I would say, "yes".
Recently I was praying, with the authority given me by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; a few weeks later, I was publicly rebuked for praying that way. I was accused of being "demanding" of the Lord. I must say, I have researched, in fact; on and off for years, the methods used by Jesus, the disciples, healing evangelists, and the mighty men of God instrumental in revivals. I have also been in prayer about the way the Lord would have me pray especially for healing.
I have even done research on the difference between "demanding" and "commanding" in case I was doing something wrong (which I KNEW I wasn't and researched anyway) since the rebuke; which was a few days ago. Years ago and even today, I like to research things to be SURE that I am not saying or doing anything unbiblical. One reason is to ward off any attacks and have proof to show that I am not in error. For years, I have had a fear of being swayed by every wind of doctrine and believing a lie. I surely do not want to hurt my God.
A dictionary definition of "Demand" is: Request urgently and forcefully. To claim as just or due. To require as useful, just, proper, or necessary; call for. To claim formally; lay legal claim to. Claim as a right.
A dictionary definition of "Command" is: To direct with authority; give orders to. To have control or authority over. To exercise authority over. An order given with authority.
So, demanding something of the Lord is WRONG!! Trying to force something and claiming to have a right to do so.
Commanding in the name of Jesus Christ is RIGHT!! Especially if you know your authority in HIS name and realize HE is the one to answer to, to rely on for taking care of the results.
Let me know what you think about this.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Mission or Missionary?
Dictionary definition of Mission:
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
an operation that is assigned by a higher headquarters; "the planes were on a bombing mission"
a course of sermons and services given to convert the unchurched or quicken Christian faith.
Dictionary definition of Missionary:
1. One who is sent on a mission, especially one sent to do religious or charitable work in a territory or foreign country.
Dictionary definition of Missionary:
1. One who is sent on a mission, especially one sent to do religious or charitable work in a territory or foreign country.
2. One who attempts to persuade or convert others to a particular program, doctrine, or set of principles; a propagandiser.
I wanted to go in to the mission field. I wanted to win the lost and get out of the area I was living in. I wanted to do great things for God and get as far away from the people who knew the 'pre-Jesus me'.
One Sunday morning, before the service began, I was sitting in church planning how I would approach the pastor to ask him what I needed to do and how I could accomplish the task of becoming a missionary. All of a sudden, this old pastor, who began the church and was retired from full-time preaching in a church, came up to me and handed me a gospel tract. Guess what the title was? One look at it and I practically boiled over, I was so upset, mad, enraged...I couldn't even spit. The title was, "Bloom Where You Are Planted". Can you imagine? I didn't want to stay in that area. I wanted to become a missionary and go places. Make a name for myself. Boy, was I ready to blow my top!
A few days later, after the Lord was dealing with my heart and my mind and my emotions, I decided to read that tract. It had a beautiful flower on the front page along with those dreadful words. With trepidition I began to read that little tract, I knew the Lord had a word for me in there. He works that way in my life. Nothing happens or is given to me, like that, if it is not something God wants me to know.
As I read I became convicted. It told me that if I can't 'bloom where I am planted' then how in the world could I imagine I could bloom somewhere else? If I did not minister, preach (as the Great Commission states), teach, reach the lost in MY area that I am planted at this time in my life, how in the world do I think I can have an impact on people in a different nation? How could I make a difference in their lives? How could I, living in a prosperous country, think I could do ANYTHING in a less fortunate one? The answer was: I COULD NOT.
Needless to say, I repented and asked the Lord to help me 'bloom where I am planted' and if it was in His plans for me to go farther, then it would happen. That happened about 18 years ago and I am still in the same area. It has taken me this long to even start blooming. Fear was a major devil to defeat and with the help of Rodney Howard-Browne's ministry and the Gospel Soul Winning Script found on revival.com for FREE, I have started blooming in this community. Praise God! Hallelujah!
Are you called to the mission field? Start where you are planted at this very moment!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Did Jesus Speak in Tongues?
This subject has recently crossed my mind. Since Jesus exercised all the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, does it state in the Scripture where He ever spoke in tongues?
I have done a search on the internet and there are interesting and logical explanations by many people who believe He did. Those answers have not quite convinced me of the Scriptural proof. One man had some really great ideas and scripture references for his answers. He stated that in Mark 15:34 where Jesus said "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani" he was speaking in tongues since others present thought he called out for Elijah but Mark interpreted it for us as "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" That was a good example, I thought. Then I thought, "Isn't that Hebrew?" No, it wasn't Hebrew but it was Aramaic. Bible scholars tend to agree that Jesus' primary language was Aramaic. The people standing near him obviously didn't know the language He spoke in. They thought He was calling on Elijah.
Jesus had to have also spoken some Koine Greek and Rabbinic Hebrew, and interestingly enough, He and his disciples spoke a Gallilean dialect that was clearly distinguishable from the dialect spoken in Jerusalem (which, I understand, was Jewish Palestinian Aramaic).
This is what I posted on another comment section on the same subject "Did Jesus speak in tongues?":
We all are going to believe what we want to believe until the Lord shows us something different. I did a little searching since I have recently had this question myself.
