Praying in Tongues and Walking in God's Timing

Wouldn't you like to say you accomplished everything that God purposed for you to do? The satisfaction and joy of living wholeheartedly for God would be a complete blessing. You could say like Paul, "I fought the good fight, kept the faith, finished the course, "

When I look at the disciples in the book of Acts they moved in God's impeccable timing, his perfect timing, his ways . They ministered in Jerusalem at the right time. They moved into Asia Minor at the right time. They preached in Europe at the right time. What kept them at God's perfect pace?

To answer this question, you just have to look at their lives prior to the resurrection. They constantly screwed up. The disciples jockeyed for top positions with Jesus rather than waiting for God to lift them up. They fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane. Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about dying for the sins of the world. They doubted and fled when the temple guard captured Jesus. They went back to fishing after the crucifixion. It seemed like they missed the plans and purposes of God at every turn. They were idiots.

Their fortunes changed, however, when they were filled with God's Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). From that point on they walked and flowed with the rhythm of God. What kept them in the cadence of heaven? The Holy Spirit. He controlled them now.

It makes total sense. The Holy Spirit has the mind of God (1 Cor 2). When He indwells He directs according to God's will according to God's mind. He broke the disciples' will during the crucifixion of Jesus. He primed them for an infilling of the Holy Spirit. They only did God's will from that point on. They died to their own desires and lived for God's.

The Book of Acts could be re-titled the Acts of the Holy Spirit. He led and orchestrated the early churches' every move. He sent Paul and Barnabus out from Antioch; stopped Paul from going into Bithynia; led Phillip into the desert to speak to an Ethiopian eunuch; guided them every step of the way. They surrendered themselves to God. They walked in God's timing because they walked in sync with His Spirit. They also spoke in tongues (Acts 2).

Ephesians 4 and 2 Timothy 4 make the connection between walking in God's Spirit and using time wisely. Ephesians 5:14-21 talks about making the most of your time by not getting drunk on wine, but by being filled with the Spirit; singing to one another in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. It's clear that being filled and controlled by the Spirit helps one to use time according to God's divine plan. Paul talked about being sober in 2 Timothy 4 in order to fight the good fight, to finish the course, and to keep the faith. Again, we see perfect timing associated with the sobering effects of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit keeps us in God's will.

Jude 1:20-21 talks about building yourself up by praying in the spirit, which is another way of saying praying in tongues. It's a way for the Holy Spirit to fill, to empower, to control one's life. He builds up. He starts to guide again.

When we pray in tongues we recalibrate our lives to once again flow in the timing of God. Peace, joy, and love start to blossom. It's similar to setting up your GPS before embarking on your journey. We listen to the voice coming from this satellite guidance system and obey. We reach our desired destination. It's the same with the Holy Spirit. Once we connect in with His Spirit, the goal then becomes one of walking life out in obedience to the Holy Spirit every step of the way. We accomplish all that God has purposed for us to do because we walk with His mind. We arrive at God's destiny, the church's destiny, our destiny.

As I continue to use my prayer language, the peace and joy of God continues to fill my life. The Holy Spirit guides and directs. There are moments when I step out and start to worry and fret, but the Holy Spirit recalibrates and gets me back into God's timing. I actually saw in the Spirit a chord pulling me forward into God’s timing as I prayed in tongues. I cannot explain it in any other way than my spirit and God’s Spirit coming together as one, then realizing in my inner person that I was walking in God’s perfect will and timing again. I just knew that I knew.

Things in the natural confirm that I am walking in God's timing. I  find parking right where I need it the most. I make it to appointments on time. I say the right things in the right season. I walk in peace throughout the day. When I get anxious, I turn back to God and recalibrate through praying in tongues. Spending time with God through prayer saves me time throughout the day. That is why Jesus was never in a hurry or frantic. He was walking in divine time. He always spent time with the Father before the rush of the day began. I'm starting to understand this at a deeper level. Christianity is fun and exciting again. 

I know this is a little mystical, but isn’t Christianity a supernatural religion – the supernatural and the logical flowing together as one? Jesus was and is the logos of God, the supernatural and the natural, fully God and fully man. We should be the same. We should experience visions, images, meet angels, heal incurable diseases, hear the voice of God, cast out demons, and other supernatural things. We should also study the Word of God and go deep in truth and wisdom. We are also fully man and fully divine. Our lives are filled and covered by Christ, yet we live in the flesh (Gal 2:20). Faith ties the two natures together. The Holy Spirit seals the deal.   

