Off to Missions!

I am off on a short mission trip to a Spanish-speaking church in Fontana, CA this weekend. Our team is excited because it is an opportunity to put into practice all the things we have been learning about. Your prayers would be appreciated as we seek to impart, activate, and encourage the people of this city! I will post testimonies of our experiences next week. Please also pray for Jenney and the kids while I am away. It's never easy to leave my wonderful family...

"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:7-8

The Goodness of God

Many of us have probably heard of the phrase "God is good" followed by the response "All the time". We may have even been commanded to repeat this statement over and over and in different patterns until it becomes ingrained in our minds that God truly is good all the time.

A foundational theological principle

Until this year, I never fully understood the implications of this simple idea. It really means that there is never a time when God is not good. In this way, we can sincerely give thanks to our Heavenly Father in all circumstances (cf. I Thess. 5:18) because his character and nature never changes. It also implies that we are never justified in being angry at God. When we really accept and experience his goodness, we will be changed. No matter how good you believe God is, He's better than you think. That should make you happy!

"I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence." Exodus 33:19

Prophecy for the People

Do you believe in prophecy? I just finished reading "You May All Prophesy" by Steve Thompson. It is a fascinating manual highlighting our call not only to hear from God but also to prophesy to others. His understanding of prophesying is simply speaking a divine word in order to strengthen, encourage, and comfort others (cf. I Corinthians 14:3). This may seem unrealistic or even impossible for some to accept, but Christians are able to hear from God and share what the Spirit is saying to others.

"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10

Be encouraged and know that you can grow in your ability to listen to God. Jesus was our model because he did not speak on his own accord- the Father told him what to say and how to say it (cf. John 12:49; 8:28). May we become more intimate with our Heavenly Father to hear and know his heart so we may prophesy to all people!

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." I Corinthians 14:1

Saint Patrick

Today many parts of the world celebrated Saint Patrick's Day. Patrick, or Patricius in Latin, is considered the patron saint of Ireland because his ministry helped convert many to Christ in the 5th century.

Naomh Pádraig (Irish) 387-461

What is amazing about his story is that he was originally from Wales and was captured as a teen and forced into slavery by Irish raiders. It is said that he worked as a shepherd, alone and far away from his family. It was during this six year period that God encountered him and eventually showed him how to escape back home. Patrick then felt called to go back as a missionary to the very same people who had enslaved him! If you are interested, you can read more about his testimony by clicking here. The amazing power and grace of God was exhibited in his life and ministry and continues to bear fruit today. May we be a generation that not only celebrates the saints of the past but continues their efforts to advance the kingdom in our own day!

"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing." Colossians 1:5

God Is In a Good Mood

If you had to guess what mood God is in, how would you respond? Sad, angry, reserved, stoic, joyful? To some people, the thought that God is in a good mood can be offensive. Many believers are apprehensive of what Jesus actually thinks of them. Here is one representation of Jesus that is probably more accurate than we realize.

Jesus not only loves you, he likes you!

Even though Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (cf. Isaiah 53:3), he was the most joyful person ever to walk the earth. Tax collectors, prostitutes, and other "sinners" flocked to him because their spirits were uplifted and hearts made glad in his presence. God is for you and is overjoyed with you! Let us turn our affections to him and be filled with joy for it is his kindness which leads us to repentance.

"In your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11

Revival in China

Last night at church we briefly heard from Kathy Balcombe, a missionary in China for over twenty years with her husband Dennis. They are part of Revival Chinese Ministries International. They are witnessing to a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit throughout China with signs, wonders, and healings! The church is exploding as hundreds of millions of Chinese have already come to Christ and thousands more are being saved daily! Despite constant persecution, Dennis continues to preach boldly and has even been invited to speak at government sponsored Three Self Churches. Check out this short video about what God is doing in China through these faithful servants. Let us lift up prayers for China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong that the revival will continue and all people will be touched by the power and love of God!

"So the disciples set out and went from village to village,
preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere." Luke 9:6

The Real Jesus?

There are so many misconceptions about Jesus. Perhaps one of the most damaging is the idea that Jesus is more concerned about our behavior than our heart. Religion has distorted the law at the expense of love. That is why it is so important to know what we believe and to repent or change the way we think about false beliefs. Take a look at this humorous video created by a church in North Carolina called Vintage 21 about how a legalistic Jesus would actually treat his followers.

But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:13

Rationalizing the Bible

I used to think that the gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12 (i.e.- healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, etc.) were graces only for the apostles or early church. I was a cessationist without even knowing what it meant. The reason I thought this way was because I did not witness or experience any of the supernatural gifts in my life or the churches I attended. Whenever I came across a passage in the New Testament that spoke of the supernatural I simply rationalized it away to justify the lack of power in my own life.

God's gifts and call are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29)

There is a great danger with interpreting Scripture to fit our personal beliefs and experiences. I have discovered that I either rationalize what the Bible teaches or conveniently ignore certain passages. Our beliefs should ultimately be founded on the Word of God and the truth should dictate our experience, not the other way around. For example, regarding spiritual gifts, we acknowledge and believe that Scripture recognizes its reality, availability, and necessity for all Christians. From that stand point, if we do not manifest any of the supernatural gifts, we don't negate the Word but rather pray and press in until these gifts are operating in our lives. This is the life of faith. What do you really believe?

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

The Theology of the Kingdom

The original intent of humanity was to have dominion over the earth- to rule and subdue (cf. Genesis 1:28). That authority was lost and given over to Satan when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Because of the fall, men and women lived under a curse while Satan became the prince of the world. The effects of both are easily observed as sickness, disease, broken relationships, warfare, poverty, and immorality have been rampant throughout human history.

