theUprising

Outflow - True Revival: A Transformative Habitation Of God - Part 2

2011-12-18T23:41:00.009-06:00

God's true habitation can only outflow to those who have been crucified and are dead. For He can only inhabit those who have been resurrected from the dead; and there must first be a crucifixion before there is ever a resurrection! If I am crucified with Christ, then I have died to myself, my ambitions, my plans, my desires... my sins, so that the resurrection power and life of Christ will make its habitation in me. Yea, though I am dead, yet am I alive! And the life I now live, I live by the faith of the One who makes His habitation in me! (Gal. 2:20 paraphrased) We must move all of ourselves out, so that He can move all of Himself in. That is the true fullness of His habitation! But our crucifixion can only come when we spend time before our heavenly Father, just as Jesus did, praying: "Not my will, but Your will be done!"

©2011 Richard Lewis Jones

Outflow - True Revival: A Transformative Habitation Of God - Part 1

2011-12-11T00:21:00.007-06:00

The outflow of God's habitation in His Church is to a people who are willing to yield to His will and His Spirit. True revival is something that is often talked about and hoped for, but is rarely experienced in its humbling and transformative fullness. Man can not make revival happen. He might try to hold a special series of meetings in a church or put up a tent somewhere and try to call it a revival, but God can not, and will not, be manipulated into pouring-out a revival; it is a sovereign move of God. But God is looking to-and-fro for a people who's heart is stayed on Him. He is looking for a people who hunger and thirst for His habitation, not just a visitation. And when God inhabits His people, He not only transforms them, but He also transforms everything and everyone around them to the glory of God!

©2011 Richard Lewis Jones

Time of Tribulation - Corrie Ten Boom

2011-12-03T18:37:00.002-06:00

The world is deathly ill. It is dying. The Great Physician has already signed the death certificate. Yet there is still a great work for Christians to do. They are to be streams of living water, channels of mercy to those who are still in the world. It is possible for them to do this because they are overcomers.

Christians are ambassadors for Christ. They are representatives from Heaven to this dying world. And because of our presence here, things will change.

My sister, Betsy, and I were in the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbruck because we committed the crime of loving Jews. Seven hundred of us from Holland, France, Russia, Poland and Belgium were herded into a room built for two hundred. As far as I knew, Betsy and I were the only two representatives of Heaven in that room.

We may have been the Lord's only representatives in that place of hatred, yet because of our presence there, things changed. Jesus said, "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We too, are to be overcomers – bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with darkness and hate.

Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you too are afraid, that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to shouting "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" for I have found where it is written that Jesus said, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be His God, and he shall be My son." This is the future and hope of this world. Not that the world will survive – but that we shall be overcomers in the midst of a dying world.

Betsy and I, in the concentration camp, prayed that God would heal Betsy who was so weak and sick. "Yes, the Lord will heal me,", Betsy said with confidence. She died the next day and I could not understand it. They laid her thin body on the concrete floor along with all the other corpses of the women who died that day.

It was hard for me to understand, to believe that God had a purpose for all that. Yet because of Betsy's death, today I am traveling all over the world telling people about Jesus.

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China, the Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated – raptured." Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, "We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes – to stand and not faint."

I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to escape it. We are next.

Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus' sake, and since I met the Bishop in China, now every time I read a good Bible text I think, "Hey, I can use that in the time of tribulation." Then I write it down and learn it by heart.

When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty percent of the women came out alive, we tried to cheer each other up by saying, "Nothing could be any worse than today." But we would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible verse that I had committed to memory gave me great hope and joy. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part evil is spoken of, but on your part He is glorified." (I Peter 3:14) I found myself saying, "Hallelujah! Because I am suffering, Jesus is glorified!"

In America, the churches sing, "Let the congregation escape tribulation", but in China and Africa the tribulation has already arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations. But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners. Many, many members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation.

Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new government had come into power. The first night I was there some of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians in the district were being systematically murdered.

The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came, but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, "Will this one I am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?"

The room was hot and stuffy with insects that came through the screenless windows and swirled around the naked bulbs over the bare wooden benches. I told them a story out of my childhood.

"When I was a little girl, " I said, "I went to my father and said, "Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ." "Tell me," said Father, "When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?" "No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train." "That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need – just in time…"

My African friends were nodding and smiling. Suddenly a spirit of joy descended upon that church and the people began singing, "In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore." Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed. I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago.

But I must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life.

How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other. But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christian's life.

Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to run. I, too, am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years, including the horrible nazi concentration camp, that I might have to go through the tribulation also. But then I read the Bible and I am glad.

When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and I were prisoners for the Lord, we were so weak, but we got power because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not be strong in yourself when the tribulation comes. Rather, you will be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has He ever left me, or let me down. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, for I know that to all who overcome, He shall give the crown of life. Hallelujah!

-Corrie Ten Boom, 1974.

Outflow - Obedience Unto Death?

2011-11-21T13:02:00.007-06:00

Obedience to God requires all of us who are His to lay down our own agendas, our own ways, and our own ideas, in order that we might receive the outflow of His will in our own lives. Jesus was obedient, even unto death on a cross. By Christ's example of obedience, we are being asked to follow Him in our own obedience, even if it requires great sacrifice. We are called to "love not our own lives even unto death". The early apostles of Jesus were each obedient to His commands to go into all the world and preach the gospel of His Kingdom, and to make disciples of all nations. As they did, they were all persecuted, some even unto death. Are we willing to be obedient to that great an extent? Are we really ready to be obedient to Christ, even if it costs us our lives? It just might!

©2011 Richard Lewis Jones

Are We Incarnating The Life Of Christ And The Kingdom Of God To The World?

2011-11-18T16:52:00.010-06:00

In response to the many arguments that have come to fore with regard to the death of larger, older, and denominational churches: I believe the Church universal, as an amalgam of varying styles, methods, locations, mission, vision, tribes and tongues, as long as it does not stray from the basic tenants and orthodoxy of biblical teaching, and as long as it is focused on the missio Dei (mission of God), is just fine with the One who purchased the Church with His own blood. Any church, whether it be a small house church, a larger gathering in a building, or an open air gathering, if it does not incarnate the life of Christ and the Kingdom of God or preach Christ and Him crucified, all that they attempt to do is certainly done in vain. Furthermore, Acts chapter 4 was clear that the Church met daily IN THE TEMPLE AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE. To imply that one is more approved unto God than another is in error.

It takes all manner of people, personalities, callings, and giftings to make up the Ekklesia. Certainly if we were all attending smaller house gatherings, there wouldn't be enough resources to fund much in the area of domestic or foreign missions. Furthermore, as a pastor of a smaller church community myself, I find that smaller gatherings are often times hindered in their vision and mission because quite a bit of that vision and mission requires substantial provision in order to accomplish the task. This takes many people who are willing, and called, to come along-side in order to help fund that vision and mission. This usually requires brick and mortar facilities to accommodate the gathering of the saints and to centralize operations in order to proficiently house those operations which are critical to accomplishing the God-given vision and mission. (Of course, the key phrase here is "God-given".)

No matter whether you are pro house church, or pro larger gatherings, if that body of believers has become stagnant and just holding on to the status-quo, they have become disobedient to God and are at risk of having their one "talent" taken away and given to the one who has multiplied the "talents" that were given to them. I have seen house churches and mega-churches both bury their "talents". As an example, there are at least two mega-churches in my city that exceed 20,000 members EACH! They have certainly managed to create their own "kingdoms". But if each of these churches divided into 20 churches of 1000 people each, they would total 40 churches of 1000 people spread out around the city and would have a HUGE impact in their respective neighborhoods! But they continue to follow the old, tired attractional model of church rather than become missionally and incarnationally focused. This is inefficient and being wasteful of the "talents" that were given to them.

As long as the majority of churches continue on the track of being attractional and inward focused, there will be many who join the growing anti-church movement. In the current postmodern, and post-postmodern world, we must be truly incarnational and demonstrate the love and power of Christ within the context of our local communities. When the people within our respective communities begin to see the cross working in our lives and changing us, and when they see the true power of Christ in manifestation just like they did in the book of Acts when Peter encountered the crippled man at the gate, then perhaps we will begin to see a less contentious environment towards the Church.

©2011 Richard Lewis Jones

Is Churchianity Killing The Church?

2011-11-02T12:11:00.006-05:00

We all know that the back door of many churches is much bigger than the front door. People are leaving traditional churches in unprecedented numbers. Many more people don’t really care one bit where the front or back doors are, and they certainly don’t want to get anywhere near a church on Sunday. Some would say that an unfriendly atmosphere is the reason people are leaving in droves, or not even coming to church in the first place. However, it is only one of myriad reasons why the mainline churches are dying.

The "2000 pound elephant in the room" is the churchianity subculture that exists in most churches today. That subculture has caused the church to have minimal impact on an increasingly hostile landscape due to a serious lack of relevance within the broader cultural and postmodern context. It is imperative we drop all our pretentious Christianese language and unfruitful traditions, and begin to see how others outside of the church view our conversations and behaviors. Just our conversation alone can drive people away because it seems like a foreign language to them. We MUST begin to see and hear ourselves through the eyes and ears of the un-churched and make radical adjustments to our churchianity culture. In other words, WE MUST GET REAL!

The other thing that is killing off churches faster than rat poison in a room full of rats is our "model" of church. Are we being missional/incarnational or are we still trying to be attractional in our form of church? 90% of churches today are still operating an attractional model of church. THAT IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE! We must stop trying to be consumer oriented and programmatic. Just hoping and praying that the products and programs we offer will cause people to come to the church on Sunday is failing, THEY ARE NOT COMING! We must begin to look at the context around us as a mission field and go into that context incarnationally. And while the orthodoxy of our message of Christ and Him crucified never changes, it has become necessary that we contextualize our methods of getting that message to those who are outside of the Church. This means we need to be creative and get our hands dirty. It also means we need to develop loving, compassionate, and authentic relationships with those God providentially brings across our path; and according to Luke, chapter 14, those He sends across our path will look more like the lame, blind, sick, maimed, and poor.

We have a mandate from our Lord Jesus Christ to GO into all the world… the world DOES NOT have a mandate to come to us! I believe the word "GO" is an acronym for "God Ordained". When we GO into all the world God ordains us to bear fruit for His Kingdom, and the churches will stop dying when we start going! North America is now the largest English speaking mission field on the planet! The Church has abdicated its responsibility to send its people as lights into the darkness. Today, most churches are nothing but a bunch of dim bulbs trying to outshine one another! As we go, we cannot drag our churchianity with us, we must leave it behind and learn how to become all things to all people just as the apostle Paul did when he went to the Areopagus on Mars Hill, and it is written that many there believed. He didn't win them by cursing their gods; he won them over by showing them the one true God.

Like Paul, our community of Christ followers have won many to God by GOing into the marketplace. We are learning to stop speaking in our shallow and irrelevant Christianese language. Instead, we just ask questions; then shut-up, wait for an answer and listen. People want to know someone genuinely cares and is listening to them. We are learning daily what it means to walk in compassion and love as we endeavor to walk in radical servanthood. This is what it means to be missional and incarnational.

The only way we will ever keep the church from dying, is when we as Christ followers start living! And that means we must live intentionally and incarnationally by demonstrating the love and power of Christ to those around us who are in darkness and without hope. Again, we are going to have to be creative and often times take huge risks in order to look more like Christ in an ever-changing cultural, political, and religious environment. But who ever said following Jesus was safe?

©2011 Richard Lewis Jones

Outflow - Walking In a Strange Land

2011-06-04T16:26:00.002-05:00

The apostle Paul's great desire was to see the Church formed into the image of Christ through the outflow of God's Mystery, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory! As we come to the revelation of the mystery, we will seek only that which is of Christ, not of men. If it is not of Christ, then it must be rejected; for if we are Christ's, then nothing of this world should be found in us. The things of this world are temporal. However, we who are in Christ are eternal beings who are on a temporal journey through a strange land; this is not our home. Our home is an eternal kingdom and we are to glorify our King in this world by putting on His image.

©2011 Richard L. Jones

Outflow - Gifts of the Holy Spirit

2011-05-14T11:42:00.003-05:00

The outflow of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the edification of the believer and for the building up of the body of Christ in order that God's Kingdom may be known and expanded in the world. These gifts are not natural talents but a supernatural empowerment that every believer can confidently expect. It is not a power that is subject to human agendas; instead it is an empowerment that is given by God sovereignly for His mission and purpose in the earth. In His humanity, Jesus was fully empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the miraculous. Today the Holy Spirit empowers us with His gifts so that we can live the incarnate life that points people to Jesus.

©2011 Richard L. Jones

Outflow - The Divine High Calling of Motherhood

2011-05-07T02:03:00.004-05:00

God, our Father, brought forth His Son Jesus into the world through the womb of a mother. It was in Mary that He shows motherhood to be a Divine high calling for women. The outflow of God's love for man was poured out through the Holy Spirit when He overshadowed Mary and deposited the Divine, Holy Seed in her. After giving birth to our Savior, Mary raised Jesus up, nurturing Him as only a mother could, knowing that God had a redemptive purpose in Him. And though motherhood is not an easy calling, it is a rewarding one in light of Divine destiny; that God knows each child before they are formed in their mother's womb.

