We have just finished our first month of church services at the Quality Inn. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to move our church to a motel after having services in a building that looked like a church setting, but the Lord moved us, so I was willing to follow His leading. And I have to tell you that I have gone from hesitant to loving it. The Sunday before we left our building we had a prophet and his wife speak at our church by the name of John and Judy Kolb. John prophesied that when we moved to the Quality Inn we would see increase and not only increase, God would do a quick work. During our first month we have seen more increase than I ever imagined we would see. God has definitely done a quick work. God You are so good. I think what we have experienced our first month can be summed up in Isaiah 1:19.
Isaiah 1:19
If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
Thank you God for Your bountiful supply of the good of the land! I can’t wait to see what He’s going to do in October. God’s glory is getting so thick during our services it’s amazing. We’re also seeing the prophetic increase, along with many healings and one changed life after the other. God you are so good.
September 30, 2010
April 25, 2010
A Recipe for the Anointing
As Pentecostals we know the anointing is something very special. We often talk about "the anointing". We pray for the anointing of God on our lives, our ministries, our activities in everything we do. We realize that we need the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives every day. And we also realize if we don’t have the anointing, our ministry is really kind of useless. Really WORSE than useless because if we are attempting to minister in our own strength alone it’s worthless.
I’ve been there. I’ve both preached a sermon without the anointing and I’ve tried to minister without the anointing and it’s like you might as well give up and go home because nothing going to happen. We must depend on God. Zechariah 4:6 – “It’s not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.”
We know we must minister in the power of God - under the "anointing" of the Holy Spirit, but have you ever wondered, what is "the anointing". We talk about it all the time. We desire it. We pray for it. But what is it exactly? The most simple definition for the anointing is to think of it as a "setting apart". When God anoints something He sets it apart - it’s "holy" - separated for His use.
When a new king was anointed in Israel the prophet would take a horn full of oil and pour it over his head, and it would run right down his clothes. They would do the same thing when there was a new High Priest. The symbolism was that this person was "set apart" - to be God’s man; God’s instrument.
When we say someone "preached under a real anointing", or "that was an anointed song", or "an anointed moment" - it means it was set apart by God. God had His hand on that preacher or that song or that place. The anointing isn’t a "force" (like electricity), and it’s not just an emotion, although the anointing may produce emotion. The anointing is really nothing other than the presence of God in favor.
In the Old Testament the Tabernacle, and all the furniture and utensils used for worship in the Tabernacle, had to be anointed before they could be used. And they didn’t anoint with just any old oil - they had special oil for this anointing, made from a recipe that God gave them ... We read about it in Exodus 30:22-30.
The first ingredient was liquid Myrrh. Myrrh was used to prepare bodies for burial. But to get its beautiful sweetness you had to crush it. Myrrh speaks of death. And you know there is no anointing without death. If we want to know God’s anointing we have to die to ourselves. Die to the old person that we once were. Die to our own agenda - our own desires and dreams, not born of God. If we’re going to depend on God we have to die to our own abilities and resources.
The second ingredient was Cinnamon. Cinnamon was used for flavoring, and it gave off a very pleasant smell. Its fragrance was beautiful in the Tabernacle because it counter-acted the stench of the animal sacrifices. Cinnamon speaks of sweetness. If you want God to anoint you to use you, there has to be a sweetness about your life. God will anoint you and use you if there’s a sweetness about you. The sweetness of Jesus. This is what the fruit of the Spirit is all about that we can find in Galatians 5:22-25.
The third ingredient was Cane or Calamus (Kalamos). The Calamus plant grows in muddy or murky soil. To get this plant to smell you had to beat it. The more you beat it the better it smells. All of that beating reminds me of a school that I heard about.
There are many great universities in our land. Everyone knows about Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. In England there is Oxford University. But I’m thinking of another school. This other school has had more students and more graduates than any other school that ever existed. Its tuition fees are the most expensive on earth, but the lessons that are learned at this school do more for it’s students than those in any other school. I’m talking about the University of Hard Knocks.
