Category Archives: Christianity

July 25, 2012 · 9:50 am

I’m A Radical! What About You? (Part 4)


If I were planning to build a bridge from Key West, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, and discovered that no matter what anyone did, the bridge would end up five hundred feet short of the shoreline, I would quit and burn up my plans.

Who cares if I would have succeeded in achieving 99.999% of my goal? It would still be a bridge which would not reach and help the people in Cuba.

For me, this is the same problem I now have with being a part of the home church movement.

In Part 3, I listed seven reasons why I like small groups, especially small home groups which meet in local neighborhoods. The reasons are still valid, and therefore, wouldn’t you think I should be beating a drum for planting home churches?

To be honest, this was my thinking until just recently.

What changed my mind? I realized time was running out.

Let me back up a little, okay?

In a January of this year, I took part in a twenty-one day fast as a member of an online community. The purpose of the fast was to discover the Lord’s plans for each of us in 2012.

Half way through the fast, the Lord showed me I had lost focus on what my divine purpose was for living in California at this particular time in history. Somehow, in the busyness of trying to be a husband, father, son, employee, neighbor, friend, and countless other important things, I lost focus.

Oh! I showed up for duty every morning, spent time in prayer, meditated, and studied the Bible, but I was just going through the motions. Like many, I physically punched into a supposed spiritual time clock, but my heart never did.

You see, I came to the West Coast to warn people of soon arriving terrorists’ attacks and calamities.

…”Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (Isaiah 21:11)

And if ever I felt an urgency to warn the West Coast, it is right now!

Does this mean the catastrophes will happen tomorrow, next month, this year, next year, or five years from now? It doesn’t matter when it happens because we need to prepare now… before it happens.

Okay, here was my dilemma until recently?

If I continued with the home church movement, I would at best warn 5% of the West Coast Christians. That seemed to be a lousy return on my efforts because the two groups do not intermingle well… as yet.

So, I’m still a radical, but now I’m transferring all of my efforts toward the 95% or traditional church system. I don’t care if the churches are Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, Quaker, Pentecostal, Charismatic, non-denominational, liberal, progressive, conservative, snake-handling, or whatever, I’m going to find a way to warn and prepare them.

…I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22)

(More on this in the future)

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July 23, 2012 · 7:44 am

I’m a Radical! What About You? (Part 3)

If you dig into past articles, you’ll discover that I prefer small churches – 10 to 20 members – without a designated leader, such as a pastor. This does not mean I’m against leaders, pastors, or other callings because I’m 100% for them.

My reasoning for small groups are:

1) Go therefore and make disciples… (Matthew 28:19)

The Great Commission says,”Go.” But the traditional church says, “Come. Sit down. Keep quiet. Listen up. Give money. Come back next week for more of the same-o,same-o.”

Yawn!

Jesus discipled twelve men by allowing them to be involved in His ministry and life. Although He preached to thousands, He only assembled with twelve. The twelve men were even sent out on their own and also ministered along side of Jesus.

Paul followed the same example, especially during his stay in Ephesus.

And how did this discipling model work? It turned the world upside down in just a few years.

2) …When you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

If the average American church size has 71 members and the median church is 184 members, there is no way all the people can be involved during a normal service. Thus, only a few chosen people can speak what God has placed on their hearts.

In a small group, each member can speak what is on his heart if he chooses to do so. By doing this, Christians will grow faster because they are involved. They will learn more from sharing, than by just sitting and listening to one person speak each Sunday.

And few things are more exciting than watching believers minister to others, especially new converts.

3) For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. (1 Corinthians 14:31)

The Lord wants Christians to hear His voice and to speak words of edification, encouragement, and comfort to other believers or to prophesy.

But obviously, 71 or 184 believers can not prophesy in traditional services. It would be too time consuming, and to be honest, the average believer would probably feel too intimidated to prophesy in a large group setting.

