
recently, I identified four of the biggest mistakes we made during
the charismatic revival. I pray we've learned our lesson so we can
avoid these flaws in the next season.
1. Charlatanism. We charismatics lost our credibility during the
past 30 years because certain greedy preachers manipulated their
audiences to pad their own pockets. Just as a little leaven spreads
to the whole lump of dough, the charlatans ruined it for all of us.
The apostle Paul told the Corinthians, "For we are not like many,
peddling the Word of God" (2 Cor. 2:17, NASB). The Greek word
for peddling, kapeleuo, means "to make money by selling; to
corrupt; to get gain by teaching divine truth." How many well-known
charismatic preachers started out well but ended up as pitiful
peddlers, begging for dollars to pay for luxury cars and mansions
they felt they needed to prove their importance? (And now some
of these guys have their own reality show, The Preachers of L.A.,
which airs in October and features Noel Jones and Clarence
McClendon.)
2. Entitlement. Paul continually reminded the Corinthians that he
was a servant: "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus
as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus´ sake"
(2 Cor. 4:5). Servanthood is the most fundamental requirement for
any leader. Yet in our movement, we celebrated the opposite
attitude by allowing leaders with out-of-control egos to demand
special treatment.
I know of one conference speaker who routinely sends a 23-page
list of requirements to churches that want her to speak! In the past,
some charismatic preachers have demanded shopping money (in
addition to their honorariums) and luxury accommodations; others
insist they can´t travel without their "armor bearer"-basically a
minion who carries a preacher´s briefcase, handkerchief and water
bottle to make him look important.
News flash! Paul did not have an armor bearer, and he would have
rebuked any minister who insists on acting like a fat cat.
3. Arrogance. The apostle Paul modeled teamwork. When he went
to Corinth, Thessalonica or Crete, it was not The Paul Show. He
traveled with Luke, Silas, Timothy and many others. He told the
Corinthians, "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among
you" (2 Cor. 8:23)-and Paul exhorted the church to view Titus with
the same respect they showed him.
Yet in our movement, we put men on pedestals and under spot-
lights. We created a culture of preacher worship. Leaders began
using titles. Then came the limousines and private jets. Some high-
profile speakers went so far as to promote the use of bodyguards.
And I know of at least one preacher who demanded that a church
fly special beef to his hotel so he could have the steak he required.
Pride turns men of God into monsters.
4. Professionalism. Somebody got the bright idea a few years ago
that churches should be managed like businesses. So pastors
became CEOs, and ministry was put on an assembly line.
Congregations became franchises competing with each other to
see who could offer the coolest music, the hippest sermons and
the best lobby coffee bar. But a funny thing happened on the way
to the megachurch: We lost the relational touch.
I´m not against big churches, cool music or coffee bars. But my
fear is that leaders today might assume they can buy success by
copying the style of this month´s most popular rock-star preacher.
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.
Leaders must be real. Our ministry must flow out of passionate
love for God and genuine love for people. The apostle Paul never
wore a mask. He was touchable and affectionate. He never went
through the motions. He was broken. He knew he was nothing
apart from Jesus. He told the Corinthians, "Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may dwell in me" (2 Cor. 12:9).
Paul told the Corinthians he was careful not to offend in any area
"so that the ministry will not be discredited" (2 Cor. 6:3). I wish we
had been that careful to guard what God gave us in the charismatic
revival. Our flaws have grieved the Holy Spirit. Let´s trade in
charlatanism for financial integrity; entitlement for servanthood;
the celebrity syndrome for teamwork; and professionalism for
touchable authenticity. Let´s become leaders who act like Jesus.
-Source-
http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/18703
Selasa, 01 Oktober 2013
WITH ALL Their HEART
WITH ALL Their HEART
by David Wilkerson
God makes certain, special promises to those who determine to
seek Him with all their hearts. One such promise is a covenant
of His presence.
However, this covenant is strictly conditional. Scripture makes it
clear that if we abide by the rule of this covenant, we will enjoy
the incredible blessing of God's presence in our lives. And this
does not refer only to issues of salvation. It speaks of being such
seekers after God that His awesome presence is poured out on
us and it is seen and known by all.
God revealed this covenant of His presence through an unnamed
prophet who delivered a message to Eli, the high priest of Israel.
At the time, Eli was backslidden. The Lord had been speaking to
him, warning him against allowing sin and compromise. But Eli
had ignored all of God's words. Now this unnamed prophet said
to Eli, "The Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house,
and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but
now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I
will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed"
(I Samuel 2:30).
The phrase "lightly esteemed" has to do with the lifting of God´s
presence. This does not mean a person is damned, but rather
that he will have to walk in the power of his own flesh. God was
telling Eli, "I intended to bless your house, to favor you. But you
have scorned me, becoming soft on sin and allowing your lusts
to push me aside. Now I will take My presence from you."
Many people come to Christ with a great, initial burst of faith. Yet
over time their zeal wears thin, and they begin to neglect the Lord.
They "lightly esteem" His commands and turn back to their old,
sinful ways. Yet they still believe God's presence remains with
them. But that is a lie, a delusion. The Bible makes it clear that
if you forsake Him, He will forsake you!
-Source-
http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/24360
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