Monthly Archives: April 2010

-Internet the Key to Fulfilling the Great Commission?

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

: Image by Ben Dodson via Flickr

Here’s is an observation made by Walt Wilson, founder and CEO of Global Media Outreach during a recent conference at Biola University:

“By 2015 there will be WiFi everywhere on the face of the earth.”

“We are the first generation in all of human history to hold within our hands the technology to reach every man, woman, and child on the earth by 2020. Our generation has within its grasp everything that is required to fulfill the Great Commission.”

The Internet is changing everything. No this is not an exaggeration and I happen to believe that in spite of all the controversy God is behind it all. Just like the Roman peace, road system, and universal use of the Greek language made it possible for Christianity to spread across the known world in the first generation. Today the internet is doing the same thing in this generation—actually making it possible for folks to begin to talk about fulfilling the Great Commission of taking the Gospel to every nation.

Right now I know of several Christian ministries that are targeting unreached cultures and people nations through the Internet—places where it is impossible and illegal for missionaries to go. Nevertheless people in those nations are coming to Christ and new churches are being planted.

It is pretty incredible how the Net has made the world a much smaller place. The Islamic autocrats can no longer keep their folks from finding out the truth about Jesus. One Click with the browser and you can get the best Bible teaching of all time no matter where you live. In fact my blogs including this one have been visited by folks from nearly every country on Earth—196 to date. We are living in exciting times. *Top

-Internet Evangelism Day

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

April 25 is Internet Evangelism Day for 2010. Here’s a link to the official website: Internet Evangelism Day

These folks are there to help you all year long with newsletters, websites, articles, helps, and webinars all about reaching the world for Christ through the Internet. See the info. video below:

Posted in Evangelism, Harvest

Tagged Internet Evangelism Day

-Earthquakes, Prophecy, and Pentecost

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Michael| 1 Comment

: (Image by luca.m. via Flickr)

The ‘end-time’ teachers are going crazy covering all of the major earthquakes lately falling over themselves noting how the scriptures include the escalation of world-wide earthquakes as one of the signs of the end-times.

Many are expecting to be raptured at any moment. However, I don’t believe that the Lord is finished with humanity quite yet.

If we are entering the final moments of history before the return of Jesus than we can also expect a world-wide harvest that touches every nation. After all, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations and for me the most important end-time sign of all is this one:

“And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end shall come.” –Matt. 24:14

Many looking for a quick rapture typically don’t consider** that there are still places in this world that the Gospel has not reached yet but the pace is picking up at an incredible rate right now. Already there are major revivals going on all over the world particularly in Africa, India, and Asia including a hidden harvests going on in Muslim countries. Over six million Muslims have been secretly coming to Christ every year since 9/11/2001.

Here’s a prophetic message from Cindy Jacobs:

“The Winds of Pentecost”

She believes that major revivals are going to break out at every one of the recent earthquake locations:

On December 31, 2009, the Holy Spirit spoke through me and said: “I’m going to shake the earth. You will begin to see earthquakes—I am going to shake everything that can be shaken. Look where the earthquakes are hitting because God is going to release a wind of Pentecost in those places.”

She also says that the Day of Pentecost this year is particularly important for ushering in a new world-wide revival:

Pentecost this year is May 23, …

God wants His winds of Pentecost to blow at Pentecost. The Lord says: “I want My people to pray in a new Pentecost that will sweep the face of the earth, for I am coming with divine visitation that will touch heaven and earth. Many will be swept into the kingdom of God, and My glory will pour out with signs and wonders both in heaven and [on] the earth!”

<<Read the whole message>> *Top

**Note: There is a popular teaching among many that there is nothing that still has to happen before Jesus returns for his church. Some teach that the Gospel reached the entire known world in the first century. But of course this doesn’t consider the millions that lived in the Americas which for me is a major problem for that theory.

