Category Archives: reformation

July 8, 2009 · 9:35 am

Swimming Upstream: “Beware of Parents’ Prayers”

Praying Many years ago, I worked as a maintenance man in a motel. Some of the other workers were track athletes from the local university. One of them was from Kenya.

Like most Kenyans, he had a laid back, easy-going attitude. Nothing seemed to upset him. Whenever we passed in the hallways, we always exchanged greetings.

One time, a word of knowledge crossed my mind. And as usual, I blurted it out. “So, you’re a Christian, right?” I said.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Yes,” he replied.

“And your Christian parents are praying for you to return home because you have a calling on your life for Kenya, right?” I said.

“You’re right again,” he said with a big smile.

“Well,” I continued, “did you know that they have now changed their prayers? They are now praying, ‘Lord, whatever it takes to bring our son home, do it; and do it now.'”

He held up a hand to shush me. “Listen, man, I can earn seventy-five thousand dollars this summer, running in European track meets. And next, year when I graduate with my international finance degree, I will be able to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and live in Paris. I’m not ever returning to Kenya.”

“Oh,” I begged, “don’t do that. Please, obey the call of God on your life. Something bad will happen to you if you don’t.”

He turned and walked away.

A few months later on a cold morning, I walked in the back door of the motel. There was my Kenyan friend with his pant leg rolled up. Blood gushed out of a wound on his knee.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, rushing over by him.

Tears streamed down his face. “I was late so I ran through the parking lot. Somehow, I didn’t see the ice and slipped on it. My running career is over because no one ever returns from a ripped up knee like this one. I’m finished.”

I put my arm around his shoulders and hugged him. He nodded his appreciation. Then, the ambulance arrived and he was wheeled out on a stretcher. I never saw him again.

There will be those who think this is a tragic, sad story, but not me. I rejoice that a merciful Lord answered the prayers of loving parents who wanted the best for their son.

Should we not pray the same way for our own children?

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.

1 Comment

Filed under Christianity, Christians, Church, church planting, Emergent Church, Faith, Gifts of the Spirit, God, grace, Home Church, jesus, Kingdom of God, Prayer, Prophecy, Red Letter Christians, reformation, spiritual warfare

July 7, 2009 · 10:39 am

I’d Like to Prophesy…But* (Part 4)

shy2 Click on following links for: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

The Who’s Who List of socialites sat in the tea garden, listening to the internationally acclaimed concert pianist performing a Mozart concerto.

When the pianist finished, the ladies clapped their hands. The pianist stood and bowed.

One lady, sitting near the pianist, proclaimed, “Oh, I would just give anything to play the piano like him. Just anything.”

The pianist pivoted around and stared at the lady. “No, you would not,” he said.

The crowd gasped at the man’s rebuke of one of New York’s most respected women. How dare he make such a disrespectful remark?

Tears streamed down the embarrassed lady’s face onto her Paris designer dress. In her hurt, she defiantly mouthed, “Yes, I would.”

The man stepped toward her. “No, you would not,” he proclaimed. “Because if you truly meant that, you would have given up your childhood and your teenage years practicing the piano. And even now, you would be willing to give up eight to ten hours everyday practicing so that you could play like me.”

He pointed toward her. “You see, there’s a price to sit on this bench. I’ve been willing to pay it and you haven’t!”

This story illustrates a truth, one that is especially true about the prophetic gifts.

Now, as I mentioned in the comment section of Part 2 to jeremiah17:

Perfect character is not a mandatory requirement for the spiritual gifts. But just like a soldier in the U.S. Army, there are different levels of marksmanship for these spiritual tools or weapons. Consider the spiritual gift levels to be akin to marksman, sharpshooter and expert.

To raise above the entry marksman level demands godliness and a continuing effort to be like Jesus…

The Body of Christ needs believers who are willing to pay the price so that they rise above the entry grade of just giving low-level prophetic words. We need sharpshooters and experts for what’s waiting ahead of us, just over the horizon.

