“Mommy, what was that?”

Many times when I see a young mother and her children, the Lord will have me hand a tract to the mother. The best I can figure out is that this puts the mother in a situation to see what she is going to do or say, with her young children looking on. And of course, God has his special ways of reaching children.
Most of the time, I would say that the mother refuses to take one. This happened again today.
What do you think is going on in the mother’s head, as the children are watching? What is she going to tell them when they ask, “Mommy, what was that?” Is she going to be honest with them?
The accountability of the mother has got to be huge in this case. This has got to be both good for the mother and the children. How about when the siblings get alone together with mom not around? Can God do something with that?
I believe in God operating in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. I see it all the time. He is so much bigger than we give him credit for. He can do things in ways that are hard to figure out or comprehend. He’s God.

Church on the bus!

Four black brothers got on the bus ahead of me. Three of them sat in the back. The other sat a few seats up. I sat in my usual side seat in the back.

I thought the usual, this is going to be good or not. As the bus left, I watched and listened. After about five minutes, I pulled out a tract and handed it to the guy who was closest to me. He took it. Then I got out two more and handed them to the other guys.

THEN CHURCH BROKE OUT!!!!!

The guy in the middle shouted out, “It’s the only way to get to heaven”.(this was in response to my tract that says, “Why do you need Jesus?”)
I said Amen!

Then all three guys began to share out loud (now I mean loud, loud enough for everyone on the bus to hear, including the bus driver)
The guy in the middle was sharing that Jesus is the only way to the Father. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. (one of my favorites)

Then all three of these guys began to get real pumped up. The back of the bus was alive with the Spirit of God. One would preach, then the other. Scripture was flowing all through out the bus. There was probably eight to ten more people on the bus. No one, including the driver tried to stop “the service”. All that were there had no choice but to hear The Word for the next 20 to 25 minutes.

There was rejoicing like I haven’t seen in years. Truth was being poured out all over the bus. It was truly an awesome sight to behold!

The other brother that had sat up a few seats, was turning around and smiling. Finally he stands up and comes back to join us. Then he begins to share some spirit filled poetry out loud. We all could barely keep our seats. The guy in the back middle seat, had one leg on the seat, the other on the floor. Still no one tried to stop what God was doing on the bus.

The brother that came to the back, had to get off at the next stop. So we gave him “knuckles”, and off he went.

Two stops later, it was my turn to depart. I didn’t want to. This was so rich. I have had numerous “church” gatherings on buses, trains, street corners etc, but this was special. Just like God, so spontaneous.

I am a firm believer in that “church” is “wherever two or three are gathered in His name”. It doesn’t have to be in a “church building”. It can be in a home, a mall, a car, on a street corner etc, or even ON A BUS.

Jesus Christ was not his name, but his title

No where in scripture does it mention his last name, or complete name such as we have.

I came across this as I was once again studying about Jesus the Christ.

I have known God through Christ for several years now. However, I cannot get enough of studying about Christ. I don’t think any of us can. Once you think you have learned most of what there is to learn about Him, bam you discover more. He is The Word, and just like it, it is ever new and alive. It doesn’t matter how many years we have looked into it. He is new every day!

Back to Jesus Christ. “Jesus” in the Hebrew means, “Salvation”. The literal meaning means “Savior”. This goes along with Matthew 1:21. “And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Sounds like salvation to me! Salvation from sin!

The Greek word “Christ” is “Christos”. It means, “Messiah” which means, “The Anointed One”.

This helps us when sharing Jesus as The Christ. The Messiah, The Anointed One.

What about, “Christ Jesus?”

The Anointed One who brought Salvation? The Anointed One who is The Savior from sin?

I am using these meanings/names out there on the streets. I believe they are powerful.

God bless you!

Engaging God

We are people of choice. We can choose to move with God or not. He uses us if we make an effort to want to be used.

I will use my most recent testimony to explain what I mean by “engaging God”.
One of my most difficult times to share Christ with others is when I am tired. Usually towards the end of the day when I have been out working for Him or finished working at my secular job.
Today after working at my secular job, I walked to the bus stop and sat down on the bench. As I sat there, the air ran out (tired). I leaned back on the glass behind me, spread my legs forward and let out a sigh of relief.

As I sat there, I looked across the street and saw a guy sitting down on his luggage waiting for the bus going the opposite direction. This is a four lane busy road with lots of cars zipping by. As I sat there staring at this guy, The Spirit said, “you can run over there and hand him a tract”. I thought, I’m tired. Run? Across this busy road? And what about my bus to go home? What if it comes while I’m on the other side? All these questions came to mind.