Posted in Eschatology, Harvest, Natural Disaster, Pentecost, Prophetic Message, Revival, Word for the Church

Tagged End-Time Signs, Prophetic Message

-Nigeria Crusade: 360,000 Saved

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

Here’s an incredible report from Bonnke’s Christ for All Nations org. that their most recent Nigeria crusade saw over 360,000 people come to Christ in 5 days.

Included were some Muslims who had participated in the attacks on Christian villages near Jos, Nigeria. Also hundreds were healed during the meetings.

Evangelist Daniel Kolenda and CfaN founder Reinhard Bonnke (See photo above) were the major leaders of the crusade held at Takum, Nigeria in March 24-28.

Response: The harvest and revival continues in Africa in a big way. Africa is now evenly divided between Muslims and Christian. Islam is expanding through jihad while the Christian harvest continues through signs, wonders, and healing.

Posted in Africa, Harvest, Revival

Tagged The Great Harvest

-Two Interesting Articles for Charismatics and Pentecostals

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

1. Man ‘Praying in Tongues’ Finds Missing Florida Girl

2. -Court Awards Woman Injured while ‘Slain in the Spirit’

*Top

Posted in Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts, Tongues

Tagged Spiritual Gifts

-The Door is Cracking Open

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

: (Image by *Fede* via Flickr)

On Sunday VCC Pastor Mike Hudgins Told us something we all knew but really didn’t know the extent of. Over 70 folks have committed their lives to Christ in the last month at our services.

There are three worship services so most of us who attend just one are not always aware of everything that is going on in the congregation.

Pastor Mike has given invitations for salvation every week and at every service for years and I don’t think 70 have come to receive God’s free gift in a whole year to date much less in a month. Usually folks will come forward after the service to receive healing and further ministry but few in wealthy South Orange County California have come up front to receive God’s free gift. But all that has changed now and 7 more came up for salvation at the end of that 9 am service on Sunday.

As Pastor Mike was telling us about this development I saw a picture in my mind of a door just barely cracked open. Then the Holy Spirit clearly said to me that it wasn’t just here but all across America and North America for that matter—the door was cracking open.

What does that mean? And how should we respond? That’s what I asked the Lord.

First of all it is time to pray for all those children of ours and relatives who aren’t saved. Even the ones we have given up on. Remember also the friends and neighbors who have rejected the Gospel in the past.

It is a New Day in America and the Door is cracking open!

Jesus is standing at the door and knocking once more across this whole land. Pastors, Bible teachers, and leaders: Tell your church that it is a New Day! *Top

Posted in American Church, Harvest, Word for the Church

Tagged Revival Shift

-Victory in ‘Living’ The Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Will Be Done in Earth”

Posted on April 11, 2010 by Michael| 3 Comments

Matt 6:9-13
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. -KJV

“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”

In the last article on The Lord’s Prayer we talked about the Kingdom of God and concluded that the Kingdom represents the ‘rule of God’. Therefore wherever God rules there is his Kingdom. So when we pray for his Kingdom to come we are really praying for an extension of his rule and authority which is exactly what we are praying for also when we say:

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”

His will is done in Heaven. There is no sickness, there is no death, there is plenty of everything for everybody. His will reigns in Heaven but not necessarily here on earth. Choices and free will changes the whole equation here and messes it all up. We have sickness, death, famine, and natural disasters. Also, sometimes nature itself seems to be completely out of control.

Jesus came to change the direction of all creation and bring it back and reconcile it to God the Father. God had given authority over creation to the first man Adam and Satan had stolen it when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God in the Garden.

Jesus reversed the course of and possibility of all creation when he lived as a perfect man and took back the mantle of the earth. Mt 28:18 tells us that Jesus now has all authority in Heaven and on earth. He holds the keys to bringing the rule of God to the earth just as it is right now in the Heavenly realm.

Roman 8:12-19 tells us that all creation awaits the revelation of the ‘Sons of God’. That is All of creation awaits and is depending on some folks to wake up and understand more fully what it means to be the children of God through faith in Jesus and cry out—Abba Father!

All creation waits for a group of folks to not only pray- Thy will be done- but actually live it?