Too much of Christianity is lived out in the natural or in the flesh. There is no room for the mystical and the supernatural.  All I know is that I was blind but now I see. I finally got it. The Spirit of God wants His church back. The fleshly models of church will be removed and in its place a glorious bride will appear. The church will once again move into the timing of the Lord. The gift of tongues will facilitate this.

God is in a Good Mood

I used to think that this statement (God is in a good mood) coined by Bill Johnson was a nice jingle but out of touch with reality. "Hey Bill, do you see all the earthquakes? Do you see all the terrorist attacks? Do you see?" Actually, the question should have been, "John, do you see?" Maybe some of you could put your name in this same slot.

Yes, there is definitely evil in this world, but we need to understand where this evil is sourced. John 10:10 states, "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you life and life more abundantly." The thief, the devil, is out to destroy this world. He is definitely in a bad mood because he knows his time is short (Rev 12:12). He is also bad and will obviously be in a bad mood because of his nature; hence, all the destruction and chaos circulating in the world at this time. (It's interesting that the numbers 12:12 are used for the shortness of the Devil's time and the ushering in of God's government. 12 represents the fullness of government.)

Man is also responsible for the predicament on earth. Pollution, wars, some of the weird weather patterns, and other stupidities are because of our own sinfulness. Ecclesiastes 7:29 states, "“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”  Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." We have freedom of choice. Many have chosen to do evil.

God is not one to control us like puppets or to unleash evil on  man. There is no evil or darkness in God (1 Jn 1:5). God is good (Psalm 25:8, Psalm 34:8). He is also in a good mood (Psalm 2:4. 37:13). He laughs at the devil's schemes. He guffaws at the nations plans. He will cause all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28). The craziness of this world doesn't faze Him. It shouldn't faze us.

His throne room sits in the foundation of all the universe. The atmosphere there should set the spiritual thermostat of the church here. What do you think? In other words, God's attitude should be our attitude. Anything else is stupid, fearful, fleshly, and based in lies. What is the atmosphere of God's throne room like?   

It is full of joy. In his presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). I must be honest with all of you that I once belonged to the GHE (glass-half-empty) club. I criticized everything. I saw only the weaknesses in things. I now belong to the GTF (glass-totally-full) club. I was going to say glass-half- full, but that is theologically inaccurate because God fills us to the brim. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). He blesses us exceedingly abundantly (Ephesians 3:20). The plates of food he gives us crack under the weight of blessings. Well, getting back to my main point.

The atmosphere of his throne room is filled with joy. When we come into his presence  we will be filled with joy (Jude 24). The ground, temple, angels (Job 38:7), everything that makes up heaven oozes with joy. It's thicker than poi; fatter than the pork steaming forth from fresh lau lau (Hawaiian dish). It behooves us then to walk in a place of joy and peace, not fear, anger, stress, worry, or hatred. We are citizens of heaven (Ephesians 2:19) and should reflect its characteristics.  We should be the most joyful people on the face of this earth. We represent heaven. 

It is filled with holiness, truth, love, and peace.  "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You" (Psalm 89:14). Despite the last desperate moves of the Devil, and the crazy people who follow him, God's throne room atmosphere never changes (Psalm 46). Because of this truth, we should never change from walking in holiness, truth, love, and peace. Again, God's attitude should be our attitude at all times. We need to imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1). His throne room atmosphere is the spiritual altitude we need to soar in. The core of this earth could split open but our core should abide in peace and joy. The throne room is constant. 

Yes, God gets angry with his people at times (Zech 1:2), but his anger is only for a moment (Psalm 30:5).   His favor lasts for a lifetime. "Someone needs to give a shout at this time!!!! Come on!!!" It's his kindness that leads people to repentance. It's His favor that keeps us standing and walking in joy.

I used to walk in one or only two dimensions of God's character. Maybe some of you practiced the same. I think this was a stupid way to live. The Portuguese have a word for this: babooze.  "Stop being a babooze!" We need to walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Some used the quote that children do not have a junior Holy Spirit. I agree. Maybe this is the false truth that many adults walk in. We get jaded by the world and its problems and forget about the fullness available to all who proclaim Jesus as their Lord. We do not possess a junior Holy Spirit, but a super-sized version. We have all of God! Therefore, we walk in the fullness of God's character, especially joy. 