©2011 Richard L. Jones

"Passover" - by Joe Day of Mars Hill Church Seattle

2011-03-04T02:02:00.001-06:00

What amazing worship.

Michigan Police Accused of Honor Killing Cover-up

2011-02-24T15:25:00.003-06:00

Michigan Police Accused of Honor Killing Cover-Ups

In Dearborn, Michigan there is a large population of Muslims who have considerable political clout. The past two summers, Christians have been arrested for witnessing at the Dearborn Arab Festival.

The Christians were peacefully engaging in conversations when the Dearborn police falsely arrested them for disturbing the peace. In both cases, the charges were eventually dropped.

Now the Christians are suing the Dearborn Police Department for violating their civil rights. Contained in the lawsuit are explosive allegations from a Dearborn police officer that there have been Muslim honor killings that have been covered up by the police.

Muslims in the US have been convicted for the honor killings of family members.

TAKE ACTION:

Help us demand an investigation of the Dearborn police department into the alleged cover-ups. Contact these Michigan Senators from the State Police and Military Affairs subcommittee, and demand that they investigate police corruption in Dearborn Michigan.

Senator Colbeck (R)
Call: (517)373-7350
SenPColbeck@senate.michigan.gov

Senator Pappageorge (R)
Call: (517) 373-2523
Contact online, click here.

Senator Gregory (D)
Call: (517) 373-7888
SenVGregory@senate.michigan.gov

Copyright © 2011 Christian Anti-Defamation Commission.

American Missionary from Bradenton Imprisoned in Haiti Since October

2011-02-24T15:04:00.005-06:00

Click on the link and read this article over at Charisma Magazine, then take action by writing or calling the U.S. State Department.
American Missionary from Bradenton Imprisoned in Haiti Since October

The Old Cross and the New -A.W. Tozer

2011-02-03T23:05:00.018-06:00

All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental. From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique-a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and a jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill-seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship."

The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public. The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross. The old cross is a
symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended.

The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more. The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape.

God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life. That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers.

The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die. We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him. What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die. Having done this let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power.

The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ. To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to God's approval. Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.
(-A. W. Tozer, Man, the Dwelling Place of God, 1966).

Outflow - The Light of His Mercy and Grace

2010-08-08T00:43:00.009-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow of God's grace and mercy is a light that shines out of darkness. It is the light that has shined in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6). In other words, the light of God's mercy and grace is the person of Jesus Christ. In John 8:12, Jesus declared, "I AM the light of the world." And that Light has now come to dwell in us and He manifests His mercy and grace through us. We are no longer ourselves, but we are now children of light, and the light of Christ outflows from us just as a lamp that is set upon a hill; we cannot be hidden. Instead we shine as a beacon of hope, looking like a cross to a dying humanity.

©2010 Richard L. Jones

Acts 17 Apologetics Video at Arab Festival 2010: Nabeel and Paul's Arrest in Dearborn

2010-07-24T02:16:00.001-05:00

The video doesn't lie. But the Dearborn, MI police seem to think they can lie about violating the civil rights of Christians who have a Constitutional right to be on a public sidewalk and share their faith. Sharia Law has come to America.

Acts 17 Apologetics Ministries Video of Arrest at 2010 Arab Festival

2010-07-24T01:53:00.001-05:00

I thank God that Acts 17 got their camera equioment back. It shows Dearborn Police violated the civil rights of Negeen, the young lady who was video recording the Acts 17 team giving out copies of the gospel of John.

An Open Message To Dearborn Police Chief

2010-07-10T11:08:00.001-05:00

We as Christians must stand together with Acts 17 Apologetics ministries by praying for their equipment to be returned unadulterated, and for complete justice regarding Chief Haddad's gross violation of Acts 17 Apologetics' constitutional rights. If we do not stand together as Christians in a (supposed) free society, then we will all eventually be subject to the same oppression that was perpetrated in Dearborn, MI by the Dearborn Police Department.

Outflow - Justice, Truth, Liberty, and Righteousness For All Men

2010-07-03T15:59:00.010-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow of a free and sovereign nation must be justice, truth, and liberty to all who dwell therein. To take away any one of those three things will ultimately put people in bondage to the will of those who rule over them. The outflow of God's sovereign kingdom is justice, truth, liberty, and righteousness. All who dwell therein freely submit their will to the will of Him who loves us and who gave His only begotten Son to die on a cross for us; that we would take on His righteousness and walk in the fullness of His justice, truth, and liberty, living in bondage to no man.

©2010 Richard L. Jones

Outflow - Freedom From Religious Works

2010-06-26T23:19:00.007-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Living in bondage to religious works is one of the greatest hinderances to the outflow of God's kingdom through a believer. Religious works are merely works of the flesh that try, in a vain attempt, to earn God's favor. Yet when we come to realize that God's unmerited favor is in us because of His grace, we are set free to exhibit the reign of God in our lives through the works He has prepared beforehand for us to walk in. We then walk in this world as Christ walked. We are seen by others as living oracles of God, epistles read by all men. And religious works pale by comparison.

©2010 Richard L. Jones

Christians Persecuted in Dearborn by Muslims at Islamic Street Festival

2010-06-21T23:33:00.004-05:00

This doesn't really surprise me at all. This is nothing compared to the persecutions that are coming upon the Church in the U.S.

Letter to A Reluctant Prophet

2010-05-22T02:06:00.010-05:00

- by Chip Brogden

Dear Friend,

It is with a certain fearfulness that I respond to your inquiry, for I am not an authority on such things. I can certainly relate to your reluctance at being identified among the company of the prophets when so many false apostles, prophets, and teachers abound. I wish I could point you in a proper direction, but I can only point you towards the Lord. It is He who selects His messengers, and I have nothing to offer you by way of what to do.

At most, perhaps you can look upon me as an example of what NOT to do, and take some word of counsel from a weak brother who has made many mistakes and endured many failures along the way. Perhaps you too will have to make even the same mistakes in order to learn, yet following my advice could perhaps help you to avoid the unnecessary heartache and cruelty inflicted upon yourself and others when thinking that you are doing God a service.

I would counsel you, first of all, to be a Christian. Do not spend too much time focused on that which is prophetic. Do not come to others as a prophet, but as a child. Let Christ be your obsession, not the prophetic word. For “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” There need not be turmoil in your heart about your calling; it is clear that you are among those that are “the Called, according to His purpose.” And what is His purpose? That you be “conformed to the image of His dear Son.” That, above all, is your first calling.

Many are eager to wear the Prophet’s mantle, but are reluctant to bear the Christian’s cross. This cannot be. Given the choice between Christian or Prophet, choose Christian. Serve God as the earthen vessel you are, in the place you find yourself to be. Perhaps the Lord will indeed use you in some prophetic way, but if not then at least you have been faithful with the “one talent” you have been given. God will not give five talents to those who cannot be faithful with one, and will not give ten to those who cannot be faithful with five.

If you are a Christian first you will remember that you should walk softly, with meekness and humility, while esteeming others as better than yourself. Then the prophetic word, when and if it comes, will be seasoned with the appropriate amounts of mercy and grace. Remember that without love you will inevitably become as sounding brass – all judgment. If we cannot or will not stay in Love, God will set out to humble us shamefully before our brothers and sisters that we may know the depths of our hypocrisy and self-righteousness. That is evidence of HIS great love for all of us.

Now, concerning the prophetic word itself. God will give you the “what”, but the “when” and the “how” are left up to you. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” You can be right on target with the “what”, but if you screw up the “when”, and especially the “how”, you do yourself and others unnecessary harm.

Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you (this speaks of RESTRAINT on the way WE want to go) and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” What then? He gives us liberty to speak, but allows us to suffer for speaking out of ourselves. He bids us to be restrained, to take our liberty and give it back to Him, knowing that we can do nothing of ourselves. He does not force us to wear the yoke, but invites us saying “take My yoke.” By giving up our freedom, we will receive it again.

No, we cannot just do what Jesus did, because Jesus bore the yoke of His Father at all times. We cast off the yoke so quickly. We are untrustworthy, but He is faithful. Let us not just imitate Him, but let us learn of Him. Let us not only be familiar with His Word, but let us become acquainted with His Ways. It is not enough to memorize what He said, we must take His yoke upon us and walk in tandem with Him.

Since Christ bids us to “learn of ME”, beware of those who will try to gain access into your life with an inordinate desire to mentor or shepherd you. We may certainly seek the advice, prayers, and counsel of other mature believers. Even the little children in the Kingdom of God can teach us much. But people can only carry us so far, and there is a certain human pride which results in the teachers trying to form the students into their own image. This will not do. The Anointing, Who is the Christ, will teach you all things. His Spirit will lead you into all Truth. His grace is sufficient. There is no man or woman who can give you anything apart from what you have already in Jesus, for we have been “blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ”.

Do you see dear friend, that God is more concerned with the messenger than the message? Do you see that the minister is more important than the ministry? If the messenger is wrong, the message will be wrong too. If the minister is wrong, the ministry will be wrong. And do you see that the Lord of the work is more important than the work of the Lord? Meditate on these things.

There really is no famine of the Word of God. If God is able to find the right vessel the Word will come forth in abundance. Therefore, He takes much time to mold, fashion, train, refine, purge, break down, build up, discipline and create His prophets. Yield to that process. It cannot be rushed, but it may certainly be hindered. We cannot force the Spirit, but we may certainly quench Him.

Ah, your gifts are given to you in a moment’s time, but your fruit, your character, YOU, develops over many seasons of God’s dealings. Do not be thrilled with your gifts, only observe if you are fruitful in Spirit, bearing much fruit, abounding in love, joy, peace, faithfulness, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, and self-control. You can be sure that there are more gifted people in the world than you, yet the fruit is what will remain when the gifts pass away. Never neglect the place of abiding in Him, and you will remain a fruitful branch in the Vine.

Expect misunderstanding. Expect persecution. Expect ridicule. Expect mistreatment. Expect suffering. Expect rejection. Then, you won’t be surprised when it comes. And when it comes, shut your mouth, go to the cross, and die so you can live. Learn to kiss the hands that nail you to the cross, for as you are decreased, He is increased. It is not a better living we need, but a better dying. We cannot reach Pentecost but by way of Passover. There can be no resurrection without a crucifixion. There is no crown without a cross. To live, is Christ: to die is gain.

So if you want to boast, take pride in the things that make you weak, for when you are weak, you are strong – in Him. Be afraid of the praise and acceptance of others, for they are the fertilizer for the self-important and grandiose thoughts that are yours by nature anyway, which spring up in the shallow ground of your carnal mind. Carry about the Death of the Lord so you may have the Life of the Lord. Be ready to suffer with Him, that you may reign with Him.

And now, some practical advice:

As much as possible, stay away from money. Freely you have received, freely give.

Have no part in foolish and unlearned questions, either in the asking of them or in the answering of them. Give up your opinions and go to the cross.

Refuse to promote yourself, “your” word, or “your” ministry. If God gives you something to say, let Him see to the promotion of it.

The loftiest spiritual service will never take away from the most mundane earthly responsibility. Take care of your family, your pet, your lawn, your business, your neighbor. Keep your teeth brushed and your hair combed.

Don’t be afraid to make tents. If you want to eat, work.

Be slow to anger and quick to forgive.

Before, you would never apologize even when you knew you were wrong. Now, be willing to apologize even when you know you are right.

This is my counsel, dear friend, and perhaps something I have said in this brief letter will bear witness with you. With these words then, I commit you to the care of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is able to complete the work which He has begun in you and see you through to maturity, as you are rooted and grounded in Him, being thoroughly equipped and strengthened by His Might which works in those who have taken up the cross to find power in weakness.

I am your brother,
Chip Brogden
http://theschoolofchrist.org/

EXPELLED LAOTIAN BELIEVERS URGENTLY NEED OUR PRAYERS

2010-03-17T13:18:00.002-05:00

Last month, the Be-A-Voice Network asked you to pray for a group of Laotian Christians who were expelled from Katin village. When the Christians refused to renounce their faith, local authorities forced them to walk six kilometers outside the village, where they were abandoned without food or shelter.

VOM contacts now report that these believers need our urgent prayer. On March 15, seven Katin believers were summoned to the district office of Ta-Oyl district. The district head of Ta-Oyl, Mr. Bounma, urged the seven believers to reconsider their decision to follow the Christian faith. When the Christians again refused to renounce their faith, the district head stated that although the Lao constitution and law provide for freedom of religion in Laos, he is not going to allow Christianity in his district. The district head was adamant that if the Katin believers refuse to give up their Christian faith, they will be forced to move to districts that tolerate Christianity. The Katin believers later learned that the officials plan to burn down their temporary shelters along with 11 temporary homes under construction at the site where they were taken on Jan. 10.

Please pray for these believers as authorities continue to threaten their lives and belongings. Pray for their safety and health; many are sick and in need of medical treatment.

Email From John Peel - PRAY!!!

