I have been fighting influenza. Christians do deal with sickness from time time time. Yet it is the theft that kills steals.

As we see when Peter preached in Acts 10 how Jesus went about doing good healing all the oppressed of the enemy the Holy Spirit feel on the crowed he was preaching to as He did on the day of Pentecost. We can expect no less today,

We know these are the last days  we know God is going to show up and make Himself known? When Joshua met the angel (tye of Christ) the captian of the Lord of host,  he did not know what to expect at one point even drew a sword. Once he realized who He was He reafirmed to Joshua that the Lord was with Him. Did you ever notice how God showed Himself different to Joshua than to Moses. Yet He is the same God. Always reafirming His word to audance of whom He was dealing with.. This is the same for us today, take a look at the book of Acts. The Apostiles did not always know how God was going to show up yet he did. No set pattern.

What we know will happen, As we seek first His kingdom all these things will be added to you  Matt 6:33.

He is always Prophet Priest King. He is always calling us to repentance. His word is always true. He is poring out His Spirit. As we apply Gods word to our harts He will always change us into the image and likeness of Christ. As people come to Church they will also leave Church.  He will always make Himself known as Lord and God from generation to generation. He will always provide the impossible. As we know who wins in the end.

Do we need another reformation or do we just have to recommit ourselves back to the basics?

I use this at lest once a  year lent is a good time of the year for a time of reflection. 

“Preparing the Heart”

Used by permission see www.nogreaterlove.org

Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Preparing the Heart

Confession of sin is necessary for fellowship with God, and revival among God's people. Prayerfully consider the following questions. Go through these questions one by one. Answer truthfully these questions. Every "yes" answer means sin in your life. In reading these questions, as you are convicted of sin, confess it at once to God. Be willing to make it right...then you can claim cleansing forgiveness. I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Be sure to name your sin to God, as..."Lord, I have not put you first in my plans" or "I have neglected your work and prayer." Do not make the least excuse for sin of any kind in your life.

Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." No matter what others do, or not do, Christian, leave nothing undone on your part. God wants to work through you to bring about a great spiritual awakening. He can begin by fulfilling every requirement shown by the Lord through the Holy Spirit and His Word.

A revival of the Lord begins today, IF you desire it...