Yet, in a small group, everyone can prophesy and the others can judge the prophetic words.

4) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12)

New callings can be raised up and allowed to grow in small groups because they can minister there.

5) …And breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart (Acts 2:46)

Fellowshipping in homes allows Christians to lay down their religious attitudes and build deeper relationships with other believers.

6) The unchurched – believers or unbelievers alike – will more likely attend a small group than walk into religious buildings.

7) All of the above will help prepare believers to be leaders and the helping hands of Christ during calamities.

I am a radical, but admittedly, I’m also a realist.

Although the Barna Group estimates that in twenty years traditional churches will lose half of their market shares to alternatives, such as home churches and workplace ministries, I disagree and think their enthusiasm has clouded their predictions.

So, what does a radical believer, like myself, propose?

(Continued in Part 4)

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July 19, 2012 · 7:56 am

I’m A Radical! What About You? (Part 2)

(The following is an excerpt from my ebook, Jonah. Think of the scene happening on a day after terrorist attacks, much like September 11, 2001)

On the following morning, West Coast Christians flooded into churches. Evangelical churches, Pentecostal churches, Charismatic churches, Roman Catholic churches, liturgical churches and others held services. The people sought hope. They sought understanding. They sought prayer. They sought others of faith. They sought answers. What better place to be in a time of tragedy than a church, right?

At the Frisco Bay Community Church on Fourteenth Avenue, across from Grand View Park, members and visitors sat in the floor and balcony pews, stood in the aisles and at the back of the sanctuary and in the lobby. Normally, the 1,500 seat sanctuary was two thirds full for the Sunday morning service and a quarter full for the Sunday evening one. But the church attracted people like a magnet when tragedies hit. It was jam packed.

The silver haired pastor checked his watch. 11:05 AM. He stood up from the green wingback chair at the side of the platform and walked over to the clear acrylic podium, a microphone stood next to it. He adjusted the mike.

“Because of yesterday’s fifteen horrible tragedies, we’re going to move the worship music to the end of the service and skip the sermon. We need to pray for our city and the other four cities, for the many suffering families, for our enemies and for forgiveness from our many rebellious sins.”

He raised his arms, indicating the congregation should rise.

In the momentary upheaval caused by hundreds of moving bodies, a dark skinned man walked to the middle of the sanctuary.

“Allah Akbar!” he screamed.

BOOM!

The blast from the C-4 plastic explosives thundered through the building. Windows imploded outward. Pews broke into pieces like match sticks. Bodies tossed about. Arms, legs, torsos and heads blended together with debris into a bloody, dusty concoction of death and agony.

Fire spread through the building, trapping injured people inside the sanctuary. The more fortunate ones crawled outside and used their cell phones, dialing 911.

Sirens could be heard within minutes. For many, it was too late.

Once again, news flashes interrupted regular TV and radio programming.

“Ten West Coast churches, packed with people, were hit this morning at 11:15 AM by suicide bombers. Many injured, many dead. We will have more news on these tragedies when it’s available.”

People reacted by leaving work early and heading home. The expressways moved bumper to bumper as they edged forward on the pavements. Those retreating autos reflected the initial rolling pebbles in the panic avalanche waiting to happen.

At 1 PM, Al Jazeera showed a video from an al-Qaeda leader on its television network. The dark bearded man wore a Ghutura on his head and a dark robe.

“Allah Akbar, yesterday and today mark the beginning salvos on our second phase of attacks on America. Our jihad shall not end until the Great Satan has been defeated and serves the one true god, Allah. Right now, the decadent cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle are under siege by an army of martyrs. 10,000 strong. Each is willing to be used for the glory of Allah. Each is set in place to attack the cities.”

He pointed into the camera.

“For the people of these five cities, I give you this warning: leave while you can. You are not safe. Each week we shall send fifty or sixty martyrs against you. Your police department and your government can not protect you. Allah be praised.”

