I recently heard a news person say, in quoting a survey, that less than 25% of graduating seniors this June 2011 cannot name the first American president. While some will consider this an indictment of the American public school system, as well as political lethargy brought about by a generation that has been raised on video games, I submit that the issue runs much deeper effecting the very core of our moral being and spiritual understanding.
As I have been reading "Bonhoeffer," by Eric Metaxas, I have been amazed and reminded as well, how the political and spiritual landscape in pre-Nazi Germany resembles our world and specifically, the United States today. As then, anti semitism is growing at an alarming rate world wide, but putting aside the "Jewish question," the sensing that we have lost our moral bearings and are in the process of trashing many spiritual foundations, are all pointing towards a social, economic, and political collapse that could be catasthropic.
One of the qualities that American Statesmen in times past possesed was the ability to make quality decisions in the present which had far-reaching consequences into the future. In times past, politicans were motivated by love of country and loyalty more than power and prestiege. Sure, there were scoundrels then as well as today, but it didn't seem that every 3-4 weeks some elected official fell from office do to poor judgment and behavior. This generation has been observing and in many ways has been turned off all the while our political system and Democracy are mocked at home and by world governments.
It wasn't always this way. George Washington, who by the way was our first President, (if you were wondering...just kidding), laid his life on the line and threw himself in with a "rag tag" rebel army, because he had a vision for the future; Washington saw the future and was willing to risk everything for it. Lincoln knew that the Emancipation Proclamation would lead to deep divisions, but Abe wasn't running in a popularity contest but directing this nation to live up to it's claims that all men were created equal.
God is speaking to the church in America to wake up and redirect this nation out of the swamps of indifference and false security, into the great calling and mandate that, from Bunker Hill to Gettysburg, from Normandy to South East Asia, and from Baghdad to the mountains of Afghanisthan, has been granted us by God.
We must pray, like never before, for the Holy Spirit to raise up Godly men to govern this nation-men motivated by integrity and not the latest CNN poll; men who are not trying to influence those polls but impact history. These will be men and women who care more than just meeting the status quo but have a Godly Plan recieved through Divine vision.
Someone once said that, " a true politician cares only about the next election, while a true statesman, cares about the next generation." Let it never be said about our generation that we looked for the "easy way out" but that we were willing to make sacrifices that future generations might enjoy the freedom that we have and not someday pay for our short sightedness, because we didn't want to be bothered. Too many have made the supreme sacrifice already for us to not honor their sacrifice.
As we have just celebrated Memorial Day and are approaching July 4th, we must be reminded that "Freedom isn't free." It is not that our schools are that bad or this generation has it's priorities all wrong, but rather our nation is starved by a shortage of Godly men and women at the political and spiritual helm who can inspire us again to Greatness and Vision. "Bonhoeffer" has brought into a clarity and perspective what happens when tyrants and maniacs are given center stage because the church decided to stay home and do nothing.
In the time remaining before Jesus' soon return, we must become again that "city set upon a hill, doing all that we can to bring revival to America and be a continued beacon of hope to the suffering world wide.
Friday, June 10, 2011
History Does Repeat Itself
Friday, May 13, 2011
What Truly Matters Most
Today, I had a "wake-up" call...It's not that I hadn't felt it before; it's just that today, It became so intensely surreal. Today, God is overwhelming my heart with something that is breaking His Heart. What I am sensing and feeling, you have hopefully been also. What God the Holy Spirit is speaking to me, I pray that He also is to you. I wish that I could chrystalize it into just a few simple thoughts and not offend anyone, because that is not my intent. Yet, when the Holy Spirit desires to refocus our thoughts ,actions, and agendas, it doesn't always feel necessarily joyful.
In John's Revelation, God warned the church at Ephesus, that while they had remained true and faithful to doctrinal principles, something had tragically happened in their relationship with Him and other believers. While I choose not to digress into a "doctrinal study," at this juncture, I do want to state what apparently was breaking God's heart in relation to the Ephesus church in chapter 2- namely they had lost their "first love." In other words, because love is the core value in our relationship with God and our fellow brothers and sisters, apparently, this church saw itself as being so gifted that they had risen above the "Law of Love" which must govern every action of a believer's thoughts, words, deeds, responses, attitudes, and actions. In short, they had lost focus and were allowing SATAN'S SCHEMING to redirect their thoughts, attitudes, actions, and responses towards what 2nd Timothy 2 calls" foolish and ignorant speculations which produce quarreling and word fights." In other words, their focus had been shifted from what really mattered (The Great Commission for example) towards divisive issues that in the scheme of eternity had and have no significance.
