Field Trip

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be away for the remainder of the week. I'm headed to Jamestown with my son for a school field trip. Blessings to you all. I look forward to sharing more with you next week.

LUI = Living Under the Influence

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" {Ephesians 5:18}

"Do not quench the Spirit" {1 Thessalonians 5:19}

These are two very interesting commands in regards to the church and the Holy Spirit. The Ephesians verse teaches us to be "continually filled" (according to the Greek) and the Thessalonians verse teaches us to never do anything that would "stifle", "put out the fire", or "suppress" the work of the Holy Spirit. While these verses are working from a different perspective, they each have a common denominator: The Holy Spirit of God.

I don't think the Apostles ever considered having church apart from the Holy Spirit. I truly don't believe that our Lord envisioned a time when the church would never need His Spirit at work in them to bring the nations to Christ. On the day of Pentecost we witness the Promise of Jesus coming upon the believers in the upper room. What you may not know is that this was during the "Feast of Firstfruits." It was a time of bringing in the first of the spring harvest, with the promise that God's provision would never end. What took place on the day of Pentecost was only the beginning. The church, and believers, would continue to experience more of the Spirit's filling throughout the book of Acts.

This is vital to our understanding of what it means to live a Spirit-filled life. How can we expect to live out our faith if we are missing out on the working of the main ingredient. Jesus said it was the Holy Spirit that would guide the believer into truth. It is the Holy Spirit that was to teach and admonish the believer. We have established discipleship programs within the church that basically says if you will read the Bible all the way through, memorize some scripture, and tithe that you will grow. I ask you (the reader), has anyone ever taught you how to be filled with the Spirit? Has anyone in the church taught you what it means to wait for Him to move upon you, how to recognize what He is doing, or how to go deeper in the things of the Spirit? While I believe every follower of Christ should read His Word, commit Scripture to memory, and give; there is so much more available to them than just going through the motions.

I truly believe that we are seeing a generation that expects to see more from the church. I'm serious...we cannot keep going with the same old stuff and expect to impact the world. We have tried being relevant without realizing that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit. We have tried being relational without understanding that it is very hard for light and dark to co-exist. While each of these goal are admirable, I believe that it is when the church decides to be a revelation in the world that everything will change.

How does this happen?

> Be Filled With The Spirit
> Don't Quench The Spirit

Jesus promised the Father would give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Paul said to be continually filled and then went on to tell us not to quench the Spirit's work. It is evidently clear that what we need to see more of in the church, and in our personal lives, is the Holy Spirit. It's a return to what worked in the 1st Century Church. They didn't have the educational background, the experience, or the finances to pull it off. All they had was the Holy Spirit and a commission to make disciples of all nations. Today...we have been educated beyond obedience, are way too experienced (know how to do it), and have too much money (scared to lose it). When all we need is just some men/women who are willing to walk with Jesus, be filled with the Spirit of God, and take the risk of taking the Gospel to the nations.

It's time for Living Under the Influence. Any takers?

Celebrating the Goodness of God

This past Sunday we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The PBC Family (as well as other churches) saw great increases in attendance. We had 300 people who came out to hear the preaching of the Gospel. The question for many in attendance is: What happens next?

It makes sense to me that people tend to come out in record numbers to attend a church service on Resurrection Sunday (aka Easter). While many of those numbers do not reflect a personal knowledge of Jesus, they do reflect a large number of people who want to believe. The main issue, in my opinion, is trust. Do we trust that faith in God is all that it is the answer? Do we trust that God is good all the time? Do we trust that faith alone in Jesus is enough?

What we celebrate each and every Sunday is the death and resurrection of Jesus. While it may not be the main theme of our gathering (as it is on Easter), we understand that the reason we can celebrate is because our sins have been forgiven, our lives have been made new, and God is good.

The death of Jesus marked the end of striving under the law. While the law in and of itself was good, man could never keep it. We were always falling short. Our struggle was no different than that of Adam & Eve's, we simply did not believe that we were made in the image of God and that He had provided all that we could want or need. The law was never meant to condemn us (religious leaders did that), it was meant to give us a blueprint of a life that is blessed. However, our unbelief kept us from seeing God's way as best, and God's heart as good.

