I am in the process of reading a book called, The World's Greatest Revivals. I cannot tell you whether I am going to read it all the way but some of the material in there is not that bad. This is why I thought I would like to talk about what makes a real revival.
We have heard it all the time. Come to our church, tent, home, event or whatso maybe because we are going to have a revival. Have we taken this word and used so lightly. Revival??? What is a Revival? Is it a bunch of people excited for Jesus. I believe a revival is something or event that has changed the church as a whole. Pentecost. That began and changed the church. Also Rome in 300 A.D. the Bizantine Era. Also the REFORMATION. That is a revival. The CRUSADES that is a revival. A bad one but it still was one. AZUSA was a revival. The Revivals in England and So forth. These are revivals that have changed the Church as a whole and thus have changed the world. If we really look at these revivals we wil find one thing in common. They were not based on the emotional hupla but rather on the deep theological issues of the church. How we believe and what we believe in. This is a true revival. Not just full of emotions and shallow feelings.
So when Pastors want to change the people of God maybe we should think about teaching them the truth rather than the emotion. It is the spiritual truths that will change a people and nation.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
WHY NOT HALLOWEEN?
A lot of people have asked why should Christians not celebrate Halloween? Other than the obvious of all reasons: Halloween represents evil. Many of the costumes and props represent death, demons and ghouls. It glorifies evil, horror and darkness. This is not what Christians should be a part of. We are to celebrate Life, God and Light. No matter how we try to dress up Halloween to be harmless it is like putting lipstick on a pig. O.K. I will try the expression of lipstick on a Donkey. Christians will try to come up with alternatives. Why? Why not just teach your people not celebrate this evila dn not to be a partaker of it? Now here is the other reasons we do not celebrate Halloween other than the obvious:
History traces Halloween back to the ancient religion of the Celtics in Ireland. The Celtic people were very conscious of the spiritual world and had their own ideas of how they could gain access to it - such as by helping their over 300 gods to defeat their enemies in battle, or by imitating the gods in showing cleverness and cunning. Their two main feasts were Beltane at the beginning of summer (May 1), and Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween) at the end of summer (Nov. 1). They believed Samhain was a time when the division between the two worlds became very thin, when hostile supernatural forces were active and ghosts and spirits were free to wander as they wished. "During this interval the normal order of the universe is suspended, the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are temporarily removed, the sidh lies open and all divine beings and the spirits of the dead move freely among men and interfere sometimes violently, in their affairs"
The Celtic priests who carried out the rituals in the open air were called Druids, members of pagan orders in Britain, Ireland and Gaul, who generally performed their rituals by offering sacrifices, usually of crops and animals, but sometimes of humans, in order to placate the gods; ensuring that the sun would return after the winter; and frightening away evil spirits. To the Celtics, the bonfire represented the sun and was used to aid the Druid in his fight with dark powers. The term bonfire comes from the words "bone fire," literally meaning the bones of sacrificed animals, sometimes human, were piled in a field with timber and set ablaze. All fires except those of the Druids were extinguished on Samhain and householders were levied a fee to relight their holy fire which burned at their altars. During the Festival of Samhain, fires would be lit which would burn all through the winter and sacrifices would be offered to the gods on the fires. This practice of burning humans was stopped around 1600, and an effigy was sometimes burned instead.
TRICK OR TREAT ANYONE?
Some trace the origins of present day "trick-or-treat" to Samhain, which was the supreme night of demonic jubilation. Spirits of the dead would rise out of their graves and wander the countryside, trying to return to the homes where they formerly lived. Frightened villagers tried to appease these wandering spirits by offering them gifts of fruit and nuts. They began the tradition of placing plates of the finest food and bits of treats that the household had to offer on their doorsteps, as gifts, to appease the hunger of the ghostly wanderers. If not placated, villagers feared that the spirits would kill their flocks or destroy their property.
So in a nutshell when Christians participate in Halloween they actually participate in demonic worship. Yes, even if you are dressed as an angel.