So, what does the price involve, right?

*I have used the word prophesy in a general sense to denote prophecy, words of knowledge and words of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

(Continued in Part 5)

10 Comments

July 6, 2009 · 11:03 am

Swimming Upstream: “Will You Ever Quit Prophesying?”

wasp

Let’s say, somehow, someway, you have decided to obey 1 Corinthians 14: 39, and be a prophetic person which the Holy Spirit can use to speak to His people.

Good decision, but let me ask you a few questions, okay?

At what point will you quit prophesying?

Will you quit if you prophesy about a person on her deathbed that she will live and not die; and yet she dies?

Will you quit if a prophet calls you out in front of a crowd and prophesies that you are not called to prophesy?

Will you quit if all of your family thinks you’re a nut?

Will you quit if all the pastors in a city think your prophecies are in error?

Will you quit if you prophesy that a man will win the presidency; and he doesn’t?

I’ve gone through all of the above and more, and I can tell you, it was unpleasant. In fact, a part of me – each time – felt like crawling into a cave and never ever walking out again. You know, loving the Lord from inside my little cave, just me and Jesus.

One memorable morning, after receiving a blistering rebuke from an internationally-known prophet, I was standing on a ladder, wondering about my calling. Was it really worth it?

As I dipped my brush into a paint bucket, I looked up. There right above me was a gigantic yellow-jacket wasp. Without provocation, it swooped down and stung my forehead.

Ouch! Double Ouch! It was unbearably painful.

And guess what? Then, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said:

“Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead, do not be afraid…” (Ezekiel 3:9)

You need to make up your mind that once you put your hand on the prophetic plow, you never look back (Luke 9:62). Just keep on prophesying. If you make mistakes, ask forgiveness, learn the lessons, and then, keep on prophesying.

And if you can’t do this, ask the Lord to give your prophetic anointing to me. I have countless believers I am praying for, they will use it.

12 Comments

July 3, 2009 · 9:22 am

Swimming Upstream: “NUTS!”

Anthony_McAuliffe

The improbable happened on December 16, 1945, as German panzer forces and infantrymen surprised Allied forces in what is now called the Battle of the Bulge.

It ended up being the largest battle fought by American forces in World War II with over 600,000 troops involved. The Americans lost 81,000 troops killed, wounded or captured, and the Germans lost 100,000.

Two days into the battle, the 101st Airborne at Bastogne was completely surrounded and cut off by the Germans. Medical supplies and personnel had been captured. Food was scarce. Ammo was limited to ten rounds per gun per day. There was little hope for survival.

The German commander von Luttwitz sent the Americans a surrender ultamatum. To which, General Anthony McAuliffe sent back a single word reply: “NUTS!”

The 101st held off the German assault, and their stubborn refusal to surrender helped turn defeat into victory for the Allied forces.

So, in remembrance of the grit displayed by General McAuliffe, I declare the following on the eve of our Independence Day, 2009:

To our Federal Government, who desires us Christians to sit down, keep quiet, pay soaring taxes, accept “Hate Crimes” legislation and act like lemmings on the way to a free-fall dive into the ocean, I say, “NUTS!”

To cities, like San Francisco, who declare Christianity guilty of “Hate Crimes” because we believe homosexuality and abortion are sins, I say, “NUTS!”

To the media, who states that America is a “Post-Christian” nation, I say, “NUTS!”

To all the African-American church leaders, who have sold out their callings for thirty pieces of silver to President Obama and his loony administration, I say, “NUTS!”

To all the churches, who would rather have peace through compromise than unity via a messy reformation, I say, “NUTS!”

To every Islamic Jihaddist, who believes Allah is mightier than Jesus, I say, “NUTS!”