I said to myself, “I’ll go”. I looked and there was no traffic. It was as though everything stood still for a moment. I looked both ways to make sure and ran, pulling out a tract as I ran. I got to the other side and handed it to him. He looked at it and smiled back and said, “Oh I believe”. I said, “Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour?” He said that He was. He mentioned that He was raised in a Baptist family. I said, “that’s good, but where are you today?”

We talked for a minute and I encouraged him to read God’s word daily, and related it to food for the spiritual man. He said he did have a bible.

About that time I looked and no cars were coming. I said “God bless you” and bolted across the street, sat back down and prayed.

Now, this is what I want to share. I could have remained sitting in that seat and waiting for the bus. Instead I chose to go over there. By doing this, or making the move, putting one foot forward, I engaged God. It just that simple.

By deciding to move out for Him, he blessed this man with a reminder to seek Him. Not only that, but here’s the part that really blessed me and others.

As I got on the bus, I was “engaged”. No longer tired like I was. Why? Because I believe that God “quickened” me to the point that He (not me) illuminated me to the point that the next 30 minutes on the bus brought several opportunities my way for Him. Things like, coming to a bus stop and finding that the next bus ahead of us had mechanical problems.

Long story short, myself and some other people got to get out of the bus and help this older man in a electric scooter get out and get into the other bus. This one man and I helped the man walk along and get back into his scooter. This is a man that received a tract earlier, and said “thank you”. I could of easily sat there and said to myself, “I’m too tired”. Now the bus had all kinds of people on it. It was two buses in one now. Two young guys were blessed also by the tracts that they received. One guy mentioned that he had been inquiring about the “many ways to God” mentality. I assured him that there was only one way and that was Christ. He didn’t deny it.

I say all this to give you an example of how God works. He is all out for people. You or I make the effort for Him, and we will be blown away at the opportunities that come our way. UNLESS WE SIT BACK AND GET COMFORTABLE, RIGHT?

Just think about all these people that would not have been touched by the Spirit of God, if I would have chosen to remain in that seat and relax. I believe if I would not of stepped out, the Spirit would not of engaged within me. Oh it was there, but not “quickened”. There is a big difference.

May God help us all to step out and move out for Him more. Time is getting real short for all of us……
On that day, there will be no excuses.

Defiant one comes to Christ

I stood there looking at him, trying to convince myself that it was him.

I had just finished preaching a couple of blocks up from the local town square. The theme today was, “how to be put right with God”. I originally got the term, “put right” for righteousness, from the “Good News” translation of the Bible. It’s really the only reason I like that translation. I like to read from Romans chapter 3 starting with verse 21.
“But now God’s way of putting people right with himself has been revealed.
Vs.22, “God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ”…….
There is some more, but for the sake of time I will continue with the testimony.

So as I finished a couple of blocks up, I walked towards the square to check out a place that I stand and share. As I approached the square, I turned left and went a short distance, then right. I saw a guy with a small “boom box” playing something. I got a little closer to try and hear what it was that was coming out. The guy standing by it looked very familiar. I heard, “God” and “Jesus” coming from the box.

I walked a couple of feet to my usual spot, stood there holding a tract out and staring at the guy with the boom box.

Then it hit me! No, this can’t be the guy that I have seen before that got “in my face” when I was preaching. I stood there staring at him. Then his eyes caught mine.

I immediately walked over to him to take a closer look. I said, “what are you playing?” He explained that it was somebody preaching. I said, “Oh yeah” Then I said to him, “Are you a follower of Christ?” He said he was.
All the time, I was thinking to myself, “it’s him, isn’t it?”

Then I asked him, “how long have you known Christ? He said, about three month’s. I said, Really, praise God!

Then I had to ask him, “do you remember me?” I was preaching one time at this square about a year ago or so, and you got real belidgerant with me. You got in my face and was real defiant with me. Do you remember? He said, “Yes, I do”. “But now I’m changed” He went on to say that I was not the only one that he came against. There were other preachers that he had did the same to.

I do remember that he had this evil presence about him at the time. But now my spirit was bearing witness that he had been changed by the power of God. He was out witnessing, playing these CD’s and passing them out.

God is so awesome! He even mentioned the Apostle Paul, as to how he was before conversion. Likening himself to similar circumstances.

With God all things are possible! Great things He is doing! He is getting ready those who are going to be part of the next great awakening that is going to take place out in the open, outside of four walls.

Are you getting ready? It’s coming.

Instant in and out of season

“Immediately I heard the Spirit say, “put that down!”

