July 2012 Blog Posts (60)

Yesterday I was talking about simply being with Jesus; getting to know Him and His revealing His heart to us. It may be obvious, but I would like to remind you that the more we are with our Lord, the more we become like Him, in purity, holiness and love. In turn, his pure walk produces a boldness for Father. Scripture says, “The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). Now that is exciting. I mean, just by hanging close to your…

I want to show you something that is pretty cool; something that should be said about you! Let me first set the stage for you. In the third chapter of Acts, Peter and John went to the temple to worship. A beggar who had been crippled from birth was sitting just outside of the temple gate. You have to realize that this man had never walked a step in his life! When he saw Peter and John, he asked them, as he did everyone, for some money. Peter answered him, “I don't have any silver or…

Many people appreciate traditional Sunday morning church services. Great worship music, well-presented sermons, and tradition are faith bolstering and valuable experiences. However, you might long for more.  Simple church provides the participatory and intimate elements of the faith experience following the legacy of the earliest church and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Consider simple church, where priorities enable every-member-participation. Where…

Joseph had a vision that his life would be used mightily by God. But that vision seemed like a pipe dream after his jealous brothers sold him into slavery. But I think it is significant that we are not told in the text that YHWH told Joseph to share his vision with his brothers. You know, the Lord may at times show you some things, but you then need to ask, "Father, this is so cool . . . can I share it?" Sometimes he will allow you to share that vision, sometimes he will tell you,…

How do you run a meeting? How big can a simple church grow? How do you multiply? How do you involve the kids? How do you maintain doctrinal integrity? These, and others like them, are often the first questions I’m asked about simple church. However, bear with me when I say that how-to questions are not the place to start.

If a couple came to you…

Throughout the Scripture, our King has proved himself by preserving his people. Oh, if it was left up to me, there were many times I would have dumped those people, but He never did. He was always working to preserve His followers. But, haver you ever sat there and wondered why? Why is He so intent on preserving us? I know what I am like, and it amazes me that He just won’t quit.

We might find our answer in something Moses said:

“The Lord commanded us to obey all these…

This morning I was reading the 16^th Psalm, and it begins with David praying, “Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself” (Psalm 16:1). The Hebrew word that David used here for the phrase, “Keep and protect,” is packed with meaning. It says, in essence, “Put a hedge around me, a wall of protective thorns. Guard me and keep me. Observe my every move, all my comings and goings.”

This prayer is quite unique…

Born out of the Word of God

1 Peter 1:23 having been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

The four things that take place simultaneously in our lives when we receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour,

1. Justification
2. Sanctification
3. Adoption
4. Regeneration – Born…

The other day, I read a story about a pastor in West Virginia who lost his life while handling snakes. Now I am not ridiculing the practice and I know some believers are quite sincere in following the passage in Mark 16:18, about believers being able to “pick up snakes with their hands.” Just realize that there is still some controversy regarding that particular passage, but be…

Through Christ you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21 NIV



Faith is a relationship between God and you. Faith aligns you with God and brings you close to one another. Faith is a connector that hooks and binds you and God together, it makes you and God concurrent (co-existing and synchronized) in purpose and in aim. Faith is a conductor that takes your petitions to God and carries His power to you as the…

I know I have addressed this before, but recently someone brought up Philippians 1:21, where Paul said: “To die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Now this co-worker was really confused on this one . . . he had heard a couple of different televangelists saying we need to maintain a “Positive Attitude” and possess a “Winning Attitude,” and he felt what Paul was saying certainly didn’t seem very positive.

Well, I guess I agree that a guy like Paul would not have made a great…

We have reached a time when we need to figure out what it is we believe—and whether we can defend those beliefs. In the third chapter of Revelations, this was summed up:

“I know what you have done, and that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were either cold or hot! but since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I intend to spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16).

The Message puts it much more bluntly:

"I…

To those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12,13 NIV)

What, in the thought of God, do Christians exist for? What does the Church exist for? There is only one answer. The existence and the function is to be an expression of Christ. There is nothing less and nothing more than that. Christ…

This quote from Shaun King was on the LK10 site:

"What I am saying is that church attendance, Sunday morning services, sermon-listening (or even sermon preaching), song-singing, hand-clapping, amen-saying and all the other things that "Christ-ians" have lifted up so high look so little like Christ himself that I am utterly convinced that we are completely off base with what discipleship means. Considering all of this, I think I have given up on church as I knew it. Big buildings. Hugh…

I realize I have brought up the story of the “prodigal” son many times, but the story is so poignant, I have to keep bringing it up. Every time I read it, I find something else that amazes me. You will only find the story in Luke’s Gospel, so maybe the story was so special him, he just had to share it. This story has several names, “Two Sons,” or “Lost Son” or even the “prodigal father.” Actually, that last one through me a little because I always thought…

I did not intend continue talking about this, but the last two days I have discussed our need . . . how imperative it is that we hear (and discern) our Father’s voice in our daily lives. The sad thing is that many Christians do not know the voice of their very own Father.

Some believers can go for months, even years, without ever receiving an intimate word from the Lord in their inner man. Oh sure, the Lord used to speak to them at least for a while. But over the years, they…

I do hope that you enjoyed the summer. Every time I think of you I give glory to God. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy. I would not have met you if I was lost in my sin. I am thankful to God for choosing me. I believe the Lord has called me to encourage and equip leaders for the work of ministry. We have been spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and I must thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to serve the Lord in Nepal where the gospel has not been preached…

Have you ever thought about how well the Lord prepares and “fits” a man for whatever task he had designed for them? Or, maybe I have that backwards . . . maybe he finds the man that is already perfect for a particular task . . . Hmm. Nah. I think it is the first way. He sees a particular task or situation, and prepares His chosen person (or people); equips them and sends them out.

Think about his man, Elijah. Not only were the times set for someone like Elijah; Elijah was set…

I was searching for this message, and finally found it! My friend, David L. Brown, wrote it back in January 2010, and it is as valid today, as it was then. Occasionally I need to be reminded of this message, and I sense some of you need to hear it, as well. I have added some minor editing to the original message, to hopefully clarify some of what the Lord wants you to hear. I hope it is as relevant for you, as it has been for me. Enjoy.

How many times have you wondered why…