So where am I headed...What has so stirred my heart? Only this...A very short letter from my (our) family in Syria and our sister church, Jesus Christ of Nazareth Church, recieved yesterday.
While so many of us have been involved in "social networking" debating authors and 'heretical books', our brothers and sisters across the Middle East are being murdered. If the Assad government falls, there will be NO JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH CHURCH left, in Damascus, Syria. The believers even now in Egypt are being murdered and Syria is next.
Brothers and sisters, we are at WAR...Not just physically but spiritually, and that is the most serious...How can we be so wrapped up in our personal lives and foolish arguments not recognizing that "Rome is burning" while we are focused on idle babble!
The time is NOW to focus back on the things of God and HIS AGENDA, NOT OURS. Our energies, time, and efforts must be focused on what touches His Heart-namely those faithful ones who are carrying the Gospel Message in lands that most of us would be too afraid to visit.
They need our FAITHFUL prayers...They need to know that they are not alone...They need to know that they have a church in Ohio that has them covered by a praying people that are focused on God and not self. They have been watching from afar what seemingly has occupied some of our "spiritual thinking" and responses towards one another, and they are bewildered to say the least.
I have not written this to offend anyone, and the vast majority of you who will probably read this, are already praying and have Godly focus...( We have an incredibly AWESOME and praying church) No, I have written it for one reason; because one saint of God in Damascus asked me to and, in turn, opened my eyes to the fact that Satan's plan, as it has always been, is to stop the believers from praying and thus weaken our "war efforts" by getting us to war with one another.
God help us that we never lose our FIRST LOVE!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Awakenings and Earthquakes!
"Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the Sunlight. God's bright Glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all the people have sunk into deep darkness, But God has risen upon you, His sunrise glory breaks over you. Nations will come to your light, kings to your sunburst brightness. Look up! Look around! (Can you not see?)"
Such powerful words spoken by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 60 to the nation Israel awash in sin and shame, yet words very applicable to our generation today! It's time for an AWAKENING!!
We have just begun a series titled "Awakening," and our focus is very simple and direct: "Passionate Christianity should be the norm for every believer-not the exception." Furthermore, " awakening to the presence of God is not a one time event but a recurring experience every day of our lives!" "Passionate spiritual zeal is one of the most important signs of a fervent personal relationship with Jesus." I asked the question that how can we settle for anything less from the one who created us-the Maker of the whole universe?
Let me conclude this thought by asking you if you know , deep inside, there has to be more than you are experiencing with Christ? Keep in mind that Christianity is the only religion that invites us to experience an intimate relationship with God. Pastor Mary Kay challenged us last week to find that relationship in an "awakening" relationship with God's Word; This week, I want to speak on igniting that passion that every disciple can enjoy and experience!
In light of what is happening in our world today, I sense that there is a "spiritual awakening" that is about to shake our world like never before. We see it being lived out politically in such diverse places as Israel, Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Turkey, and Bahrain but also physically in devastating floods, hurricanes, drought, and now earthquakes the sizes of which we have never seen before.
My dear friends, the God of all Glory is allowing us to experience the birth pangs of the coming of His Son Jesus to establish His rule and reign! The kingdom of God is wherever the rule and reign of Jesus Christ is established. And guess what? If that rule and reign is soon to come , shouldn't we be awakened to our role in bringing that about? I'm talking about being about the Father's business!
As I conclude, a friend gave me these statistics that I must share with you, because Jesus prophesied about such things in Matthew. Let me quote: "From 1 A.D. to 1800 there were 11 major earthquakes recorded in history, resulting in an average of one major quake approximately every 100 years.
From 1900 to 2000, there were 10 major quakes 7.0 or higher. This resulted in an average of one major earthquake every 10 years.
This brings us to today. One of the most notable quakes was in Bam, Iran, on Dec. 26th 2003. Exactly one year later, Dec.26th 2004, Sumatra, Indonesia, experienced another massive quake and a subsequent devastating tsunami. Between these two quakes, more than 330,000 lives were lost.
