"A CHRISTLESS PENTECOST"!!

 
"A CHRISTLESS PENTECOST"!!
-Frank Bartleman

Frank Bartleman was an eyewitness to the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit in 1907 at Azusa Street, Los Angeles. He has been
characterized as the Reporter of the Azusa Street Revival. Nearly
75 years ago, during the outpouring, he wrote a tract warning of
a Christless Pentecost. He warned:

We may not hold a doctrine, or seek an experience, except in
Christ. Many are willing to seek power in order to perform miracles,
draw attention and adoration of the people to themselves, thus
robbing Christ of His glory, and making a fair showing in the flesh.
The greatest need would seem to be for true followers of the meek
and lowly Jesus. Religious enthusiasm easily goes to seed. The
human spirit so predominates the show-off, religious spirit. But we
must stick to our text - Christ.

Any work that exalts the Holy Ghost or gifts above Jesus will
finally end up in fanaticism. Whatever causes us to exalt and love
Jesus is well and safe. The reverse will ruin all. The Holy Ghost
is a great light, but focused on Jesus always for His revealing.

Where the Holy Ghost is actually in control, Jesus is proclaimed
the Head - the Holy Ghost, His executive.

In another place, Brother Bartleman warned: The temptation
seems to be toward empty manifestations. This does not require
any particular cross, or death to the self-life. Hence it is always
popular.

We may not put power, gifts, the Holy Ghost, or in fact anything
ahead of Jesus. Any mission that exalts even the Holy Ghost
above the Lord Jesus Christ is bound for the rocks of error and fanaticism.

There seems to be a great danger of losing sight of the fact that
Jesus was all in all. The work of Calvary, the atonement, must
be the center for our consideration. The Holy Ghost will never draw
our attention from Christ to Himself, but rather reveal Christ in a
fuller way. We are in danger of slighting Jesus - getting Him lost
in the temple, by the exaltation of the Holy Ghost and of the gifts
of the Spirit. Jesus must be the center of everything.

-Frank Bartleman authored one of the best Revival books ever
written - called 'Azusa Street'.

THE ANGELS ARRIVE

 
THE ANGELS ARRIVE - Clip from Our New Movie!

We would be very grateful if you could take a look at this video
clip from our new film, my friends. Here is the link below-


http://youtu.be/xR_0PJ3nNhU


Thanks and God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

ANDREW BONAR

ANDREW BONAR
by David Smithers     

Truly great men, seldom recognize their own worth. Such a great
man, was Andrew Bonar. His diary is a virtual text book on the
qualities of brokenness and humility. Almost every page seems
to be filled with expressions of his transparency and sense of
unworthiness apart from Jesus Christ. For the true saint, the path
of brokenness leads straight to the throne of grace. Andrew Bonar
was no exception to this divine rule. Majory Bonar, Mr. Bonar's
daughter, describes his diary as a "revelation of one who prayed
always and who prayed everywhere." John J. Murray wrote of
Andrew Bonar, "He did not believe in any shortcut to holiness and
usefulness in the work of God. He knew that the one and only
way to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ
was daily and hourly communion with the Father and the Son".
Andrew Bonar, himself wrote, "There is too much time taken up
with active work for the Kingdom. Surely if God's servants are to
speak and preach in the power of the Holy Spirit they must again
give themselves continually to prayer. . ."