For those 300 people that joined us this Resurrection Sunday, they have a decision to make. Will they continue to go through life as usual, or will they trust what I shared about God's love for them? Will they believe that Jesus' death was enough to bring forgiveness and His resurrection enough to bring justification? Will they actually believe that God has reconciled Himself to them? I know it sounds to good to be true, but I want you to read Romans 2:4, "...the goodness of God leads you to repentance".

I want you to consider that it is God's goodness, not His judgement, that actually brings people to saving faith in Christ. I had an encounter with my son not so long ago that taught me a very special lesson. He had been acting out in a way that I didn't believe reflected the nature of our family. He knows the "rules" and he had decided to behave outside of them. As I thought about how I could handle this problem, I decided to go the corporal punishment route. To be quite honest with you...I haven't spanked my kids in quite a while. We have been trying to give choices, demonstrate the love and grace of God, etc. I just simply thought it was time to use a different method. Did I alter his behavior? ABSOLUTELY!!! For about an hour we didn't have anymore problems. Why didn't his behavior change for good? His behavior didn't change because I didn't do anything to affect his heart.

I'm not saying that there isn't a time for spanking. What I was dealing with was a heart issue rather than a rebellion issue. What God did in the flood was to punish all of mankind for their sin. It wasn't long after the earth had finally dried up that man went back to their sinful ways. This is the reason for the cross. God chose to sacrifice His Son for the good of man. We have been forgiven, eternal life is ours once again, and the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe. God has affected the heart. His GRACE has saved us, and His GOODNESS has provided an abundant life that provides everything we need.

In Ezekiel 11:19-20, we read about God's plan for restoring Israel: "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statues and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God." This is the goodness of God. Ezekiel's prophecy wasn't much different than Jeremiah's (Jeremiah 31:33): "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law into their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." This statement was followed by an even greater one "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34).

I pray that you will come into this wonderful understanding. God IS Good!!!

It Is Finished!

On the darkest day in human history, we hear the greatest words ever spoken: "It is Finished!" {John 19:30}

Jesus' death on the Cross became the atonement for the sin of man. All that could be done, all that needed to be accomplished, and all that the Father had planned from the foundation of the world was complete.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 give us the amazing description of what Jesus was accomplishing by His death. Most of us understand that His death was a demonstration of the love of God (Romans 5:8), but the death of Jesus was so much more.

THE CROSS WAS GOD'S TOOL FOR RECONCILIATION:
- We read in verse 18 of 2 Corinthians 5 that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. In other words, God was bringing peace to a relationship where there was conflict. He was restoring order where there once was chaos. He was satisfying the need for atonement set forth in the law. "In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." {Hebrews 9:22} Jesus' death brought about the forgiveness that was needed. Sin had destroyed man's relationship with God. God used the Cross to restore what was lost.

JESUS BECAME UNRIGHTEOUSNESS SO THAT WE COULD BE MADE RIGHTEOUS:
- Verse 21 tells us that God "made Him who know no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He who knew no sin became sin so that we who knew no righteousness could be made righteous. What a trade!!! Jesus' death allows God to treat man as if he has never sinned. He no longer imputes the world's trespasses to them. He has removed every barrier.

THE CRUCIFIXION UNLOCKS SALVATION FOR EVERYONE:
- Paul makes it very clear that God has done all that needs to be done. The price for our salvation has been paid. The very thing that has kept us from knowing God has been removed. The blood of Christ has satisfied the Old Covenant and sealed a New Covenant. Our part in the New Covenant is to accept Jesus' atonement for us. When we confess Him as Lord of our lives, believing in His resurrection from the dead, the Bible says that we are saved. We are made complete, we are healed, and we are delivered. His righteousness becomes our righteousness.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS:
- Have you ever bought a home or car? Usually the process is complete when you sign a contract. In the contract you agree to purchase the item for the price that was established. In the New Covenant, God has done all the leg work and ran all the numbers. He took full responsibility for ensuring that you wouldn't have to pay a dime. If you want to enjoy this abundant life in Jesus, it is your faith that signs the contract. When you say "Yes" to Jesus, God has agreed to abide by all the terms of this covenant. You receive eternal life, forgiveness of sin, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and all you need for life and godliness. But the choice is yours. God will not force His will upon you. It is my job to tell you about the reconciliation of God and to allow Him to plead through me: "Be reconciled to God."

