God is birthing a new hunger in His church. A hunger for Himself. He is placing that hunger in me. I know He is placing it in others around me too. Over the past month, threaded through my sermons and even the books I have been reading, a curious pattern has been emerging. "Seek Me with all your heart."
Last week, at the urging of a member, we began a study by Bob Mumford on Sunday night called 'unshared love.' Little did I know it would be about intimacy with God. And oh, did God get ahold of us! Jealous love! Awesome love.
This week, an email solicitation by a Christian video site caught my eye. I never watch them...in fact, I have never watched a video there before. But something drew me to the one, "Revival Redux." It was a compilation of Revivalist sermons - all pointing to one thing: Intimacy with God. After watching it, I wept and went to my knees. Everytime I spoke of it, I wept. I was ovewhelmed.
By coincidence - my sermon was on "The kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force." - which I only wrote one page on and felt led to show that video to conclude the service with prayer and repentance.
I am fully expecting God to do something remarkable this Sunday.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Sweet Smell of God's Presence
On Sunday October 11th, our community gathered for a worship event called UNO (unity in northeast ohio). People from over 30 churches gathered at the Mentor Arts Center to worship together. 16 pastors read/proclaimed the word of God. It was an awesome event. It was also the fulfillment of a literal dream God had given me nearly 6 months ago.
In that dream, I was speaking in a multi-tiered worship center, crowded with people. The Mentor Arts Center is a sloped auditorium with a spacious balcony. After I read my scriptures, and walked off the stage, I felt the overwhelming sensation that I was on staff at a large church with a whole bunch of other pastors.
Four days later, while driving to our pastor's meeting in Madison, driving with my windows shut, I was overwhelmed by the scent of perfume. When I reached my destination and stepped out of my car, I could still smell it. So I told the pastors about it...who kind of smiled. Later that week, one of them told me that on his way home from the meeting, he also caught the smell at the intersection of 528 and Rt. 20...unmistakeable and with his windows shut!
Concusion? God was displaying His glory for our community! His favor rests upon our city and our community as we have gathered in His Name and unified for the sake of the Gospel of the Kingdom!
In that dream, I was speaking in a multi-tiered worship center, crowded with people. The Mentor Arts Center is a sloped auditorium with a spacious balcony. After I read my scriptures, and walked off the stage, I felt the overwhelming sensation that I was on staff at a large church with a whole bunch of other pastors.
Four days later, while driving to our pastor's meeting in Madison, driving with my windows shut, I was overwhelmed by the scent of perfume. When I reached my destination and stepped out of my car, I could still smell it. So I told the pastors about it...who kind of smiled. Later that week, one of them told me that on his way home from the meeting, he also caught the smell at the intersection of 528 and Rt. 20...unmistakeable and with his windows shut!
Concusion? God was displaying His glory for our community! His favor rests upon our city and our community as we have gathered in His Name and unified for the sake of the Gospel of the Kingdom!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Treasure Hunting at Old Fashioned Days
I meant to post this earlier, but forgot I had a blog. About 10 of us went to Old Fashioned Days in Madison and met at the Open Door for prayer. There we listened intently to God giving us various clues concerning people we were going to meet and that God wanted to touch. My clues were red hat, green shirt, sunglasses, name: John, needs: neckpain, cervical, job.
So we went out, and after a few good encounters, we came across a man with a red hat. He rebuffed us saying, "I'm a Christian, but there's a guy with a red hat." As we turned around, sure enough it was a man with a red hat, but also a green shirt and sunglasses. We hurried toward him. When we caught up to him and his family we shared how we were on a treasure hunt and how God had highlighted him to us. He was pretty amazed that God would want to bless him. Then I asked him about his needs...and he said he just had his hours cut at work, so I showed him my list about job needs. And then I asked, "do you have any problems with your neck?" To which his wife got in the act and said, "Yes!" And then I pointed out the cervical words on my map. She got really excited and said thats it! I asked if the name John meant anything to him and he said his dad was named John. So we prayed over him, knowing God had lined our paths to cross.
Others had remarkable encounters too, including teens, a man in a motorized wheelchair, and others. It was an exciting time, and as we returned, God highlighted a woman on a bench. She came to receive Jesus Christ as a result. How Great is Our God!