2010-02-23T21:41:00.005-06:00

From: John and Jan Peel
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:46
Subject: New Level Of Violence In Our City

Last night the militia belonging to one of the cartels, moved into our city of Miguel Aleman, across from Roma, Tx., attacked the city's police dept killing approx a half dozen of them and beheading them. Most of the policemen surrendered quickly and were handcuffed or tied up and kidnapped. Others are thought to have escaped across the river into the US. City Hall has been taken over by these pirates and all the elected officials are under house arrest. All 27 public schools are shut down as well as the private ones. I just came back across to Roma for the 2nd time today, but my experience on the streets of my city of Miguel Aleman has been erie to say the least. At this time the strong military presence in town is not moving and I was informed that they are awaiting a large military contingency with even aircraft cover, to take the city back and enforce the rule of law. The big fire-fight is yet in the making.

Prayer requests: (1.) As an organization, we are being told by the Spirit to move quickly. I have spoken to the owner of the powerful, secular radio station in Miguel Aleman concerning daily time to minister the Gospel to the fearful and the needy... we are presently waiting for his response in the next several hours (2.) As soon as we get radio time, we sense that the Lord would have us begin a early evening evangelistic service at the Dream Center, 7 nights per week. (3) Because there is tremendous physical hunger in the city, we will operate a soup kitchen at the Dream Center two meals per day, seven days per week. (4.) that the Lord would supply every person, His holy gifts, to make all this happen on such short notice and that the Lord would provide for the resources to meet every need.

That the light of His love would shine so strongly and that the prophetic Word given numerous times that this would be a Storehouse of His Glory would now be birthed in the middle of chaos and destruction. Aleluya!!!!!!!!!

John Peel

Somebody's Baby - by Jon Foreman

2009-12-11T02:17:00.004-06:00

Melissa Barrett sent this video to me via Facebook. I was powerfully reminded how 2 weeks earlier Melissa and I prayed for a young woman at a local QuikTrip who was living on the streets. She had her 3-month-old baby with her wrapped up in a blanket. The young woman was an exotic dancer who was trying to survive life on the cold streets of Tulsa. So she would leave her baby at the babysitter's all night while she worked at a local bar dancing for tips. We were able to give her some new tennis shoes to replace the ones she had on that had big holes in them. After praying with her I wept.

After watching this piece by Jon Foreman, I though of that young woman again and cried. Please let this video touch you and bring compassion into your heart.

Judgement Seat of Christ - Leonard Ravenhill

2009-11-29T01:16:00.004-06:00

Redemptive Intercessory Prayer @ Murder Sites - prayer team on the news!

2009-11-20T10:20:00.018-06:00

As we were out November 19th praying over 4 murder sites, that counted for 5 homicides, we came across the news media who asked me to do an interview and then taped us as we prayed at the site of a drug related murder. Of course only a very small portion of the full interview was aired, but I believe that God was glorified!!

Video takes about 1 min. to load.
We can be seen at the 1:27 mark.

Casual Christians?

2009-10-14T22:33:00.014-05:00

By Darren Smith

Is there any such thing as a casual Christian? I have heard this term a lot in recent times, and to tell you the truth it makes me sick. But as I have thought about this subject and spent time looking around at the body as a whole, I venture to say for the most part it is true of the church today. Before you get angry and stop reading, please hear me out.

How many believers do you know that are really sold out for Christ?...I mean those that Christ is the central focus of their life...a person that has died to self and relies totally on Christ for his substance...one who is willing to sacrifice even to the point of their well being to serve the Lord.

For a long time we have heard sermon after sermon on giving 10% to the church, and yet according to current research, only 30% of the people give 10%. This is sad, but considering that most of that doesn't go to do the work of the ministry its not surprising. I'm not trying to teach on the tithe system, I'm using this as an example of the casual attitude of believers. But I want to take it much deeper than this and ask some very hard questions.

How much of your time do you give to the Lord? Do you spend more time on you than on the Lord? More time on entertainment or hobby's than you do in service to the Lord? Many times people tell us: "We would love to come and help you guys in the street but we are just so busy we simply can not find the time." I wonder if they ever stop to think that we have to sacrifice and make time ourselves. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, the Lord blesses us and I wouldn't be anywhere else, but it requires sacrifice for us to be here as well. I just want you to see that if you are willing to serve, God will bless you. We have people all the time say: "I have never seen God's power and grace like this in my life." Many of these people have been in church all their life and have never ministered to anyone.

Another response we get is: "I'm not called to do that type of ministry." Oh really? I believe we are all called to take the Gospel to the world, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to take care of the widows and orphans. To make excuses and put off these things places you in the casual realm. Many will go to church once a week and then go right out and serve themselves all week without doing anything for the Lord. Trust me, "I didn't have time" will not help them in that day when they stand before the Lord. What makes this so sad is that many of them will never hear a message on repentance and total commitment to the Lord because this type of message is not popular in the modern church. It doesn't fill the offering plate or the seats. Instead we hear funny stories and jokes from the pulpit along with humanistic teachings on self-help and prosperity. This system has created the casual Christian which is no Christian at all. So many have been converted to a false religion of self seeking and greed. What is worse, they think they are fine because everyone they know is a casual Christian as well. When they come in contact with a sold out believer, it makes them very uncomfortable. When they hear a repentance message they label it extreme and harsh. These same casual Christians see the world going to hell around them, yet they are not affected by it at all. The thought of sacrifice is foreign to them. Material wealth is equated with blessings from the Lord. After all, many pulpits teach this for self enrichment, so in their mind it's ok.

The reason I write this is for an awakening. We all must look into our heart and see if we are sold out to the Lord. We all have areas we can improve and should! We must get this type of word out and the body must mobilize for the battle. We all will have to sacrifice. We were not put here to live our best life now, our best life is yet to come when the Lord returns. I know this is very convicting, but it must be said. We must repent and give our whole life to the Lord, and that means everything, all of us, everything we are and all we could ever become. We must give it all to the Lord.

So I ask you again, is there any such thing as a casual Christian or maybe more important, are you a casual Christian?

Darren Smith is the pastor of Streetscape Ministries.
Click here to go to Streetscape Ministries website

The Dangerous Church

2009-09-24T12:01:00.003-05:00

Bob Roberts // The Dangerous Church from Todd Rhoades on Vimeo.

VIDEO: Tornado Leaves Cross Hanging Upside-Down on Central Lutheran Church As Lutherans Vote On Homosexuality!

2009-08-24T13:03:00.004-05:00

Outflow - Authentic Relationship

2009-08-22T22:27:00.007-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Authentic relationship is the natural extension of genuine love being poured out on others because you see their value through the eyes of God. When God came to earth in the form of a man, He came as a servant. When you love someone and serve them as Jesus loved and served others, they will freely desire to enter into a heartfelt, sincere and faithful relationship because they know you place a high value on them, just as God places a value on them and gave His only begotten Son for their redemption.

©2009 Richard Jones

The Wedding of Purity and Power

2009-08-06T12:29:00.010-05:00

by Paul Holdren.

The wedding of purity and power is a concept that the Holy Spirit is promoting among believers in these latter days. As stated earlier, in the late 1860s after the Civil War, a wave of the Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind moving across the land bringing a fresh awareness of the requirements of God to live a life pleasing to Him. This was to be accomplished by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the 1906 Azusa Street outpouring in the City of Los Angeles, the church began to be reawakened to the powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit. This too was to be accomplished by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Since the advent of the Azusa Street outpouring, the body of Christ has been divided into the purity and power camps.

For the past 100 years the Body of Christ has gotten as much attention from its wild fires as it has from its Holy Ghost fire. For the power camp the emphasis upon purity was almost anathema. For the purity camp the emphasis upon power was almost anathema. This was because each camp expressed doctrinal positions that were unacceptable to the other. They vehemently rejected each others' positions. The power camp noticed that purity expressed without power became both legalistic and limiting. The purity camp noticed that power expressed without purity became both carnal and limiting. Only by the wedding of these two beautiful doctrines can the Spirit of God gain full authority and appreciation within the Body of Christ.

In the present time, the Spirit of Christ is calling the Body of Christ to be reunited in a mighty outpouring of His Holy presence - the Spirit's wedding of purity and power. Each doctrine has something the other needs, a compliment to and completion of God's design for the wholeness of the church. The power camp needs to know of an exclusive holy love that is expressed out of a pure affection for the Holy ONE. The purity camp needs to know a holy power being expressed out of a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's gifts. The purity camp needs to share the beauty of holiness in the spirit of humility. The power camp needs to share the gifts of power in the spirit of humility. The purity camp needs to exercise the power of Christ in "signs and wonders." The power camp needs to exercise purity in "laying one's life down" for another. With a discerning spirit, each can benefit from the other, for these are perilous times in which we live.

Ezekiel added this dimension when he wrote of the prophecies involving the requirements of how the priests were to keep the holy law of the temple (Ezekiel 44-45) and when he wrote of the river flowing from under the threshold of the temple (Ezekiel 47:1-12). The purity of the priests was revealed in that they were to have a certain appearance, conduct themselves in a particular manner, and serve others in a specific way. Everything about the Holiest of All is pure: pure oil, pure clothes, a pure man placing the lamb's pure blood on the pure gold of the mercy seat. This was to be a pure presentation of righteousness, given to a pure and Holy God. The "Holiest of All" is the place of purity. It is here that the river of life has its head waters, emanating from the holiness of God.

The power of the river of God continually increased. The farther away from the temple it flowed, the deeper and wider it became. As the river flows, healing comes to everything in its path. Notice, however, it is the purity of the waters that allows it to contain healing virtue. It is the river's purity that allows the river to be saturated with holy power. By comparison, only powerful men can serve, but powerful men must serve with a pure love for God and their fellow man. It is time for a wedding of purity and power.

RUN! - Carter Conlon

2009-07-24T01:33:00.003-05:00

Sent to us by Melissa Barrett

Outflow - Good Tree or Bad Tree?

2009-07-24T01:09:00.006-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Jesus said in Mt.7:17: "...every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." Is the product of your outflow good fruit or bad fruit? Or worse, are you producing no fruit at all? Jesus is the vine and we are his branches, and the branches are to produce fruit. In Lk. 6:44 Jesus said: "Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers." We are grafted into the Tree of Life, and the fruit of our outflow should be good. So go and bear good fruit!

©2009 Richard Jones

A Call To Anguish - by David Wilkerson

2009-07-14T14:38:00.007-05:00

Back to the Cross - by Chip Brogden

2009-06-27T11:44:00.005-05:00

“For I determined to not know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified".
(I Corinthians 2:2)

Though Paul had quite a bit of knowledge and many things to say and teach the Corinthians, he determined to become a man of one subject: Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

We must become foolish in order to be wise.

We must give up everything in order to get back everything.

We must become weak in order to be strong.

We must die in order to live.

We can quote these teachings of Jesus, seek to imitate Him as our Example, strive to walk the narrow Way, and even accomplish many good deeds in His Name. But apart from the Cross these activities are wood, hay and stubble. The moment we are challenged or confronted by the opposition we will fall away. Perhaps we can appear to be patient, but a day comes when we lose our patience. Perhaps we can appear to be gentle, but a day comes when our roughness is revealed. Perhaps we can appear to be humble, but a day comes when pride is discovered in us and we fall. Perhaps we can obey the letter of the law and appear outwardly to others as being righteous, but when alone and faced with the secrets of our heart and mind we discover that the inside of the cup is full of uncleanness.

In calling us to come back to the Cross, God is asking us lay down our lives and embrace the Wisdom of death, burial, resurrection, and ascension in order to live as sons and daughters within the Kingdom of God. Apart from the Cross we can neither enter the Kingdom nor live in the Spirit, no matter how great the desire. For apart from the Cross, we do not know what it is to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us. Apart from the Cross, we do not know what it is to submit to the will of God, accept suffering, and cast ourselves upon Him.

Apart from the Cross, we do not know what Resurrection is.

Religion seeks to reform a man; the Cross seeks to crucify him. Religion may fail to bring about the desired result, but the Cross never fails to achieve its end. Mankind will pursue morality, virtue, spirituality, even perform religious works and good deeds, in order to avoid death on a Cross. But there are no wounds, no scars, no evidence of having ever died and been made alive unto God. Either a man has never died, or he has died and been raised again. You cannot fake a resurrection.

The Cross is the means by which God reduces us to Christ, that we may be raised to new Life. What cannot be accomplished in a lifetime of self-effort is easily accomplished in God through the Cross. We may take many shortcuts along the way and attempt to escape the inevitable, but the day we cease striving and meekly accept the Cross we find everything is done for us. In fact, death by crucifixion cannot be accomplished by suicide. We cannot crucify ourselves. The instrument of our death is chosen for us, as well as the manner in which it is carried out, the timing and the duration of the execution - all is controlled by Another. There is nothing to be done, for we must submit to the Unseen Hand and cast ourselves completely upon Him.

If we will follow Jesus, we must take up the cross daily, deny ourselves, and follow Him (Luke 9:23).
The Cross Is Wisdom Through Foolishness

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness (I Cor.1:18a).” There is a wisdom which comes from above. This wisdom is counter to the wisdom which is earthly. Our thoughts, reasonings, arguments, rationales, and opinions are worthless in God’s sight. We are commanded to have the mind of Christ and seek the Wisdom which comes from God.