Remember this one truth: God is in a good mood and we need to walk in this victorious mind set, too. I want to write more, but I am reserving this for a training time this Sunday. Just spend time in his throne room through prayer (Heb 4:16) and see how your attitude and life will change. I leave you with this victorious throne room image from Psalm 46: 

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.Selah. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.  “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

The Coming Perfect Storm

I read and also watched the DVD of this prophetic word from John Paul Jackson about two years ago. I sat riveted as he unfolded the coming storms that would fill the land unless the church repents and turns from their wicked ways. Please understand, I am not focusing on just one church, but 'the church' in America that has lost its voice and way.

It's interesting that the responsibility is laid squarely on the bride of Christ's shoulders, not the secular nations of the world; with America being the focus in this article. Yes, we have been blessed by God for centuries. We have lived off the afterglow of previous revivals and righteous living by the faithfulness of the past. It's time to wake up. We can't keep hitting the snooze button.

I respect this man's heart. He's not one to bring doom and gloom, but a sobering, truthful message that brings health and conviction to the body. Prophets point people to God. This man's finger is raised directly to heaven. I trust him.

This message is public domain and copied from another mail out. It's a timely word for this season. It put things into perspective. Read and be blessed. Yes, strong medicine is a curative and a blessing.

THE COMING PERFECT STORM (Prophetic Bulletin)
PROPHETIC BULLETIN August 2008 (original print date)

I originally wrote this Prophetic Bulletin for the Streams Ministries Partners at the beginning of August. At the urging of my Board, I am now making it a public Prophetic Bulletin. When I first wrote it, little did I know the events that were soon to happen concerning Todd Bentley, the Gulf Hurricanes, Russia’s invasion of Georgia, the trains that would collide near Los Angeles, Sarah Palin’s nomination and the stir that would cause, or September 15’s Stock Market plunge. All of these are early elements of what the Lord called “The Coming Perfect Storm.”

THE COMING PERFECT STORM
by John Paul Jackson

For those of you who have followed this ministry, you have heard me say more than once during the past eight years that from 2009 or 2010, things will become very difficult. I have been praying and hoping that what I am about to write may be averted. However, I am now concerned that without prophetic people speaking up, we will not play our redemptive part in bringing change for the good.

FIVE ELEMENTS OF THE BREWING PERFECT STORM As in the movie The Perfect Storm, the storm I see coming to the United States is a combination of more than one element, and when the elements unite, the storm becomes exponentially more dangerous. However, unlike the movie, this storm is not just a storm of merging weather patterns. This storm is worse; it involves five different elements: religion, politics, economics, war and geo-physical events.

At times these five elements will be so intertwined that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish which events are driving a particular manifestation of the storm. Massive problems in these five areas will come often, or in combination, and sometimes repeatedly. Each element has potentially several events that will have national and international ripple effects. Some ripples will be worse than others, depending on where you live and how you make your living. Different areas of the United States will experience different severities. Some will experience more economic elements, others more geo-physical elements; some will experience all elements. Remember, it is the combination and the rapidity that will make the storm problematic.

Also, this does not mean all five elements will hit at the most devastating levels. For example, on a scale of 1–10 with 10 being the worst, one element may strike at a six while another strikes at an eight. It is the particular combinations of elements — the proximity of each element as well as the intensity of each element — that will make this storm so difficult and seem to last so long. This storm will not be short-lived; it will come in waves, one after another.

WHY IS THE STORM COMING? This storm is coming because the Church (the Body of Christ) is no longer the backbone of this nation. From our inception, the Christian faith has been the plumb line of decisions made at all levels of life. The Christian founding of this nation is what makes it different from every other nation, other than perhaps Israel. Other nations may have become Christian in their focus, but none were initially formed with Christianity as the core of its DNA.

The Church is to make known God’s manifold wisdom to the world and the powers of the air (Ephesians 2:2). This demonstration to the heavens is not accomplished by speaking to those powers but through righteous living. How we live opens or closes doors for Satan to legally afflict us and even rule over us via leaders who do not know the ways of God. From Adam and Eve through today, the actions of humankind have given room for the enemy to strike and attack us. The only legal way the enemy has access to us is when the hand of God lifts from us, resulting in a space between Him and us. This space increases as we distance ourselves from Him and His ways.