So we went out, and after a few good encounters, we came across a man with a red hat. He rebuffed us saying, "I'm a Christian, but there's a guy with a red hat." As we turned around, sure enough it was a man with a red hat, but also a green shirt and sunglasses. We hurried toward him. When we caught up to him and his family we shared how we were on a treasure hunt and how God had highlighted him to us. He was pretty amazed that God would want to bless him. Then I asked him about his needs...and he said he just had his hours cut at work, so I showed him my list about job needs. And then I asked, "do you have any problems with your neck?" To which his wife got in the act and said, "Yes!" And then I pointed out the cervical words on my map. She got really excited and said thats it! I asked if the name John meant anything to him and he said his dad was named John. So we prayed over him, knowing God had lined our paths to cross.
Others had remarkable encounters too, including teens, a man in a motorized wheelchair, and others. It was an exciting time, and as we returned, God highlighted a woman on a bench. She came to receive Jesus Christ as a result. How Great is Our God!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
More God, More!
This past Friday, 4 of us went to Bethel Church's "Firestorm" at Metro Church in Cleveland. We were blessed beyond our wildest imagination, with Kevin Dedmon giving life changing preaching and testimonies and words of knowledge.
Jennifer and I went back on Saturday during the day for leader training. Of course, we were the only Southern Baptists there...and took a bit of ribbing for it, but all in fun. On Saturday, we had more teaching, prophetic words spoken over us (which hit me like a sledgehammer) and after lunch we (about 40 of us) broke up into groups of 4 and did a "treasure hunt" in the community. (I'll explain that one later). God showed up big time and we saw Him work powerfully in one divine appointment that shook one woman's world to the core.
By Sunday morning, our pump was primed for God. As we went back to Here's Hope, we prepared for worship. God told me to be prepared to sing "You're all I need" and to change it to "I'm all you need." which fit perfectly with the priesthood of the believer sermon I was about to preach. What I didn't expect was that our worship leader had picked a song that included that line in it! God led us to have a time of ministry BEFORE the sermon and at least 15 people came for prayer. One woman was healed of deafness in her left ear. Many others received prayer and commented on feeling the power of God touching them.
Then Sunday night, we had UNO: Unity in Northeastern Ohio - a worship gathering in which about 20 churches gathered for an evening of worship and upbuilding of the body of Christ. Nearly 800 people showed up to praise God together. (found out later that Cleveland had a similar event on the same night). Now we are hearing reports that revival is taking root all over Northeastern Ohio. Wow God! More!
Jennifer and I went back on Saturday during the day for leader training. Of course, we were the only Southern Baptists there...and took a bit of ribbing for it, but all in fun. On Saturday, we had more teaching, prophetic words spoken over us (which hit me like a sledgehammer) and after lunch we (about 40 of us) broke up into groups of 4 and did a "treasure hunt" in the community. (I'll explain that one later). God showed up big time and we saw Him work powerfully in one divine appointment that shook one woman's world to the core.
By Sunday morning, our pump was primed for God. As we went back to Here's Hope, we prepared for worship. God told me to be prepared to sing "You're all I need" and to change it to "I'm all you need." which fit perfectly with the priesthood of the believer sermon I was about to preach. What I didn't expect was that our worship leader had picked a song that included that line in it! God led us to have a time of ministry BEFORE the sermon and at least 15 people came for prayer. One woman was healed of deafness in her left ear. Many others received prayer and commented on feeling the power of God touching them.
Then Sunday night, we had UNO: Unity in Northeastern Ohio - a worship gathering in which about 20 churches gathered for an evening of worship and upbuilding of the body of Christ. Nearly 800 people showed up to praise God together. (found out later that Cleveland had a similar event on the same night). Now we are hearing reports that revival is taking root all over Northeastern Ohio. Wow God! More!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Living behind the veil
I have been trying to understand how to access my inheritance...I know it is by faith, but there are specific means to do so...ie. intimacy with my Father in Heaven. It is there, in my spirit, I get behind the veil of the flesh and see from the heavenly perspective, and begin to operate in the same realm and authority as my Savior. I keep looking for shortcuts, but there are none. I keep looking for religious ways to accomplish this...pray louder, use better words, claim authority...and yet, no substitute exists for being 1 on 1 with my Father in the secret place in my spirit.
Not too long ago I had a dream...dreamt I was at a restaurant and seated next to Jack Taylor (don't ask me how I knew it was him). I was telling him all that God was doing in our church and Jack spoke these words, "the wind of the Holy Spirit will blow across your church." As he spoke those words, everyone on the far side of the restaurant fell out of their seats onto the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, he slowly turned to look at me. The moment our eyes met, I flew out of my seat and continued to "fly" backwards, and was praying in the Spirit. I awoke from my dream, praying in the Spirit, in which I continued for about 10 minutes while I soaked in what had just happened.