Humanly speaking, the Cross makes no sense. If we approach God with our minds only, we will never know Him. If we study the Cross in order to gain a new teaching or doctrine it will make no impression on us. Indeed, we may memorize the appropriate verses of Scripture, even teach others what we have learned, and never experience the reality of it. How easily and freely we may talk about dying to self, taking up the cross, and living the crucified life. But knowledge without experience is nothing. Indeed, knowledge without experience only deceives us into thinking we are living something just because we are able to rehearse a few facts mentally. This counts for nothing in spiritual matters.

We must ask God to empty us of our preconceived ideas and notions and fill us instead with His Mind. We must relinquish our wisdom and receive His Wisdom. His Wisdom is how He sees things. How we see things is irrelevant, and will mislead us. His Ways and His Mind are higher than our ways and our mind. The Cross is the means by which God seeks to destroy the earthly wisdom and the carnal mind. The Cross, then, is wisdom through foolishness.

The Cross Is Gaining Through Losing

In order to accumulate more, we usually think that we must add to that which we have already. The Wisdom of God teaches us that in order to gain, you must first lose. Think of a child who refuses to let go of his old, broken toy in order to receive new ones from his father. To his mind he is losing something. But by letting go, by giving up, he gains.

Like the child, we stubbornly refuse to relinquish our grip on our spiritual possessions. We tenaciously cling to things as a child would cling to a collection of broken toys. We collect teachings, experiences, and good deeds, pointing to these as proof that we are spiritually endowed. Until we are willing to part with our “riches” we will not be able to receive the true Riches of Christ in us. The Cross demonstrates that we do not gain by trying to get, but by losing in order to gain. We cannot really receive from God until we have learned to give up unto God. It is the spirit which cries, “Not my will, but Thine be done” and “Father, into Thine Hand I commit my spirit.”

These words are easily uttered, but we cannot appreciate them or really experience them until we have been through our Gethsemene experiences and our Golgotha experiences. Until that time we are merely reciting some words, but we do not truly know what it means to give ourselves up to God, to be completely consecrated and submitted to Him. The Cross prepares us to receive by first forcing us to give up. Therefore, the Cross is gaining through losing.

The Cross Is Power Through Weakness

“God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty (I Cor. 1:27b).” To the natural way of thinking, power and weakness are opposites. That is, in order to have power, we must eliminate weakness. The Wisdom of God teaches us differently. This Wisdom tells us that the weak things are chosen to overcome the mighty things, and power works concurrently with weakness.

The Cross is meant to inflict pain, weaken, and slowly kill. It is the ultimate expression of weakness. The victim is stripped naked and nailed to the wood through their hands and feet. Their weight is supported by their legs until they are too tired to stand. When their legs give way their entire weight is supported by their outstretched arms (to speed this process along the legs are sometimes broken). The chest cavity is eventually pulled apart from this stress and the helpless victim slowly dies of suffocation as the lungs collapse.

The crucified one can hardly move, much less struggle. Once the nails are in place there is no way to remove them. You carry nothing with you, and have nothing remaining. You can neither speed up nor slow down your death. The shame of your nakedness is open for all to see. Besides the physical suffering, the soul is stripped of its dignity and pride. There is no escape.

God desires to give you power, but that power only comes through weakness. Any power not obtained through weakness is illegitimate, no matter how spiritual it appears. The only legitimate power is granted to those who have been made weak. Power is birthed in weakness. Many exude a certain “power”, but there is not the corresponding weakness. Hence, the power only gives them an occasion for boasting. To remedy this, God has ordained that all who would have His power must first be weakened and made empty - we refer to this as being “broken”. The purpose of weakness and suffering is to open the way for His Power. The instrument God uses to weaken us is the Cross. Therefore, the Cross is power through weakness.

The Cross Is Life Through Death

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Gal.2:20a).” There can be no Resurrection Life without a Crucified Death. Naturally we expect that in order to live we must avoid death at all costs. Yet, the Wisdom of God teaches us that Life is found by embracing Death - that is, as we die to ourselves we are made alive unto Christ.

There is a principle of death that works in us. When we are born, we begin to age and die. For the one in Christ, physical death is not the end, but the beginning. Likewise, a God-ordained death on the Cross is not the end, but the beginning. The Cross works death in us that the Spirit may work life in us. The Cross kills that which needs to be killed in us, whereas the Spirit gives Life to that which has been killed. The Cross beats and tears down, while the Spirit rebuilds that which has been destroyed. Only those who have experienced Death can truly minister Life and speak to dead men.

Now if we have not learned what it is to die daily, we will not experience the life of God daily. In a word, I am dead, yet I am living. I am crucified, yet I am alive. On the one hand I am weakened to the point of death and powerless; on the other hand, I live by the power of God and am strengthened with all might by His Spirit which indwells me. The moment I cease to experience death, however, at that precise moment I cease to experience life, for the cross is life through death.
The Aim of God’s Dealings

“Verily, verily I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).” Though our heart attutude should be childlike, God desires us to be men and women of maturity. He desires us to grow spiritually. In order to accomplish this He allows us to meet with many disagreeable circumstances and trials.

When we are young in the Lord we do as we please. We find much pleasure in serving the Lord according to our own thought, and everything is light and gay. We live a life of feeling and sensation. We are easily moved by how we feel. If we are happy we gladly deny ourselves and pour ourselves out in service. But when we are sad or troubled by our circumstances we feel as though we have been deserted. The Lord must then reach forth and draw the little sheep back to Himself again, whereupon our feeling is restored and we renew our devotion with the same vigor as before. This is the way of those who are young: they dress themselves and go where they wish.

But when we are older in the Lord, the life of faith commences as we stretch forth our hands in surrender and allow Another to dress us and carry us where we do not wish to go. We no longer dress ourselves and go our own way. We no longer walk, but we are carried. We may no longer consider our own wishes. We may no longer act according to a will of our own apart from God’s will. Instead, we have finally submitted to God’s dealings with us. We recognize at last how we have until now been full of ourselves, speaking many words in addition to what God had given us, and performing many acts apart from the ones that God was calling us to perform. Likewise, we see how often we have failed to speak and act on many occasions because we simply loved ourselves more than we loved God.

This transition between a life of feeling and a life of faith, from being self-ruled to being Spirit-ruled, does not happen in a few days. What stands between the experience of the young and the experience of the old? What is it that brings about this maturity? How is this growth achieved? By what means does God accomplish this work of transformation? In speaking to Peter, the Lord is telling him by what death he will die to glorify God (v.19). We know that Peter was eventually crucified upside-down and died a martyr’s death. But, the daily cross of self-denial that Peter bore was the means by which God was able to subdue his wild nature and transform him into a man of faith. His was a living sacrifice. The physical cross upon which he died was a testimony to his having already laid down his life a million times prior to that final act.

The death God really seeks in us is not the future laying down of our physical life, but the moment -by-moment laying down of our self. It is not the once-and-for-all martyr’s death but the daily dying and living unto God that brings Him the most glory. In fact, those who have not denied themselves in the seemingly insignificant matters of daily life will find it difficult, if not impossible, to lay down their physical lives should that be required of them.

God is calling us to become foolish in order to be wise; to give up everything in order to get back everything; to become weak in order to become strong; to come back to the cross and die that we may live. In these pages we hope to communicate this urgent call. Today, let us ask God to quicken this to our hearts, and grant that we may become People of the Cross, experiencing the Death of the Lord that we may have the Life of the Lord. Let us determine henceforth to know nothing, but Christ and Him crucified: for the disciple is not above the Master, but the disciple shall be as his Master (Luke 6:40).

Lover or Prostitute?

2009-06-13T02:29:00.009-05:00

THE QUESTION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE -by David Ryser

A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:

Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old--barely out of diapers--and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding, "An enterprise. That's a business." After a few moments Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless, I acknowledged Martha's raised hand, "Yes, Martha." She asked such a simple question, "A business? But isn't it supposed to be a body?" I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, "Yes." She continued, "But when a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?"

The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was, "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that." I didn't dare express that thought aloud. God had taken over the class.

Martha's question changed my life. For six months, I thought about her question at least once every day. "When a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?" There is only one answer to her question. The answer is "Yes." The American Church, tragically, is heavily populated by people who do not love God. How can we love Him? We don't even know Him; and I mean really know Him.

... I stand by my statement that most American Christians do not know God--much less love Him. The root of this condition originates in how we came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him for His money, and we don't care if He lives or dies as long as we can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business, merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We are commanded to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ--that's pretty intimate stuff. We are supposed to be His lovers. How can we love someone we don't even know? And even if we do know someone, is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or prostitutes?

I was pondering Martha's question again one day, and considered the question, "What's the difference between a lover and a prostitute?" I realized that both do many of the same things, but a lover does what she does because she loves. A prostitute pretends to love, but only as long as you pay. Then I asked the question, "What would happen if God stopped paying me?"

For the next several months, I allowed God to search me to uncover my motives for loving and serving Him. Was I really a true lover of God? What would happen if He stopped blessing me? What if He never did another thing for me? Would I still love Him? Please understand, I believe in the promises and blessings of God. The issue here is not whether God blesses His children; the issue is the condition of my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are His blessings in my life the gifts of a loving Father, or are they a wage that I have earned or a bribe/payment to love Him? Do I love God without any conditions? It took several months to work through these questions. Even now I wonder if my desire to love God is always matched by my attitude and behavior. I still catch myself being disappointed with God and angry that He has not met some perceived need in my life. I suspect this is something which is never fully resolved, but I want more than anything else to be a true lover of God.

So what is it going to be? Which are we, lover or prostitute? There are no prostitutes in heaven, or in the Kingdom of God for that matter, but there are plenty of former prostitutes in both places. Take it from a recovering prostitute when I say there is no substitute for an unconditional, intimate relationship with God. And I mean there is no palatable substitute available to us. Take another
look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

We must choose.

-Dr. David Ryser.

Outflow - Seeds of Redemption

2009-05-10T22:27:00.011-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was completely surrendered to the Lord when she said, "Let it be done according to Your Word." It was then that the Holy Spirit overtook her and planted the seed of mankind's redemption in her. Today, as we totally surrender ourselves to God's Incarnate Word, He plants us as seeds in the earth so that the outflow of His redemptive plan bears fruit unto salvation. He impregnates us with His DNA so that we can be the carriers & evidence of His saving grace.

©2009 Richard Jones

Voicemail Testimony After Casting Out Demons From Woman's Home

2009-03-26T13:03:00.012-05:00

WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR GOSPEL?

2009-03-20T00:53:00.003-05:00

By Frank Viola:

Paul of Tarsus used the phrase “my gospel” numerous times in his letters. He was referring to the message that he preached.

While there’s nothing wrong with the gospel, I do have concerns about what’s missing from our gospel—that is, the gospel that many Christians are hearing today.

N.T. Wright wrote a great book recently (Surprised by Hope) that went into various aspects of the gospel that are missing from our gospel. Namely, the Christian’s true hope.

Of course, your mileage may vary. And if it does, that’s great. But a large portion of the Christian world today has neglected a number of vital elements of the gospel. Here are just three of them:

1) The reality of an indwelling Lord.

There’s a great deal of emphasis today on the need to be like Christ. To imitate His earthly life. This is commonly tied into and often defined as “discipleship.”

I believe that this emphasis is correct, but it’s not complete.

Christian leaders have been telling God’s people that they must “be like Christ” for the last 600 years (at least). The well-known book by Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, was published around 1418.

Some 480 years later, Charles M. Sheldon’s book, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do was published. Ever since then, Christians have been trying to “do what Jesus did.”

I believe the reason why this “gospel” hasn’t worked is because it’s asking the wrong question. The question is not “what would Jesus do?” It’s “what is Jesus Christ doing through me … and through us?”

Unlike all other religions, the founder of our faith is still alive.

But that’s not all.

He lives inside of all who have repented and believed upon Him.

But that’s not all.

As Christians, we have been called to live by His indwelling life. And we can.

Note Jesus’ own words:

"As the living Father has sent Me and I live by the Father, so He who partakes of Me shall live by Me."

A large part of the gospel is to be awakened to an indwelling Christ — not as a doctrine or theology, but as a living, breathing Person whose life we can live by.

Paul’s central message was “Not I, but Christ” and “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (See Romans 8, Colossians 1, Galatians 2, and John 14-17, where Jesus Himself spoke about His indwelling just before His death.)

Jesus Christ lived His life by an indwelling Father. In the same way, we as believers can only live the Christian life by an indwelling Christ. This is not peripheral; it’s a central part of the gospel.

Imitating Jesus, therefore, is not a matter of trying to mimic the outward things He did (as if we can actually do that in our own energy).

It’s rather a matter of imitating the way He lived His life in order to produce that fruit. It’s to get in touch with the engine of His outward activities, and to “do likewise.”

This puts us on a collision course with the matter of living by an indwelling Lord.

2) The Greatness of Christ.

Some Christian groups present a Christ of Romans and Galatians. He’s come to save the lost.