From 2003 to 2007 there were 29 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. This resulted in an average of one major quake every 49 days.
In 2008, there were 12 major quakes 7'0 or higher. This resulted in an average of one major earth quake every 37 days.
In 2009 there were 16 major quakes 7.0 or higher. This resulted in an average of one quake every 22 days.
In 2010 there were 24 major quakes 7.0 or higher. This resulted in an average of one major earthquake every 15 days."
Now scoffers will laugh and say that these are just a coincidence and the church is just trying to scare people. But the facts speak for themselves.
Sunday, a gentleman asked to speak for a brief moment concerning the devastating quake this past week in Japan. His message was simple: "It's time to awake...It's harvest time!" Come Sunday and get that passion that can put you back on the front lines or get you there for the first time! Can we be so foolish as to not discern the "signs of the times?"
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Power Passion and Purpose in the Holy Spirit
If we will be honest, as leaders we all have days where we "hit the wall," so to speak. We experience times of physical and spiritual burnout where we cannot talk to one more person, teach one more class, or preach one more sermon. I know first hand, because I have been there many times. So how do we handle these seasons of spiritual and physical drought? And secondly, if you are at that point right now, where can you turn for guidance and help?
The answer is so very simple, yet we often times miss it. Jesus' disciples were at that very point shortly before His death. They were confused, fearful, and beaten down from all the struggles. But to make matters worse, now Jesus was telling them that it was time for Him to depart.
In Jesus' farewell Discourse, (John 14-17), He shared his love for them and spoke words of destiny and truth. But most of all, He told them that, even though He would not be with them in bodily form, His Spirit would fill them and empower them for Great things.; they had a destiny and would leave a legacy that would change the world forever!
Who then is the Holy Spirit, and is He there for me now in the circumstances that I am facing as a leader or simply as a follower? First of all, the Holy Spirit is God, third part of the Holy Trinity, and what Jesus told His disciples in John 16, is for you and me right here and right now! He taught His disciples in verse 13, "But when He, the" spirit of truth" comes, He will guide you in all the truth, and He will disclose to you what is to come." In other words, if you desire His Presence and will seek Him, He will reveal the truth that will set you free!
In Acts chapter 3, after the healing of the lame beggar, (a man desperate to see God move), Peter preached his second sermon and ended with a challenge. " If you will repent and return to the Lord, your sins will be wiped away, (in other words, your past will be dealt with), in order that times of refreshing may come from the Presence of the Lord." What is the "Presence of the Lord" but the Powerful Presence of HIS Spirit"
It could be sin that has beaten you down, or as stated, weariness and fatigue that are robbing you of that joy which can never be explained unless you know Him. If you are at that point, I want to invite you to a very special morning service at High Mill this Sunday morning at 10:00 am. Kevin Kazemi, who many of you know and have been blessed by, will be speaking on "The Holy Spirit in you, on you, and flowing out of you." I envision our time together on Sunday as one of freedom, deliverance, and healing...Not to mention "Fresh Fire And Anointing in the Holy Spirit!
Our church was birthed out of the "Flames of Pentecost," and the Holy Spirit has always been and will continue to be the very core of our preaching and teaching, Glorifying Jesus. If you are new to High Mill, and your former tradition viewed the Holy Spirit in simply liturgical terms, I want to introduce you to my best friend the "Holy Spirit" in ways that maybe you have never heard nor seen. This Sunday morning can be for you a 'time of Refreshing' like every Sunday is at High Mill, but this Sunday, the focus is on leaving the desert behind, and like the lame beggar, leaping and praising God with renewed vigor and joy! Come and be set free in Worship and His Word!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Building Disciples: People who Live and Love like Jesus!
Have you ever looked around the spiritual landscape and asked yourself the question, that "for a people who are supposedly filled with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, why isn't the church making more of an impact upon society?" Or even more perplexing, why has society so infected the church that we, in many cases, have been neutralized and have compromised our God given position in our country and the world at large. I believe that one answer rises above all others.