Our top priority

Jesus came and preached the gospel of the kingdom. He undid the works of the devil and commanded his disciples to do the same. His death on the cross was the ultimate victory over sin, death, and Satan's rule. Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus stated that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him (cf. Matthew 28:18). The authority to rule that had originally been given to Adam and Eve, and lost to the devil, was finally restored back to Christ. The church is now to advance God's kingdom on earth through the authority (or in the name) of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. We not only have the mandate, but also the authority, resources, and power to do the wonderful and miraculous things Jesus did. This is the basic idea of kingdom theology. May we be kingdom minded believers!

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." I Corinthians 4:20

The Gospel of the Kingdom

In my Christian experience I was taught that one of the main goals of the church is to preach the gospel of salvation. However, I am learning that our true objective is really to spread the gospel of the kingdom. Is there a difference? It is interesting to note that Jesus' message focused on the kingdom and not necessarily salvation as illustrated in the following verses:

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4:17)
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is heaven (Matthew 6:10)
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)
As you go, preach this message: "The kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 10:7)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

Jesus teaching about the kingdom

I'd be interested to hear what you believe about this idea. I will expand on the kingdom in the next entry. But if we as the church are not clear or unified about what message we are called to preach, we will have difficulty fulfilling our mission. Father, illumine our minds, change the way we think, and grant us boldness to advance your kingdom on earth!

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father— to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

Repentance: A Different Perspective

It's interesting how often repentance is taught as changing a negative behavior in response to sorrow, regret, or even guilt. I have even heard repentance identified as a military term related to doing an about face or 180 degree turn from the direction you were walking. Therefore, to repent is to stop doing a sinful action or walking an evil path and start doing good or turning around and walking toward God.

A traditional understanding of repentance

These are accurate and appropriate understandings of repentance. However, the Greek word for repentance in the New Testament is "metanoia" which means to change the way you think. This idea has literally transformed my faith in the past 6 months. For instance, if a Christian believes that he is not spiritual or holy enough to be considered a saint he must repent of his thinking because the Bible teaches us that we are not only saints but sons and daughters of the King! It is amazing to realize how many lies I have been believing about God, my identity, and Christianity. I have had to repent of many faulty ways of thinking about the goodness of God, my nature, and especially my call to be a world changer through the power of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to ask God whether you are currently believing lies in any areas of your life. If He shows you something, repent of that thought and start believing the truth. It will draw you closer to the heart of the Father!

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 10:5

Faith That Transforms

How would you describe your faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (KJV). Have you ever thought of faith as being a substance?

Faith is the foundation of our Christian life. It is the basis of our salvation. It is necessary to please God. It gives us hope in the future and purpose for the present. However, faith is more than simply believing in a set of principles or ideas. It is the doorway by which we experience Jesus and partner with him to do the work of God on earth. Faith should not only transform the believer, but the world of the believer.

Christianity 101: Believe

Jesus says, "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:12-14

It takes great faith to believe this passage and even greater courage to strive for its reality in our lives. Jesus healed the sick, opened blind eyes and deaf ears, cast out demons, fed the multitudes, prophesied, walked on water, calmed the storm, and raised the dead. Do we believe we can not only do these things, but even "greater things than these" in our lives? It appears the only thing holding us back is our unbelief.

On a more practical level, I am actually witnessing and hearing testimonies of the supernatural on a weekly basis. Some of these healings are even coming from my own hand and prayers. Even Isaac has prayed for his mom and me and pain has left our bodies. My beliefs have been challenged and transformed because I am seeing the power of God work in mighty and wonderful ways. I encourage you, especially as one who has come from a religious background so different than what I am currently experiencing, to believe there is more to our faith than what the majority of the church preaches or practices. It starts with believing in the goodness and awesome love of our Heavenly Father!

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
streams of living water will flow from within him." John 7:38

What Do You Really Believe?

Last month, before we went through a challenging period with our kids, I brought up the issue of our beliefs. That theme was supposed to be an ongoing topic for February but, alas, it continues now...

What if I were to tell you that a recent missions team consisting of students from our school went to Quito, Ecuador and witnessed over 1000 healing miracles in one week? Would you believe it? What if I told you the majority of these miracles came at the hands and prayers of these students? Would that make it even more difficult to believe? Do you believe that you are called to walk in miracles, signs, and wonders just as Jesus did?

Jesus the healer

There is no question Jesus operated in the supernatural. Everywhere he went miracles, healings, and deliverances were taking place. For most Christians, this is not a challenging tenet of our faith because we acknowledge that Jesus is God. But what about the stories in the Bible of his disciples and the early church performing miracles? How did they do supernatural acts if they were not divine?

One perspective is that Jesus did not do anything supernatural on earth as God, but as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:7 says that Christ emptied himself. This could mean that he voluntarily laid down his divine power to be a representative and model for humanity. If Jesus did miracles as God, we would think it impossible for us to emulate his divine works. But if Jesus did miracles as a man empowered by the Spirit, it gives us hope and an example of how we could do the same.

I pray this will be an idea that takes root in our minds and hearts. Ponder, study, meditate, discuss, and pray until there is a firm conviction about the call and destiny for our lives as followers of Christ. The world is groaning for the church to realize her identity and walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit's power!

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:17-18

My Life Now

I haven't had much time or energy for emails, blogs, and the like because of the "joys" of parenting. Hopefully, I will be able to devote more time to writing this month. Jenney created a new website with pictures and videos of the kids. She also set up her old computer for them to play with. Here they are learning the alphabet...

Abigail and big brother playing together