And to all the Christians, who are wavering now, or may be wavering sometime in the future, I say:

…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…(Joshua 24:14)

9 Comments

Filed under Christianity, Christians, Church, church planting, Emergent Church, Faith, Gifts of the Spirit, God, Home Church, Inspirational, jesus, Kingdom of God, Prayer, Prophecy, Red Letter Christians, reformation, Religion, spiritual warfare

July 1, 2009 · 5:56 am

Swimming Upstream: “Don’t Forget The Geezers!”

fern “I’m going to shoot your mom,” I said to Honey as we slipped into bed at the end of a long day.

“Sweetheart, what?” she replied, her eyes blinking in unbelief.

“After, I shoot her, I’m going to hang her by her neck, and then, drop her off a cliff,” I continued on, dredging in the same cesspool of thoughts.

“Dear – that’s not like you at all,” she said. “You wouldn’t hurt anyone, especially not mom.”

“After today, I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things; and I’m going to shoot your mom right between the eyes,” I said.

Then, we fell to sleep.

This conversation actually took place in Glidden, Iowa, when Honey and I were staying with her mom on Fern’s five-acre farm. At the time, Fern was seventy-eight years old, but don’t go thinking she was a weak link, not pulling her own weight around the farm. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Everything had been great between Fern and me up until that week. She was bright and fun to be around. But all the warm fuzzies ended when sweetcorn season arrived.

Now, let me set the stage. It was late July. The temperatures were in the upper-90’s. Humidity was somewhere in a tropical rain forest range. No air conditioning. Ten zillion, pesty, ornery farm flies. Three acres of sweetcorn.

At the time, Honey worked for a company in Carroll, Iowa, and I had just finished detasseling seed corn. So, when Fern asked, “Larry, would you like to help harvest some sweetcorn?”

“Sure, of course,” I said.

The four days were an absolute “Hell on Earth” for me. The heat, humidity and flies took their tolls, but what pushed me over the edge was Fern constantly saying, “Do this. Don’t do that. Be careful. Watch out. Grab this. Let go. What’s wrong with You?”

Now, I’m not silly; I knew I had a problem. So, long before sunup the next morning, I crept out of bed and went down to the family room. There I dropped to my knees. “Lord, what’s my problem? Why do I want to kill a sweet, seventy-eight year old woman?” I prayed.

A long time later, the Lord spoke to my heart. “You’ve given up on senior citizens. You think they just want to collect their social security and sit on a porch, taking it easy until they die. You don’t believe I will use them in a move of My Spirit in America,” He said.

Then, He added, “I haven’t given up on them; and neither should you. So, repent of your attitudes.”

Once again, I’m not silly. I repented right then and there.

So, when I read where believers are asking the Lord to move on young people here in America and wherever, I want to shout aloud: “Don’t forget the geezers! God wants to use them, too.”

Fern Fielder, a great mother-in-law (1920 – 2008)

7 Comments

June 30, 2009 · 8:54 am

I’d Like To Prophesy…But* (Part 3)

shy2

Click on following links for: Part 1 and Part 2.

What can we learn about the use of prophetic gifts from Jim Jones’ life?

For clarification, I see Jim Jones as a deceived Christian believer, not as an atheist as many have portrayed him. This belief is supported by the small pentecostal church, the Methodist superintendent who supported his ordination, the woman who prophesied to him and William Branham. All saw him as a believer with strong prophetic gifts. (See Part 2.)

An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. (1 Timothy 3:6, NLT)

Sadly, what seems to have happened to Jones has occurred over and over again throughout church history, and furthermore, still continues today. A man was elevated not because of his godly character, but rather for his spiritual gifts.

We can see it in Jones’ ministry as a young child-preacher, as a nineteen year-old student pastor and as a co-minister with William Branham, he was thought of as the man. A man who spoke for God. People were in awe of his prophetic gifts.

Now, this is not meant as a blanket excuse for Jones’ errors, but it should cause us to pause for a moment, and check ourselves. Do we admire spiritual gifts more than godly character?

If so, we need to repent.