Andrew Bonar was just one of many Scottish ministers used of
God during the Kilsyth Revival of 1839-1840. The ministers most
honored by Christ's presence during this time of refreshing were
W. C. Burns, Robert Murray McCheyne, Alexander Moody Stuart
and Andrew Bonar. All of these men were close friends who
encouraged one another in the practice of constant prayer. Soon
after the decline of the Kilsyth Revival, Andrew Bonar Said, "I have
learned by experience that it is not much labor but much prayer
that is the only means to success." Mr. Bonar was able to
accomplish much with men in public because he spent much
time with Jesus Christ in private. The daily entries of Bonar's diary
testify of this fact. He wrote on January 3rd, 1856, "I have been
endeavoring to keep up prayer at this season every hour of the
day, stopping my occupation, whatever it is, to pray a little. I seek
to keep my soul within the shadow of the throne of grace and Him
that sits thereon." Sabbath, March 8th - "I feel afraid of myself on
the ground that I am less prayerful than I used to be, although
often more helped in preaching then ever . . ." Wednesday, 24th,
"Oh my God, never let me walk even in the green pastures, without
thee! I feel glad to live as a pilgrim and stranger, and more, far
more than before, I seek by prayer and strong crying in secret to
see God glorified in the salvation of souls."

In a letter to a close friend Andrew Bonar wrote, "Oh brother pray;
in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer, rather neglect friends
than not pray, rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, supper and
sleep too - than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer - we
must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while
The Virgins Slumber." Andrew Bonar lived in a time of revival and
yet he was always praying for more of God's revival power. His
diary again makes this clear. Wednesday, 21st, - "Enabled to
spend nearly the whole day in prayer, praise and confession. I
was led to deep humiliation for our church, and prayer for the
outpouring of the Holy Ghost on my people. I spread out several
promises before the Lord, and my heart was sore with desire and
yet glad with expectation of what this day may obtain for me. But
I find true what Samuel Rutherford wrote: 'A bed watered with tears,
a throat dry with praying, eyes a fountain of tears for the sins of
the land are rarely to be found among us.'"

Andrew Bonar was a man who was intimately acquainted with
Jesus Christ. As a result he saw what Jesus saw and therefore
cared, wept and prayed like Jesus. Far too often our own eyes
are dry because our eyes are blind to the needs around us. Many
of us have become blinded by the temporal, till we can no longer
see the eternal reality of the holiness of heaven and horrors of hell.
Lord draw us back to the prayer closet where blind eyes see and
hardened hearts are broken. Lord, have mercy and bring us to brokenness!

-Source-

watchword.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13

THE LORD had A MAN

THE LORD had A MAN
by David Wilkerson

It was a difficult time in Israel as depravity, apostasy and back-
sliding were rampant in the land. At this time, the ark was gone
from Israel. Eli, the nation´s high priest, was lazy and complacent,
allowing his sons to debauch the priesthood. Under their leadership,
adultery and fornication were rampant in the temple. But Eli had
become so used to his life of ease that he would not do anything
to stop them.

At one point the Lord wrote the word "Ichabod" (meaning "the Spirit
of the Lord has departed") over the whole religious system. Once
again, satanic forces had risen to great power and to the natural
eye, God´s work had lost so much ground, the odds of recovery
seemed improbable.

But the Lord had a man in place all along-a little child named
Samuel. While all the ministers around him were indulging in
fornication and gluttony, Samuel was learning to hear God's voice.
As he became more and more intimate with the Lord, the Holy
Spirit filled him with a prophetic word. He became a testimony-
living proof of the power of God!

Scripture says that as Samuel grew, none of his words fell to the
ground, meaning that he consistently spoke with power and
authority. Because of his godly authority, no nation was able to
lift a hand against Israel for over forty years.

"And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none
of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba
knew that Samuel was established (found to be trustworthy) to be
a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for
the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the
Lord" (1 Samuel 3:19-21).

Once again, the Lord raised up a single man as a testimony to
a whole nation. God needed no army, no human organization, no
"new thing." All he needed was one righteous man-someone
whose ministry was committed totally to His holy ways!

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/26098

PRESSING THROUGH!