I believe that Jesus did and could speak in tongues but it was not specifically recorded in the Scriptures. Here are a few reasons I believe this way:
1. He is God.
2. When he was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit landed on Him like as a dove (thus, to me, represents the baptism of the Holy Spirit in His flesh).
3. I believe He came in the flesh to partially experience what it is like to be human and to experience what every person (collectively) experiences in their lifetimes (trials, tribulation, temptation, sorrow, grief, joy, agony, pain, etc.); including the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.
4. He exercised and manifested the other gifts of the Holy Spirit so what makes us doubt that He didn't manifest speaking in tongues also. He walked on water, raised the dead, translated from one place to another...He was all God and all man.
5. Part of His being, if you would want to call it that; the Heavenly Father part, parted the Red Sea, created the world, created you and me!
Those are just a few reasons I believe He DID speak in tongues. What do you think?
I have done a search on the internet and there are interesting and logical explanations by many people who believe He did. Those answers have not quite convinced me of the Scriptural proof. One man had some really great ideas and scripture references for his answers. He stated that in Mark 15:34 where Jesus said "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani" he was speaking in tongues since others present thought he called out for Elijah but Mark interpreted it for us as "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" That was a good example, I thought. Then I thought, "Isn't that Hebrew?" No, it wasn't Hebrew but it was Aramaic. Bible scholars tend to agree that Jesus' primary language was Aramaic. The people standing near him obviously didn't know the language He spoke in. They thought He was calling on Elijah.
Jesus had to have also spoken some Koine Greek and Rabbinic Hebrew, and interestingly enough, He and his disciples spoke a Gallilean dialect that was clearly distinguishable from the dialect spoken in Jerusalem (which, I understand, was Jewish Palestinian Aramaic).
This is what I posted on another comment section on the same subject "Did Jesus speak in tongues?":
We all are going to believe what we want to believe until the Lord shows us something different. I did a little searching since I have recently had this question myself.
I believe that Jesus did and could speak in tongues but it was not specifically recorded in the Scriptures. Here are a few reasons I believe this way:
1. He is God.
2. When he was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit landed on Him like as a dove (thus, to me, represents the baptism of the Holy Spirit in His flesh).
3. I believe He came in the flesh to partially experience what it is like to be human and to experience what every person (collectively) experiences in their lifetimes (trials, tribulation, temptation, sorrow, grief, joy, agony, pain, etc.); including the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.
4. He exercised and manifested the other gifts of the Holy Spirit so what makes us doubt that He didn't manifest speaking in tongues also. He walked on water, raised the dead, translated from one place to another...He was all God and all man.
5. Part of His being, if you would want to call it that; the Heavenly Father part, parted the Red Sea, created the world, created you and me!
Those are just a few reasons I believe He DID speak in tongues. What do you think?
Friday, February 11, 2011
An Incentive
One of the first warnings of God to us about the importance of winning souls for the kingdom of God is found in Ezekiel 33. Read what the Lord says:
Ezekiel 33:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 33:2 “Son of man, speak to your people, (Heb “sons of your people") and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman. 33:3 He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, (Heb “shofar,” a ram’s horn rather than a brass instrument) and warns the people, (Sounding the trumpet was a warning of imminent danger) 33:4 but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death. (Heb “his blood will be on his own head.”) 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. (Heb “his blood will be on him.”) If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. 33:6 But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, (Or “in his punishment.”) but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’ (Heb “his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.”) 33:7 “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf. 33:8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ and you do not warn (Heb “and you do not speak to warn.”) the wicked about his behavior, (Heb “way.”) the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. (Heb “and his blood from your hand I will seek.”) 33:9 But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior, (Heb “from his way to turn from it.”) and he refuses to change, (Heb “and he does not turn from his way.”) he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.
This gives a harsh word to all believers. Doesn't it cause you to sense the importance of winning souls? IF we do not preach, teach and compel the lost and dying (by which I mean, the eternal death waiting for the ones who do not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior) thier BLOOD (life is in the blood) is on our hands. Very strong words to consider.
It doesn't matter what method you use. It doesn't matter what tool you use within reason, of course. Make an effort. The harvest is ripe. In a few weeks time, my daughter-in-law and I won 40 souls and we haven't scratched the surface in our town, in fact, we went down two streets (approximately 8 blocks total) and spoke to a few people in and by some stores.
There is a amazingly annointed, simple method we have been using. It can be downloaded for FREE on revival.com (along with other FREE amazing tools). Just read the Script to people, it's that easy.
I must write this: Some may disagree with me on the way I used these verses. Think of it as an incentive to bringing the lost into the kingdom of God. I wouldn't want someone's blood on my hands for NOT speaking to them about eternal life with God. I don't believe in bashing them over the head with their sins, they hear about that and know they are sinful the way it is. I would rather tell them about God's love and plan and purpose for their lives.
I must write this: Some may disagree with me on the way I used these verses. Think of it as an incentive to bringing the lost into the kingdom of God. I wouldn't want someone's blood on my hands for NOT speaking to them about eternal life with God. I don't believe in bashing them over the head with their sins, they hear about that and know they are sinful the way it is. I would rather tell them about God's love and plan and purpose for their lives.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
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