A week later, someone gave me an interpretation...."God is going to blow you away with what He is about to do." I pray and claim that!
-----
Other thoughts recently - Last Sunday, someone shared during testimony time that they saw a double rainbow at 7:00 am peirced through by lightning bolts in the sky on Thursday morning.
Not too long ago I had a dream...dreamt I was at a restaurant and seated next to Jack Taylor (don't ask me how I knew it was him). I was telling him all that God was doing in our church and Jack spoke these words, "the wind of the Holy Spirit will blow across your church." As he spoke those words, everyone on the far side of the restaurant fell out of their seats onto the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, he slowly turned to look at me. The moment our eyes met, I flew out of my seat and continued to "fly" backwards, and was praying in the Spirit. I awoke from my dream, praying in the Spirit, in which I continued for about 10 minutes while I soaked in what had just happened.
A week later, someone gave me an interpretation...."God is going to blow you away with what He is about to do." I pray and claim that!
-----
Other thoughts recently - Last Sunday, someone shared during testimony time that they saw a double rainbow at 7:00 am peirced through by lightning bolts in the sky on Thursday morning.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
In Christ in Heavenly Places
Heard Steve Thompson on Friday night, and he gave me a lot to think about. Heard that God is "waiting on me." Jesus is waiting for His enemies to be made into a footstool...who is He waiting upon? Upon me! To do His will! To make His enemies into a footstool. And that the creation is WAITING for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed (to come forward). God isn't going to DO stuff...He is waiting upon His people to BE the Christ(s) He made them to be. Christ in Me, the Hope of Glory! I was created to live in both realms, heavenly and on earth at the same time. Jesus lived in both realms simulateously. Why don't I experience it? Hmm
Bible wasn't written to tell me what is wrong with me and what I shouldnt' do. It is a mirror, telling me who I am. I'm a person sharing in the divine nature! I am a part of a brand new race of beings. Christians tend to see their progress as their conciousness of sin, but it doesnt' take faith to believe I'm a sinner, but it takes faith to beleive I am loved! Jeremiah 17:9 is my past, my old, dead life.
I was created to live and to rule with Christ on earth. And to agree with what God says about me isn't arrogance, it is humility. God wants me confident of who I am and what I can do in Christ. The devil wants me weak, helpless, introspective, and looking at my faults.
Grill is closed - "Im taking charge" illustration.
I must "walk toward" the prophetic word.
Bible wasn't written to tell me what is wrong with me and what I shouldnt' do. It is a mirror, telling me who I am. I'm a person sharing in the divine nature! I am a part of a brand new race of beings. Christians tend to see their progress as their conciousness of sin, but it doesnt' take faith to believe I'm a sinner, but it takes faith to beleive I am loved! Jeremiah 17:9 is my past, my old, dead life.
I was created to live and to rule with Christ on earth. And to agree with what God says about me isn't arrogance, it is humility. God wants me confident of who I am and what I can do in Christ. The devil wants me weak, helpless, introspective, and looking at my faults.
Grill is closed - "Im taking charge" illustration.
I must "walk toward" the prophetic word.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Hearing God in Prophecy
Wednesday night while praying with the men from Madison, my right ear suddenly got stopped up. Aware that physical manifestations might have meaning, I began to ask God what it meant. After about 10 minutes of this, I heard Todd shuffling his bible pages next to me, clearly and distinctly. At that point, I shared it with the men there. Todd shared that the "word of God is the sword of the Spirit which is the key to binding and loosing in the Spirit realm."
Thursday morning, I am reading my bible and run across Matthew 10. As I am reading, and just getting to verse 26, my ear does a clog up, but only for about 10 seconds, the amount of time it took to read the passage, "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs." What caught my attention was "what is whispered in your ear."
God has been talking to me about impartation for prophecy...and I believe he is about to whisper in our ears!
Thursday morning, I am reading my bible and run across Matthew 10. As I am reading, and just getting to verse 26, my ear does a clog up, but only for about 10 seconds, the amount of time it took to read the passage, "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs." What caught my attention was "what is whispered in your ear."
God has been talking to me about impartation for prophecy...and I believe he is about to whisper in our ears!
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