Look at the qualifications for an overseer:

An overseer, then, must be above reproach…temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money…manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity…not a new convert…a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

In other words, an overseer is required to have a godly character. Did you notice that there is no mention of spiritual gifts as a requirement for being an overseer?

And by the way, what are the qualifications for the spiritual gifts to flow in a believer’s life?

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:11)

The spiritual gifts are given to us believers by grace (Romans 12:6). It is His decision, not ours.

Jim Jones’ life and ministry illustrates an extreme example of how not to walk in the prophetic gifts. What is the right way?

(Continued in Part 4)

*I have used the word prophesy in a general sense to denote prophecy, words of knowledge and words of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

7 Comments

June 29, 2009 · 8:31 am

Swimming Upstream: “Obama, National Debt, Illegal Aliens and Terrorists”

Carnac

“Ladies and gentlemen, Carnac the Magnificent,” announces the sidekick, as a turbaned man steps through the curtains, onto the stage. He turns left, realizes his error and then spins around, heading over to the desk. On the way, he trips slightly, but catches himself, before sitting down.

“Welcome, old great sage, it’s good to see you,” says the sidekick, sitting in front of the desk. “I hold in my hand the envelope which is hermetically sealed and has been kept in a mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnalls’ porch since noon.

Carnac jerks his head. “Hermetically sealed?”

The side-kick nods. “Yes, and no one knows the question contained in this envelope except you in your border-line mystical way. You will ascertain the answer before even hearing the question which is in this envelope. An amazing feat, but true, right?”

“Could you repeat that?” says Carnac, shaking his head in unbelief. “No…yes, of course it is.”

“Here’s the envelope,” says the sidekick, handing it to Carnac.

“May I have absolute silence,” whispers Carnac. He holds the envelope to his head for a moment and closes his eyes in deep meditation.

Then, he says, “The answer is: Obama, national debt, illegal aliens and terrorists.”

“Obama, national debt, illegal aliens and terrorists,” repeats the side-kick in a matter of fact tone.

Carnac looks around, wondering where the voice came from. The side-kick points to himself. Carnac rips open the envelope, blows into it and removes a sheet of paper.

Then, he reads it aloud. “And the question is: how will the Lord remove apathy and lethargy from the American church?”

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

(And of course, I borrowed the idea for this post from the Carnac Magnificent routines on The Tonight Show, performed by Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon.)

4 Comments

June 27, 2009 · 8:38 am

I’d Like to Prophesy…But* (Part 2)

shy2 Click on following link for Part 1.

How important is godly character for operating the prophetic gifts?

Over the years, I have done research on Jim Jones, founder of the Peoples Temple and leader of Jonestown (Guyana) where over 900 people committed mass suicide on November 18, 1978. His name, even today, evokes nervous twitches in us believers who are skeptical of over-the-top religious leaders.

But Jones’ life provides us with a few valuable lessons, especially for the prophetic gifts.

As a child, Jim Jones attended a small Pentecostal church in Indiana. His spiritual gifts were recognized by the church, and he became a child-preacher sensation. People came from all over to hear him.

His mother, Lynetta Putnam Jones, practiced spiritism. And when she discovered her son was involved in preaching and spiritual gifts, she promptly pulled him out of the church.

So, during Jones’ formative years, the young believer’s spiritual gifts and calling were heavily influenced by a wacky mom who was involved with demons and mediums. Certainly, not a healthy environment for a future man of God.

In the 1950’s, Jones was ordained by the Methodist Church as a student pastor. Then, at a state pastors’ convention, his life was forever changed. A woman speaker left the podium, walked down the aisle to Jones and said, “You are called to be a prophet. Go up to the microphone and prophesy.”

Jones was stunned by the woman’s words but followed her instructions. He proceeded to prophesy to everyone there, giving unbelievably accurate words of knowledge and words of wisdom. His ministry skyrocketed from that time forward.