As we remember the crucifixion of Jesus I want you to take comfort in knowing that every bruise was for your iniquities, all the scourging was for your peace, and all the stripes were for your healing. God's love for you has been demonstrated once and for all. Everything needed for your salvation has been provided by God Himself. All that is left for you to do is accept by faith the incredible gift of God.

THE STEPS ARE SIMPLE:
A - Admit that God has not been first place in your life.
B - Believe that Jesus died for your sin and rose from the dead.
C - Confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.

A Closer Look at The Great Commission

Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..."

Before Jesus' ascension He commanded His followers to make disciples of all the nations. Where are we today?

I'm always amazed at how we interpret the Bible from our own mindset. I cannot tell you how many times I have quoted Matthew 28:18-20. I should know it by now. However, I was caught by surprise today when I was forced to consider them in a different light. I didn't place all the other verses on here for a reason. I wanted to make sure that you got the full blunt of verse 19.

Jesus told His followers to make disciples of all nations. How in the world can we be satisfied with anything less? It seems that the church has been content to make disciples in all nations rather than considering that God wants to disciple all of them. When we consider the weight of this commission, it's understandable why we needed the Holy Spirit to come upon us. The call of God upon the lives of His followers is SO GREAT that we must fully rely upon His ability at work in us.

Over the past few years, we have been heavily involved in missions. In particular we have sent teams to Ukraine, Alaska, & South Africa. Since we tend to view things from a management perspective (the church that is), it's easy to be satisfied with seeing a few converts. You know...we tend to take things in bite size proportions. We have been content with a slice while God wants the whole thing! How is this possible?

If you back up and read verse 18 of Matthew 28 you hear Jesus say, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Because of Christ's obedience to the Cross and His resurrection from the dead, the Bible teaches us that He has disarmed the enemy. All that had been lost through the fall of Adam has been restored through Jesus. Now the original commission that was given to Adam & Eve ("Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion..." ~ Genesis 1:28) has been passed on to us. When Adam & Eve fell, they gave authority to the enemy. Jesus got it back. It's time for the church to come to a full understanding of all that was restored through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. We walk in His authority and carry out His plan. And God wants it all!!!

This is why our identity in Christ is so important. This is why I have talked about defining ourselves the way God defines us. When we view ourselves through the Word of God, realize that God has seated us in heavenly places with Christ, and that we transfer that authority into this world...WATCH OUT!!! It's no wonder that Jesus told Peter that "the gates of hell will not prevail." How can they?

We have to grasp this:
Darkness cannot prevail against light!
Love is always stronger than hate!
And a defeated foe is a defeated foe!

The only way the enemy can prevail is when we fail to attack the strongholds. The children of Israel were given a "Promised Land" but they had to root-out the enemy. As long as they were willing to dispose of the enemies that they were able to expand the borders. It was when Israel stopped fighting that the enemy began to work its way back in. The kingdom of God works by advancement. We cannot get into a maintain attitude. We have to go out and claim what has already been purchased.

Anybody with me?

...and Serve Both

James 2:15-16, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?"

James uses the verses above to illustrate how faith and works go together. What we believe should affect what we do. Like many churches in America, we have a very simple purpose statement: "Love God - Love Others - Serve Both." It is our aim as a body of believers to do more than say "I love you." We want to be an expression of our love for God and one another.

This past week we were blessed to see an outpouring of love for a couple in our church. This family has been such a blessing to our fellowship over the last few years. We have witnessed God's amazing power at work in their lives. They have been radically transformed and serve the body in various ways. We have also been blessed by their work in the community as they seek to share the Good News of salvation, healing and deliverance through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. After talking with the husband on Saturday, I felt led to share some of the family needs with the entire church. It was amazing to see our fellowship respond to the needs of this family. Person after person came forward and laid their offering at the altar and God provided greatly for the financial needs of this family. What an incredible testimony of what it means to be a family of believers.

James tells us that it doesn't profit anyone when we hear of their needs and do nothing. It doesn't profit the individual in need and it doesn't profit us to say "God in peace and be filled." There must be a recognition that oftentimes we are the ones that God wants to use to fill a need. We can be the answer to someones prayers. We could be that "on time" miracle that they are waiting to manifest. Faith without works is dead, and love without demonstration isn't love.

