This is Tim Tebow’s 2nd season in the NFL. First he had to endure a slew of experts who knowingly claimed that he would never be a successful quarterback in the pros.

Then when he became a sensation by helping his Denver Broncos win a number of close games he also became the subject of ridicule from folks like atheist Bill Maher, along with comedy sketches from SLN and South Park. Plus several opposing players mocked Tebow by pretending to knell in prayer on the field right in front of him.

Meanwhile Tim Tebow took it all in good humor and responded with total classiness towards all while praising God and thanking Jesus.

Then last weekend in a playoff game against the Steelers who were supposed to be a far better team then the Broncos, Tim Tebow pulled off an overtime ‘miracle’ win for his team. In the process he  passed for an incredible 316 yards and averaged 31.6 yards per pass before a TV audience that achieved a 31.6 rating producing a repeated set of numbers that was reminiscent of Tim’s favorite Bible passage- John 3:16.

This week in the aftermath, one article after another has been published by one religious leader after another reminding us that is is just football after all and God would never be aroused from his great responsibilities to help one Christian win a game over another team that after all also had some Christians on it. Worse yet, the secular media has gone out of its way to find one pastor after another to criticize Tebow for dragging the name of Jesus onto a football field.

Up to this point, it has all mostly been in fun and it has been nice to see a young Christian succeed against all of the long odds against him and continue to win in the face of all of the opposition against him and then praise the Lord in the aftermath.

However, it is hard to calculate how despised and resented Tebow is in the secular and atheist community. It is also impossible to gauge how much of a hero he has become among many Christians. For better or worse he has become a symbol for evangelicals in America and a lightening rod for the opposition against Christianity.

Now comes an unfortunate turn of events. Today, it was reported that a coven of witches in Salem, Mass. were casting spells, doing rituals, and calling on ‘Spirits’ to help Tom Brady and the New England Patriots defeat Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos tomorrow.

What was destined to be a fun football game has now become a spiritual confrontation instead. It may not be Mt. Carmel, but a ‘spiritual’ gauntlet has been thrown down none the less.

On the face of it, Tom Brady is a far better quarterback and the Patriots are heavily favored in the contest having soundly beaten the Broncos earlier in the season. They really didn’t need the extra ‘spiritual’ help and it will take a miracle to beat them.

Up to this point, I really didn’t care who won the game until the witches got involved. Now I will be praying and rooting for Tebow and the Broncos.             *Top

Servant’s Heart an Assemblies of God mission in Louisville, Ky., doesn’t hold a traditional Sunday service but takes their ministry to the streets instead.

Ministry teams regularly witness and pray for folks during prayer walks and visit stores sharing scriptures with customers on Sundays along with holding home Bible studies, clothing and food giveaways, and sponsoring free medical clinics.

Jared Miller, the 24-year-old leader estimates that over 100 people that they have prayed for have been blessed with healing over the last several years:

“…nothing matches God healing people and bringing the book of Acts to life.

"I had never experienced spontaneous prayer and repentance before," he said of one impromptu prayer circle last year that exceeded his expectations. "I was catching a glimpse of what revival will be like. For people in our neighborhood, we believe that stronger than Sunday morning worship time is a seven-day-a-week connection to the family of God."

<<Read the whole article>>

Response: The beauty of this ministry is that it can be done anywhere. Major components can be done by regular Sunday going churches. The church I attend sends out teams into the area malls and Wal-Marts all of the time to great affect. We also have a food and clothing warehouse for the poor that reaches out and touches thousands of people.

I am convinced that we are in the midst of a revival in America and the only thing that Christians and churches need to do to participate in it is take to the streets and follow the heart of the Father. Take Jesus into the stores, markets, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. Pray for everyone you come across who needs prayer and healings will follow.

If you want revival that is where you will find it.            *Top

John 4:34-36
35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
NIV

On Saturday while I was praying the Lord showed me a golden field of grain that was ripe and ready to harvest. Then the scripture above came to mind along with the words:

–This is the day of your visitation don’t miss it.

I meditated and prayed over the meaning and timing of the word and the following clearly came to me:

-Reap Now! Don’t wait for revival.

I believe that this is a word particularly for the American and Western church. Revival is already going on nearly everywhere else—Africa, India, China, and even hidden revivals in North Korea, Iran, and all over the Middle East. There is a great world-wide harvest going on everywhere but in America and the West.

Many of us have been praying for revival with the perspective that once it came then there would be a great harvest and untold thousands would accept Jesus and turn the whole country around. But now I believe that the Lord is telling us to begin the Harvest and not to wait for revival. The fields are ready right now.

Now is the time to bear your testimony and tell folks about how Jesus has blessed your life.

Now is the time to pray for that sick neighbor.

Now is the time to demonstrate the Love of God that passes all human understanding to everyone around you.

Now is the time to reach out to all those unsaved relatives that you have been praying about for years.

Now is the time to teach your children about Jesus.

Now is the time to lead your adult children back to Christ.