Anytime there is an increased distance between God and humanity, it leaves room for attack to come and for principalities and powers of the air (rulers of darkness) to take up residence. The longer dark powers reside over an area, the more the people begin to call right wrong and wrong right. Here in the United States, leaders arise from the people; in other words, as the people believe and think, so do the leaders who rise from their ranks. Eventually, the lines between right and wrong, as well as the holy and profane, become blurred. The way to God through Jesus and the Cross is no longer seen as an absolute. In fact, absolutes become touted as “intolerance” first in the world and then even within the Church. Yes, there are exceptions to this thinking within the Church, but through compromise, the absolutes of Heaven and eternity are clearly evaporating.

GOD CAN FASHION A DISASTER We are living in the days of Ezekiel and Jeremiah, who prophesied that God can bring disaster on a nation if that nation continually chooses to walk according to its own plans. God spoke this to Jeremiah:

“The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.”’”

And they said, “… We will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.” — Jeremiah 18:7–12

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMING? What are some of the things/consequences that will come? In time, water will be more expensive than oil, and cities will evacuate thousands because there is not enough water to meet their needs. (As Amos 4:7 says, “I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city.”) Earthquakes will strike not only coastal areas but devastate the Midwest as well. Israel will bomb Iran, and anti-Semitism will escalate as fuel costs soar. A dirty bomb will explode in a coastal city. There will be thunderstorms with huge hail, 24 inches of rain in 24 hours, three feet of snow in six hours, record-setting tornadoes with winds of more than 350 miles per hour and tornadoes in unusual places. There will be an unexpected blight that will hit various hybrid seed crops and weaken the yield. In addition, drought and devastation from storms will dramatically cut into various harvests and the national food storage will deplete.

“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.”’” — Jeremiah 18:11

FOUR THINGS THE CHURCH MUST DO First, the Church must return to knowing God and His ways rather than just knowing about God. We have replaced power with programs, revelation with administration and the Father’s heart with organizational skills.

Second, the Church must learn how to contend for the faith again. We are weak, and we fall away so easily when crisis is not at hand. We have not been tested, and we have lost our resolve. We understand little of the adversary’s plans. We do not know how to debate our faith without becoming angry, and thus we have so few strong, clear, godly voices in political arenas. We have lost our witness — the witness that convicts others and strongly testifies that God is still God and is very, very real. We have lost the witness that demonstrates that God is a personal God in a very impersonal world, the witness that says, “What I do proves God exists.”

Third, the Church must return to the love of God’s Word and the belief that it is infallible and inerrant. This would include the conviction, understanding and knowledge that God is absolute, and there is only one way to know Him: through Jesus the Messiah. We need a new revelation that God’s power is unlimited, His knowledge is unending, His presence is with us always and He never changes. We have made God far too small, and our lives prove it.

Fourth, we will need to declare sacred and solemn assemblies of repentance and corporate fasting in many parts of this nation — a time set aside for rending our hearts before God.

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him — A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD.” — Joel 2:12–17

CRISIS IS THE FRUIT OF FOLLOWING THE WRONG GOD God allows calamities to happen in order to draw us to Himself. What does that mean? It means that God allows us to reap the fruit of that which we serve. Walking in God’s ways brings blessings and fullness of life, while walking in the ways of the “god of this world” will bring the fruit of the god of this world: decay, destruction, deterioration and death. We make our choice, then the choice makes us. Sadly, we are developing a history of wrong choices.

Throughout Scripture, when crises hit the people of God, they turned their hearts to Him, and He heard and took action.

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:12–13

May the people of the United States seek the Lord … and find Him. Remember, we still have the promise that if we turn from our wicked ways, God will heal our land.

Love you church. In the coming days, the church will become one again. All the stupid divisions will cease. Selfish ambitions thrown to the side. Petty disagreements will end. False unity exposed. The heart revealed. The coming storm will put all things into perspective.

 

Revival History Awakenings

There is only one word to describe this past weekend’s School of Revival History: Awesome! Ray Hughes and Matt Higa took us on an awe-inspiring ride through the Cumberland Gap and the Kentucky Revivals to the beautiful land of Wales and the Welsh Revivals to the island of Kauai and its importance as a catalyst for revival; not to mention everything else in-between, around, and anything that remotely smelled like a revival. It was a rich, savory stew of God’s love poured out on humanity through a span of 400 years. We were all blessed.