The demonstration of love that we witnessed on Sunday morning came in direct response to a sermon about living as sons/daughters of God in the earth. Within this fellowship of God's children should be a culture of honor. This honor culture seeks to be a blessing to those around them, make Jesus Lord in every area of life, and to be a manifestation of God's love to those around them. We don't honor people because they are "worthy" but because they are of worth in the eyes of God. Every person we come in contact with has been created in the image of God. When we love them, we love God. When we serve them, we serve God. This is the fulfillment of the Great Commandment that Jesus spoke about. Loving and Serving God and others goes hand in hand.

As we prepare to remember the crucifixion of our Lord and celebrate His resurrection from the dead, let us think about all that His life revealed to us. May we be mindful of His undying affection for the Father and His brethren. May we walk in the compassion that He demonstrated while on the earth. And may we seek to be a manifestation of God in the world.

Do you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus? Then show somebody what it means. You will both profit from it.

Confident Humility

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." {Matthew 11:11}

Have you ever considered Jesus' statement concerning John the Baptist? The Bible tells us that John did no miracles. What made John the Baptist great was the message that he proclaimed. He was separated before birth to be the forerunner for the Messiah. He was also the one chosen by God to proclaim "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."

John's ministry was great. However, Jesus then goes on to say that "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." How is this possible? Was Jesus speaking out of both sides of His mouth? Absolutely not. The reason that Jesus could make this statement is because John was operating under an inferior covenant. Among those born among women, John was the greatest because He has the greatest assignment. But among those born in the kingdom of heaven...well that is a different story. We live under a greater covenant. John had the Holy Spirit upon him for a purpose while we have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us. The quality of the kingdom of heaven inside of us brings about a greatness that John could never attain under the law. I believe John understood this. That's why you read of him telling Jesus that he had need to be baptized by Him.

During the course of this week, we have been looking at humility. While many people have defined humility as thinking less of ourselves, I would disagree. Humility is about thinking less of yourself, it's about thinking about yourself less. It's not about denying your greatness but about denying yourself for the sake of others. This is exactly what Jesus did throughout His life and ministry. You hear Him telling the Father in the Garden, "Not my will but Yours be done." Jesus came from greatness into obscurity. He left the glory of heaven to dwell upon earth. He took on the form of a servant, learned how to be a son through obedience, and took that obedience to the Cross. Yet even in His humility, He could say to Pilate, "You would have no authority over me if it was given to you."

"By telling us that 'humility' means convincing ourselves we are 'nobodies,' many Christian leaders have sold God's people into theological slavery. This belief system has not cured pride but has worked to destroy the confidence of God's people." ~ Kris Vallotton

I truly believe that it is God's desire for us to live in humility and yet be confident in who we are. Unfortunately, confidence always looks like arrogance to people who are insecure. Our humility isn't based upon demeaning ourselves. It is actually based upon us looking unto God as the One who created us - Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith - and realizing the significance that He placed upon us. This is why it's so important to know who you are in Christ. Allow God to define you through Jesus allows you to see yourself as He does. And when you and I begin to see ourselves the way God see us - WATCH OUT WORLD!!! Then we begin to operate in the greater works that Jesus promised.

As I close out this weeks blog, I want you to think about the fact that you were created for so much more than what you are experiencing. Don't allow any circumstance of life to define you. Don't allow any other human being to determine your worth. Allow God to speak over you all that you are in Christ. Allow His definition of you to carry you into a greater destiny. You may feel like you are the least in the kingdom of heaven but you are in the pathway of greatness.

Kingdom Greatness

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." ~ Romans 12:3-5

Consider this: When Jesus wanted to teach His disciples the proper way of entering the Kingdom of God, He placed a child in their midst as an object lesson. Before His arrest we read that Jesus stripped down, washed the disciples feet, and taught them about humility. Jesus also made it very clear that everyone was important in the Kingdom, no matter how insignificant a person may seem.

What do we gather from the lifestyle, teaching, and lessons from our Lord? The pathway to greatness in the Kingdom of God is through learning how to be the least among His people.

Humility is not about denying who you are in Christ. It's about seeing the worth of others, recognizing their significance, and having a willingness to serve rather than be served. It also does not mean that we do not give others the opportunity to serve us. I have met people through the years that think true humility is never allowing anyone to do something nice for you. I have witnessed them turning down checks, gifts, etc. simply because they didn't think it was right to receive them. However, what about the person that was offering? Do we ever consider that God may direct someone else to bless us? We have to give them the right to humble themselves as well.