Searching the Heart

Matthew 6:12-14	Is there anyone against whom you hold a grudge? Anyone you haven't forgiven? Anyone you hate? Anyone you do not love? Are there any misunderstandings that you are unwilling to forget? Is there any person against whom you are harboring bitterness, resentment, or jealousy? Anyone you dislike to hear praised or well spoken of? Do you allow anything to justify a wrong attitude toward another?
Matthew 6:33	Is there anyway in which you have failed to put God first? Have your decisions been made after your own wisdom and desires, rather than by seeking and following God's will? Do any of the following in any way interfere with your surrender and service to God: ambition, pleasures, loved ones, friendships, desire for recognition, money, your own plans?
Mark 16:15	Have you failed to seek the lost for Christ? Have you failed to witness consistently with your mouth for the Lord Jesus Christ? Has your life not shown to the lost the Lord Jesus?
John 13:35	Are you secretly pleased over the misfortunes of another? Are you secretly annoyed over the accomplishments or advancements of another? Are you guilty of any contention or strife? Do you quarrel, argue, or engage in heated discussions? Are you a partaker in any divisions, or party spirit? Are there people whom you deliberately slight?
Acts 20:35	Have you robbed God by withholding His due time, talents and money? Have you given less than a tenth of your income for God's work? Have you failed to support mission work either in prayer or in offerings?
1 Corinthians 4:2	Are you undependable so that you cannot be trusted with responsibilities in the Lord's work? Are you allowing your emotions to be stirred for things of the Lord but doing nothing about it?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20	Are you in any way careless with your body? Do you fail to care for it as the temple of the Holy Spirit? Are you guilty of intemperance in eating or drinking? Do you have any habits, which are defiling to the body?
1 Corinthians 10:31	Do you take the slightest credit for anything good about you, rather than give all the glory to God? Do you talk of what you have done rather than of what Christ has done? Are your statements mostly about "I"? Are your feelings easily hurt? Have you made a pretense of being something that you are not?
Ephesians 3:20	Are you self-conscious rather than Christ-conscious? Do you allow feelings of inferiority to keep you from attempting things you should in serving God?
Ephesians 4:28	Do you underpay? Do you do very little in your work? Have you been careless in the payment of your debts? Have you sought to evade payment of debts? Do you waste time? Do you waste time for others?
Ephesians 4:31	Do you complain? Do you find fault? Do you have a critical attitude toward any person or thing? Are you irritable or cranky? Do you ever carry hidden anger? Do you get angry? Do you become impatient with others? Are you ever harsh or unkind?
Ephesians 5:16	Do you listen to unedifying radio or TV programs as well as  internet sites? Do you read unworthy magazines? Do you partake in worldly amusements? Do you find it necessary to seek satisfaction from any questionable source? Are you doing certain things that show that you are not satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 5:20	Have you neglected to thank Him in all things, the seemingly bad as well as the good? Have you virtually called God a liar by doubting His Word? Do you worry? Is your spiritual temperature based on your feelings instead of on the facts of God's Word?
Philippians 1:21	Are you taken up with the cares of this life? Does your conversation or heart joy over "things" rather than the Lord and His Word? Does anything mean more to you than living for and pleasing Christ?
Philippians 2:14	Do you ever by word or deed seek to hurt someone? Do you gossip? Do you speak unkindly concerning people when they are not present? Do you carry prejudice against true Christians because they are of some different group than yours, or because they do not see everything exactly like you?
Philippians 4:4	Have you neglected to seek to be pleasing to Him in all things? Do you carry any bitterness toward God? Have you complained against Him in any way? Have you been dissatisfied with His provision for you? Is there in your heart any unwillingness to obey God fully? Do you have any reservations as to what you would or wouldn't do concerning anything that might be His will? Have you disobeyed some direct leading from Him?
Colossians 3:9	Do you engage in empty and unprofitable conversation? Do you ever lie? Do you ever exaggerate? Cheat? Steal? Carefully consider - do you overcharge?
2 Timothy 2:22	Do you have any personal habits that are not pure? Do you allow impure thoughts about the opposite sex to stay in your mind? Do you read that which is impure or suggests unholy things? Do you indulge in any unclean entertainment? Are you guilty of the lustful look?
Hebrews 10:25	Do you stay away from the meetings of the preaching of the Gospel? Do you whisper or think about other things while God's Word is being read or preached? Are you irregular in attendance at services? Do you find the Bible and prayer uninteresting? Have you neglected thanksgiving at meals? Have you neglected daily family devotions?
Hebrews 10:26	Do you hesitate to submit to leaders in church or elsewhere? Are you lazy? Do you rebel at requests given to you to help in the work of the Gospel? Do you in any way have a stubborn or unteachable spirit?
James 4:6	Do you feel that you are doing quite well as a Christian? That you are not so bad? That you are good enough? Are you stubborn? Do you insist on having your own way? Do you insist on your "rights"?
James 4:11	Have you dishonored Him and hindered His work by criticizing His servants? Have you failed to pray regularly for your pastor or other spiritual leaders? Do you find it hard to be corrected? Is there rebellion toward one who wants to restore you? Are you more concerned about what people will think than what will be pleasing to God?

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HONEST AND TRUE IN THE MATTER OF ADMITTING YOUR SINS, THEN YOU ARE READY FOR GOD'S CLEANSING. SINS THAT ARE ADMITTED ARE SINS THAT ARE CONFESSED.

Remember these three things:

If the sin is against God, confess it to God, and make things right with God. If the sin is against another person, confess it to God, and make things right with the other person. If the sin is against a group, confess it to God, and make it right with the group.

IF THERE IS A FULL CONFESSION, THERE WILL BE FULL CLEANSING, THEN THE JOY OF THE LORD WILL FOLLOW. THEN, THERE CAN BE TESTIMONY AND PRAYER IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. REVIVAL WILL FOLLOW.

In knowing, that our Lord can return again at any time. I am deeply concerned that as with Christian date setting pagan date setting will develop as the next marketing wave as people want to know what is going to happen next. Can we stop buying books please. For example some old "prophecies" about California dropping off to the Pacific ocean is redeveloping in Christian circles just to play on peoples fears. When none of this is going to happen since we are already judged see John 3:17-18. Yet we know prophetic events of wars rummer of wars earthquakes and odd weather events will increase and is a message us Christians asking us to look up.  

I am deeply concerned that we have created a monster in how we market things to the body of Christ. In that we have created away to by pass sound doctrine and having a real world view of current events. Is the Lord coming again most defiantly, are souls dying and going to hell, YES. But what is driving us to full fill the Great Commission. Two very real truths which we are not communicating them effectively. 