Thursday night started with the life of David Brainerd and his sacrificial heart for the American Indians. When most clergy in the colonies looked upon the natives as soulless beasts, Brainerd took it upon himself to share the Gospel of Jesus with his fellow human beings. Many turned to the Savior. He died a young man, but his contribution to the Kingdom still sets hearts aflame for God.

From that night to Saturday, the messages covered people like Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, George Whitefield, William Cartwright, Francis Asbury, Evan Roberts, Lorenzo Dow, Charles Finney, Sam Jones, Hewahewa, Henry O, Maria Woodworth Etter, Aimee Semple McPherson, Gypsy Smith and a host of other names that changed the landscape of our world and eternity for the glory of God. As I heard all the names and their contributions, these themes stood out: passion for souls; love for God; no fear of man; love for the younger generation; the sovereignty of God.

They all possessed a passion for souls. It seemed like no obstacle would prevent them from proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Asbury and Cartwright were Methodist circuit preachers to the new settlements beyond the original thirteen colonies. They followed in Wesley’s footsteps by covering thousands of miles on horseback, through wind and rain, hostile attacks and thievery, severe terrain and cold. They faithfully preached the Gospel and punched out a few hecklers in the process of evangelizing a wide swath of the population. They did it because they loved people. Their work blessed a nation. Their work populated heaven.

They loved God. Evan Roberts, of Welsh Revival fame, cried profusely from the pews and asked God to bend him, break him, use him to reach the lost. Years and years of developing a keen sensitivity to the Spirit of God while working and praying in the coal mines of Wales created a deep love for Him. I could only imagine what it was like to sit in the pitch dark for hours on end. Maybe he memorized Psalm 139 and contemplated David’s words, “Even in the darkness you are there….” Roberts’ life changed a whole generation. It still effects us today.

They did not fear man. From the eccentricity of Kathryn Kuhlman to the frozen states of Maria Woodworth Etter, they all exhibited a quirkiness shunned by the general religious population. Kuhlman would come out in these chiffon dresses and ask in a high shrill voice from the pulpit, “Are you waiting for me?” Lorenzo Dow wouldn’t take a bath. Whitefield would preach in the fields and moors. Hewahewa turned his back on his ancestral ways and court prestige for the love of God. Aimee brought the world into her Angeles Temple. The list goes on and on. They were their own persons. They could care less how other people felt or thought about them. They obeyed God. They were the foolish that confounded the wise (1 Cor 1).

I saw the sovereignty of God amidst all the different revivals. Yes, there were some common qualities among the revivalists like a hunger for God, humility of heart, radical obedience, and other characteristics. Whatever the case, God will do what He wants to do when he wants to do it. He will anoint a William Seymour after seven years of praying for hours on end, and will do the same for Charles Finney after only one day of crying out. He will pour out his Spirit on a little church on Azusa Street and pass by churches who prayed for years for revival. It’s His choice. He will have mercy upon whom he desires (Romans 9). He is sovereign.

Lastly, I saw and experienced God’s heart through Ray Hughes and Matt Higa. It’s true: it’s caught, not taught. They have a passion for the younger generation to rise up and take the mantle of reaching their generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I saw the love. I saw the heart yearnings for the people of God to get passionate again, to get a desire for souls, to get burning hot for God and revival.

A foundation has been set. The dry wood has been placed on the altar. All we need are the Elijahs to call down the flame. The school was awesome! That’s all I have to say. God bless all of you.

Jonathan Edwards: A Theologian of the Heart

Everyone thinks of Jonathan Edwards as the guy who only penned and preached the infamous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. He did more than this piece, but is remembered mostly for preaching this descriptive message about hell and sinners. They lampoon, decry, revere, and evoke every emotion in the human psyche when it comes to their feelings about this message and the man. More often than not, it is looked upon as the worst example of Puritanical religiosity ever foisted upon the American psyche. Sadly, many cannot see beyond their politically correct view of how church and messages should be done. They judge without prayer; they criticize without understanding.

Little do people know that Edwards read this sermon in a monotone voice to his Northhampton congregation. There was nothing special about the delivery. There was nothing special about the church. God just showed up and wrapped himself around the message, then all hell, or should I say, all heaven broke loose. People cried out in fear and fainted. Some fell into comatose states. Many turned to the loving arms of God with a healthy fear, something sorely missing in today's conversion experiences.