I had just finished meeting with some brothers at our regular gathering on Tuesday’s at a local mall. I was tired as usual and boarded the local train to head home. I had just finished talking to my wife on the phone regarding some personal things, and decided to text my son regarding tomorrow.

As I switched trains, I sat down and pulled out my phone. But first, I noticed a man sitting across from me. I stopped and put my phone down and said, “How was your day?” He pointed to his ear and shook his head. Well, then I knew that he was deaf.

I was impressed to hand him a tract, which I did. He smiled and handed it back and put up his thumb. I smiled back and put up my thumb also. So I went back to my phone and started texting. Immediately I heard the Spirit say, “put that down!”. I paused as to wait to see what was next.

Then I remembered that I had a tablet in my pocket and also had a pen with me. I use these quite often in ministry to write down people’s names and numbers and other stuff.

So I wrote to him and said, “so you know Jesus?” I handed him the tablet and he wrote on it, “yes, I found Christ while I was in college”.
We spent the next 30 minutes writing back and forth. We shared what was going on in our lives. Some personal stuff about each other etc. He wrote on one occasion, “my name is Stephen, what’s yours?”

Now I had done some of this with some deaf people before, but never quite like this. This was all God working through each of us as we shared. He was so blessed, I believe to have something like this take place. Who knows if he had ever had this type of conversation with a complete stranger. He smiled quite often, and so did I. This was heavenly to say the least.

Once again, “It’s all about people”. People that God places in our life for reason and purpose. There is no happen chance with God, no way!

Now I could of easily turned a deaf ear to The Spirit. It would have not been the first time, that’s for sure. I was reminded again how important it was to remain in the Spirit even though I was tired and wanted to take care of some family business.

Just think. If I would have not listened and kept texting, all this wonderful experience of partaking in what God is doing through people would have not taken place. I would have missed out on being a blessing to another person, and also receiving a blessing through someone else.

I hope to see him again riding the bus or the train someday soon.

Once again, I would like to encourage others to ride public transportation. If your not, your missing out big time. Some of the most awesome times I have seen God move, have been on a bus or local train. Use it, you will be blessed. And of course, be listening and watching around you as you go. And say “hello” to the person next to you, you might be surprised at the outcome.
God bless you!

Beware lest you be deceived

My heart is heavy tonight with the thought of how easily we can be deceived.
We who are still in The Way, no doubt have known those who once walked with God and now walk no more. Or in some cases, now all they do is profess to still know Him, but their actions prove a different story.

It doesn’t matter how long you have been saved. It doesn’t matter if you have “boat loads” of knowledge. The bottom line is that you or I can be deceived.(period)
“Our adversary (Satan) walks around like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet.5:8).
If he can come to Eve in the garden (the perfect place), and come to one who knew no sin, don’t think for one minute that he can’t come to you and that you cannot be deceived.

We have all heard this before, “The problem with being deceived, is that you don’t know that you are”. It’s crafty, just like the one who uses it all the time.

Deception starts slowly. It comes to change our thinking, one thought at a time. After many thoughts are thought on and believed, we are led down a road of deception that keeps growing and before long we could even say, “Well, I don’t know about all that Jesus stuff.” “I think now that there has got to be some other ways also.” “After all, God is so much bigger than all that narrow mindedness stuff.”
“And the Bible? Well, I don’t think that was the only book.” “After all it was written by men.” “And don’t forget, it has been re-translated so many times, how could we began to believe everything that is in it.”

Hard to believe, isn’t it? But it happens all the time. I, like many, have run across people who once walked with Christ but now are “Muslims”, “Buddhists”, “New Age followers” etc. They might not have intended to become one of these followers in the begining, but now they are deceived into thinking that it is OK, and that they are on their way to heaven.

Don’t think for one minute that many of them didn’t have a deep relationship at one time with God, because they did. But now they have been so far removed from The Truth through deception, they think that they are heading down the right path. Down is correct, but not right.

Satan plants doubts first, then deception is it’s outcome.
Let’s take a look at Eve in the garden.
“The serpent (Satan) was more cunning (crafty) than any of the beast that God made”
Don’t think for one moment that Satan is not so. He is the master of “cunningness”. He is sly and slick.
Satan said to Eve, “Oh come on, has God really said that? “That you cannot eat of every tree of the garden?” I could hear him continue on…
Come on Eve, you don’t believe that do you? He kept pushing the buttons of doubt intil she became deceived.