Recently, a person came to Sunday service that I had not seen in years. He proceeded to share with me his journey and all the failures and unwise decisions that he had made along the way. In short, he was "Christian" in name only but otherwise empty, joyless, and certainly powerless to overcome his circumstances. He has represented a growing number of people that I have met over the past year that could be his spiritual clone. Why? Why is it that someone, as a new believer, can be so filled with zeal and radiant with joy and power, to only become a spiritual nomad, wandering the church landscape trying to recapture something that was once there but now seems so out of reach? I believe that there is a way to eradicate the scourge of " impotent faith" from the spiritual landscape. It is found in the building of a "spiritual infrastructure" in the heart and soul of a new believer; it is commonly known as "Building a Heart of Discipleship."
A writer once said that " Most unhappy people in the world are not unbelievers but "unsalty" Christians; In other words those who have enough of the truth implanted within to not renounce faith, but not enough power to forge ahead. Without a Heart of Discipleship becoming central to our every day existence, we stand in danger of becoming a spiritual casuality like so many that once had great futures but now languish in spiritual obscurity. Where am I headed with all of this?
High Mill was birthed in 1974 with the vision of building, training, and sending forth young leaders into a world so desperate for spiritual leadership. Through the years, we have succeeded as well as failed in our commitment to " steady the course" and stay true to that calling. Yet, through many joys and tears, blessings and pain, we have been birthed for this moment in history. As part of a larger "Kingdom Vision" involving many other Godly leaders and followers, we have spent, as leaders the past two years fasting and praying about God's direction for this new decade of the 21st century.
We haven't come up with a "new" plan or concept but have been revived by a fresh commitment to our original vision: "Building Disciples. Living and Loving Like Jesus." Our desire is not a new "campaign" with flashy promos but a profound desire to seek out those who have an old fashioned hunger and passion to produce mature fruit; a passion that is so focused that it won't give up until the job is done.
For the next six weeks, we will be sharing with you who are part of this wonderful body of believers, not so much where we have come from but where we are and most of all, vision wise, where we are headed. We won't be satisfied until every leader and ministry in our church clearly understands what our mission as a church is and focus's it's passion and energy on that mission, building Biblically strong models that can produce lasting spiritual fruit.
Most of you attending High Mill, know where our strengths lie, but what would happen if each of us as leaders intentionally focused our energies and giftings, like a Lazar, on bringing together all of our good efforts under the umbrella of not just serving but intentionally producing radical models of discipleship,( Radical Models of Jesus' Love) while we serve? Come the next six weeks, and we are going to show you how! By the way, if you don't attend a church, you are welcome to jump on board for an exciting experience that just might change the direction of your life FOREVER!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Remembering the Shepherd's Fields one Night near Bethlehem
I will never forget the night. We had been in Jerusalem for just a few days and were at the home of some friends having a traditional Jewish dinner just a few miles from Bethlehem. It was the Christmas season which made being near Bethlehem even more special.
As dinner concluded, I left the small home of our guests and climbed to the top of a small ridge. The night air was very still and the temperature was rather balmy for November in Israel. I will never forget the sky. It seemed like a million stars were shining and the brilliance of that moment seemed to usher me back 2,000 years to another night and another time when those very same stars shone so brightly.
As I gazed across the landscape, I suddenly realized that before me were shepherds grazing their sheep and shining brightly in the distance was the little town of Bethlehem. The feeling was so surreal that I just stood there and allowed my imagination to carry me on an incredible journey back in time. But it is what happened next that touched my heart forever.
As a young child, the meaning of Worship only consisted of a song or two that would get everyone's attention for the church service about to begin. I must admit that it was not the most exciting thing happening, or something that moved my heart. When I came to know Jesus, worship took on added importance, because it was the time when the church body would come together and sing for maybe one half hour in preparation for the sermon. As a new believer, I knew that this worship thing was important, but I often times found myself singing words but not sensing their significance.
As the years have passed so quickly, I have come to appreciate the times of pure worship where I can quiet my heart and soul and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to me. But it was one early evening near Bethlehem that God defined true Worship for me in such a way that it not only overwhelmed my thought process and emotions but instilled within me the passion to serve Him no matter what difficulties might lie ahead.
As my thoughts were directed towards those shepherds 2,000 years ago, I suddenly grasped a simple truth that had been there all the time, but I HADN'T SEEN IT. Simply, worship is not something that I do but becomes something that I am. Worship can be identified with singing, hand clapping, and prayer, but those are only outward manifestations of a heart that has been surrendered to worship as a lifestyle. Worship is not how many church services I attend per week nor is it listening to the latest CD, But Pure Worship is a lifestyle rooted in a heart of service to those who need a Savior's love.