God's Spirit then moved throughout this tiny hamlet and set aflame all of the colonies. Another spiritual luminary that rode the rapids of this spiritual renewal was George Whitefield. He was good friends with Edwards. They said he commanded audiences of ten to twenty thousand without a modern PA system; he only had a strong voice to exhort and the Holy Spirit to convict. Many turned to God before the Revolutionary War. The First Great Awakening began in earnest. Thousands turned to Jesus.

People think of Theologians as 'cold hearted brainiacs'. I don't blame them because many fit this bill. Edwards did not. Many scholars crown him as the greatest thinker America ever produced. I think they were right, but he was also a lover of God. You could categorize him as a protestant mystic, caught up in the beauty of God's creation, praying for hours under the flaming red leaves of a New England fall, crying out with joy over the goodness of God.

He states, "Once as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been, to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God, as mediator between man and God, and His wonderful, great, full, pure and sweet grace and love, and meek and gentle condescension. This grace that appeared so calm and sweet, appeared also great above the heavens. The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception – which continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour; which kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud." (Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography pg. 100). As one can see, these were not the words of a spiritually disconnected individual; on the contrary, these were the words of a burning heart, hungry for more of God.

As I listened to Ray Hughes  talk about Edwards and others, my heart started to burn. There is something about the power of story, especially the story of fearless men and women who proclaimed the Gospel, that stirs the heart, sparks the mind, fills the soul. I got impatient again. I wanted to launch out. Many may have felt the same way. Revival fires, even in the afterglow, flowing from the mouth of a fiery home spun preacher (especially this type of preacher), can have this strange effect on hearts and minds.

When I got home, I dusted off my biography of Edwards, which I read about eighteen years ago, and started to read over all the highlighted areas again. I was astounded with how God formed a teacher who carried the power of the mind and the Holy Spirit with such effectiveness and balance. He truly was a theologian of the heart, a warrior poet who contributed immensely to our understanding of revival  and intimacy with God.

I recommend Jonathan Edwards A New Biography as a good introduction to this great revivalist, teacher/theologian. He preached for many years in his Northhampton church and ended his days reaching out to the Indians in Stockbridge. During this self imposed exile to the Western most part of Massachusetts, he wrote and compiled his writings into two huge volumes of deep theological thought. This work went on to impact countless lives and transformed the theological landscape of our country. It still reverberates into modern day thought, even into the foundations of our constitution and country. Good work never loses its power, especially the type anointed by God.

He died of smallpox on March 22, 1758 just before taking on the presidency of Princeton University. He said these last words on his death bed, "Now where is Jesus of Nazareth, my true and never-failing friend. Trust in God, and you need not fear."  Good words to live by.

Radical Submission to the King

"And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.'" (1 Samuel 8:8)

The people grew frustrated with Samuel's sons. Instead of leading with integrity, they took bribes, perverted justice, and went after dishonest gain. The people had an honest gripe against Samuel and his heirs. They wanted a king now.

God's view on the situation was surprisingly different. Their rejection of Samuel's sons was a rejection of His Kingship. How could this be? Samuel's sons were perverting their leadership role. They had a right to ask for a king. They were being exploited.

If God's word is God's word, then this example gives us a birds-eye-view of how God views leadership and submission. The people needed to still submit to Samuel despite the obvious weaknesses in his sons and system. David still submitted to a crazed Saul. Jacob submitted to a conniving Laban. Peter even exhorted slaves to submit to unjust masters in his letters (1 Peter 2:18-21). The nation of Israel, by asking for a king, was in essence saying, "We don't want God as our king." 

God will ultimately make all things right (Romans 8:28). He is in control. The call of each person is to walk by faith in whatever circumstances they are in. This means seeing the invisible God working behind the scenes, even in unjust situations. Every leader in the Bible had to walk with this understanding. 

Honestly, isn't God already King of this world. The ultimate form of government is for people to follow Him. Our leaders and leadership structures will never be perfect, and God calls us to submit to earthly governments and rulers as a sign of our obedience to the true King (Romans 13:1-5, Hebrews 13:17). God is pleased with faith (Hebrews 11:6). The present day forms of human leadership are just a temporary set up before the True King comes crashing through the clouds. God honors humility, not pride. He honors radical faith in our submission to earthly leaders. However, if the earthly leader tells you to go against the teachings of Scripture then you must disobey. You serve a higher King.