Other Christian groups present the Christ of the Gospels. His earthly life must be imitated.

Some Christian groups present the Christ of the cross. His death is emphasized above all else.

Other Christian groups present the Christ of Easter. His resurrection is emphasized above all else.

All of the above emphasize the Christ of time.

But there is the Christ who exists before time.

And there is the Christ of the present and the future.

All are the same Christ.

All of creation was created in the Son of God before time, and He was made the Firstborn of all creation. Further, God the Father chose all of His people in Christ before time (Colossians 1; Ephesians 1).

After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ sat at the right hand of God as Lord of heaven and earth. Today, He intercedes for us, acts as our High Priest, loves us as our Shepherd, and lives out His indwelling life in and through us.

As the Alpha and Omega, time is within Him. Jesus Christ knows no beginning or end. All of creation is moving toward Christ being Head over all, in all, through all, to all, until He is All and All.

In the end, all things will be summed up in this incredible Christ (Colossians 1; Ephesians 1).

And this is the Christ that has taken up residence within you and me.

3) God’s eternal purpose.

With few exceptions, our gospel begins with Genesis 3 rather than Genesis 1.

Our starting point is the fall of humanity.

The result: Everything is framed around God’s redemptive mission. It’s all about saving a lost world.

Part of the reason for this, I believe, is that evangelical Christians have built their theology mostly on Romans and Galatians. And many nonevangelical Christians have built it on the Gospels (particularly the Synoptics—Matthew, Mark, and Luke). And for both groups, Ephesians and Colossians have been but footnotes.

But what if we began, not with the needs of humans, but with the intent and purpose of God? What if we took as our point of departure, not the earth after the fall, but the eternal activity in God Himself before the constraints of physical time?

In other words, what if we built our theology on Ephesians and Colossians and allowed the other NT books to follow suit?

Why Ephesians and Colossians? Because these two letters give us the clearest look at Paul’s gospel with which Christ commissioned him. These two letters begin, not with the needs of postfall humans, but with God’s timeless purpose before creation. They also introduce us to Christ in His preincarnate state.

I assert that if we did this, the Gospels and the rest of the NT (let alone the entire OT), would fall into a very different place for us.

The Gospels are not the beginning point of the Christian faith. Neither is the OT. Both give us the middle of the story. Ephesians, Colossians, and the gospel of John are the introduction and the opening chapters of that story. Those writings give us a glimpse into Christ before time and what His original mission is all about.

In this regard, we can liken the gospel that many of us have heard to watching Star Wars Episodes IV, V, and VI first (which is the way they came out in the theaters).

But for us to really understand what’s going on in that drama, we must begin at the right place with Episodes I, II, and III.

Consider this fact. Human beings didn’t come into this world in need of salvation. There was a purpose in God that came before the fall, and He has never let go of it.

Without an understanding of God’s ageless purpose, our good deeds can be likened to playing an instrument on our own as opposed to playing with others as part of an orchestra that is performing one breathtaking song.

What an amazing Lord we have.

I hope that in time these three aspects of the gospel will become part of our gospel.

Frank’s new book, From Eternity to Here, is on discount at Parable.com for a limited time. For more information, including reader reviews and endorsements, go to FromEternitytoHere.org

Outflow - A Slave's Provision

2009-03-10T13:31:00.005-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The apostle Paul often referred to himself as a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a slave (doulos) of Christ, a slave to righteousness, and no longer a slave to sin. He knew that everything pertaining to Life and Godliness flowed out from the One who purchased him and owned him! Slaves must totally depend on the one who owns them for their provision. We who believe are all slaves to Christ and we must look to Him as our provider. He is our life and all provision flows from Him.

©2009 Richard Jones

Man's Stab Wound Miraculously Healed During Our Homeless Outreach!

2009-02-25T12:42:00.010-06:00

By Joy Jones

I want to give written testimony to a miracle that took place last Saturday on the streets of Tulsa by writing and remembering what the Lord has done, and if you want to share with others, it shows how God comes and heals us at our time of greatest need.

A black man who was highly intoxicated staggered up to where we were feeding and ministering during our regular street outreach. Staggering by with a body language that cried desperately for help, he loudly claimed that he didn't want any help, that he wanted to be left alone.

However, the man had just been stabbed 2 blocks away by a another homeless man who tried to rob him. Blood was flowing profusely from where the knife had gashed the palm side of his hand near the base of his thumb. The knife went deep and the meat under his flesh was openly exposed and protruding out of his hand. (Jesus knew what that was like!) A lady from our group named Linda had a first-aid kit with some gauze and made an attempt to bandage his wound. He didn’t want us to call an ambulance, yet he wouldn’t stand still long enough for Linda to properly wrap the gauze around his hand.

The man was belligerent and not wanting help when my husband Rich, pastor of the Uprising, and two other men on the outreach team, John and Jim, walked over and stood by him to minister. In this man’s anger, hurt and hopelessness, he flat out said he wanted to die, yet during the convesation he was quoting scriptures. Rich looked him in the eye (the window of his soul) and spoke … “Well Jesus doesn’t want you to die! He wants you to live and speak forth God’s Word of Life into others!” As Rich continued to encourage him through prophetic prayer, this man totally broke down and cried in his arms. They embraced, prayed and cried together for five or more minutes. It was truly a Holy moment in time and it seemed as though the glory of God was all around them. It was at that point when God imparted His compassion and mercy into the man and he was instantly made sober. All the effects of his drinking were gone. It was visible and the man couldn’t even believe how straight and clear headed he felt. His entire countenance was changed!

The man then asked Rich to come pray over the tent he had put up near the old RT. 66 bridge on the west bank of the Arkansas River. So Rich drove him over to a place near his tent where they could park. One of the other team members and his wife followed in their car just to be safe. As Rich and the man walked the 3-4 blocks back to his tent, the man kept saying that he was no longer drunk but sober.

When they finally arrived at the man’s tent Rich prayed over it and prayed for the man’s safety. At that point the man pulled his injured hand out of the pocket of his insulated jumpsuit. They saw that the bandage had come off the place where he had been stabbed and where the meat of his hand had been coming out. There was dried blood all over his entire hand, but the place where he was stabbed had no blood on it and the skin was as new! God had completely healed the man’s hand!!

Rich and the man, whose name is Lon, had agreed to meet 2 days later at the library. When Rich went to meet Lon, he saw him standing and waiting for him by the Library. Lon was grinning from ear-to-ear and was praising God for the miracle healing of his hand! Lon said later that something happened to him that day, something that changed his life forever. He said that for the first time in many years he knew that someone really loved him. He made a commitment right there to go into alcohol treatment and said he was ready to get his life back on track so that he could serve God and fulfill the destiny that God had for his life.

We give all glory to God our Father and thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ, for He alone is worthy to be praised!

Please pray for Lon as he seeks the Lord and for his recovery from alcohol addiction.

WE WILL BE ADDING PICTURES TO THIS BLOG AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE

©2009 Joy Jones

12 year-old speaks out on abortion

2009-02-10T12:00:00.005-06:00

YOPP! That’s the final word that made all the difference at the end of Dr. Seuss’ story Horton Hears a Who. May we suggest that it stands for Young Ones Praying and Prophesying. With that in mind meet Lia. She’s a 12-year-old seventh grader that recently decided to make a courageous stand in her school by giving a persuasive speech on the topic of abortion. Even when her teachers strongly encouraged her to choose a different topic, she decided to stick with what she felt passionate about. An email from her mother describes what led Lia to make such a bold move.

It was really a family thing. I saw Lou [Engle] speak at a conference several years ago. I came back to my family with the Life Bands, and we all wore them, made our covenant, and prayed the prayer for abortion to end… We were invited to participate in a “Life Tape Siege”. Once my kids heard of this invitation, they all agreed: “We have to do that!” Since then, Lia’s passion for seeing abortion end has continued. Being impacted by Lou’s words regarding Horton [Hears a Who], she was excited to watch the movie when it was released (and the rest of the family were too!).

In the email, her mother goes on to describe the challenges and consequences Lia faced.

As part of her class requirements, she needed to prepare a speech; however, the classroom presentations were also meant to enable the teacher to select the best speeches to go on to a more serious competition. As I mentioned, several teachers discouraged her from picking the topic of abortion; she was told it was “too big”, “too mature” and “too controversial”. She was also told that if she went ahead with that topic, she would not be allowed to continue on in the speech competition. Initially, I tried helping her find other topics to speak on, but, in the end, she was adamant. She just felt she wanted to continue with the topic of abortion. So she forfeited her chance to compete in order to speak on something she was passionate about.

We hope you’re as happy as we are and proud of Lia for taking a stand for God’s Word concerning life. Please join us in praying for a newer and YOUNGER generation of prayer activists to arise and shake the nations with God’s truth. You can also join us in encouraging Lia and everyone else that watches by leaving some great comments on her YouTube video. Also, repost the video, and let’s blast this out everywhere we can.

Persecuted in Nigeria: 6 Pastors Killed - 40 Churches Destroyed

2008-12-15T17:29:00.015-06:00

NIGERIA – Following Muslim attacks on Christians in Nigeria on Nov. 28-29, six pastors are dead, at least 500 other people are killed and 40 churches are destroyed, Compass Direct News reported. More than 25,000 persons were displaced in the two days of violence, according to...

Read the rest of the story at Voice of the Martyrs blog. Persecutionblog.com

Outflow - Eternal Purpose

2008-12-13T23:26:00.009-06:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow from Heaven can only begin to increase through our lives as we decrease to our own way. God's ways are not our ways, they are higher in purpose than what we could ever think or imagine. What helps us to decrease is to know Christ as our life. We must come to the knowledge that He has an eternal purpose weaved into our destiny if we will only walk in the hope of His glory, putting to death the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. Then we can step into His kingdom and really begin to experience all of its possibilities.

©2008 Richard Jones

Outflow - Looking Like A Cross

2008-12-06T00:21:00.006-06:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

As we celebrate the season of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us put on Christ. Let our outflow be a reflection of His very character and nature. This is a time when those around us need to see His goodness, mercy, patience, faithfulness, and compassion, authentically flowing out into a world that is so often times impersonal, self-absorbed, uncaring and cruel. Yet out of His great love, Jesus died for them all. Will you love them as He did? Do you look like a cross to those without hope?

©2008 Richard Jones

Outflow - Good Works...Walk In Them!

2008-11-30T09:14:00.007-06:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow from God is demonstrated through a life of good works that were ordained beforehand for us to walk in. For it is through the outflow of our good works that many will behold the love of our heavenly Father and give Him all glory! But let us consider one another to provoke each other unto love and to good works, that they which believe in God might be careful to maintain their good works in the sight of God and all men. These things are good and profitable unto all who believe.

©2008 Richard Jones

Persecuted in Orissa, India

2008-11-21T11:29:00.010-06:00

Report: Hindu Groups in India Offering Rewards to Kill Christians

Extremist Hindu groups offered money, food and alcohol to mobs to kill Christians and destroy their homes, according to Christian aid workers in the eastern India state of Orissa.

The U.S.-based head of Good News India, a Christian organization that runs several orphanages in Orissa — one of India’s poorest regions — claims that Christian leaders are being targeted by Hindu militants and carry a price on their heads. "The going price to kill a pastor is $250," said Faiz Rahman, the chairman of Good News India.

A spokesman for the All-India Christian Council said: “People are being offered rewards to kill, and to destroy churches and Christian properties. They are being offered foreign liquor, chicken, mutton and weapons. They are given petrol and kerosene.”

Ram Madhav, a spokesman for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the largest hardline Hindu group, denied the claims. “The accusation is absolutely false,” he said.

Orissa has suffered a series of murders and arson attacks in recent months, with at least 67 Christians killed, according to the Roman Catholic Church. Several thousand homes have been razed and hundreds of places of worship destroyed, and crops are now wasting in the fields.

In recent weeks, the violence has subsided but at least 11,000 Christian refugees remain in camps in Kandhamal, the district worst affected. “They are too scared to go home. They know that if they return to their villages they will be forced to convert to Hinduism,” Father Manoj, who is based at the Archbishop’s office in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa's capital, said.

Outflow - Let Christ Be Lifted Up!

2008-10-25T20:38:00.016-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Freely you have received, so freely give! If you have freely received Christ, then give Christ freely! Christ freely gave us all things pertaining to life and Godliness through the outflow of His life, and so we are commanded to freely give Christ through the outflow of our lives to those whom we encounter. In order to do this we must first put on Christ and be transformed into His image so that the world around us sees only Christ, and if Christ be lifted up, He draws all men to Himself.

©2008 Richard Jones

The Crisis of a Christless Christianity

2008-10-09T10:23:00.009-05:00

The Crisis of a Christless Christianity
by Chip Brogden

"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him... beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him..." (Colossians 2:6,8,9a)

The Christian life is a life that is lived IN CHRIST. That is to say, to walk IN HIM is to live as a Christian. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. A Christian is a branch that grows out of the Vine and continually produces abundant fruit for the Husbandman. The Church is the gathering together of all individual branches into one Vineyard (see John 15). In this metaphor we see that Christianity is supposed to be a living phenomenon, an observable reality, not a religious philosophy or set of teachings.