History traces Halloween back to the ancient religion of the Celtics in Ireland. The Celtic people were very conscious of the spiritual world and had their own ideas of how they could gain access to it - such as by helping their over 300 gods to defeat their enemies in battle, or by imitating the gods in showing cleverness and cunning. Their two main feasts were Beltane at the beginning of summer (May 1), and Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween) at the end of summer (Nov. 1). They believed Samhain was a time when the division between the two worlds became very thin, when hostile supernatural forces were active and ghosts and spirits were free to wander as they wished. "During this interval the normal order of the universe is suspended, the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are temporarily removed, the sidh lies open and all divine beings and the spirits of the dead move freely among men and interfere sometimes violently, in their affairs"
The Celtic priests who carried out the rituals in the open air were called Druids, members of pagan orders in Britain, Ireland and Gaul, who generally performed their rituals by offering sacrifices, usually of crops and animals, but sometimes of humans, in order to placate the gods; ensuring that the sun would return after the winter; and frightening away evil spirits. To the Celtics, the bonfire represented the sun and was used to aid the Druid in his fight with dark powers. The term bonfire comes from the words "bone fire," literally meaning the bones of sacrificed animals, sometimes human, were piled in a field with timber and set ablaze. All fires except those of the Druids were extinguished on Samhain and householders were levied a fee to relight their holy fire which burned at their altars. During the Festival of Samhain, fires would be lit which would burn all through the winter and sacrifices would be offered to the gods on the fires. This practice of burning humans was stopped around 1600, and an effigy was sometimes burned instead.
TRICK OR TREAT ANYONE?
Some trace the origins of present day "trick-or-treat" to Samhain, which was the supreme night of demonic jubilation. Spirits of the dead would rise out of their graves and wander the countryside, trying to return to the homes where they formerly lived. Frightened villagers tried to appease these wandering spirits by offering them gifts of fruit and nuts. They began the tradition of placing plates of the finest food and bits of treats that the household had to offer on their doorsteps, as gifts, to appease the hunger of the ghostly wanderers. If not placated, villagers feared that the spirits would kill their flocks or destroy their property.
So in a nutshell when Christians participate in Halloween they actually participate in demonic worship. Yes, even if you are dressed as an angel.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
When Laws Go Wrong!!
Lisa Snyder is the kind of neighbor everybody likes to have. Every school day, the Michigan mom welcomed neighborhood children into her home—kids whose mothers have to leave for work an hour before the school bus picks up the kids. Snyder didn’t charge anything—she just wanted to be a good neighbor.
But then someone reported Snyder to the authorities—and the state of Michigan told her to stop babysitting, or else. The Michigan Department of Human Services said if Snyder wanted to take care of unrelated kids in her home, she had to get a daycare license.
It’s an example of laws gone wild—too many regulations, and too little common sense.
And that’s not even the worst example. Last March an Indiana grandmother named Sally Harpold was arrested for buying two boxes of cold medicine in less than a week. That’s illegal, if the combined boxes contain more than three grams of pseudoephedrine. They did—which put Harpold in violation of state laws regulating methamphetamine, which can be made from pseudoephedrine.
Harpold—who was handcuffed and booked—wasn’t running a meth lab. She was buying medicine for her three sick grandchildren. But the local prosecutor was unapologetic. Harpold, she said, ought to have known the law.
That might be easier if there weren’t so many local, state, and federal laws to keep track of. While Harpold is catching up on her legal reading, maybe the prosecutor can take care of her sick grandchildren.
Happily, in Michigan, common sense prevailed. Governor Jennifer Granholm ordered the Department of Human Services to work with lawmakers to change the daycare law to protect people who are simply trying to be good neighbors.
Sally Harpold was not so fortunate. She had to go into an alternative punishment program, and pay attorney fees and court costs.
With cases like these, it’s no wonder Americans are growing increasingly distrustful of government—and of the growing numbers of laws and regulations that are making daily life, well, difficult!
Part of the problem is that we have lost the biblical view of the role of government, which is to preserve order, restrain evil, and promote justice. Government has no legitimate interest in slapping the helping hands of citizens like Lisa Snyder. Rather, government should promote neighborly charity! When it comes to helping a neighbor in trouble, government is not the answer. Good neighbors are.
The Reformers understood this, and called it “sphere sovereignty.” Each institution—family, church, and the private associations—knew their job.
In Catholic social teaching, it was called the principle of “subsidiarity,” recognizing that the interests of individuals are best served by the institution closest to them.
In both traditions, government should perform only those functions which can’t be performed by these “intermediate structures.”
But the other part of the “laws-gone-wild problem” is we ourselves. As the moral order of society breaks down, government—and its laws—step in to fill the void and to prevent chaos.
Indiana banned buying too much cold medicine because of the plague of methamphetamine. When we can no longer master our own cravings and inclinations to evil—in other words, when we can no longer govern ourselves—we invite government intervention. And grandmas like Sally Harpold get dragged off in handcuffs.