 
PRESSING THROUGH!
by Rodney Francis

When we look more closely at where many Christians are at in
their lives, and what they are (or are not) accomplishing, we
realize that we do have to keep encouraging one another to enable
us to fulfil the calling and purpose of God for our lives. He has not
called us to walk and live in defeat; to be discouraged; to give-up
and become negative and defeated about life generally. Jesus
came to give us much more than that! He came to give us "Life,
and life more abundantly ("super-abundant, excessive, above the
ordinary measure")" (John 10:10). Know that the life Jesus gives
us is so totally different ~ and far better ~ than any other kind of
life that can be found this side of eternity. Do not forget that.

Far too often we give in too quickly. If it does not work out exactly
right the first time, we often do not try again, thinking that it is not
God's will for us, or that the devil is trying to deceive us, etc. Faith
is something that causes us to press onwards, upwards and out-
wards ~ to persevere and to press through until we see the required
result. I am reminded of what Elijah said to his servant in 1 Kings
18:43-46. Elijah had declared that "there is a sound of abundance
of rain" ~ but there was no evidence at all of any clouds or signs
of rain (after three-and-a-half years of no rain - James 5:17-18).
He sent his servant up a hill to look for the clouds. He returned
with a negative word ~ there was nothing to be seen. Elijah was
not to be put-off by that report and sent him again, even seven
times! Six times there was nothing to be seen. Maybe Elijah had
got it wrong? But no! On the seventh time the servant came back
with a report of a little cloud in the sky the size of a man's hand.
That was all Elijah needed. He jumped into action and it was not
long before the sky was black with rain clouds and heavy rain
began to pour down. He prevailed!

We, too, need to have the word of the Lord in our hearts in such
a way that we know it is God. Often, when He speaks to us, there
is no physical or outward evidence that it is so. But faith comes
with the voice of the Lord, and when we choose to press on through
regardless of what our mind tells us, other people tell us, circum-
stances tell us, etc., we will find that we inherit the promises. They
will come to pass! Know also that God uses these "delays" to work
something precious into our spirits, so that we are prepared and
equipped for even greater things ahead. We have to be refined for
His purposes. It is easy to give up, but giving up does not
accomplish anything in God.

Naaman the Syrian was told by Elisha to go and wash seven times
in the Jordan River. It offended him and touched his pride, causing
him to "storm off" in indignation. But when he humbled himself and
did as the prophet declared, he was healed of his leprosy. I am
simple enough to believe that if he only dipped five or six times,
he would not have been healed (see 2 Kings 5:1-14). He had to
persevere in spite of his pride and arrogance. God used it to humble
the man and cause him to acknowledge that there is no god like
Elisha's God.

CONSIDER JESUS

We are exhorted to be like Jesus and to "lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the
Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him
Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest
you become weary and discouraged in your souls" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Christianity is a marathon race, not a sprint. It calls for endurance
("to stay, stand fast, continue, abide; to remain behind after others
have gone; to keep one's ground, hold out; a brave bearing up
against sufferings" - Bullinger's); it is keeping focussed and
keeping going in that which God has called us to. "And let us
not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap
if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9-10). If Jesus Himself needed
to endure, then so do we. Have we got our eyes focussed on what
is ahead, or are we allowing present, natural, negative circumstances
to discourage us and make us give up?

WHAT has GOD PROMISED YOU?

What has God promised you that is yet unfulfilled in your life? Have
you given-up on it, thought it was too difficult, caused too much
criticism and opposition against you, etc.? What God promises
He desires to deliver on. He wants to fulfil His sure promises in your
life. Be encouraged to pick up those promises again and to press
on until you see the victory. Know that He does not change His
mind about you. Do not allow negative thoughts, things, people,
circumstances, criticisms, opposition, persecutions, etc., rob you
of the blessings of a Super-Abundant God Who wants only the
very best for you. Press in and press through until the victory is
yours! It is so worth it and you will accomplish so much more as
you keep pressing through, enduring and not giving up on that
which God has promised YOU! That is our experience and
testimony in The GFM Ministry. As we come to the completion
of 50 years of operation, pressing through and enduring many
things, we have something definite to show for it all. We are so
grateful to God for the many thousands of lives that have been
impacted by the Holy Spirit over those years. You can accomplish
great things too! Whatever you do, do not give up!...