If we do not understand the real reason for the debate over creation we will loose the moral and spiritual need for a savoir. This is do to the fact that if the front in of the creation story can be watered down to a myth. Then the story of the seed of woman destroying the serpent would also be a myth. Taking away the need for Jesus our Lord going to the Cross.

Dealing with things that are not clearly mentioned in our Fathers word Old and New Testament. I know that Jesus Is Lord and that he is Prophet Priest and King. In reality nothing will change who He is, so it is ok to study,  ask questions about any subject. Even if it causes doubt we can still study the subject matter due to the fact that nothing will replace who He is.

Guys we will always have  prophetic events around us. It is up to you and I as to how we respond to them.

Are we getting out of debit? Developing a way to deal with stress. Have a secondary meeting place for family members to meet if you can not get home. Note all  cell phone use will be down for a week or more. Do we have 3 to 7 days of food. Relief agencies will take at lest 3 days to get set up. In addition do we have a back up plain for all important paper work. Note computer server systems will be down as well. All ways expect God to provide as events happen and He will show Him self mighty. See Matt 24. 

I hope we know that Evangelism is based upon relationship building. We see this with the call of Andrew then Peter then the rest of the twelve. It is also based upon a demonstration of Gods power as the Word of God is heard and demonstrated. Note if God hears us when we pray the prayer of salvation then He also hears and answers all other types of prayer. See the book of Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ chapter 8.

How does one receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit? First off make sure you are born again, simply by asking Jesus to be Lord of your life. Then talk to the Lord about the issue, He will always honor His word. David in Ps 22 talks about how God is waiting for us to Praise Him. So I would start at that point of praise then when you know the timing is right talk to the Lord about being filled with His Spirit. This not a one time experience it is also a command to be filled with the Spirit daily. What will happen is you will have a deep compassion for the our Lord as well as the lost and a deep since of Gods Holiness. With a longing to serve others. It is not something to boast about nor show like a new car sticker price. But assist in fulfilling the great commission.

What is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. It is having enough of Gods power in our lives to reach this generation. Look at the 120 in Acts 2 they all where filled with the Holy Spirit. Even Mary the Mother of our Lord waited for this to happen. In addition, look at the boldness of Peter as he preached the cross and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a celebration, confirmation,  of our Lords resurrection. It is also,  a miracle not so  much of speaking, but hearing. Now if we are to have the same born again experiences that the early disciples had then should we have the same experiences of His spirit  that they had as well. Look how God answers prayer in our lives, as with Luke we find that God will not lead us astray but will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask.

When we think of the book of Acts we find that the Lord added daily all who can be saved.  This should be our passion in prayer. So the question I have to ask is Have you received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Just thinking of when I look on the first snow of the year. I am reminded of the goodness of Our Lord God who created all things.  I find that over the years we forget who we are to resemble in actions and deeds. For the most part we are seen by the expressions of Worship and how we present the good news of Jesus Christ. But are we really living for Him letting His word be changing us in the likeness of whom we are to love.

I recall attempting to be a athlete and the coaches  saying "no fear" as I pushed myself. Yet do to laziness all the good goals feel apart. Yet "no fear" is a biblical concept that we forget about as we look at sin, chaos, confusion. Which we all deal with on a daily basics. Scripture, clearly lays the foundation that God has not given us a Spirit of Fear.

As we move into the American election cycle. If in USA please vote. Vote your conscience. What is best for the nation as a whole. Do not letter your bitterness be your guild, in voting.  

What are we crying for – fitted for?

Last year I reread Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon. As one who teaches that signs and wanders are for today.  I am reminded that there is no limit to the power of God in casting the wicked man into hell at any moment.

In addition; I am asking myself the question what I am crying for. Since “God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment”. We know Hell is hot and a place of torment. Yet are we praying for the Holy Spirit to convict us. Giving us understanding that there is more to the power of God than the fluff we see.

Romans 9:22 “what if God, Will to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?”

As watchmen, when have we seen the need of rescuing people out of Hell?

How do we occupy? By developing relationship with others, letting or lives become salt that others hunger for our Heavenly Fathers Word becoming committed  to Him. Affirming others to become apart of a meaningful discipleship experience. AS Christians we should pray for the harvest learning how to lead other to the one we love. As well as first praying for our neighbors.