Time to wake up and apply biblical teachings to the role of government and the individual.
But then someone reported Snyder to the authorities—and the state of Michigan told her to stop babysitting, or else. The Michigan Department of Human Services said if Snyder wanted to take care of unrelated kids in her home, she had to get a daycare license.
It’s an example of laws gone wild—too many regulations, and too little common sense.
And that’s not even the worst example. Last March an Indiana grandmother named Sally Harpold was arrested for buying two boxes of cold medicine in less than a week. That’s illegal, if the combined boxes contain more than three grams of pseudoephedrine. They did—which put Harpold in violation of state laws regulating methamphetamine, which can be made from pseudoephedrine.
Harpold—who was handcuffed and booked—wasn’t running a meth lab. She was buying medicine for her three sick grandchildren. But the local prosecutor was unapologetic. Harpold, she said, ought to have known the law.
That might be easier if there weren’t so many local, state, and federal laws to keep track of. While Harpold is catching up on her legal reading, maybe the prosecutor can take care of her sick grandchildren.
Happily, in Michigan, common sense prevailed. Governor Jennifer Granholm ordered the Department of Human Services to work with lawmakers to change the daycare law to protect people who are simply trying to be good neighbors.
Sally Harpold was not so fortunate. She had to go into an alternative punishment program, and pay attorney fees and court costs.
With cases like these, it’s no wonder Americans are growing increasingly distrustful of government—and of the growing numbers of laws and regulations that are making daily life, well, difficult!
Part of the problem is that we have lost the biblical view of the role of government, which is to preserve order, restrain evil, and promote justice. Government has no legitimate interest in slapping the helping hands of citizens like Lisa Snyder. Rather, government should promote neighborly charity! When it comes to helping a neighbor in trouble, government is not the answer. Good neighbors are.
The Reformers understood this, and called it “sphere sovereignty.” Each institution—family, church, and the private associations—knew their job.
In Catholic social teaching, it was called the principle of “subsidiarity,” recognizing that the interests of individuals are best served by the institution closest to them.
In both traditions, government should perform only those functions which can’t be performed by these “intermediate structures.”
But the other part of the “laws-gone-wild problem” is we ourselves. As the moral order of society breaks down, government—and its laws—step in to fill the void and to prevent chaos.
Indiana banned buying too much cold medicine because of the plague of methamphetamine. When we can no longer master our own cravings and inclinations to evil—in other words, when we can no longer govern ourselves—we invite government intervention. And grandmas like Sally Harpold get dragged off in handcuffs.
Time to wake up and apply biblical teachings to the role of government and the individual.
Like Sheep Lead To The Slaughter - So Also The Church
Yesterday I received an email from a Neighborhood Association that was crying outrage against the fact that a Church was feeding the homeless on their property. The purpose of this email was to have everyone come to this meeting and voice opposition against a Church feeding the homeless. Sad fact is that is exactly what is going to happen. The world will be there to state that church should not be allowed on their own property to feed the homeless or in fact have any food service outreach without the permission of the City. Meanwhile the 1000's of people who attend worship every Sunday will be nestled in their homes on Thursday Night doing nothing because they will feel like it is not their business, I mean it is not their church that is being attacked so why be there. The one thing they will failto understand is that a City-Wide Interpertation makes it applicable to everyone. The church will be lead like a sheep to the slaughter, unless we truly learn to unite and become one as Christ prayed for us to be and as the scriptures demand us to be in 1 Corninthians 12. The meeting will be held Tonight, Thursday October 22nd, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the Burton Barr Library. Let us as Christians come together and defend our religious rights and obligations before the Lord says to us, "I was hungry and you feed me not."
In Christ.
In Christ.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Life In Christ
Do you have a life in Christ or is Christ in your life? The other day I was reading an article that spoke about being a Christian. What makes a Christian? Is it because someone goes to church? Actually the article goes on to say that a Christian is someone who lives their life for Christ always. I agree. As some of you know, my wife and I have worship at my home. We have people come to our home every week and worship Jesus Christ. We have dedicated our lives to God, our home, our property and our family. When I walk on my property, I feel as if I walked into the land of God. Our Jerusalem! When my family and friends come to worship I am grateful that God has granted us the ability to share in His blessings. God has placed in our hearts to feed the poor, to help the needy, to minister the gospel to all in need. I remember when we lived at our home in Waltann and worshipping in the living room every Sunday with our family and friends, how small it was but how wonderful it was. Oh! How good the Lord is!!! I am a firm believer that when you are faithful in the least you will be faithful in the much. God has granted us a larger property with more room. Thank you Lord. I say that to say this:
I began my life in Christ giving Him everything. There is never a line in my life that said, Christ here and others there. It is and always has been Christ. So it should be with you in your life. Whether work, play, relationship, friends and no matter what Christ needs to be all and in all. This is what it means to have a life In Christ and not just Christ in your life. May God bless you in your walk with Him.