Rebellion, the independent spirit, and disobedience are rampant within the world and the church. The US was actually built on rebellion. We rebelled against England and the king. We are a nation built on rights and democratic rule, but the Kingdom of God is a monarchy. Our two world views collide at this point.

This rebellious spirit finds fault in every leader, which is just a ruse to mask their rebellion against God, a convenient excuse to disobey. God allows people to move into leadership, not man. We fight against Him when we fight against earthly leaders. What about Hitler? Mussolini,? Mao? Pol Pot? Nero?

Again, many people did not obey their unjust laws and actions; evil purposes which were clearly against the truth of God. They also represented extreme cases of evil leadership, rarely found in most people's experiences. They were finally removed; washed away by the tide of history; snuffed out by the Almighty.  I do not understand all the reasons why they rose up in leadership. Life is a mystery. God is mysterious in his ways (Romans 11:33). Our call is to walk humbly, show mercy, and fear the Lord.

Job was rebuked by God when he asked why he went through so much suffering. He was told in no uncertain terms, "Who are you to ask me the question, 'why?' " Job repented in dust and ashes. God then gifted his humility with a ten-fold blessing. God will bless you ten-fold for your humility and trust.

Let's ask ourselves this question: is God my King? if we say yes, then our lives should be marked by radical submission and obedience. The Kingdom of God will truly take over this world some day. Let's start living like Kingdom people now. Let's start living in a place of peace, hope, joy, obedience, and love. He is King. We need to place our hands over our mouths and be silent. We live in His presence and by His good pleasure.

The Second Great Awakening (Part 2)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        It's interesting to wade through 19th century writings. I'm used to the blunt, concise, staccato, Hemingway style of narration. I never realized how he and others transformed how Americans write. The flowery language of the past has been replaced with efficiency and conciseness. Finney wrote well. He wrote very succinctly for his day. It's just that the sentences are still long and at times convoluted. Whatever authoring style you favor, it's a fascinating read into the heart of early 19th century revivalism.

Did you know that many of our social institutions and churches were founded during this revival. Many hospitals, churches, the YMCA, schools, other philanthropic organizations, even the Mormon faith were birthed from this great move of God (tares and wheat grow together). Church attendance increased. Many came to know Jesus. It set our country in the right direction, and for many years we experienced the afterglow of its blessings: financial, spiritual, social, and educational. This was a true, blue revival. The Toronto Blessing, Lakeland, and even the Jesus Movement were limited in scope. The Second Great Awakening transformed a wide swath of the church and society!  It built our nation.

As I look at the present day landscape, we will need another revival of this magnitude to resuscitate our dying country. Only God can breath life into our terminal condition. Only a mighty inundation of the Holy Spirit can save us.

Charles Finney traveled from town to town preaching the Gospel. It's interesting that he didn't preach in any churches, but instead school houses and homes. The church locked him out. They didn't like his direct manner, home-spun English, Arminian theology, and expectation of a response from hearers. He questioned the pious religiosity and formalism of the church. He challenged the use of archaic, theological language from the pulpit. He used simple language with the directness of a court room lawyer (he was a practicing lawyer before his conversion). It worked. Many turned to Jesus. Many found life when pressed to make a decision.

Finney began the whole mass conversion and crusade tradition. Before then, salvation and evangelism happened through indirect means. Calvinism promoted a hyper-sovereignty view of conversion. God gave faith. God gave repentance. God made the heart to choose Him. If this wasn't happening in your life, then you shouldn't turn to God. You were not ready. Finney blew this out of the water by putting the responsibility firmly in the sinners hands. He demanded a response to the Gospel message.

The fascinating thing about all of this is that both sides preached truth. God is in control, but we also need to choose. It's a partnership. Man tends to polarize theology and church life through their misguided thinking and stupidity. Division is just sin. It's plain and simple. Calvinism and Arminianism have been at each others throats for centuries. Finney, the revivalist, revealed a new and old facet of God's grace during this move of the Spirit. He made the Gospel understandable again to the common folk. He raised up the imago dei view of man by giving him the noble duty of choosing who and what to believe in.  God is sovereign and man is made a little lower than Him. He has a God given responsibility to make right choices.

I will end it here. I need to run. Bless you folks. I will write more tomorrow."Where's my Finney book? Ha! Where's my Bible?"