God’s anointing is able to increase in your life the more you pass through the school of hard knocks, and God is able to fashion your character. Along with Paul I would imagine all of us at one time or another have been through some hard knocks? Some are harder than others aren’t they. But they are working in our character. As long as we respond to them as God wants us to. He’s fashioning each of us for anointing.
The fourth ingredient was a spice called "cassia" - kasÃa. This spice grows only at elevations above 8000 feet. You’ve got to get up on the mountain to get it. If you desire God’s anointing - you’ve got to reach up to the heights. Get on the mountain with God. There’s no shortcut to the anointing - we’ve got to seek God in prayer. Jesus lived in the anointing of the Spirit – and the price He paid for that anointing was that He maintained a close walk with His heavenly Father in prayer at all times.
Finally all the ingredients were mixed with olive oil. And it was a mixture that was called "holy". Over and over again in the Bible, oil symbolizes the Person of the Holy Spirit. In so many ways, in so many types and pictures, oil represents the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the principle character in the anointing of God. Of the three persons of the Godhead, anointing is primarily to do with the work and moving of the Holy Spirit. When God anoints, it is the outpouring of His Spirit.
Now look at the picture we have here. All these ingredients mingled together with oil produced the anointing compound that was called “holy”. Verse 25 says, Blend these ingredients into a holy anointing oil. The Lord will combine all the good and difficult things in your life with the oil of His Holy Spirit. A sweet anointing will form in you, and He’ll be able to use you in incredible ways.
I’ve been there. I’ve both preached a sermon without the anointing and I’ve tried to minister without the anointing and it’s like you might as well give up and go home because nothing going to happen. We must depend on God. Zechariah 4:6 – “It’s not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.”
We know we must minister in the power of God - under the "anointing" of the Holy Spirit, but have you ever wondered, what is "the anointing". We talk about it all the time. We desire it. We pray for it. But what is it exactly? The most simple definition for the anointing is to think of it as a "setting apart". When God anoints something He sets it apart - it’s "holy" - separated for His use.
When a new king was anointed in Israel the prophet would take a horn full of oil and pour it over his head, and it would run right down his clothes. They would do the same thing when there was a new High Priest. The symbolism was that this person was "set apart" - to be God’s man; God’s instrument.
When we say someone "preached under a real anointing", or "that was an anointed song", or "an anointed moment" - it means it was set apart by God. God had His hand on that preacher or that song or that place. The anointing isn’t a "force" (like electricity), and it’s not just an emotion, although the anointing may produce emotion. The anointing is really nothing other than the presence of God in favor.
In the Old Testament the Tabernacle, and all the furniture and utensils used for worship in the Tabernacle, had to be anointed before they could be used. And they didn’t anoint with just any old oil - they had special oil for this anointing, made from a recipe that God gave them ... We read about it in Exodus 30:22-30.
The first ingredient was liquid Myrrh. Myrrh was used to prepare bodies for burial. But to get its beautiful sweetness you had to crush it. Myrrh speaks of death. And you know there is no anointing without death. If we want to know God’s anointing we have to die to ourselves. Die to the old person that we once were. Die to our own agenda - our own desires and dreams, not born of God. If we’re going to depend on God we have to die to our own abilities and resources.
The second ingredient was Cinnamon. Cinnamon was used for flavoring, and it gave off a very pleasant smell. Its fragrance was beautiful in the Tabernacle because it counter-acted the stench of the animal sacrifices. Cinnamon speaks of sweetness. If you want God to anoint you to use you, there has to be a sweetness about your life. God will anoint you and use you if there’s a sweetness about you. The sweetness of Jesus. This is what the fruit of the Spirit is all about that we can find in Galatians 5:22-25.