Now is the time to teach your grandchildren about the Good News.

Now is the time to encourage that fellow worker that is depressed and tired of living.

Now is the time for all of the servants of Jesus to begin an all out harvest and signs, wonders, miracles, and healings will follow.

In the midst of it all we will realize that revival has come and it won’t be just another ‘feel-good’ time at church. This revival is destined to be in the marketplace, in the schools, on the job, at the malls, in the neighborhoods, on mainstreet, in the ghetto, and at Wal-Mart too.

 -Reap now and revival will come.

*Top

Pujols tells what he does on the baseball field to witness for Christ. Great example for all of us–to find some way to witness during own regular daily activities.

I will never forget that night. You could hear the astonishment in the people’s voices as they shouted with amazement. The woman they had known all their lives and referred to as “the deaf, mute woman” could suddenly hear!

It happened as I preached the message of salvation. This woman who had never heard, could suddenly hear the words from my mouth. All the people from the neighborhood were astounded. They knew her. They knew she was deaf. And now she could hear. It was a true miracle of God.

Not only was this woman’s life changed, but the entire neighborhood received hope by witnessing that miracle. In the worst neighborhood in Honduras, God poured out His hope to all those people—by healing that one woman.
That’s the incredible power of demonstrating the Gospel, that’s what we are all called to do—demonstrate the Gospel.

<<Read the rest>>

(Picture via Wikipedia)

From New Man eMagazine: 

In His Own Words …

Tim Tebow on Preaching at Prison

“Because of my faith, I receive a lot of requests to speak to different organizations. I like to do as many as I can. During the summer of 2007, I had the opportunity to speak at the state prison in Union County. I got to get up and preach.

The people there don’t have a lot to look forward to, and they don’t have a positive outlook on things. I told them that everyone looks at them like they are nothing, and I told them that they are no different than I am, except they made a bad choice. That doesn’t make them any worse of a person, and God doesn’t love them any less. I let them know that because of their actions, there are consequences, but God wants them to go to heaven.

There were people in there for all sorts of things. There were murderers and drug lords. I saw these guys break down and cry. I gave them an invitation to accept Jesus Christ and change the way they were living.

In the two prisons I spoke at, 195 guys came forward. I held their hands and prayed with them. The security guys told them they weren’t allowed to get close to me, but I wasn’t worried about it. I felt like I was doing what God wanted me to do, so it was safe.”

By Tim Tebow
Quarterback, University of Florida

*Top

(Image by Getty Images via Daylife)

I watched the big game between Florida and Oklahoma last night. Tuned in hoping that somehow both teams would lose or look bad in the process since I am a diehard USC fan. By the 4th quarter I found myself rooting for Florida because of their very impressive quarterback-Tim Tebow.

The camera did a close-up of Tebow during the game and there it was–John 3:16 written in the middle of the under-eye black spot. Meanwhile, the sports announcers in the 4th quarter were talking about what a fine young man he was–a son of missionaries–who visited folks in hospitals, prisons, and even went on missions himself. Impressive indeed–a real winner on many different levels.

Here are some links to a few stories about Tim today on the internet:

-College Football Star Sports ‘John 3:16′ in Championship Game

-Scripture & faith were ‘secrets’ to parenting Tebow, mom says

-Pastor calls Tebow ‘servant leader’

-Tebow’s faith takes center stage            *Top

This comes from the street ministry our friend pastor Mark Hadfield is involved with in the UK: ‘Healing On The Streets’.

You have to read these if you want to be edified, uplifted, and encouraged:

Just another Saturday morning

Lots of healing stories

Where two or three are gathered in my Name…

Response: Praise the Lord!

Extreme Vacation: Iran: A Seaside City:

“Now we are on vacation, honey,” the Iranian pastor said to his wife. “Please, don’t do anything that will make the police question us. Let’s not ruin this time together.” The pastor’s wife was a walking witness for Jesus Christ. She had handed out thousands of Bibles to Muslims in Iran and over five thousand copies of the Jesus film. At the seaside city where they were vacationing, they went to the mall. They separated to look for the different things they wanted, and when the pastor returned, he found his wife telling a large group of people in the store about Jesus Christ. Looking around for secret police, he quickly ushered his wife out of the store and into the car. “Honey, we are on vacation. I thought we weren’t going to do that here.” She looked him in the eye. “There are many people back in that store that don’t know Jesus,” she said seriously. “If they die and go to hell, you are responsible.”

The chastened pastor turned the car around and drove back to the mall. Quickly his wife went back inside, handing out copies of Scripture and the Jesus film. One lady came forward. “Oh, thank you so much,” she said tearfully. “For five years I have been praying for a Bible, and now the Lord has answered my prayer.”

Comments: I found this story so inspirational that I had to pass it on. We are so comfortable in America and the Western world that we forget that in many lands Christians are persecuted for sharing their faith. We have the freedom to share Jesus with anyone we want to without fear for our very lives and yet seldom if ever go the extra mile that these courageous folks do. *Top