The quality of fellowship that comes from this understanding is beautiful:
Mutual Respect
Mutual Affirmation
Mutual Encouragement
Mutual Affection
Everything is mutual. We recognize the greatness of God in others while they recognize it in us. We learn how to respond to one another as children of God. We weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice, and bear one another's burdens. We care about the families. We share with one another. This is the community of believers that God has designed. This is the fellowship of the redeemed.

Within this fellowship we have people who have been saved from every walk of life. We do not view them through their past but through the shed blood of Christ. We recognize their worth through the eyes of God and we treat them accordingly. Within this community, love is ever present, forgiveness is given immediately, and mercy is abundant.

Some of you may be wondering what fantasy land I'm living in. If this has not been your experience with the Body of Christ then I can understand. But it's not a fantasy land. This is biblical Christianity. It's the place where a former persecutor of the believers can become an apostle. It's where former harlots can be restored to a place of dignity. It's the place where families can be saved, destinies shaped, and ambassadors for the Kingdom equipped.

Over the last few days I have been thinking about this type of culture within the church. I realize that it doesn't exist everywhere. In fact, it's hard to find. Regardless, I do believe that we can create this type of culture. I believe that God can love others through us. I believe that we can dwell together in the unity of the Spirit and I will not be discouraged. This is the community that God longs for and we desire. It's the type of community that the world is looking for as well.

Doesn't it sound great? It sound great because it is great. This is the greatness of the Kingdom. How do we get there? If anyone desires to be great in the Kingdom of God then they must be willing to be the servant of all.

Got Humility?

Understanding the "Much More" of God

Luke 11:13, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

1 Corinthians 12:1, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant."

Why has ignorance about the gift of the Holy Spirit ruled the church? Jesus spent considerable time sharing with His disciples about the Spirit's coming and purpose. He even went so far as to say that God was more than willing to give the Gift to those who would ask. However, here we are in 2011 and our churches are filled with great confusion, debate, and misunderstanding about the ministry and gifts of the Spirit of God.

If you have been reading this blog for any amount of time, you have seen my posts concerning the church and the Holy Spirit. You know that I desire to see the church rediscover the power, anointing, and effectiveness of the Spirit of God. The church of the "Last Days" cannot afford another day or another minute operating in His absence. We must make it our goal and strategy to seek out His ministry among us.

All you have to do is look at the statistics. According to most researchers the divorce rate is higher in the church than in the world. Most of us have seen or heard of the accounts of infidelity, money laundering, and moral collapse among church leaders. Church splits regularly occur among "God's people." And when you consider that many of the young women who enter abortion clinics to "get rid" of a "mistake" claim to be evangelical Christians - SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE!!!

The change we need will only come through the Spirit of God. We have labored for years to build the house that Jesus said He would build. We have struggled to even match the conversions that we read about in the book of Acts. The problem that we currently see in the church is directly related to the fact that we have moved God out of the equation. If you need proof, then come and read my email inbox and see all the offers I get for conventions/workshops that have absolutely nothing to do with seeking God for a fresh outpouring of His power. They will teach me strategy, programs, and planning methods. But I have yet to see a workshop/seminar that asks the Lord to teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray. We have sought immediacy rather than intimacy and it is killing us!!!

With all that being said, there is good news on the church front. There is a remnant of believers that are seeking to walk in all that God has made available. Many of the people within this remnant are from the younger generations. They have grown tired of "church as usual" and seek to encounter the God of the Bible. They are looking for an experience rather than settling for stories. They hunger for a fresh awakening over the stale bread of the past. They want more, they seek more, and they will receive more. Why? They will seek more because Jesus promised "MUCH MORE!"

The "much more" of God isn't about me having more than you. The "much more" of God is about God having more of me. It's about being awakened to the fact that the Spirit of God dwells in me. The Giver of the gifts is within. I'm not looking for an outside force to come in - I'm asking what is on the inside to be manifest. Religion seeks to change us from the outside in while God's desire is to affect us from the inside out. The Body of Christ needs to capture God's heart for prayer, relationship, and sensitivity to His work among us.