The third ingredient was Cane or Calamus (Kalamos). The Calamus plant grows in muddy or murky soil. To get this plant to smell you had to beat it. The more you beat it the better it smells. All of that beating reminds me of a school that I heard about.
There are many great universities in our land. Everyone knows about Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. In England there is Oxford University. But I’m thinking of another school. This other school has had more students and more graduates than any other school that ever existed. Its tuition fees are the most expensive on earth, but the lessons that are learned at this school do more for it’s students than those in any other school. I’m talking about the University of Hard Knocks.
God’s anointing is able to increase in your life the more you pass through the school of hard knocks, and God is able to fashion your character. Along with Paul I would imagine all of us at one time or another have been through some hard knocks? Some are harder than others aren’t they. But they are working in our character. As long as we respond to them as God wants us to. He’s fashioning each of us for anointing.
The fourth ingredient was a spice called "cassia" - kasÃa. This spice grows only at elevations above 8000 feet. You’ve got to get up on the mountain to get it. If you desire God’s anointing - you’ve got to reach up to the heights. Get on the mountain with God. There’s no shortcut to the anointing - we’ve got to seek God in prayer. Jesus lived in the anointing of the Spirit – and the price He paid for that anointing was that He maintained a close walk with His heavenly Father in prayer at all times.
Finally all the ingredients were mixed with olive oil. And it was a mixture that was called "holy". Over and over again in the Bible, oil symbolizes the Person of the Holy Spirit. In so many ways, in so many types and pictures, oil represents the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the principle character in the anointing of God. Of the three persons of the Godhead, anointing is primarily to do with the work and moving of the Holy Spirit. When God anoints, it is the outpouring of His Spirit.
Now look at the picture we have here. All these ingredients mingled together with oil produced the anointing compound that was called “holy”. Verse 25 says, Blend these ingredients into a holy anointing oil. The Lord will combine all the good and difficult things in your life with the oil of His Holy Spirit. A sweet anointing will form in you, and He’ll be able to use you in incredible ways.
November 24, 2009
A Glimpse of His Glory
Last Sunday I talked about a time when God allowed three of Jesus’ disciples to have a life changing supernatural experience. We found out that what God said during this experience can have in impact on our lives today as well. We looked at Matthew chapter 17 when Jesus was transfigured before His disciples. The word "transfigured" in the original is the word “metamorphoo”. And according the Expositor’s Bible Commentary the word metamorpoo, “suggests a change of inward nature that is outwardly visible”. That sounds a lot like what happens to us when we become born again.
We looked at Matthew 17 verse 5 that says:
"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
God the Father told the disciples to just do one thing: “Hear Him” or we could say that God told the disciples to “listen to Jesus”. So how do we listen to Jesus today? In addition to Jesus speaking to us in our spirits, we also hear Jesus today by reading God’s Word – the Bible.
That’s where we can hear the voice of God today. That’s where we see the words of Jesus. That’s where we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and have Him do something in our lives to make us more like Jesus. We simply need to get into the Word of God if we want to hear from Jesus today. And you know what will happen? God will transfigure each one of us. God will do what He did to Jesus. He’ll change us on the inside so that it shows on the outside.
We looked at Matthew 17 verse 5 that says:
"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
God the Father told the disciples to just do one thing: “Hear Him” or we could say that God told the disciples to “listen to Jesus”. So how do we listen to Jesus today? In addition to Jesus speaking to us in our spirits, we also hear Jesus today by reading God’s Word – the Bible.
That’s where we can hear the voice of God today. That’s where we see the words of Jesus. That’s where we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and have Him do something in our lives to make us more like Jesus. We simply need to get into the Word of God if we want to hear from Jesus today. And you know what will happen? God will transfigure each one of us. God will do what He did to Jesus. He’ll change us on the inside so that it shows on the outside.
July 13, 2009
The Fire Of The Holy Ghost!
Last Sunday I spoke on Holy Ghost Fire. I need it, you need it, our church needs it, and the body of Christ needs it.