I began my life in Christ giving Him everything. There is never a line in my life that said, Christ here and others there. It is and always has been Christ. So it should be with you in your life. Whether work, play, relationship, friends and no matter what Christ needs to be all and in all. This is what it means to have a life In Christ and not just Christ in your life. May God bless you in your walk with Him.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Our Trip - Results
O.K. here is what everyone is waiting for. As some of you know last week we decided to go on a family trip to California. We left after worship on Sunday and first stop was San Diego California. But First we had to stop at the Sand Dunns off highway 8. It was so neat. My kids and I walked up the top of a huge sand dunn. Let me say, that it really took your wind. Sarah made it half way. Anna didn't even start, Rachel made it to the top and Abby crawled her way to the top. It was very steep. We took a picture at the top. That was nice, then off to San Diego again. San Diego was beautiful. We stayed at a Hotel and then in the morning we went to Sea Port Village. I recommend this to anyone going to San Diego. It is full of shops and attractions. It is free to get in and there is a lot of neat things there. One thing that my family and I decided to do was to rent a boat. We rented a 8 passenger for a 5 passenger price. We got a deal. It had been a long time since I driven a boat but it all came back to me suddenly. We went out to sea. I had the kids in the boat and I was the driver and let me say it was fun. It cost around $100.00 per hour. Of course we went out for an hour. Suzanne brought snacks, but we were having so much fun going so fast in the ocean that we failed to even have anything to eat. We stopped by a pier where there were sea lions everywhere. We rode right up to them. The kids had a ball. of course not all. Anna freaked out a little. LOL. That same day, we drove up to LA where we stayed at the Crowne Plaza. It was nice. Sauna, Jacuzzi, Pool, Spa, Gym and nice rooms. We had a bell hop that after our tip refused to want to to help us anymore. "I warned him." I told him I got it, but he refused and said, no no sir, that is why we are here. I said, no its OKAY. He said, he got it. Well, I only had a $1.00 in my pocket and that's what he got. Sorry to all the bell hops. : ( The following day, we went to Universal Studios. It was raining so we then decided to just go ahead and head up to San Fransico. It was a nice cool drive. We got there at night and stayed at the Hilton. Let me say, that the Hilton is overrated. The next day we decided to tour all of San Fran. We went to the island of Alcatraz. It cost $79.00 for my whole family. It was nice. Alcatraz is remarkable. How anyone could have survived it. We took a boat load of pictures and had a great time. We then walked fishermans wharf and pier 39 and 41 and of course ate fresh sea food and Clam Chowder out of a Sourdough Bowl. YUM YUM!! We drove the hills of San Fransico and let me say that it was stunning. The Bridges at night were beautful. The streets and city is remarkable. Believe it or not we may have ran into one gay person there. We saw more gays in LA then we did in San Fran. Go figure.. My brother said, "That they probably knew that I was going to be there and they ran and hid." LOL. That night we decided to stay at the Econolodge. If you ever go to San Fran stay at the Econolodge in Oakland. It was nice, Huge rooms, Patio Area, Free Breakfast, Free Wi-Fi and the service makes Hilton look like the dollar store to say the least. The next day we toured China Town and then went back to LA. Once in LA we stayed at the Crowne Plaza again for the rest of the nights. The following day we went to Universal. It was nice. We have annual passes so let me say that we are veterans. My kids and I know the place inside and out. After Universal, out of a whim we decided to visit my aunt in Covina. We were there for about 4 hours. It was nice. The kids had a ball then we drove back to the hotel where stayed for the last night and then in the morning headed back.