We don't have to be ignorant about spiritual gifts and we do not have to be lacking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Everything we need (I said EVERYTHING we need) for life and godliness we already possess through His divine power. We live under an open heaven. Our churches have no business operating in lack. God has committed to showing His hand when we seek His face. The best "growth strategy" in the world today is to fall on our faces before God and wait for Him to move. We just need to be ready to move with Him!!!

Pulaski, Relief Efforts, and Jesus

Saturday morning the people of Pulaski and Pulaski County woke up to the damage left by two tornado's that ripped through the area. We told you that over 70 homes were destroyed but thankfully no lives were lost. On Sunday, the official relief efforts began to help these families in the recovery process.

Over the last couple of days, PBC had 13 volunteers who aided in the recovery efforts. Yesterday our team was also aided by our one of our SBCV Missionaries (Gary Horton) and a pastor from Pennington Gap. Our focus was to cover roofs that had been left exposed and cover windows that had been busted. The hope in the initial efforts is to keep the homes from taking in more water and sustain the recovery. We saw teams from all over and from all denominations come into Pulaski carrying tools, chainsaws, and a heart to help these families get back on their feet.

In times like these that you realize any and all help is necessary. If climbing a ladder and being on a roof doesn't work for you then you can pick up debris (and trust me: there is plenty of it). I can't tell you how many times I heard "That doesn't belong to me" when referring to things found in the yard. Old tin roofs were peeled off houses like a banana and were resting in the yards of neighbors. Toys, shingles, limbs and trees. Some of the teams on the ground carried rakes and shovels. The Red Cross was going around town handing out water and pizza. Appalachian Power trucks and workers lined the streets working vigorously to restore power.

We were asked several times why we were there. "Does the state pay you to do this?" "Exactly why are you doing this?" I assure you that anyone there that was wearing a yellow DR shirt was there because they wanted to demonstrate the love of God. We want to do more than just fix a roof, cover a window, and pick up debris. In our efforts, we also offer prayer to the victims and the love of Jesus to all who will listen.

As I looked around the area where we were working, I was reminded of a quote concerning relief efforts following Katrina. Some people assumed that God has sent the hurricane. Insurance companies categorize natural disasters as an "act of God." I don't believe that a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, etc. is an act of God. I believe the act of God is seen in the recovery effort. The act of God manifests itself through people who come to extend love and a helping hand. One man told our team that "The good Lord will bless you all for this." I told him that God already has.

We continue to pray for all the families that were affected by the devastation. I look forward to seeing these homes and lives returned to normalcy. And I pray that every home and family is touched by God's amazing love.

Praying for Pulaski County & Others

Last night a rare phenomenon occurred in Southwest Virginia. A tornado touched down in Pulaski County. The estimates range somewhere around 70 homes that were severely damaged/destroyed. Very few injuries have been reported.

Within the next few days we should see Disaster Relief response to the Pulaski/Draper area. Many of the families that were affected by the storm stayed at Pulaski Elementary School that was transitioned into an Emergency Shelter. According to Appalachian Power there were more than 4,600 customers without power.

We are asking for PBC Voice readers to pray for these families and workers over the next few days. Our church family was directly affected by last night's destruction. I hope to join the teams that will be on the ground this week. I pray that the recovery effort for these families & businesses will move quickly.

We give praise to God that there was no loss of life reported. He truly is a shelter in times of storm!!!

Truth vs Experience

Two years ago, I read Ron Phillips book "Awakened by the Spirit" which shares his personal journey from being an anti-charismatic fundamentalist to passionately believing that evangelicals and charismatics can rediscover their common heritage and experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in personal life and ministry. The book also chronicles great moves of the Holy Spirit in many of the groups that dot the landscape of the Baptist denomination. The following is an excerpt from his writing:

"The evangelical world today divides doctrine into two camps, calling its own doctrine 'truth based' and calling charismatic doctrine 'experience based.' There are several problems with this division.

"First, there can be no valid Christian doctrine without experience. Scripture was not dictated to a scholar sitting in an office. Scripture was the inerrant, Holy Spirit-inspired witness of me to the mighty acts of God! Some Scripture actually came through the ministry of angels. Other passages were given to me while they were in an ecstatic state...even the apostle Paul's life was changed not by having an encounter with scholarship, but by being knocked down by the Holy Spirit. We must remember that Jesus spoke of a balance in life, a need to operate in Spirit and in truth.