If you believe the above scene could never happen in your church, then you live in a daydream world. This type of violence happens often in the Middle East and parts of Africa, especially Nigeria right now.

Do you think the believers who are killed, while attending churches in Nigeria, love the Lord any less than we do? Probably not, right?

It has been reported that there are 40,000 Jihaddist agents hidden in Latin America and parts of South America. These agents are specifically trained to be suicide bombers and mass killers.

And who do you think these Jihaddists want to kill? Some poor farmer in Guatemala? Of course not! They want to kill you and me because we are Christian Americans.

Admittedly, I’m a radical!

You must determine how big a radical you are willing to be now because the above scene from Jonah will soon happen in America. If you haven’t changed before then, what do you think the consequences will be for you and your family?

 If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?  (Jeremiah 12:5  ESV)

(Continued in Part 3)

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July 16, 2012 · 2:11 pm

I’m a Radical! What About You? (Part 1)

Pastor Rick’s words hit me like a Yosemite lightning bolt, bursting out of a cloudless sky. Though he had one meaning in mind when he uttered the words, the exact opposite could not have been truer. As his words thundered through the corridors of my brain, I realized our whole church system was an absolute failure.

Let me stop here for a moment. This is not a statement I reveled in: I realized our whole church system was an absolute failure. It makes me sound like a desperate pilgrim searching for hidden truths on that Easter morning, but that was not the case. I was just an average, forty-three year old business man sitting next to his wife on a padded pew, listening to Pastor Rick.

At the time, everything about my life seemed picture-postcard perfect, or so I thought.  Most people would have described me as a rock-solid, Bible-believing, tithe-giving, non-alcohol drinking, conservative-voting, evangelical-Christian. Yet in the days which followed, gossipers whispered new words about me, such as rebel, heretic, and back-slider.

(Excerpt from Deceived Dead And Delivered by Larry Nevenhoven, soon to be released e-book)

What is the #1 concern for American churches?

Abortions? Gay marriages? Helping the poor? Elections? Euthanasia? Divorces? Sex trafficking? Racism? Missionary work? No, none of these.

The #1 concern for American churches is getting new members who have money in their billfolds so the churches’ bills can be paid each month. This is a never-ending concern for almost all of the 350,000 churches in our nation.

Can I back up my statement?

A few years ago, the Barna Group estimated that almost 70% of all church offerings went towards mortgages, rents, maintenance, and salaries of staff. In today’s economy, the  percentage is probably much higher.

Do I have a radical answer for this concern?

Four or five years ago, I was involved in an online discussion with a progressive church pastor. He had definite ideas on various issues and so did I. He backed his ideas up with Thoreau, Gandhi, Immanuel Kant, Dalai Lama, and a smattering of quotes by Jesus. I used only scriptures to back up my views.

Finally, he wrote: “You fundamentalists may know your scriptures, but you never care about the poor.”

“I do care about the poor,” I replied. “In fact, I’m much more radical about this issue than you are.”

He listed all the efforts done by his church to help the poor in his area. To which I replied: “That’s not radical. It’s what every Christian organization should do.”

“Okay, what would you do?” he wrote.

“If I were you, I’d sell your church and its property, and give the money to the poor and needy. Then, I’d get a job so the church members would not have to pay me a pastor’s salary. In this way, 95% of your church’s offerings could go to help the poor and needy,” I wrote back.

He, of course, replied: “We could never do that. It’s too radical!”

So, how radical of a Christian are you?