As we first received the Lord Jesus, so we continue to walk in the Lord Jesus. Receiving Christ is the Gate, but walking in Him as we have received Him is the Path. The Gate is an event, while the Path is a process. The Gate is for entering, while the Path is for walking.

Everything God has done, is doing, and will do is aimed at bringing us deeper into Christ, to finish what was begun in us when we first received Him. God is the One Who brings us through the Gate, and God is the One Who leads us along the Path. Everything God has done, is doing, and will do has the same purpose, and that purpose explains everything you have been through, everything you are going through, and everything you will go through.

Jesus is the Alpha from Whom all things in God are initiated, and Jesus is the Omega unto Whom all things of God find their purpose, their meaning, and their reason for being. Everything begins in Christ, and everything ends in Christ. He is the Beginning as well as the End.

Real spiritual growth occurs when we realize that God has only one goal for us, and that is, the full, mature, complete, and experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ. To the extent that we discard "things" and become focused wholly on Christ, to that extent we will make progress.

THE CHALLENGE OF REMAINING CHRIST-CENTERED

Christians should walk in the Lord Jesus as they received Him. We must not allow anything to keep us from growing up in to Him. Spiritual growth in the life of a Christian is determined by the measure of the increase of Christ and the decrease of Self: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). It is not a question of gifts, knowledge, years of experience, or power. If by the end of today there is less of me and more of Jesus then I am growing. Otherwise I am not. Jesus must become greater and greater in my life, and I must become lesser and lesser. This is the Path.

Along this Path towards apprehending Christ as all in all there are many pitfalls, snares, hindrances, and detours. Thus, Paul says we are to be on our guard and let no man spoil us. In this context, the word "spoil" means, "to destroy and strip of one's possessions; to deprive of something valuable by force." Every spiritual blessing heaven has to offer is found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Each believer has an incredible fullness and completeness in the Person of Jesus Christ. Christ is THE Gift of God, the ultimate Gift, and this Gift is precious, valuable, and of great worth.

How then can we be spoiled? According to Paul we are spoiled "through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (elements) of the world, and not after Christ." It matters not if the philosophy is good, right, morally excellent, and praiseworthy. It matters not how well intentioned, meaningful, or helpful the tradition is. It matters not how necessary we think the worldly element to be, or how important it is to society in general. If none of these things are "after Christ", that is, if they are not of Him, through Him, and unto Him, then they are worthless insofar as God's Purpose is concerned and must be discarded.

This is what Paul alludes to in Philippians 3. Paul represents the very best that religion, philosophy, and tradition has to offer - education, gravity, intelligence, doctrine, zeal, community service, and so on. "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (v. 7,8). To be able to sweep aside all religious upbringing, moral philosophy, and tradition with one wave of the hand and consider it refuse is to know Jesus experientially as Enough. This is what it means to be decreased. God's Purpose for all believers is to be reduced to Christ, and everything is working to bring us to this final conclusion: "not I, but Christ" (Galatians 2:20ff).

The apostolic letters that make up a significant portion of our New Testament, more than anything else, seek to redirect the saints back onto Christ and away from a myriad of things seeking to rob them of their time, energy, attention, focus, and spiritual devotion. Many things competed with Christ and tried to spoil these new believers. These distractions were abundant in the early Church. They became entangled in many things. The whole controversy of Jews and Gentiles; to be circumcised, or not to be circumcised; to marry, or to remain single; to keep the Sabbath, or not to keep the Sabbath; which foods to eat, and which foods not to eat; whether one should follow Peter, or Paul, or Apollos; to speak in tongues, or not to speak in tongues; how men should behave, and how women should behave; what about this, and what about that. On and on it went, and on and on it still goes today.

I have said many times that we do not need more of the Lord, since we are already complete in Christ - we just need less of everything else. There are many things that spoil, hinder, distract, and lead us away from the simplicity of an abiding relationship with Jesus. Many of them are spiritual and religious. The spirit of Antichrist is not necessarily seen in something that is obviously satanic or demonic. Instead, the spirit of Antichrist is revealed in anything that seeks to spoil us by taking our eyes off of Christ - it is anti-Christ, against Christ, antithetical to the great Purpose of God.

How easy it is for us to become distracted into something less than Christ! Are you centered on Christ? Is Jesus your obsession? Is He your focus? Or have you set your sights on something beneath Him? This speaks right to the heart of the crisis we find ourselves in today.

CHRISTLESS EVANGELISM

The crisis of Christless Christianity begins with the way we go about reaching the Lost. Jesus said if He is lifted up then He will draw all men to Himself (John 12:32). Instead, we lift up religion and draw all men into an institution. Sinners today are presented with a Gospel that is decidedly in their favor. It is marketed and packaged the same way a salesman makes a sales pitch: it must answer the all important, universal question: "What's in it for me?" And the answer is salvation, the assurance of a home in heaven, deliverance, solutions to problems, peace, blessings from God, and so forth.

The death of Christianity will not be the result of everyone rejecting the Gospel, but the result of everyone accepting a watered-down version of it.

All too often the object of salvation, its very purpose, is overlooked. Why should a sinner repent? Not for what he or she can get out of it, but for what the Lord Jesus gets out of it. Do we reach out to the world based on their own self-serving need, or based on the Lord's Need? The harvest is for the Lord, not for the workers, and not for the ones who are harvested. The sheep are for the Shepherd.

A sinner ought to repent because the Kingdom of God is at hand. They should be shown that God is gathering together in one "all things in Christ" (Ephesians 1:10ff), that this is God's Purpose for all men, and that yielding to Him now is the only reasonable, logical, and life-saving alternative they have. But an easy Gospel begets easy disciples. If our message is easy then many will respond under the impression that they are doing God a big favor by "getting saved". Thus, God becomes their debtor, and they expect Him to repay them many times over, not merely with a future promise of life in heaven, but with good things for them in their present life on earth. Is it any wonder that the Church is spiritually weak and immature, with "disciples" such as this?

Christless evangelism does not give anyone salvation, it only gives them the false assurance of salvation. The Church is supposed to make disciples for Christ, not record decisions for Christ. A decision does not necessarily make a disciple. Christ must be the object and the focus of all outreach.

CHRISTLESS APOSTLES AND PROPHETS

What is "the ministry"? According to the Scriptures, there is but one ministry, and that is the ministry of directing everyone to Christ as all in all. Now how this ministry functions in each one of us is different according to how God has placed us. There are many operations and many functions, many gifts and many manifestations, but there is only one goal and that goal is Christ.

For example, the purpose of the apostolic ministry is not church planting, or setting churches in order, or taking missionary journeys. The purpose is Christ. Now, they may DO those things. We are not suggesting that Paul did not do all these things; we are simply saying that Paul's purpose was Christ, and towards that end he labored accordingly. Without God's End in clear view, all these things become mere activities, religious carryings-on, but there is nothing ultimate about it, nothing that ties it all together or justifies it in terms of furthering God's Purpose. I have my little work, you have your little work, but there is no harmony, no communion, no relatedness between any of several million projects, ministries, and outreaches. Each one struggles to achieve their own ends, and there is little if any agreement on what exactly that "end" is supposed to be.

The apostle communicates the ultimate Purpose of God, lays the foundation, and then keeps the End before the builders at all times. But many of today's apostles seem to be presenting themselves as church planting or church growth experts. Is this what the apostolic ministry is becoming? Church growth is not God's goal. Church planting is not His purpose either. These are merely things: they are not Christ. You can plant churches and grow churches and completely miss Jesus in all of it.

What about the prophetic ministry? The purpose of all prophetic speaking is Christ. "It is the truth concerning JESUS that inspires all prophecy" (Revelation 19:10b, Knox). Those inspired to speak or proclaim something by the Holy Spirit should be helping to direct our attention onto Christ and away from everything that distracts us. The prophetic voice should rise up like a trumpet and bring clarity and direction out of confusion and misunderstanding. It is not just truth stated in an inspirational way, it is the truth concerning JESUS spoken by those who know Him and can lead others to Him. But of all things, the prophetic ministry today does more to distract us from Jesus than to tell us the truth concerning Jesus. In fact, it is difficult to find Jesus at all in most of what is touted today as "prophetic".

The prophetic word is given to point us to Jesus. Everything the Holy Spirit would speak, reveal, teach, and show us is towards this same end, which is CHRIST. We do not need to mull over every dream, vision, word, or prophecy, trying to exegete its hidden meaning, struggling to extract some spiritual significance where none exists. If what we see and hear does not point us to Jesus then it is not prophetic and should be discarded. This simple test will keep us from distraction.

Apostles must point people to Christ. Prophets must point people to Christ. Evangelists must point people to Christ. Pastors and teachers must point people to Christ. Otherwise they are not fulfilling the purpose for which God placed them in the Church to begin with. Apostolic ministry is not an end unto itself, but is a means to an end. Prophetic ministry is not an end unto itself, but is a means to an end. Evangelistic ministry is not an end unto itself, but is a means to an end. Pastoral and teaching ministries are not ends unto themselves, but are a means to an end. What is the end? What is the purpose? What does it all lead to? It leads to "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13b). The fullness of Christ, the full-knowledge of Him - this is God's Goal and His Ultimate Intention.

CHRISTLESS FELLOWSHIP

We know by now that the actual church building has nothing to do with God's Eternal Purpose. The church service is a thing created by us and for us - God's Need is seldom, if ever, considered. If we recognize that the service, ministry, meeting, gathering, or building is not the end, but only a means to an End (which is Christ), then we do well. But when we attach spiritual, emotional, or even superstitious significance to a mere thing, or place, or day, or tradition, or way of doing things, then we will be spoiled through "traditions of men", and will not walk after Christ Himself.

Even something as good as fellowship with other believers becomes such a distraction from Christ that He cannot trust us with relationships. We hunger and thirst for "like-minded believers", which is sometimes a code word for "anyone who thinks and believes the same as I do and will always agree with me no matter what!" The end result is we seldom find what we are looking for in other people.

Christians go here and there looking for "fellowship". They participate in meetings, conferences, seminars, groups, and online discussion lists and email exchanges. To be sure these can be useful tools for bringing Christians together - but not if they are looking for fellowship as a "thing", instead of the fruit of a Christ-centered life.

If fellowship with others is my focus then I am bypassing the Head and trying to have fellowship on some ground other than Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that "what we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ…if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…" (I John 1:3,7a).

Fellowship is ordained by God as a means through which the Life of Jesus may be shared: "From Whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making increase of the body towards the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16). In other words, we are joined together to experience the Life of the Lord together. This is what makes us of one mind and one accord. Like-mindedness only occurs when we agree to "let this mind be in [us] that was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). Life is not in a meeting, or in a gathering, or in a way of doing things - Life is Christ, and Christ is Life. He is the Purpose.

So true fellowship is grounded in Jesus first of all. Fellowship with others on THAT basis is neither forced, nor orchestrated; it is effortless, spontaneous, and full of life. Fellowship naturally occurs because we have all seen and heard the same thing from the Lord - we are walking in the same Path towards Christ as all in all. We are in one accord not because we all look, think, and act just the same, but because we all, in spite of our differences, have God's End in mind.

If we look to one another for fellowship apart from what we have seen and heard of the Lord then we are limiting ourselves to relationships with people with whom we naturally get along with. If we see fellowship as the reason for our existence as Christians then, ironically, we will never be satisfied. We cannot know one another according to the flesh and find contentment. We cannot properly discern the Body until we establish communion with its Head. Life is given and received as we stand with one another in relationship to Christ.

CHRISTLESS SPIRITUALITY

What is the "deeper Christian life"? It is nothing more and nothing less than Christ Himself. To be deep is to be simple, focused, and devoted to the One Thing that is needed (see Luke 10:41,42). But even here, some believers seek the deeper Christian life as a thing, a teaching, a certain way of acting spiritual. The "deeper life" becomes the goal instead of Christ as Life. They become profoundly mystical and spiritual, but it is death because they do not touch Christ, they touch spirituality. There is no life in spirituality, or mysticism, or religiosity; there is only Life in Christ. Anything less becomes a distraction.

I came to the Lord in the midst of the Charismatic movement. The emphasis was on Spirit-filled living, restoring spiritual gifts, the power of God, and so forth. We find no fault with walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. But what is the purpose of all this fullness? Why tongues, and prophetic words, and other spiritual gifts? Why the manifest power of God? All of these things are given us by the Lord to draw us deeper into Himself; to repeat, they are means to an End, but they are not the end, for the End, the Purpose, and the Reason for all things is Christ.

"When He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all Truth [Christ]: for He shall not speak of Himself… He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me, and will reveal it to you" (John 16:13,14ff). All the gifts, all the power, all the counsel, everything pertaining to the Holy Spirit has the goal of bringing us into a more complete knowing of Jesus Christ. Everything must be in harmony with this.

But just see how the experience of being "filled" or "baptized" or "anointed" or "slain in the Spirit" has replaced Christ! What is the result? Excess, error, and a falling away into the flesh. Today we see only a shadow of what we once saw. How many "Full-Gospel" believers are still living off of the glory that they saw twenty-five years ago! They are still looking for an experience, but if God gives it to them, it is a step backwards. They have not grown one bit; they are simply coasting on the energy of what God was doing twenty or thirty years ago.