"Second, the Scriptures themselves validate personal encounters with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Without a doubt the Bible speaks of and encourages personal encounters with God. For many, the Bible has become an icon or an idol. In their error, the Book becomes larger than its Author. The pathway to Christ becomes a destination of its own. Deep Bible study replaces the vital experience of knowing Christ...

"Third, evangelical tradition and theories are often lifted higher than Scripture. One such tradition is cessationism, which teaches that all of the miracles and supernatural gift ceased sometime during the early church age..."

Phillips goes on to say that "Historical tradition has robbed today's church of supernatural power" and that "Our miracle-working God does not fit in a man-made theory." I agree!!!

Some have even considered that the miracles found in the New Testament were there as proof of the Apostles calling. However, it is my belief that the miracles were a revelation of God and His character. Last night in our prayer meeting, we heard a report from our missionaries in Asia about the mighty acts of God among the people. Blind eyes were healed, legs and arms that were damaged - God restored, and men/women were saved as a result. Our God is still capable to doing the impossible.

While many people view the current debate as "Truth vs Experience" - I don't. Truth and experience go hand in hand. Jesus taught us that we would know the truth and that the truth would set us free. Any encounter with truth should result in an experience of it in our lives. My prayer for the church of today is to reclaim what has been lost through tradition and doctrine. The Holy Spirit is alive and well; and He is ready to take over at any moment we will give Him control. Let Him have His way!!!

True Humility

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself and became obedient tot he point of death, even the death of the cross." {Philippians 2:5-8}

I came across this quote while reading "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty" by Kris Vallotton & Bill Johnson:
"Religion rubs our noses in the past to keep us humble. Reviewing the sinfulness of our past in order to become humble is a perversion. It actually creates shame; and shame is a poor counterfeit of humility. Shame is the fruit of humiliation that works against the truth. To maintain consciousness of our sinful past to help us become more humble is the cruelty of a religious spirit; it requires us to keep something in mind that isn't in God's. In reality, it is much more humbling to live in the liberty of unearned forgiveness. When we are forgiven, the King gives us permission to live as though we had never sinned." ~ Bill Johnson

Listen again to Paul's words to the church in Philippi: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." Can any of us really fathom the humility of Jesus? I want you to consider what God's Word teaches us about His coming. For the purpose of redemption Jesus humbled Himself. Paul refers to it as the emptying of Himself. Jesus left His divinity to be made in the likeness of man. He literally became one of us! The God who never sleeps or slumbers took on a frame that gets tired. Although He was limitless and could operate outside of time - He took on a body that brought limits and had a deadline. One who was All-Powerful became one who had to rely upon the power of God at work in and around Him. Jesus was able to be tempted, able to experience pain and suffering, able to grow in grace and knowledge. And He did this with full understanding of what He would leave behind.

True humility does not forget who we are - it's the ability to remove ourselves from the equation. Some have considered that humility is all about debasing ourselves. I would disagree. True humility allows others to be exalted. True humility operates in full knowledge of who we are yet we esteem others better than ourselves. That is what Jesus did. Although He was the Creator, he took on the form of the created. Although He was Master and Lord, He chose to wash the disciples feet. And although He was sinless, He became sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Christ!

The Bill Johnson quote that I placed above is part of an entire section discussing the path to humility. Anything that causes us to focus on our past apart from the blood of Christ actually brings about bondage. We will always struggle in the freedom that God gives as long as we consider who we used to be. Folks, failures we have repented of are no longer the standard that we must bow to. God's Word tells us that we are a "New Creation" and in that newness "old things have passed away." True humility always takes into account the grace of God. The blood of Christ is the reason for my boasting. I realize that I could not be where I am today if it wasn't for the atonement. Jesus has set me free - made me new - and counted me worthy. When I live as a forgiven child of God, I bring glory and honor to the one who redeemed me.

The reason Jesus could endure such suffering as a man, overcome every temptation, and give His life as a ransom is simple: He knew who He was, why He came, and the power at work in Him. You and I will be able to endure anything this life throws at us, overcome every temptation, and give our lives for the glory of God when we being to operate in this same mindset. The suffering of this world isn't even worthy to be considered when you know your inheritance. When you understand that you are better than the temptation the enemy throws at you and realize that through God's grace you can have dominion over sin - you will never give in. And as a child of God you will never struggle emptying yourself for the glory of God but will join Jesus in saying "Not my will but Yours be done."