(Continued in Part 2)

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July 13, 2012 · 7:10 am

Remember The Prisoners (Part 9)

In India alone, there are 11 million children who have been abandoned, and 90% of them are girls. Three million of these children end up living on the streets. (No Longer A Slumdog, by K.P. Yohannan, 2011, pp. 31)

In India, there are 50 million children who work from age 4 on. They labor from morning until night for pennies, often making 10 – 15 cents per day. (No Longer A Slumdog, pp. 21)

Most of the unfortunate children who beg on the streets of South Asia’s cities, labor in its fields and factories or die a thousand deaths as child prostitutes are Dalits… In India today, there are about 250 million Dalits. (No Longer A Slumdog, pp. 55)

God is grieved over the plight of children in this generation – children who, this very moment, are suffering in circumstances we don’t even want to imagine. He is looking for individuals who say no to themselves and instead care for the things on His heart…  (No Longer A Slumdog, pp. 78)

I received a free copy of No Longer A Slumdog in the mail from Gospel For Asia. I looked at the cover and placed it on our coffee table. It sat there for a month before I picked it up. Then, I read it all in one sitting.

When I finished, I sat on the sofa, just staring off into space. My heart was crushed by Yohannan’s words. All I could think about were those abandoned children and how they were prisoners in a democratic nation, which Time Magazine called, “the next great economic superpower.”

Eventually, I had to look at myself and ask, “What is Larry going to do to help those children?”

If you are interested in checking out the free offer from Gospel For Asia, just click on No Longer A Slumdog.

The first question that the priest…and the Levite asked was: “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But the Good Samaritan…reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

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July 10, 2012 · 8:51 am

How Can I Laugh With Despair All Around Us?

“Jesus does not have a sense of humor,” proclaimed a young Christian after hearing me joke about something said.

“Really?” I replied, shocked at his words.

“Yes,” he said, “people are going to Hell all around us, starving in Africa, and sitting in prisons in North Korea. How could Jesus possibly have a smile on His face with all those troubles on His heart? Aren’t we supposed to be like Him?”

Sadly, I suffered brain freeze at that precise moment and could think of nothing to counter his arguments. Later on my drive home, I had an interesting experience.

As I drove my truck, I talked to the Lord. The first part of the conversation related to the young man’s statements. The Lord advised me to bless and pray for him, nothing else.

Then, I added, “Lord, You need to hurry up and get me married to *Trudy.”

Instantly, the truck’s cab filled with laughter. I could actually hear Jesus laughing and all of heaven laughing along with Him. The laughing was an all-out, grab your belly, roll on the floor laughter.

I began laughing. Tears rolled down my face and I was forced to pull the truck off the side of the road and sit there until the laughter passed.

Afterward, I wondered why the Lord and heaven laughed so much. Were my words funny? Or was He just happy for me?

One year later, I discovered the answers to my questions. I married Carol and not *Trudy. It seemed the joke was on me.

Now, I understand this is experiential, but does scripture back it up?

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:13 NLT)

For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15 NLT)

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. (Proverbs 17:22 NLT)

How many of us like to be around people who are serious and long faced all the time? Most likely, none of us.

If that’s the case, then how can we possibly believe Jesus walked around with a long, serious, woe-is-me look on His face all day long? After all, the people were drawn to Him, especially the children. And let me tell you, children shun long-faced, serious-minded people like the plague.

This does not mean Jesus did not weep with those who were weeping, He did. Yet, His personality was not stuck in one gear all the time. He enjoyed life and God’s creation.

Who created laughter and a sense of humor – God or Satan? Here’s a one word answer: Isaac.

In the Hebrew, the name Isaac means laughing one or laughter. Just think, God placed such an emphasis on having a good sense of humor and laughing that He named one of the patriarchs laughter.

Okay, as you can see, I enjoy a good laugh and believe having a sense of humor is important, especially in today’s word.

This does not mean I don’t weep for the prisoners in North Korea. Or the 11 million abandoned children in India. Or abortions in America. Or for other tragic circumstances. I do weep and am burdened for them.

But I don’t live my whole life in mourning and weeping all the time because I also enjoy life and a good laugh.

And I believe Jesus does, too.

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July 9, 2012 · 8:12 am

San Francisco: God Loves You, But… (Conclusion)

 

If callings were chosen by popular elections, Saul of Tarsus would have garnered the same number of votes as King Herod or Caiaphas for the calling of apostle: zero.