It is time for us to leave elementary school and go on to maturity. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man I put away childish things" (I Corinthians 13:11). The Lord has a high calling for us, and we are called to "go on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1ff). The spiritual life begins in Christ, is sustained by Christ, and leads us to Christ. We may begin by having some profound spiritual experiences, but maturity is certainly not achieved through them.

CHRISTLESS WARFARE

Out of the Charismatic movement came an intense interest in spiritual warfare. Here is yet another potential distraction from Christ. What is spiritual warfare? It should be the process of demonstrating the preeminence of Christ over all things. It should be bringing all things into conformity to God's Ultimate Intention and showing that Christ is the Head of all principality and power. It should be learning how to defeat the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and the denial of Self (cf. Revelation 12:11).

Instead, spiritual warfare has become a weird end unto itself, and Jesus is scarcely seen. The revelation of Christ is seldom found; instead, we are often told to seek the revelation of satan and all his workings. Saints are kept occupied day and night fighting the devil (sometimes only in their imagination), or traveling all over the world to "confront" territorial spirits (which only proves they are warring after the flesh, for there is no distance in the spirit realm), intruding into things they have no business getting into. The backlash is swift and the damage is severe. Why? They have grasped spiritual warfare as a "thing" apart from Christ.

True, we cannot afford to be ignorant of satan's devices (II Corinthians 2:11b), but neither can we afford to make darkness the focus of our lives. Our focus is not the devil, what the devil is doing, or what the devil is planning to do. Our focus is Christ, and to the extent that we walk in the Light, to that extent the Darkness will be exposed by the Light and will flee.

Victory is not the result of everything we know about spiritual warfare: Victory is a Man. All the formulas, methods, teachings, manuals, and books in the world will not sufficiently prepare us for demonstrating the preeminence of Christ over all things if we do not, in fact, have an abiding relationship with the One Whom we are proclaiming.

What is the focus? Spiritual warfare, or Christ Himself? The first is a thing, the second is a Person. Spiritual warfare, properly carried out, is harmonious with God's Purpose because it exalts Christ (not the devil) and demonstrates that all things are submitted to Him. But without this foundation we are inviting disaster.

RESTORING CHRIST TO CHRISTIANITY

We are trying to get to the heart of things, down to the very root of these matters. The bottom line is there are many things that are ABOUT Jesus, but are NOT Jesus. Then there is Jesus Himself. When the things about Christ become more important than Christ Himself then we need to revisit who we are and what we are doing.

We live in the Laodicean age that is characterized by insipid lukewarmness and blindness to the truth of our own spiritual condition (cf. Revelation 3:1-19). The picture presented to us is one of Christ standing on the outside of things, knocking at the door, and waiting for someone to open the door to Him (cf. Revelation 3:20). Since this is written to the saints it cannot be construed as an invitation to sinners to "invite Jesus into their heart"; instead, it is the Lord calling upon the church to make Him the center again. The issue was, and still is fellowship, communion, and abiding - maintaining its relationship to the Head.

God's solution for a lukewarm, tasteless, colorless, odorless church is a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ. He will bring us back to our foundation. He will align us with His Purpose. He will adjust us back to Himself. God will purge, refine, chasten, and conform us to the image of His Son. But we must respond to His invitation and open the door.

O Christian, come back to Christ! Simplify your life, eliminate the "many things", count them as dung, and cling to the One Thing! Be reduced to Christ!

The Lord says, "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Revelation 3:21).

Amen! Even so, come Lord Jesus.

I am your brother,
Chip Brogden

©1997-2008 TheSchoolOfChrist.Org
TheSchoolOfChrist.org/articles/crisis

Persecuted: The Underground Church In China

2008-08-28T13:14:00.004-05:00

We in the western Church have become complacent with our faith in so many ways. Our brothers and sisters in China and other parts of the world are experiencing great persecution for their faith. But praise be to God that the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ has always flourished under the hand of persecution! Watch the video below and see how God is bringing true revival in the midst of persecution. As you watch, ask the Lord to search your own heart and show you how you might have a greater impact for the sake of the gospel.

Outflow - Out of the Abundance of the Heart

2008-08-15T13:14:00.011-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45) What is the outflow of your heart? Do the words you speak bring forth good or evil? Is the outflow from your lips blessing or cursing?...life or death? Which will you choose? God gives us the answer to these in His Word. He says: "Choose life!" "Speak forth blessings!" "Do that which is good!" But first, oh God, let our heart be purified by Your Word.

©2008 Richard Jones

Outflow - Giving It All Away

2008-07-31T00:25:00.013-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

There was no greater outflow in the entire universe than on that fateful day at Calvary when the blood was drained from Emmanuel's veins. God gave us His very best. And to all those who receive this precious gift, God gives them His righteousness, in His Son Jesus, with all the resources of God's Kingdom made available to them through the Holy Spirit. This and eternal life are our inheritance. God's plan for us who have recieved His inheritance is to go and give it all away! Freely we have received, so freely we give. Today is the day of God's salvation!

©2008 Richard Jones

Fighting Demons - Transforming a City

2008-07-24T13:33:00.009-05:00

As a missional church plant that has been called to invade the culture of our city and subvert it with the love of Christ, we have been prayer walking the downtown club district every Friday evening between 6:30 and 9:00 PM. We have been praying for a shift in our city and for the downtown adult entertainment district to be overcome by the glory of God resulting in an awakening that will draw all men & women to Jesus. So far we have seen some interesting things begin to happen.

One of the more interesting things that has happened is that as we have been praying in front of the area’s only adult bookstore each week, the devil has been getting more ticked-off. After we prayed there 3 weeks ago, the following week they put up a sign in the door that says “NO LOITERING ON THE SIDEWALK OUTSIDE”. Of course this is a public sidewalk and we are within our legal and constitutional rights to pray in front of the store as long as we don’t block customers going in and out, which we haven’t and wouldn’t. We don’t harrass the customers, nor do we carry any signs of protest. We just form a circle and pray.

Last Friday (7-18-08) there were 6 people including me and my wife. As we were circled-up praying quietly, the owner came out and began to yell and scream every fowl curse word I think I’ve ever heard at us. (As an ex-biker gang member, he could have made the whole gang blush!) He threatened to call the police on us for loitering in front of his store (again, we were on a public sidewalk) and then he began to throw huge handfulls of dirt and bark mulch from the new decorative planting area between the street and sidewalk on us until all 6 of us were covered with dirt and mulch. (The picture above is an older picture and does not show the new planting area.) We had it in our hair, down our shirts, in our pockets, in our ears, and all over our clothes! LOL! He also intentionally and forcefully walked between us as we were praying, almost knocking one of the women down. Well, 3 police units finally showed up and told the owner we were within our rights to do what we were doing and if he continued to use fowl language around the women they would arrest him and he would have to pay a fine. They furthermore told him that if he threw anymore dirt and mulch on us, or touched us in any way, they would arrest him for assault.

The owner of the Adult Superstore then told the police he was going to call all his gang-banger friends and stand in front of our church and turn up their boom boxes. That’s when I said, “Come on by, bring all the gang-bangers you can, they are welcome.” (I figured we would have a captured audience!) The cops saw it as a threat and told the owner that the city ordinance designates churches as “Quiet Zones” and if he did anything disruptive to our church that he and his gang-bangers would be arrested. Funny thing is, he doesn’t even know the name of our church! Anyway, the police warned us that he might be serious. I told the police we were used to this kind of response from the devil and that I did not want to press any charges against the owner. So the police THANKED US for praying in the area and especially in front of the porn shop. They said if we had any problems to just call.

Last week we prayed in front of a club in the same area as the porn shop that has had a problem with gun violence. It's a hip-hop club that is frequented by gang-bangers, some who are under-age. In the last 15 months up till last week there were 3 shootings that resulted in one man shot in the face, a 15 year-old shot in the neck, and a man shot and killed on New Year’s Eve 2007. Right after the murder, the club owner cancelled his lease, that's whe we offered the owner of the building an opportunity to let us use the building temporarily as a church, but he turned us down. He instead leased it for use as a club again to someone who claimed (to me) to be an active member of a local mega-church. When they opened the club, the ads in the local urban news rag showed a woman laying on a couch dressed only in a skimpy 2-piece lingerie!

So we prayed over the club last week and that the building would be used for God’s purposes. We also prayed for the owner of the club because he was mocking God with the name of the club (Club Pure) and his ads were semi-pornographic. All this while at the same time claiming to be a Christian involved in a local mega-church. We prayed that God would get his attention. Well, God acted swiftly. Two days later the owner was shot in the back inside the club! Thank God he was rushed to the hospital where he was expected to recover. Now the city council and the police are trying to shut-down the club and declare the building a public nuisance, keeping it from ever becoming a club again!

No one can ever tell me that being a Christian isn’t exciting!

©2008 Richard Jones

Outflow - Living Epistles

2008-07-16T09:10:00.012-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows
out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow of God's word is to be seen and manifested in the lives of His true believers. The apostle Paul wrote that we are living epistles, known and read by all men. That we are an epistle of Christ, written not by hands, but by the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart. (2 Cor. 3:2&3) Christ was full of mercy and grace, and He was moved with compassion. Are people
seeing the same writen on our hearts? Oh Lord, search our hearts. Change us. We want to be just like you!

©2008 Richard Jones

Paul Washer's Shocking Sermon

2008-07-08T15:10:00.004-05:00

Paul Washer brings conviction to 5000 youth...and possibly you too!

Outflow - Pray for the Great Awakening

2008-07-03T17:27:00.007-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

If we want a true outflow from God, then we must let our petitions and prayers flow out of a thankful heart to Him who sits on the Throne of Grace. And as long as we ask within the boundries of His will, He hears us and gives us what we ask for. John Wesley once said, "God can do nothing in the earth, except a man pray." All we need is to pray with the faith of a tiny mustard seed and God can do BIG things! He wants to outflow a great awakening in the Earth like never before. So pray and believe!

©2008 Richard Jones

Outflow - The Face of Jesus

2008-06-27T13:03:00.014-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow of God's glory was seen in the face of Jesus Christ. (2Cor. 4:6) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image from glory to glory. (2 Cor.3:18) Are we allowing ourselves to soak in the glory of God and His Word long enough to be transformed into the image of Christ? When the world looks at us do they see an outflow of God's glory? We must begin to look more like Jesus if the world is to ever see the transforming glory of the Lord.

©2008 Richard Jones

Joel's Army or Gideon's Army?

2008-06-27T11:51:00.008-05:00

JOEL'S ARMY & GIDEON'S ARMY -
A VISION
-by Robert I. Holmes.

There is a commonly held belief in the church that the army of Joel and the army of Gideon both represent the same end time, militant and victorious church. My intention here is not so much to examine the theological foundations of such arguments, but to share a revelation I had recently which seems to contradict this understanding. I am fully convinced that the Lord is preparing his Bride for these last days. As part of this preparation I believe He is preparing an end time army. Not an army who will take over the world and set up the political system Christ will rule in (called Dominion Theology) but rather, a militant and victorious church who shall defeat the hordes of Hell.

The VISION.

In late October 1996 I had a startling vision. I was looking down from a high place and I saw a mighty army. It was marching in a long line, like a great column snaking through the jungle. It looked for all the world like a serpent. At it's head was a banner, which read "Joel's' army". Behind them they left a swath of destruction, a road of sorts cut through the jungle. I was made aware that this army was 'now marching' or had already mobilized.

I also saw off to one side, hidden in dense undergrowth, a battalion. This group stood quietly, waiting in the jungle. They were assembled in a square, and they were awaiting instructions. At the head of this smaller group was a banner which read "Gideon's army".

Then I looked and saw a single platoon, off to the side of the bat-
talion. It stood divided. I looked carefully at this group, feeling at first that it represented the local body of believers I belonged to at the time. They were standing in mud, in two ranks facing each other. The Spirit expressly said, "Many have passed through their ranks" and I began to realize they were (are) the prophets. These troops were stuck in the mud, and had not moved on for some time.

JOEL'S ARMY.

Joel's army has been promoted widely as being a good army, an army of the church. Many songs, sung in Pentecostal and mainline Evangelical churches even quote the warrior Scriptures as relating to the church. However I do not hold to that understanding. To me, Joel's army is one of terrible locusts, "a great and powerful army... Before them is like Eden, after them is desolate" (Joel 2:2,3). This is similar to the picture I had. Joel says they are "a powerful army, drawn up for battle, before them the nations are in anguish" (5,6). Why are the nations terrified of this army? Because they are an instrument of judgment.

Note that the Scripture does not say, "God's enemies are in anguish before them." Nor does it imply that the devil is afraid of them. It is the nations who are afraid. This army is made up of "the cutting locust... the swarming locust... the hopping locust... the destroying locust" (Joel 1:4). This is not a picture of the Bride of Christ. Evidently the army first destroys or brings judgment against God's own people because later in the book of Joel, God consoles His people saying, "I will repay YOU for the years the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer and the cutter, that great army I sent against you" (Joel 2:25).