Leaving the Methodists, Jones founded his own church called the Peoples Temple Christian Church Full Gospel in Indianapolis. Though William Branham ministered with Jones at times, Jones felt tormented about continually giving prophecies.

On the one hand, he knew the spiritual gifts worked like a magnet, drawing people and money to his church. But on the other hand, he had no desire to expend the time and energy in prayer, developing a solid foundation to shore up his prophetic gifts.

So, he cheated. He had members gather tidbits of information which he passed on as prophetic words of knowledge to hungry listeners. It worked. The crowds and finances kept flowing into his ministry.

It only gets worse from here on out in his ministry. Finally, at a service in his Peoples Temple of San Francisco, he threw the Bible on the floor and declared, “No longer will we pay attention to this Book. My words are more important.”

So, what can we learn about the use of the prophetic gifts from Jim Jones’ life?

(Continued in Part 3)

*I have used the word prophesy in a general sense to denote prophecy, words of knowledge and words of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

15 Comments

June 26, 2009 · 9:42 am

Swimming Upstream: “Why Me?”

“O Lord, why me? Why not call Bill instead of me? He has his act together, while mine is a rotten mess,” I said to the Lord one year after my salvation (1986).

The reasoning behind the prayer was simple: my life looked like Dresden after its fire-bombing in WWII. My marriage. My family. My career. My friends. My plans. Boom! Bang! Crack! Smash! All shredded to pieces.

I was the imperfect testimony of a man who loved Jesus. Whatever I tried to do failed to help at all. I was a mess!

The only positive asset on my side of the ledger was the Lord. His presence descended upon me every morning during prayer for forty-five minutes or so. It was so awesome that I wanted to live with Him there.

But sadly, His presence always lifted. Then, I had to get off my knees and walk through my problems which were unavoidable and seemingly insurmountable.

And yet, through it all, I hungered for the next time His presence would envelope me. I wanted to be with Him, my best Friend and Lover.

Maybe I was a mess. Maybe my family was ashamed of me. Maybe all my friends had left me. Maybe I was the biggest failure in the history of the world. Maybe all this was true and more.

But still, Jesus liked to spend time with me.

The Lord eventually answered my “Why me?” prayer. He said in so many words, “I called you, not him. Get over it.”

If I had to walk on every bad road, and through every pig sty and dung hill of my life again, I would do it without hesitation if I knew His presence awaited me somewhere ahead. He’s worth it.

Who when he found found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:46)

4 Comments

Filed under Christianity, Christians, Church, church planting, Emergent Church, Faith, Gifts of the Spirit, God, grace, Home Church, Inspirational, jesus, Kingdom of God, Prayer, Prophecy, Red Letter Christians, reformation, Religion, spiritual warfare

June 24, 2009 · 8:54 am

Swimming Upstream: “What If All Pastors Are Removed?”

calvary What if Hate Crimes’ legislation were enacted which removed all pastors from their positions of church authority? Maybe, even imprisoned them in some remote spots of Canada. Then what?

Would Christianity float belly up and die? What would Christians do? Just sit and stare at empty pulpits Sunday after Sunday, hoping things would somehow revert back to earlier times.

History has given us a clear example of what could happen if such a calamity occurred.

In 1949, when Mao Zedong and his communist thugs took over China, they sent every missionary home, especially American ones. They executed a large percentage of the native-born pastors and church leaders, and sent the others to be reeducated at reform camps (fancy term for prisons).

So, in effect there were no pastors. Christianity as we Westerners know it did not exist in China at all. It was wiped out.

What happened?

The Lord raised up new leaders. Ones who had not been seminary trained. Ones who had few (if any) Bibles, but who knew and depended on Him. These leaders reshaped Christianity into the house church format which is now so vibrant and alive in China today.

How effective were the new leaders?

It is estimated there were 500,000 Christians in China at the time Mao took over the nation. Today’s estimates range up to 130 million believers, with more being added everyday.

We Western Christians need to remember who builds the Church and who leads it.

And Jesus is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)

10 Comments