After all, Saul hunted believers down, murdered them, tossed them into prisons, and tried to force them to blaspheme. He was the main reason Jerusalem Christians opted to go on permanent missionary trips to other cities.

Historians described Saul as a skinny, 4’6″ lightweight who was not much of a speaker. These physical  attributes were not exactly a winning formula for the Gentiles, who admired polished orators with a strong physical presence.

Yet Jesus said, “Saul is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…”

The Lord’s reasoning behind His choice: “…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

So what did God see in Saul’s heart?

He saw Paul the apostle to whom God could reveal His mystery of Christ, that the Gentiles and the Jews would be joined together in the Bride of Christ, His church. He also saw a man who would willingly suffer afflictions for Christ and His body.

Today, there are some who want to downgrade Paul and his teachings and just go with the red letter words of Jesus in the four Gospels. They don’t like Paul’s teachings on sexual immorality and other subjects. But if this were actually followed, where would the guidelines and revelations about the Church come from?

Furthermore, if Paul had not appeared on the scene, Peter and James would have most likely caved into the Jewish influence on the early church. And today our churches would be little more than a revamped Temple 2.0 System, complete with circumcision, priesthood, and sacrifices.

Thank God for the Apostle Paul, right?

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9: 37-38 Amplified Translation)

Likewise, the Lord has looked down on San Francisco, especially the Castro District, and has seen men and women who have hearts much like Saul of Tarsus. He is not concerned that these people are now actively engaged in lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender life styles because He remembers Saul the murderer. He knows how the life changing power of His heavenly light and just one divine  experience from Him will cause each to ask, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then, He will answer each one, “…I am Jesus …”

The Lord doesn’t want to lose any of these precious callings as each has been specifically chosen to be a leader in His Church for the dark days lying ahead in America. So important are these callings that the Lord has assigned teams of fully prepared  fishermen and hunters who will search through the alleys, streets, and haunts of San Francisco for these prized callings.

The teams of fishermen and hunters will suffer bloodshed, pain, and jail cells. Who will persecute these teams? The chosen Sauls. Yet, the chosen Sauls will have the gospel preached to them by how the fishermen and hunters handle the persecutions: with humility and love.

In the end, the chosen Sauls will come out of San Francisco as Pauls who will help lead the Church into victory after victory. What Jesus said about the woman who wiped His feet with her tears and hair will be true of these chosen Pauls:

For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little. (Luke 7:47)

CONCLUSION

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July 7, 2012 · 10:29 am

Joe Biden and Sarah Palin: A Rematch Made in Heaven

This is tongue and cheek fictional humor, okay? So, chill out.

Gwen Ifill, the PBS debate moderator, sat at her desk, watching Vice President Joe Biden and former Governor Sarah Palin shake hands and then take their places behind lucite podiums. Both nodded at Ifill when they were ready.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” said Ifill, looking at the TV monitor, “we’d like to thank you for joining us for the Joe Biden and Sarah Palin Rematch 2012. Both Vice President Biden and former Governor Palin have graciously consented to debate each other tonight on current issues with all proceeds going to help our PBS sister stations.”

Ifill paused for a moment, allowing light applause from the audience to interrupt her.

“The format for tonight’s debate is that I will ask a question on a topic of current interest. The Vice President and the Governor will then have five minutes to reply. Each will  be allowed a counter reply if it is necessary. Okay?”

She eyed both Joe and Sarah, who both nodded to her.

“We will begin with Governor Palin,” said Ifill, who looked down at Palin’s feet. “Governor Palin, where did you get those lovely heels? They are absolutely gorgeous.”

“Thanks, Gwen,” said Sarah Palin, “I bought them at Nordstrom’s half-price sale just yesterday.”

“Half price!” exclaimed Ifill, shaking her head. “When’s the sale over?”