God is so good. It seemed that everywhere we turned and everything we did God had his hand in it. From turning off the right place to walking in at the right time, God was there. Our trip was awesome and by the grace of God we had a ball. Let me recommend that anyone go on a trip like this should try these features: 1) Hotwire - Hotwire got us the Crowne Plaza a 4 star hotel for $59.00 per night. Get a hotel by the airport you pay for parking which is about 10-15 per night but the hotel you get is exceptional. 2) Ever in San Fran stay in Oakland. oakland is only 10 minutes from San Fran. Central to everything. Stay at the Econolodge by the Airport. Parking is Free, Free Breakfast, Wi-Fi and many more. 3) Walk the piers in San Francisco. Park at the Fishermans Wharf down at pier 41 and then walk the rest. Parking is free for 3 hours. 4) Check out Alcatraz. The trip is worth it. My family it was $79.00 4 and under are free. 5) San Deigo, Don't stay at Good Nite Inn --- You get what you pay for. 6) Rent a boat. They are not that difficult to drive but it is worth the money. The boat tours are like $30 for adults and $20 for kids. They last 90 minutes. Renting a boat is $100.00 but the fun is limitless.
Thank you all for your prayers and I look. Let me say, that California is nice to visit. But I thank God I live in ARIZONA!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus.
PHOTO LINK: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2034537&id=1031397604&ref=mf
God is so good. It seemed that everywhere we turned and everything we did God had his hand in it. From turning off the right place to walking in at the right time, God was there. Our trip was awesome and by the grace of God we had a ball. Let me recommend that anyone go on a trip like this should try these features: 1) Hotwire - Hotwire got us the Crowne Plaza a 4 star hotel for $59.00 per night. Get a hotel by the airport you pay for parking which is about 10-15 per night but the hotel you get is exceptional. 2) Ever in San Fran stay in Oakland. oakland is only 10 minutes from San Fran. Central to everything. Stay at the Econolodge by the Airport. Parking is Free, Free Breakfast, Wi-Fi and many more. 3) Walk the piers in San Francisco. Park at the Fishermans Wharf down at pier 41 and then walk the rest. Parking is free for 3 hours. 4) Check out Alcatraz. The trip is worth it. My family it was $79.00 4 and under are free. 5) San Deigo, Don't stay at Good Nite Inn --- You get what you pay for. 6) Rent a boat. They are not that difficult to drive but it is worth the money. The boat tours are like $30 for adults and $20 for kids. They last 90 minutes. Renting a boat is $100.00 but the fun is limitless.
Thank you all for your prayers and I look. Let me say, that California is nice to visit. But I thank God I live in ARIZONA!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus.
PHOTO LINK: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2034537&id=1031397604&ref=mf
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Layaway Vs. Deposit
Have you ever had anything on Layaway? You take it up to a counter where you slowly place a payment on it and then it is yours. Have you ever placed a deposit on something? You choose what you want and then you place a deposit on it. The deposit states that it is yours and that you are going to take it.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 States that God has placed an earnest deposit on us. He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit and paid the deposit. When Christ returns he will take what is His. That is you and me. Praise God for that. You see Jesus did not put us on Layaway. Layaway means that we do not actually belong to Him but rather he is slowly paying us off. The deposit means that God has paid the price for us. That price is the cross of Christ. Thank God for His love. He has assured us that He is there for us and that evidence is the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 States that God has placed an earnest deposit on us. He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit and paid the deposit. When Christ returns he will take what is His. That is you and me. Praise God for that. You see Jesus did not put us on Layaway. Layaway means that we do not actually belong to Him but rather he is slowly paying us off. The deposit means that God has paid the price for us. That price is the cross of Christ. Thank God for His love. He has assured us that He is there for us and that evidence is the Holy Spirit.
Monday, October 5, 2009
FOR PROFIT???
Have you ever heard the saying, "Your going to shoot yourself in the foot." This is exactly what is happening in the churches these days. They are shooting each other in the foot. Today I received an email from a ministry who was asking me to buy buttons. The buttons were $130.00 for 250 of them so that we can get the message out. That is 52 cents each. Are you kidding me?? Why so much? Why do people have to make a profit to help other people get the word of God out? People need to remember this is not what the church is? The church is a place where Christians preach the gospel without making a profit from each other. The only people allowed to live off the people of God were the priest and ministers of God and they lived through the tithes and offerings. This has been God's plan all along. Now, we have people selling books, CD's, Buttons and so forth for outragous prices. I can get 250 buttons that say, "I love the world." for $.08 cents each.
People need to re-examine thier ministry and purpose in life. The only thing I can say, "I thank God that I have a job." May we hold the example of the apostle Paul who said I would rather work with my hands so that the gospel does not become a burden to anyone. AMEN TO THAT,
People need to re-examine thier ministry and purpose in life. The only thing I can say, "I thank God that I have a job." May we hold the example of the apostle Paul who said I would rather work with my hands so that the gospel does not become a burden to anyone. AMEN TO THAT,
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