Then Satan said to the women (Eve), “you will not surely die” Come on Eve, you can’t believe that one can you? What, eat the fruit then die! Just how gullible are you Eve? The doubts just kept coming. And it’s the same today in 2009. They just keep on coming, the seeds of doubt.

Another thing to be on the look out for, is that deception could be coming through another person or persons. Satan is just like God, in that he uses people all the time. “Sheep’s in wolves clothing” They appear pretty nice and attractive on the outside, but on the inside, they are raging wolves filled with deceit.

They can come to us through people who are close to us. Our co-workers, neighbors, friends and the like. And the deceiving thing is, that they have appeared to us all along that they were believers. “Oh they are good people” “I trust them” “He or she is so kind”

Little do we know that they could be, “false apostles, deceitful workers (there you have it), transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” (2Cor.11:13) Satan is in the transforming business. Didn’t you know that? Why, “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (vs.14)
It goes on and talks about Satan’s ministers in verse 15.

Can you see how powerful deception can be?

The Apostle Paul writing to the church at Corinth says, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2Cor.11:2-3)

See Satan wants to deceive us through our minds. He wants to get us to think that the simple Gospel of Christ is a bunch of bologne. There are other ways to God also. Don’t be so narrow minded, he would say.

“For if he (the person or person’s that Satan sends your way) preaches (talks about) another Jesus (or way) whom we have not preached,(or heard about) or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received,” (vs.4)

See, I want to stop right here and mention what we need to be on guard for and aware of. We could receive from Satan another spirit through the influence of another person. We could become so deceived that we will not even know it. That’s deception.

Continuing on with verse four, “or a different gospel which you have not accepted – you may well put up with it!” (2Cor.11:4)
Deceptive. Deceived into accepting another gospel. Before long your buying into it. All the words, all the charm, all the seduction, bought without any consideration. You have been deceived.

What’s the prevention? How can we prevent this happening to us? We must stay in the Vine. We must be found daily with Christ. And to that, minute by minute. We must pray and be on our guard. We must fight hard in this battle. We dare not let a day go by without feeding on His Word. The Holy fear of God must be upon us daily. We must have fellowship with Him and with other’s in His body. If the only people you see, day in and day out, are unbelievers and you very rarely spend time with followers of Christ, your in trouble.

In closing, we also need to be very careful about who we receive counsel from. If it doesn’t line up with God’s word, you best run for your life. The deceiver could be at work.
Also, the devil loves to use the opposite sex to get us to listen. BEWARE! We must be on guard! Don’t give place to the devil! By God’s grace we must not let our guard down.
“Close to Him I must stay”
“I know of no other way”
“For He is The Truth”
“The Life and The Way”
“Jesus Christ my Lord”
“And my Saviour”
Amen

Warning! Take inventory with Christ!

This morning my heart was stirred with the need to warn the Body of Christ, that they need to take inventory of their own relationship with Christ.

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip”(or drift away from them).
“For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;” (Heb.2:1:3)

The words, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;”. This rings in my spirit because, hardly a day goes by when I am out and about when I hear people all around saying that there is many ways to God. This “great salvation” is Jesus Christ! None other! “No other name that we can be saved by”

It is high time that we wake up ourselves and take inventory of Christ in us. Do we believe 100% that Christ is “The Truth?” Do we believe in what He said in John 14:6? that “no man comes to the Father, except through me?”

Do you know that the Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion in the world? Do you believe that it is false?
I believe that the greatest persecution to the true church in the near future is going to come from the Muslims.

Don’t think for one minute that it is not working on those around you. Those at work, your neighbors, your family etc. because it is. It’s high time to wake up and get out of your “church box”, and take a look around.

I have a lady at work who once walked with Christ, now she is a Muslim. She wares the head scarf the whole time. She is a white women.

Last week the Lord led me to a young girl, about 16 or 17. She was talking about the “Quran” and trying to convince me as to what it said.
The young generations are buying into it as “truth”.

A few weeks ago, I was sharing Christ as The Only Way, and a man started shouting “Allah is the way”. This went on for about five minutes intil I move on.

False ways to God are growing everyday. Our “tolerant” motto here in America is even effecting believers in Christ. It is causing them to keep quiet everywhere they go. “Oh we don’t want to offend other’s” “We need to accept all religions” “Be tolerant of everything”

Well guess what. The devil is working overtime on believers. He is getting them to consider the worlds ways and teachings. It is having a bigger influence on us than we care to consider.

It’s WAKE UP TIME!

Those of us who believe in Christ and teach that He is The Only Way to The Father, need to stand up and be counted for. Start speaking “The Truth in love”.