We took a look at what the Fire of God is all about, and then at the end of the service we came together to pray for the Fire to burn in us like never before.
In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said,
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John the Baptist came preaching that the one that would baptize with the Holy Ghost was coming. Not only would He baptize with the Holy Ghost but with Fire.
In Acts Chapter 4, Peter and John were entering the temple to pray when they passed by the crippled beggar. It was the power of the Holy Ghost within them that had transformed these disciples from fear to having the boldness to speak to the beggar these words, “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.”
It was the power of the Holy Ghost that moved upon the disciples and it was the power of the Holy Ghost that moved upon the beggar to heal him and give him strength to begin walking and leaping and praising God. And we as Christians, must have Holy Ghost Fire if we want to have POWER and BOLDNESS to witness, to preach and to minister to the lost.
The Fire of the Holy Ghost melts the heart of stone, and turns it into a heart after God. Like the heat of a volcano on molten lava, our heart begins to flow with the guiding Hand of God to follow the paths that He has made for each one of us. That’s why some people might now want the fire because when fire starts burning, it destroys everything in its path. The fire of God when turned loose in our life will make some changes. The Fire of the Holy Ghost will bring to light the dross or the (filthiness) of our soul and cause us to repent of the sin in our life. Little by little, the Fire of the Holy Ghost burns away those things that are on the inside of us that shouldn’t be there.
The Fire of the Holy Ghost will light a fire on the inside of us after God’s own heart and kindle a love for Jesus Christ that we never knew could be possible. Just as the fires of passion in a marriage relationship should never grow cold, the Fire of the Holy Ghost will keep our love and passion for Jesus fresh and new and growing.
Deuteronomy 4:24 says,
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
The all-consuming Fire of the Holy Ghost will consume our life and immerse us in service for the Lord. God is a jealous God, not like men are jealous, but His greatest desire is to see each of us enter into our reward in the Kingdom of God. In other words, enter into the exact calling on our lives. Exactly what God has called us to do.
Church, we need a fresh Baptism of the Fire of the Holy Ghost more than ever before. The days are getting more and more evil and if we don’t have the power of the Holy Ghost and Fire within us we won’t be able to stand in these last days.
Salvation is only the beginning. Getting saved only just puts us at the starting line. There is so much more to do. God can only use us in a limited way until we are prepared for the Master’s use. Each of us needs the refiner’s Fire of the Holy Ghost to prepare us.
We took a look at what the Fire of God is all about, and then at the end of the service we came together to pray for the Fire to burn in us like never before.
In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said,
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John the Baptist came preaching that the one that would baptize with the Holy Ghost was coming. Not only would He baptize with the Holy Ghost but with Fire.
In Acts Chapter 4, Peter and John were entering the temple to pray when they passed by the crippled beggar. It was the power of the Holy Ghost within them that had transformed these disciples from fear to having the boldness to speak to the beggar these words, “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.”
It was the power of the Holy Ghost that moved upon the disciples and it was the power of the Holy Ghost that moved upon the beggar to heal him and give him strength to begin walking and leaping and praising God. And we as Christians, must have Holy Ghost Fire if we want to have POWER and BOLDNESS to witness, to preach and to minister to the lost.
The Fire of the Holy Ghost melts the heart of stone, and turns it into a heart after God. Like the heat of a volcano on molten lava, our heart begins to flow with the guiding Hand of God to follow the paths that He has made for each one of us. That’s why some people might now want the fire because when fire starts burning, it destroys everything in its path. The fire of God when turned loose in our life will make some changes. The Fire of the Holy Ghost will bring to light the dross or the (filthiness) of our soul and cause us to repent of the sin in our life. Little by little, the Fire of the Holy Ghost burns away those things that are on the inside of us that shouldn’t be there.