“Tonight.”

“Well,” said Ifill, “as soon as this debate is over, I’m heading over there. A woman can never have too many shoes. Thanks.”

Palin nodded and said, “You’re welcome, Gwen.”

Ifill turned toward Vice President Joseph Biden.

“Now, Vice President Biden, let’s look at the economy, okay?” said Gwen.

Biden’s eyes gleamed as he nodded.

“Some heterodox economists insist the money supply is endogenous,” said Gwen. “Now do you agree? In your answer, give specific references to neoclassical economists and mainstream economists with current figures for M0, M1, M2, M3, MZM, and the velocity of money. Also, explain in as few words as possible the term: atomistic individual conception.”

“W-wh-wha-what?” said Biden, his tongue attempting to gain traction on the roof of his mouth.

“You heard me,” said Ifill. Her eyes laser-locked on Biden’s eyes.

Vice President Biden beat his chest with his right hand and then he muttered Red Fox’s classic line: “Elizabeth, honey. This is the big one. I’m coming!”

A cheerful heart is good medicine…(Proverbs 17:22)

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July 6, 2012 · 9:50 am

San Francisco: God Loves You, But…

In early 1994, one of my closest high school friends died after a long battle with cancer. His death really bugged me because I had prayed and fasted over a long period of time for him.

Was I mad at the Lord about my friend’s death? Yes.

Doesn’t scripture state that “all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you?” I prayed for my friend to live, but he died. How could I ever really trust that particular verse again?

On the three hour trip back to the small Illinois town of my youth, I poured my heart out to the Lord. Although I felt comforted, I had no answers. As I walked up to the church, some high school friends delayed me. We chatted about old times for a few minutes.

This delay caused my parents to walk on without me. When I finally stepped into the sanctuary, there was quite a line ahead of me. Standing there, I asked, “Lord, did my friend make it into heaven?”

Now, this is not a question I recommend believers should ever ask the Lord because what if you don’t like His answer, then what? Yet, I was so upset about my friend’s death, I asked anyway. You see, not only was I asking for his healing, but I was also asking the Lord to save him.

The procession slowly crept toward the closed casket sitting at the front of the church. Just as I arrived at the casket, the Lord spoke to my heart, “He’s not in this casket. He’s in heaven with Me.”

I could have danced and shouted for joy. It was one of my happiest moments ever.

Then, I turned the corner and faced my friend’s wife and family. They were standing on the left side of the altar, receiving funeral attendees. As I inched toward them I began crying, not a few tears but buckets of them. I wailed and was almost out of control. People turned to look, but I could not stop.

My friend’s wife, his two children and his parents comforted me, instead of the other way around. I was such a mess. Finally, I sat down next to my parents in the middle of the church. Somehow, my crying ceased.

What was that all about? I thought.

Piano music announced the beginning of the service. As the pianist played, the Lord spoke to my heart. “Your friend was called to be a prophet and he didn’t make it into his calling. The misery you felt was just a fraction of what I feel when a person doesn’t make it into his calling.”

The Lord’s words caused me to break down and weep. My parents, on the left side of me, and my sister, on the other side, tried to comfort me, but what could they do? My heart was shattered by the grief of the Lord.

Eventually, the misery passed.

After some songs and family testimonies, the pastor began the eulogy. I listened to her, but once again, the Lord spoke to me.

“My church is mostly a bunch of losers. They pray for the sick, but when the person dies anyway, they aren’t upset or mad. They just think they did their duty and at least made an effort, and that’s good enough for them,” said the Lord to my heart.

My jaw dropped, wondering what was coming next.

“Major League players all want to win, but after a while, players on losing teams don’t mind losing. After all, they still receive their large paychecks. So, it’s no big deal to them. But players on winning teams hate to lose, absolutely hate it. They will do anything to win and whatever sacrifice is needed, they willingly do it for victories.

“I want My church to hate losing,” He said.