Guess what? The Truth will offend. There is no way to escape it. Take a look at Christ’s life here on earth. Did he offend people with his teaching of The Truth? Sure he did.

It’s not that we set out in a given day to offend people. No. But if we share Christ and share that He is the only way to The Father, believe me the devils will rise up in people if you do.

I see it all the time when I am on a street corner preaching Christ. Just last week, I was sharing Christ and The Spirit was really moving, people were listening, there was a holy hush in the air, even though it was busy and people were at lunch rushing here and there. All of a sudden, this man stops across the street on his bicycle and starts yelling at me. Of course, I didn’t stop. Soon off he went, in the name of Jesus.

So let us take inventory of our own lives. Is Christ number one? Do I believe that he is the “Messiah?” Do I believe all that the scriptures say about Him? Or do I have doubt? Do I doubt His Word? Is it the Word of God? Or are other books just as good, just as inspired?

Because of what’s coming upon the earth in the near future, we best get closer to Christ and his teachings. If not, we too will “slip away” into some other teaching and begin to believe that there are other ways. You can count on it, if you do.

May God help us all

Sharing the Gospel with the pope

As I looked out the window, there he was. I could not believe my eyes.

I was headed out to an area that I had not been to for a while. It is a popular part of town, especially for the younger crowd.

The bus was making it’s usual stops along this road that leads to this district that I was headed to. At this one stop, I looked out the window, and there the pope stood with his tall headdress(mitre) on. He also was holding on to his staff with it’s cross on it.

As I watched him get on the bus, he started to sit up towards the front, but his eyes caught mine as I was bending over to get a better look at him down the aisle. He turned and headed back to where I was sitting at the back of the bus. We smiled at each other and began to talk right away.

We talked for awhile, then I handed him a “Why do you need Jesus” tract. As he took it, he smiled and said “now I get it”. This is why I came to the back of the bus.

He shared how he had went to “Catholic School” when he was a kid and also church. He talked a lot about how he was raised etc. I told him how it was not about “Religion” and all of man’s ways. I shared about how Christ was the Way to The Father. Not Religion, nor church. He agreed, which really surprised me. We had one awesome visit. I can’t remember the last time I shared with the pope.

And now “The rest of the story”.
Remember when I said that when he had first came to the back of the bus, “we talked”? At that time, I noticed that he had a Portland Trail Blazers jersey on. Come to find out, he said that he was “The Blazers Pope”. He had just spent all night camping out for play-off tickets. He had scored tickets for the first two games at home as was very happy.

Through it all, I had one awesome opportunity to share Christ with this guy. He listened well and I am believing that good seed was planted that day.

This all happened in the city that has signs everywhere that say, “Keep Portland weird”. I am blessed to be a part of what God is doing here in his Kingdom. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, no way.

Losing focus on The Kingdom of God

It can start out small and seemingly unnoticed. A little here and a little there, before long you can look way off into the distant past and only memories remain.
I remember a time in my life when I lost focus of God’s Kingdom. I became focused on starting a business. Before long it was all that mattered. It became first place in my life and everything else, my family, my walk with God and all relationships went by the way side.
So it is with those who have lost focus.

If God and His kingdom are not first in our heart then something else or someone else will be. We cannot serve two masters. One will be lord, and that’s the bottom line.

If God and His Kingdom are first, it will be evident to those who are closest to us. Our speech and our actions will confirm where we are at. What’s in the heart comes out.

There are two kingdoms. The kingdom of this world (which is Satan’s) or God’s Kingdom. You are either in one or the other and have allegiance to one or the other.

Now, I hear the distant cry of those who say, “wait just a minute!”. “I am saved and I go to church”. “I’m in God’s Kingdom!”
Well, it does sound good. The words sound convincing. But where is the heart? Where is the daily thoughts? What consumes us most? Our time and thoughts, where are they to be found? In a given day?

What or who gives us the most pleasure? Where do we find approval? Who are we trying to please?

Answer these questions and they help show us where we are in relationship to The Kingdom of God. It helps to show us where our heart is.

Many have started out with pure motives and desire, seeking first The Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. But where are they today? Do they look back and say that it was all foolishness? Do they claim to now have a better walk with God then they had before?

One thing is for sure, if you once tasted of the goodness of God and followed in His ways and have since turned another direction thinking that God is still blessing and that you still have his approval, guess what? You have been deceived. Like all, you just don’t know it.

The beautiful thing about God is that He is always pursuing his wayward children. He pursues them with His love which works in ways way beyond our comprehension. That’s the good thing about God. He is love and look out He is coming for you.