Paul in Romans 12:1-2 tells us that " offering our bodies as a living sacrifice is our spiritual act of worship." But then, he added something very powerful. " Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." It is here that I want to share with you the key to living a life worthy of the Lord Jesus and leaving a legacy behind that others have had their life changed by your heart of worship.
In Matthew 17:2 Jesus is transfigured before His disciples as well as Moses and Elijah. Here is the correlation; the word used for transfigured is the very word used for transformed in Romans 12:2. So what Paul is saying about those choosing to live a lifestyle of worship after Jesus' example, is that by living in such a way, you are anointed and glorified with His supernatural Authority which in turn allows you to function in the dimension of God's Kingdom Rule and Presence.
That night as I gazed over the shepherd's fields near Bethlehem, I was reminded that, like the Wise Men who followed, they were willing to leave behind everything and seek after a Star that shown over a simple stable in a dusty little town. Their worship was surrendered lives, because nothing less was befitting of a King. Can we settle for anything less if we are to be His hands and feet in the time that we have remaining?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Never In A Thousand Years Would I Have Believed!
I was raised in Canton, Ohio and had no intentions of ever leaving, let alone getting on an airplane and flying half way around the world. I believed in "missions" and even supported some. But my argument (or should I say excuse), was that there was enough work to be done here at home and then, after that work was completed, we could think about going somewhere in the world. Never mind the "Great Commission" that commanded us to go to the world; I was a young pastor that had made up his mind that there would always be an excuse as to why missions weren't for me.
It didn't seem to really matter that my pastor in Anaheim, California had called me out of 4,000 people and prophesied over me that my destiny and legacy would take me to the nations. I had never met him nor did he know anything about me, but so strongly rooted within my emotions was the fear of missionary work that I figured he had definitely called out the wrong guy even though he had mentioned my home town, Canton, by name. That was amazing and unexplainable but not enough to get me on a plane.
So you can imagine what was going through my mind in April, 1993 as I boarded a plane bound for L'viv Ukraine. For me to tell you the events that got me to this point, would occupy a hundred blogs, and most of you wouldn't believe a lot of it anyways. That was 1993, and less than one year later, I was on a 48 hour trek to India. Since those early days, with I'm sure the Holy Spirit laughing at me (God has a sense of humor), I have traveled all over Europe, organized History Maker I in Cyprus, which was a healing conference for youth that included believing Jews and believing Arabs from 8 different nations, gone to Australia twice, have come to have a passion for the people of Armenia, traveled extensively in the Middle East and have fallen in love with the land of Abraham , Isaac, and Jacob nine times over! How could I explain each of these incredible seasons of my life? I have done just that in the second book that I am just now finishing," Legacy: The Power Purpose and Passion of Divine Appointments."But for the purpose of this blog, I want to reveal the "rhema" or spiritual truth revealed to me when I said,"YES." I might just mention that if I had said no, I would have not experienced events that have made me who I am.
Why do I mention that the "missionary" part of my journey has been one of those greatest parts of my walk? Let me tell you. Foundational, when you confront your fears and defeat them, He will turn your weaknesses into strengths! He will take the very thing that you don't want to do and make it your passion, if He is in it. Secondly, when we come "out of the box " so to speak and realize just how blessed we are as American believers, we gain a new appreciation of our place and responsibility to reach out to those less fortunate. Thirdly, I have been humbled many times over by the hospitality of poor believers who have nothing of financial substance but serve us beyond measure when we stay at their homes. I have found out after the fact that believers in Ukraine, for one example, had saved money for months, just to serve us incredible meals. Hospitality in America is a lost art for many believers, but in my travels, I have learned from my brothers and sisters the true meaning of practicing and living in hospitality.
Finally, who I am...my destiny, and my legacy (the life deposit that I will leave behind) have all been formed by the relationships of those whom have become "family," from Ukraine to Armenia and from India to Syria. My life has been enriched by so many customs and cultural experiences too numerous to mention. All because of saying Yes to Jesus and no to my fears, I have come to visualize the world as my horizon and in a very small way helped others to gain spiritual sight while overcoming their fears. What area of your walk do you need to say Yes to today so that your future can be unlocked and your legacy established?