His words, “I want My church to hate losing,” exploded within me. Its echoes bounced off every corridor and passageway of my mind. Once again, I wept.

This happened seventeen years ago and it still resonates within me.

What does this experience have to do with San Francisco?

**This series is a rerun from July-August, 20111.**

(Continued in Part 6)

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July 5, 2012 · 1:38 pm

Why California? Why San Francisco? Why Now? (Conclusion)

Sins are never committed in a veiled vacuum, out of eyesight. God sees everything, but even more than that, the sins are committed openly in the spiritual atmosphere which envelopes the earth. This is the realm where  the prince of the power of the atmosphere reigns and influences.

Our sins do more than cause a separation between God and us. They empower the prince of the power of the atmosphere (or Satan) to gain a greater foothold on earth. I believe this empowerment works according to the same spiritual principle stated in Matthew 18:19-20, because our sins agree with the father of lies. Then, if the sins are committed with the consent of a second person or more, the sins invite more of the presence of the kingdom of darkness into a city, a region, a state, or a nation (territory).

So, when people say, “Our sins don’t affect anyone but us,” they are not quite accurate. At the least, the sins lessen the amount of righteousness in that territory on earth, which then affects everyone who lives there.

Spiritual warfare may be defined as the constant, never-ending war between the forces of God and the forces of Satan to displace wickedness with righteousness, or vice versa, here on earth, territory by territory.

If righteousness displaces a measure of wickedness in a territory on earth, that area will then have a higher level of godliness. But if wickedness displaces a portion of righteousness in an area, then that territory will have a higher level of depravity.

Unlike physical warfare, spiritual battles are not fought with swords or guns, but rather with our acts (of love or sin) and our words.

The acts should be self-explanatory, but if you have any doubts, check Galatians 5:16 – 26 to study the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell… But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. (James 3: 6, 8-9)

Our spoken words have the power of life and death in them.

If our words are spoken in love, backed by faith, and filled with the truth of God’s words, then we will impart life and advance righteousness in a territory. These God-filled words may be spoken in prayers or through other communications.

Sadly, the opposite is also true.

If our spoken words agree with the iniquities committed in a territory and do not agree with God’s words, then our words bestow death and advance wickedness in that territory.

Now, even though God has set up the world to be in subjection to angels, He is still the CEO of the universe. If the cry of wickedness in a territory becomes too great and the iniquity too severe, God will act. He may even remove that city, region, state, or nation (territory) from His sight. That is exactly what He did with Sodom and Gomorrah in 2067 BC and Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Remember: God has not changed so we need to pay attention to His voice before it’s too late.

So, why California? Why San Francisco? Why now?

The answer I believe can be summed up in one word: children.

As many realize, God is patient with mankind because He wants everyone to repent and none to perish in an eternal Hell.  This is the Father’s heart filled with love for His creation.

Yet, when the ruling principality over San Francisco, the spirit of depravity, gained enough power to compel politicians  in the state capitol in Sacramento, California, to vote in laws requiring innocent children (K-12) to be exposed and lied to about iniquity, God must act.

The three branches of government, which are supposed to protect innocent children, have been totally deceived by the spirit of depravity. Since these three branches refuse to act for the children’s sake, the Lord God of Hosts will rise up and act.

Because of the many saints who have labored in fasts and prayers over the years for San Francisco and California, God will first act in mercy. The calamities, which will soon hit California, will look anything but merciful because of the damage and death toll involved. But yet, like Elijah’s prophetic warning about a forty-two month drought, it is the mercy of God, calling people to repentance.  (See prophetic words on earthquakes here.)

Yet, if California ignores the earthquake calamities and continues to follow and bow before the spirit of depravity, God will bring such heavy calamities on California that the whole world will mourn and weep over its demise. (See prophetic words about terrorists’ attacks here.

California, choose for yourself this day whom you will serve.

(Conclusion)

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