Monthly Archives: July 2011

-Revival Report: Move of God in Paris (Not France but Arkansas)

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Michael| Leave a comment

(hickory hardscrabble via Flickr)

Paris, Arkansas is a town of 3,500 or so and far less famous than the city you all know about in France. First Assembly of God in Paris planned to hold ‘revival’ services beginning in February but God changed the date a gave them the real deal in January instead.

According to Senior Pastor Ken Maness when the new year rolled around he just knew God was about to do something big:

“The Lord just began to move. People were just getting healed. We were just having tremendous services; people getting saved.”

“In modern times I have not witnessed people literally being under so much conviction that they would get up and run to the altar. But we saw that time and time again. Just run, just desperate to get to the altar to give their hearts to God. That was just tremendous.”

Meanwhile folks traveled quite a distance to worship there and experience the outpouring which lasted 11 weeks and culminated with 155 salvations and 114 baptisms in the Holy Spirit. Then according to Pastor Maness the intensity began to wane:

“That convicting power was just not there like it was.”

Though the revival officially ended in April, the Lord continues to move in Paris changing the hearts and lives of many. According to Pastor Maness:

“[The Lord] has brought us, I think, into a time of taking care of the harvest and taking care of the fruit from our revival … I really felt like He spoke to my heart and said and encouraged us as a church … to take care of the fruit of this revival so He can trust us for another outpouring—for future outpourings.”

Response: I envision outpourings like this in communities all across North America. Each one will be somewhat unique and especially designed for that area and some will last longer than others.

This is just one of the first few kernels of revival corn to pop. Eventually there will be moves of God happening in so many places that it will be difficult to keep track of them all. Praise the Lord for small beginnings and unexpected glorious results. *Top

Posted in Move of God, Revival, Revival Report

Tagged Revival

-Let’s Pray for Our ‘Dead Cows’

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Michael| Leave a comment

Here’s an inspirational story from The Gospel for Asia: God Uses Dead Cow to Bring Salvation to Entire Family

It is the story of how God used a dead cow to bring the gospel to a village in Asia. A miracle reviving of a dead cow opened up hearts to Jesus.

Response: It is time for us comfortable Western Christians to reach out and pray for our own ‘dead cows’ and open up the way for God to work miracles.

It might be a failed business or marriage. A relationship given up on long ago. It could revolve around someone who you think could never come to Christ. It could be someone who needs to be healed.

Sometimes it is risky to pray for others or particularly to even ask someone if they wouldn’t mind being prayed for. The results could be a miracle that changes lives. God does it but we must still participate by asking for the miracle or healing in the first place.

It is time for us to participate in a revival culture- one that expects God to move. What would have happened when Elijah confronted the priests of Baal if all he did was silently and privately prayed but never publically exercised faith in calling down fire from heaven? *Top

Posted in -Revival Culture, Miracles, Move of God, Signs & Wonders

Tagged Miracles, Move of God

-Knocking on the Door of Europe?

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Michael| 1 Comment

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. –Rev.3:20 (ESV)

Jesus is currently knocking on the door of every nation. A great harvest is taking place all around the world except in the Western nations, particularly Europe. Many have even given up on Europe and forecast that it will be Muslim within a generation.

But wait a second. We have previously written about a current move of God among the Roma people (Gypsies) and even in Hungary and now here are two stories about folks coming to Christ in France and Portugal:

Palau Leads Historic Gospel Campaign in France

Portugal Sees Fruit of Evangelism Efforts

Both of these examples come from evangelistic groups (Palau and Billy Graham Evangelistic Associations) which traditionally have been involved in larger meetings and campaigns but in this case their efforts are on a much smaller scale but the results are remarkable nevertheless.

Is the door of Europe finally creeping open? One can only hope and pray. In both of these cases the Holy Spirit is doing his part for sure. *Top

Posted in Europe, Evangelism, Harvest, Move of God

Tagged Europe, Evangelism

-Responding to the Times?

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Michael| Leave a comment

Here’s some good council from James Goll on how we should be responding to all of the different situations and problems facing our nation.

He points out that the American church has not really turned to God in a disparate way, that the circumstances may call for more radical responses on our part.

Personally looking over the history of our land, there has never been a time when so many major natural disasters have stricken this country in so short a period of time. Then we are in the midst of 2 1/2 wars while our economy is at its worst point in last 70 years or an entire generation.

What does the future hold?

We are preparing for the worse both naturally and economically out here in California. Too many words have come our way to ignore the possibilities of major trouble. However we are also expecting and hoping for revival in the midst of it all.

How are we to respond? Radical prayer is in order. Read the suggestions for responses to differing situations in Goll’s article: “Responding to the Times”

Posted in American Church, Christian Living, Economy, Natural Disaster, Perseverance, Prayer, Prophetic Message, Word for the Church

Tagged Prophetic Counsel

-Independence Day: Our Freedoms Come From God

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Michael| Leave a comment

U.S. Declaration of Independence ratified by t...

(Image via Wikipedia)

Flags are flying, parades are moving, drinks are flowing, and politicians are speaking today in America.

235 years ago a message was confirmed by representatives of 13 states proclaiming their freedom, a freedom that was considered to be derived from God:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Much has been made of the variety of beliefs held by the founders of this country but their words and convictions remain not only on the paper they penned these words on but also in the hearts of the people. America has always been a nation ‘under God’ and ‘freedom of religion’ has been a primary right of its citizens.

One only has to visit Washington DC and look at all of the messages etched in stone to realize how much faith in God has been as part of the American experiment and experience. Stroll into the Jefferson monument and view the different references he made to the Creator. Yet he is supposed to be the champion of ‘Separation of Church and State’ and progressive thought.

We now live in a generation when some are challenging those rights and liberties in the name of ‘separation of church and state’. Some would even like to remove all vestiges of religion or faith from the public square. Every week we find new challenges to our religious liberties.

I have seen many changes over the course of my life when it comes to religion in the public square. When I started school in the 50’s every day began with a prayer and the pledge. Also, I can remember studying the Bible in elementary school and when it came to Christmas all of the traditional Christmas carols were naturally sung. Prayers were still given at my baccalaureate, commencement, and even before some of the football games in the 60’s. None of the public displays of faith seemed out of place then.

Now that is all gone from the public schools and really no way that it can be recovered.

Growing up, I can remember that every family went to some church or another on Sundays except for the next door neighbor who was a Seventh–Day Adventist and the Jewish family down the street who preferred Saturdays for their worship instead.

It had been much the same way in America when my parents grew up and my grand parents also. In fact my mother told me that the readers they used in school (1915-20)actually taught them how to read using Bible passages. How foreign that would be today in our current schools.

It was also a time when America rose up and took its place among the top countries of the world on many different levels. This country has been tremendously blessed by God.

If God is erased from the public square and discourse of America, then what will be the new basis and foundation of our freedoms? So much of what we have was actually built upon the foundation of Christian civilization that owed its very existence to the Bible and the teachings of Jesus and his disciples. What will be the new standard if any that assures the continuity of freedom in America if not the Creator?

Shall we be left to rely upon politicians and judges and the sifting sands of popular notions? Or will scriptural principles continue to light the way like this NT passage did?:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” –Galatians 3:28-29

All distinctions were done way in Christ and American society eventually has followed suit and provided equal justice and freedom for all.

What kind of America will my grandchildren and great grandchildren be living in? Will America continue to lead the world in freedom, commerce, and faith or will it decline into the dust pan of history?

I pray that Americans will continue to respect and worship God from whom all of our blessings and liberties flow. Also, I am praying that major revival will once more descend upon America from shore to shining shore. *Top