This is clearly God's instrument of judgment against both his church and the nations (peoples), not a great or good army in the church! The passages relating to Joel's army confuse some, because it is said that the Lord is at the head of HIS army. He is in control of them. But that no more makes them the church than it made Babylon or Assyria the church! Jeremiah depicts Babylon as God's own instrument, his servant (Jer 25:9), just as Isaiah depicts Assyria as being a weapon in God's hand (Isa 7:20). God used them, as He uses the army depicted by Joel, to berate and scold an unrepentant Israel. In the same way, Joel's army is marching in the end times, to scold and rebuke, to consume and devour the unregenerate church.

I was impressed that this army was "now marching". There is only one globally significant move underfoot at this time. It has already affected many churches, denominations and groups. I have previously labeled it the "Blessing Movement"- It's 'streams' are severally identifiable as Howard Browne Ministries, the Toronto Blessing, Sunderland Outpouring and Pensacola Revival. This is, to me, one and the same movement in various forms.

GIDEON'S ARMY

The second army I saw however, portrays an altogether different picture. Here is an army fully prepared, awaiting instruction. It is not yet mobile. The battalion (in military terms about 10,000 men) was labeled Gideon's army. It represents the refined, the chosen, the remnant church. This second army is not yet marching. They are stable, focused, balanced and awaiting instruction. They have NOT been given their marching orders! Gideon and his men were exhorted: "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel... I will be with you and you shall strike down the Midianites" (Judg 6:14,15). Note there is an explicit command to strike down the enemies of Israel, or for the church, the devil and his powers- not the church!

As I read through the account of Gideon in Judges 6-8 several things strike me about them. If this army is a picture of the remnant, then it will help to see what they had, and what they did. Firstly, they were twice refined. At first a great number of men gathered to fight (32,000 in all). During the first purging the Lord removed those who had the fear of man. This took their number down to 10,000. In my vision I saw the battalion (10,000 men) labeled as Gideon's army. This seems to indicate that the assembling battalion has already been refined of the fear of man. The second purging Gideon's army underwent was to remove those who trusted in their own strength. This took their number down to 300. The present Gideon's army (the one of my vision) may expect this second purging next.

I should say at this point that it is my understanding that the 'end time' army of God, the militant church making war on the enemies of the kingdom and taking ground for Christ will be made of many companies. Just one of these companies is Gideon's. Others have seen and labeled such companies as the Isaiah 57 company, the Elijah force and the warriors of Gilead. Perhaps these are all part of the same picture?

The next thing we notice about Gideon's army (and from now on these things are to come to the Gideon army gathered today) is that they were fewer in number than would be expected. Their number was so few in fact, that the move of God could not be blamed on them! The glory could only go to God and Israel would not be able to boast about the strength of her right arm. This fits well with my vision, as the assembled crowd represented only one battalion, not a whole army. The mighty triumphs and victories destined for this group can only be laid at the feet of Jesus.

In their first battle, Gideon moved only according to God's command. It was at God's initiative, at His request and by His plan only. It was interesting that as an army, they carried no swords! How could they possibly win the battle without weapons? Their battle cry was "a sword for the Lord and Gideon" (7:20) and the enemy "feared the sword of Gideon"(7:13). Yet in actual fact their hands were full. They went into battle with a shofar in one hand (trumpet) and fire in jars in the other.

The shofar symbolizes the prophetic clarion or the watchmen, used to sound the alarm and awaken the city. The fire in jars may well speak of this very great treasure we have within us, this precious truth about Christ which shall demonstrate his very great power: "we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us." (2 Cor 4:7). Likewise the secret to our warfare is also that the weapons of our battle are not merely carnal, they are divine to the tearing down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4).

THE SONS of EPHRAIM

After winning an amazing victory in their first battle, Gideon's army pressed the defeated enemy far into the Northern region. They passed through into the land of Ephraim, toward Penuel. The inhabitants of this region - the sons of Ephraim, were accomplished soldiers. Over the years they had managed successive enlargements of their territory, and were powerful enough by Isaiah's time for him to even call them the Northern Kingdom! (Isa 7:28,29). They had defeated the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb (Jud 8:3) and were furious that Gideon had left them out of the battle!

Gideon must have considered taking such fine fighting men along to rout the enemy, yet we read that he proceeded on without them (v 4). Whilst Gideon acknowledges their superior strength in battle (Judg 8:2), he in fact uses this as a way of diplomatically declining their implied offer of help. He proceeds without the prestigious fighters. It would have been tempting to take them along in his battle.

Who are these sons of Ephraim, and what might they represent to the present vision of the army of Gideon? Ephraim was the second son of Joseph. Joseph blessed him with his right hand, and placed him over his brother Manassah (Gen 48:13) signifying that he would be greater. From the beginning of the tribe, Ephraim gained a place of honor and prestige. Several notable leaders came from the tribe or region - Joshua, Samuel, Jeroboam, Tola and Deborah.

They had a special place in God's heart, until their rebellion against the house of David. He states, "I am the father to Israel and Ephraim is my first born" (Jer 31:6). Similarly "Gilead is mine, and Manassah is mine, but Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my sceptre" (Psa 60:7). They had several of the ancient and blessed places of worship, including Bethel, Shiloh and Shechem within their borders.

There were, and are many good reasons to bring along people who seem to have a fruitful ministry (the name Ephraim means "fruitful place" in Hebrew). They may have prestige, they may have power, they may be experienced in battle and spiritual warfare, they may have ruled in the previous moves of God, yet we like Gideon should deny their aide. Gideon did not choose their help at all. They do indeed have a special place in God's heart and plan, but not in His present plan for the army of Gideon. They are to rout the enemy with the help of Jehovah alone!

The PROPHETIC 'STUCK-IN-THE-MUDS'.

Finally, the group I saw off to the side of Gideon's army represents, I believe, the prophets. One important point of my vision was that they were divided. They stood separated from each other, and in at least two rows facing each other. The Lord said, "Many have passed through their ranks". I am reminded of the Scripture which speaks of the coming unity among the prophets: "your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion" (Isa 52:8 NKJV).

It is my experience that, by and large, prophetic persons are loners. Or at least they have a tendency to stay inward. They retract from too much publicity. Camaraderie among prophetic groups is a rare treasure indeed. In Australia especially, prophetic ministries tend to be individualist, elitist and aloof. But we can trust in the Scripture that as the Lord restores Zion, the watchmen shall gather together in harmony and unity. This is something to be overcome in Him.

Mud represents, at it's most basic level, wet earth. Earth or dust is the fabric which man is made from. Mud may therefore represent worldliness, or earthliness which taints prophetic ministry. Mud in Scripture is also associated with wickedness (Isa 57:20) and un-cleanliness (2 Pet 2:22). Being stuck in the mud up to the boot straps indicates the many ways in which the prophetic ministry has become tainted. Many groups have become attached to worldliness, and the keeping of position and power. Others of us have become proud, and others just plain sinful. Of all this we must repent, and be cleansed.

The prophetic band I saw were stuck in the mud, being not only tainted, but obviously trapped. Jeremiah used this analogy in warning the people of Israel that they faced captivity to Babylon since they had failed to head his warning. He warned, "this is what the LORD has shown me - a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying, 'Your trusted friends have seduced you and have overcome you; Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, they desert you.' All your wives and your children shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire." (Jer 38:21-23).

Being stuck in the mud means to become trapped, and left open to being pillaged by the enemy, Jeremiah is basically saying to the captives of Jerusalem, "because of your sin, rebellion and failure to listen to God, you are trapped and shall be not only deserted, but carried away by the enemy. What a tragedy for the prophetic
ministries! My vision, lastly, is a warning that we must clean up, and move on. We must not pretend we are clean when in fact we are dirty. The call of the hour for those who call themselves prophetic is 'holiness unto the Lord'. Holy so that we may prepare and join the gathering, training, waiting army of Gideon in battle.

(c) Copyright 1997
~ Robert I. Holmes

Outflow - God's Goodness

2008-06-21T20:21:00.018-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2. that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

The outflow that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, not partial, and not with hypocracy.(Jas.3:17) Are we allowing these things to flow out of us and into a dying world? Or are we being judgemental, unbending, harsh, and playing favorites? Jesus is our perfect example of how we should be towards those who are in the world. He knew it was God's goodness that brought a person to repentance and into His Kingdom.

©2008 Richard Jones

Revival Hymn

2008-06-17T13:59:00.002-05:00

Help Us Lord

2008-06-14T11:02:00.010-05:00

Heavenly Father, Help us remember
that the lady who cut us off in traffic
last night is a single mother who
worked nine hours that day and
is rushing home to cook dinner,
help with homework,do the laundry
and spend a few precious moments
with her children.

Help us to remember that the
pierced, tattooed, disinterested
young man who can't make
change correctly is a worried
19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension
over final exams with his
fear of not getting his
student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord,
that the scary looking bum,
begging for money
in the same spot every day
(who really ought to get a job!)
is a slave to addictions
that we can only imagine
in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the
old couple walking annoyingly
slow through the store aisles
and blocking our shopping
progress are savoring this
moment, knowing that,
based on the biopsy report
she got back last week, this
will be the last year that they
go shopping together.

Heavenly Father,
remind us each day that,
of all the gifts you give us,
the greatest gift is love.

It is not enough
to share that love
with those we hold dear.

Open our hearts not to
just those who are
close to us,
but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge
and quick to forgive,
show patience, compassion,
mercy and...
love.

Outflow - Our Testimony Unto Death

2008-04-25T01:34:00.012-05:00

OUTFLOW out-flow (out-flo) n. 1. the act of flowing out. 2.that which flows out. 3. any outward movement.

Revelation 12:11 says that: "We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony." The first was the outflow of Jesus for the atonement of our sins. The second is an outflow from our hearts in response to the first. We each have a testimony that God wants us to share with those who are in need of His forgiveness, grace, mercy and compassion. However, while doing so, just as Jesus did in order to bring us the testimony of His Kingdom, we are also to "love not our own lives unto death".

©2008 Richard Jones

Whisper of Angel Wings

2008-03-06T23:53:00.012-06:00

Today I stumbled and once again,
was lifted by an unseen hand.
What comfort and joy that knowlege
brings for I hear the Whisper of
Angel Wings.

The guardian Angels God sends to all,
to bear us up when we stumble and fall.
Trust Him my friend, and often you'll hear,
the Whisper of Angel Wings hovering near.

©2008 Ashlie York
Age 15

Touching the Untouchables

2008-02-09T13:49:00.004-06:00

Pure and undefiled religion is this: to minister to widows and orphans in their distresses. The compassion of Christ is the breeding ground of miracles, and we must fully comprehend the revelation of the mystery that the fullness of Christ, the hope of glory, dwells in us. We must allow ourselves to be formed into His image, then we can become living expressions of Him and His compassion will flow from us like rivers of living waters! Jesus said that if we touch the untouchables, if we minister unto the least of these with His compassion flowing out of us, then we are ministering unto Him and we will step into the realms of His glory where signs, wonders and miracles are made manifest.

Perhaps, just perhaps, if we were to stop arguing and bickering among ourselves over petty issues, and we went out to the highways and hedges touching the untouchables, then the Church would begin to look like a cross to a hurting and dying world. It is then that we would see the whole world flocking to the Church in order to know the one true Savior. In the meantime, the world sees the Church as hypocrites, having no better character and integrity then the rest of the world. Wounded and disallusioned, people are running out the back door of the church as fast as new people are coming in the front.

There are BILLIONS of people who do not know the message of the cross, and the best way to convey that message is if we ourselves become as living epistles. If we are to be identified with Christ then we must humble ourselves, pick-up our cross and carry it out into the world. We must be dead to ourselves, our agendas, and the things of this world so that the light and resurrection life of Christ can pour out of us. The light of Christ belongs in the darkness. It is not the light of Christ if we use it in an attempt to outshine each other. If that is all we use it for, then our lampstands will be removed.

In the story of Gideon (Judges 7:19-22), he used a remnant of 300 who took their trumpets, torches and empty pots into battle. They put their torches, representing the light of God's Word, into the empty pots, representing ourselves as vessels of clay who were empty before the light of God entered into us. As they went to battle they blew their trumpets, representing the prophetic announcement of victory over our enemies, and they broke their pots, representing us as being totally broken before the Lord, then they held their torches in their left hand, representing the light of God's Word that shines out of us as we allow ourselves to be completely broken before the Lord, and the enemy became confused slaying themselves with their very own weapons!

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds...the stongholds of sickness, disease, poverty and opression. Please Church, take the light, which is your weapon, and go out into the highways and hedges as living epistles, full of the compassion and love of Christ who dwells in you, and touch the untouchables! Then we will truly see God's will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven, with transformation and revival spreading like a wildfire wherever the soles of our feet shall tread!

©2008 Richard Jones

Stacey Campbell - Powerful Prophecy for the Church

2008-01-25T00:00:00.002-06:00

Luke 14:12-14

2008-01-17T19:54:00.001-06:00

Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (NKJV)