But how can it be done? How can we even know what the will of God is? Then how can we actually do the will of God on Earth? After all, all sorts of weird doctrines have been formed using this Romans 8 passage as an excuse.

Posted in Christian Living, Kingdom Culture, The Lord's Prayer, Thy Kingdom Come, Word for the Church

Tagged The Lord's Prayer

-American Church: In Transition-No longer ‘Business as Usual’

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

One thing that should be obvious to most of us involved in the American church is that we are in a time of transition and nothing quite works the way it use to. Many major ministries that have been successful in the past are finding that past formulas no longer work and many find themselves in economic difficulty.

The lesson to be learned in this time of transition is to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit and ask for God’s help in everything that we do even the perfunctory tasks that we use to take for granted and perform automatically. We really do have to understand that ‘business as usual’ no longer works in the natural and in the Spiritual realm. What passed for natural wisdom can longer be counted on.

This goes even more so for Christians involved in businesses right now. It is a new day economically in America and Christian business folks should link up with intercessors and band together to support one another in prayer and seek special guidance. Spiritual creativity is in order as businesses fall away on the right and the left in America.

Here is a prophetic message from Barbara Wentroble that speaks about where we are at: “Transition Into Your Destiny”

She opens with this:

You and I are at the halfway point in a three-year time of transition. A prophetic word has come forth that the years 2008 through 2011 are a season of transition. In God’s timing, the halfway point can be the most dangerous time during transition. It is a time when some people decide the journey is too difficult. They can’t seem to catch the vision for the new place, so they decide to go back to an old place. Others make wrong turns that cause them to take a detour from their destinations.

Decisions made at this juncture will affect the future. They will either lead a person into his destiny or lead him away from what God has purposed for him.

Then at the end there is this important observation:

The Lord is transitioning His people from an old mindset of escapism to a more biblical mindset of occupying until he comes.

I believe that this last statement is 100% correct. For too long the American church has been a place of entertainment and escapism—also a place that only sells an ‘escapist’ eternal future. It is now time for the church to actually occupy until he comes and become the people of the Kingdom—‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done. On earth…”

*Top

Posted in American Church, Prophetic Message, Word for the Church

Tagged American Church

“When God Makes Us Wait”

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

: (Image by Loci Lenar via Flickr)

Here’s an excellent article by Chris Glazier:

“When God Makes Us Wait”

It is one of the things that I find so difficult to endure. God’s callings and promises to us don’t always happen immediately. Ask Joseph or David. Also Paul waited 9 years or so before he really became the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Sometimes the wait in my life has been long enough that I begin to question whether it was God in the first place.

God seems to put those that he really loves and destines for ministry through a ‘waiting game’ at times but it should actually be understood as a process for increasing faith, maturity, and perseverance.

Glazier lists Romans 5:3-5 as the relevant scripture for this ‘waiting principle’:

“We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (NKJV).

Collectively, quite a number of Christians in the US have been praying and seeking Revival. The words have multiplied in the last few years that a new awakening was coming soon.

One of the hardest things in the prophetic is the timing. To those receiving the word, it always seems like it is a done deal and will happen immediately. Then the months and years pile on and we are left to realize that God’s timing and understanding of ‘soon’ is far different than ours. *Top

Posted in Perseverance

Tagged Perseverance

-Happy Resurrection Day

Posted on April 4, 2010 by Michael| Leave a comment

May You and your family have a wonderful Easter. May we all remember and reflect upon what is really important after all the eggs have been colored, hidden, and found. After there is nothing but crumbs left of that beautiful chocolate Easter Bunny.

May we remember what the day is really all about—the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When the women went to the tomb on Easter morning the rock was rolled away and the tomb was empty. Not only that but an angel met them there and said:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.”

…And behold Jesus met them and said, “Greetings! Do not be afraid…” –Matt.28:5-10

Another good scripture to remember–this is what Jesus told Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the grave:

“I am the resurrections and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

The good question for each one of us today—Do you believe this?

Posted in Easter, Resurrection

Tagged Resurrection of Jesus