The Fire of the Holy Ghost will light a fire on the inside of us after God’s own heart and kindle a love for Jesus Christ that we never knew could be possible. Just as the fires of passion in a marriage relationship should never grow cold, the Fire of the Holy Ghost will keep our love and passion for Jesus fresh and new and growing.
Deuteronomy 4:24 says,
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
The all-consuming Fire of the Holy Ghost will consume our life and immerse us in service for the Lord. God is a jealous God, not like men are jealous, but His greatest desire is to see each of us enter into our reward in the Kingdom of God. In other words, enter into the exact calling on our lives. Exactly what God has called us to do.
Church, we need a fresh Baptism of the Fire of the Holy Ghost more than ever before. The days are getting more and more evil and if we don’t have the power of the Holy Ghost and Fire within us we won’t be able to stand in these last days.
Salvation is only the beginning. Getting saved only just puts us at the starting line. There is so much more to do. God can only use us in a limited way until we are prepared for the Master’s use. Each of us needs the refiner’s Fire of the Holy Ghost to prepare us.
June 9, 2009
Making The Right Decisions
Last Sunday we looked at the process that will help each of us in making the right decisions. Some decisions we make are easy ones because we can just look at the situation and know in an instant what to decide. Others are not so easy and those are the ones that we need help with. Those are the ones we may even struggle with. Some decisions are BIG, and others are small, but no matter how big or how small the decision is, many of them can be important. It’s amazing to me how many places people will turn to when they need help in making a decision. But when we’re faced with making a decision there’s one place that we should always turn to and that place is the bible.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
These two verses have a lot to say about decision-making. God wants us to make wise decisions. He wants us to follow His guidance. In these verses God gives us three steps we need to take when it comes to making decisions.
The first thing God tells us to do is trust in the Lord. To trust in the Lord is to make a commitment to the Lord. To trust in the Lord is to rely on God and believe that He is big enough to take care of the situation. Then Proverbs tells us how much we're supposed to trust with the words, “with all your heart.” God doesn't want partial devotion, He doesn't want partial trust. He wants our total devotion and our total trust.
The second thing these verses tell us to do is to not lean on our own understanding. Why? Because our understanding is limited. There is no way we can understand everything. From our vantage point we can't see the entire picture. We don’t have all the facts.
The third thing these verses tell us is to acknowledge God in all our ways. God wants us to trust Him because when we trust in our own understanding in all ways of our life we’re in trouble. Notice verse 6 doesn’t say “some” of our ways. It doesn’t say “most” of our ways. It verse says “all” of our ways. All means means trusting God in everything you and I do.
And finally the last phrase of verse 6 tells us that God will direct our paths. Our part is to trust God, not trust our own understanding, acknowledge God in all our ways and then He will do His part, and He shall direct our paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
These two verses have a lot to say about decision-making. God wants us to make wise decisions. He wants us to follow His guidance. In these verses God gives us three steps we need to take when it comes to making decisions.
The first thing God tells us to do is trust in the Lord. To trust in the Lord is to make a commitment to the Lord. To trust in the Lord is to rely on God and believe that He is big enough to take care of the situation. Then Proverbs tells us how much we're supposed to trust with the words, “with all your heart.” God doesn't want partial devotion, He doesn't want partial trust. He wants our total devotion and our total trust.
The second thing these verses tell us to do is to not lean on our own understanding. Why? Because our understanding is limited. There is no way we can understand everything. From our vantage point we can't see the entire picture. We don’t have all the facts.
The third thing these verses tell us is to acknowledge God in all our ways. God wants us to trust Him because when we trust in our own understanding in all ways of our life we’re in trouble. Notice verse 6 doesn’t say “some” of our ways. It doesn’t say “most” of our ways. It verse says “all” of our ways. All means means trusting God in everything you and I do.
And finally the last phrase of verse 6 tells us that God will direct our paths. Our part is to trust God, not trust our own understanding, acknowledge God in all our ways and then He will do His part, and He shall direct our paths.
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