-Source-

http://www.gospel.org.nz/

PREACHING REPENTANCE

 
PREACHING REPENTANCE
by David Wilkerson

What was the first message Jesus delivered after He emerged
from the temptation in the wilderness? Scripture says, "From that
time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus called people to repent before He even called them to believe.
Mark writes, "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom
of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).
Christ preached, "Repent first-and believe."

Elsewhere Jesus says of His mission, "I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). And He told
the Galileans, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).

Jesus´ gospel was all about repentance!

John the Baptist also preached repentance, to prepare Israel for
the coming of Christ. John´s message to the Jews was simple
and straightforward: "In those days came John the Baptist,
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:1-2).

People came from everywhere to hear John preach. And he told
them in no uncertain terms: "The Messiah is soon to appear in
your midst, so you´d better get ready to meet Him! You may feel
excited that He´s coming, but I´m telling you, your hearts are not
prepared because you´re still holding on to your sins.

"Outside you appear clean and holy. But inside, you´re full of dead
men´s bones! You´re a generation of vipers, snakes, with absolutely
no fear of God [see Matthew 3:7-12]. Yet you have no concept that
you´re even sinners. I warn you-you must deal with your sin before
you can believe on the Savior and follow Him. So, repent, turn from
your sin and live in a way that reflects genuine change!"

-Source-

http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2014/02/preaching-repentance.html

GREAT QUOTES from TOZER

GREAT QUOTES from TOZER

"We can be in our day what the heroes of faith were in their day -
but remember at the time they didn't know they were heroes."
- A.W. Tozer

"When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection."
- A.W. Tozer

"The man who would truly know God must give time to Him."
- A.W. Tozer

"The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and
has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly
unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she has not done
deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her
very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic."
- A.W. Tozer

"The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the
Church is famishing for want of His Presence."
- A.W. Tozer

"Secularism, materialism, and the intrusive presence of things
have put out the light in our souls and turned us into a generation
of zombies."
- A.W. Tozer

HOLY GROUND

HOLY GROUND - The Only Way To Become Holy
by David Wilkerson

God can´t use a man until He gets him on holy ground. A holy
God must have a holy man on holy ground.

Holy ground is not a physical place, but a spiritual one. When God
commanded Moses to take off his shoes because he was on holy
ground, He was not referring to a two-by-four piece of real estate.
He was talking about a spiritual state.

God called Moses from the burning bush, commanding him:

"Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou
standest is holy ground. . ." (Exodus 3:5).

The place was holy! What place? The spiritual condition he had
finally come to. Moses had arrived at a place in his growth where
God could get through to him. He was now at the place of reception,
ready to listen. He was mature and ready to be dealt with by a holy God.

Please don´t think for a moment that Moses alone was on holy
ground. So was all of Israel, even though they were at the end of
their hope. I have never believed God would keep an entire nation
under slavery just to give Moses time to mature into a gracious
leader. Our Lord is no respecter of persons. God, in those 40 trying
years, was preparing Israel as well as Moses. By way of loving
judgment, the Lord was driving Israel back to holy ground - back
to a hunger for Jehovah.

While Moses was on the mountain being stripped of all his rights -
because that is what was meant by the removal of his shoes -
Israel was in the valley being stripped of all human strength. Moses
would have no rights; Israel, no strength. God could prove Himself
strong on their behalf in no other way. The great "I AM" was being revealed!

-Source-

http://sentinellenehemie.free.fr/wilkersondavidw1_gb.html

DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT

DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT
“In the flow of the Spirit, it actually requires more mental gymnastics to walk down the wrong path than to walk down the right one. We disguise most of these gymnastics from ourselves, but they are there all the same. The first thing we must do if we are going to give in to temptation is wrapped up in the single word quench.