I want to encourage you. Some of you may think it is arrogant to talk about who you are in Christ. Maybe there is something that tugs against this type of thinking. That is the spirit of religion trying to keep you bound to your past. If you know Jesus then God has released you from your past. You are not bound to it anymore. Learn to confess who you are in Christ and you will feel those chains being broke off of your life. I truly believe that one of the greatest expressions of praise is confessing who you are in Jesus. It brings glory and honor to the God of redemption. Why not start today?

Where is Your Faith?

"Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' But He said to them, 'Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?' Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'" {Matthew 8:23-27}

The story of Jesus rebuking the waves & the wind is well known among most believers. Most people take great comfort in knowing that the Lord is able to calm the storms of life. I have heard many references to this particular passage: Jesus in the boat, Jesus calming the storms, and etc. While those types of references teach us some wonderful truths about God's ability to bring peace to our lives; I believe there is a greater lesson to be learned. What you and I need to recognize is that the issue is not the storm. The issue is our faith!

The issue of faith is the very thing that Jesus addressed when the disciples woke Him from His sleep. Their lack of faith in the situation brought great fear upon them. They did what most of us do in the midst of storms - they went to Jesus to make sure that He was aware of the situation.

It is stories like this one that cause some theological debates within us. It's one thing to say that everything Jesus did while on the earth He did as Spirit-filled man and quite another thing to actually believe it. The same power that Jesus operated in is the same power that God has made available to us. The ability to speak peace in the midst of a storm comes from our ability to release what God has placed inside of us. Jesus could bring peace to the waves because God's peace resided in Him.

The challenging part of looking into the life of Jesus is that He never had to work up anything. He never waited for His emotions to match His faith. He simply spoke. What we do know about how Jesus operated is that He spent an incredible amount of time with the Father in prayer. He always knew when God was speaking, how God was leading, and what God was doing in the earth. I truly believe that when you and I learn to commune with God the way Jesus did that we can have this same sensitivity to the Spirit of God. I believe that we can release the peace that God has placed within us to calm the storms around us. I believe that all that Jesus operated in is available to us. This is the power of the Holy Spirit within us!!! However, it doesn't come cheap.

Here's what I know:
I can release what God has placed within me!
I can change the atmosphere of every situation that I encounter!
I can enter into a greater authority than what I currently display!
How? By communing with God, listening to His voice, seeing where He is at work, and obeying Him in every situation.

Are you ready to calm some storms? "Where is your faith?"

Identity Crisis

There is a major identity crisis happening right now. No...I'm not referring to identity theft (although we could make the application). The identity crisis that I am talking about is happening in the church. We simply do not know who we are.

When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus he said, "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power..." (Ephesians 1:15-19)

The reason for Paul's stated prayer is simple: When we do not know who we are and what we have, we will continue to operate as who we were. I may catch some heat for saying this but eventually we need to move from the mindset of "sinners saved by grace." That's right!!! The Bible says that we are "joint-heirs with Christ", "we have been seated with Christ in heavenly places", and "as He is, so are we in this world." Does this sound like anything you have heard before? Or are you still wallowing in who you used to be?

Because we have struggled to realize the fullness of our inheritance, the church has struggled in her identity as well. The church is the Bride of Christ. We are not a business, a social club, nor a charitable organization. We are the gathered together saints of God to shine the light of God's glory in the earth. Since the church does not understand her place in the world, we have sought to build her up like any other organization. Only when we recognize who we are collectively will we begin to walk in our God ordained authority in this earth. Until then...we will simply pray about the storms of life rather than release the peace what we possess in Christ.

My encouragement to you is to get into God's Word. "Dig In" and "Mine Out" the incredible treasures that can be found within.
You are forgiven!
You are the righteousness of God in Christ!
You are holy!
You are blameless!
And You have authority in this world!
You are so much more than just a sinner saved by grace. You are a child of God! Start living like it!!!

If you will join me on this journey, God will continually reveal who you are in Him. Go ahead and walk in the abundant life that Jesus promised. You will never be the same!!!