“God will never lead us to manage a desire in a sinful way. If I want to walk down the wrong road, I must begin by silencing God's divine voice within me. I must be careful not to pray about this desire with a submitted spirit. I must make sure I don't talk about this desire with wise friends who will hold me accountable. I must make sure I don't look carefully at passages of Scripture on the subject and reflect on them. I must do all these things without recognizing I am doing them. I must keep myself in a state of spiritual and mental vagueness where God is concerned.

“Do not quench the Spirit,” Paul says. Any time I have a desire, the Spirit will prompt me to set it before God and ask the question, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do with this?’ Or I can simply ask regarding any course of behavior, ‘If I walk down this road, where will it lead in the long run -- toward or away from the me I want to be?’
- John Ortberg, The Me I Want To Be

THE WELSH REVIVAL of 1904-05

THE WELSH REVIVAL of 1904-05
by Oliver W. Price

During the spring of 1904 a young Welshman named Evan Roberts
was repeatedly awakened at 1:00 a.m. He met with God until
5:00am. The Welsh revival followed. Churches were packed for
prayer meetings. In a prayer meeting for young people, Pastor
Joseph Jenkins asked for testimonies. A young girl named Florrie
Evans, who had only been a believer a few days, rose and with a
trembling voice said simply, "I love Jesus with all my heart." The
other young people's hearts were melted. A powerful spiritual
awakening that brought 100,000 people to Christ was under way.

On November 7th, 1904 Moraih Chapel was filled to capacity for
a prayer meeting that lasted until 3:00 a.m. Soul winning spread
through the coalmines. Profane swearing stopped. Even the miners'
horses were puzzled when their masters stopped cursing. Orders
to the Bible Society "for Scriptures from Wales during November
and December, were over three times the amount for the
corresponding months of 1903..." The Times said this resulted
from the Welsh revival, adding that this demand showed no sign
of falling off.

"The mighty and unseen breath of the Spirit was doing in a month
more than centuries of legislation could accomplish" the pastor of
Saint John's-Wood Presbyterian Church declared on Sunday,
January 1st, 1905 according to the London Times.The Welsh revival
"had a great effect" in healing spiritual carelessness among Christians
and "the growing bitterness which has accentuated our unhappy
divisions", the Bishop of Bangor declared on January 2nd, 1905.
He called "congregations to meet together often for united prayer."

The Times added that "the religious revival in Wales continues...
with unabated zeal." Huge crowds were attending the meetings.
Bible verses covered the doors down in the coalmines. "At
Swansea the Poor Law guardians...dealt with revival cases in
which people...have taken their parents from the workhouse. The
Welsh revival movement has shown no sign of flagging...", The
Times pointed out on January 10th. Entire congregations were
on their knees in fervent prayer and "for the first time there was
not a single case of drunkenness at the Swansea Petty Sessions."

The Times observed that "The whole population had been suddenly
stirred by a common impulse. Religion had become the absorbing
interest of their lives. They had gathered at crowded services for
six and eight hours at a time. Political meetings and even football
matches were postponed...quarrels between trade-union workmen
and non-unionists had been made up... At Glyn-Neath a feud had
existed for the past 10 or 12 years between the two Independent
chapels, but during the past week united services have been held
in both chapels, and the ministers have shaken hands before the
congregations."

The Salvation Army set apart January 19th, 1905 for a day of
confession, humiliation, and prayer throughout England, Ireland,
Scotland, and Wales. All day prayer meetings were held in many
of the principal cities of the British Isles, according to the London
Times. The meeting was marked by "fervent prayer and any one
who felt called upon to pray." Fires of spiritual revival and moral
recovery were spreading.

The revival fires burning in Wales in 1904-05 spread through
England, Ireland and Scotland. Prayer meetings multiplied. As
many as 2,000 attended a prayer meeting in the city of Bradford.
In the City of Leeds, Samuel Chadwick reported that his church
was never empty all day...