Oh, it's my turn?

There's been a number of times we've been on outreach in a neighborhood and learned there had been a suicide or an attempted suicide a few days before.

In one case a young man 27 years old took his life the day before we got there, tragically we were too late.

I guess you could argue our decision to go Saturday night instead of Friday night was just coincidental and that we shouldn't have felt responsible or that maybe we'd missed God, but then again if we had knocked on his door the night before, maybe God would have used us to get him set free.


Another time we arrived a few days after a 17 year old girl had attempted suicide, heartbreaking, I know we could have helped her if we had been there a little sooner.

Lately I've been more convinced than ever, our lives and decisions, aren't as insignificant as we might think.

God's not just given us the authority and power to bring the good news, he's given us the responsibility and the opportunity.

The recent horrific mass murders have many searching for answers. There is much debate regarding how to produce change in our society. Sadly the only input I hear from most Christians is criticism towards our politicians and legislators.

Although I understand the debate and the frustration with the lack of sound response from our government, I am more disturbed by the lack of response from the church.

Have you ever been playing a game, maybe chess or checkers and you and your opponent are quietly staring at the board for a while and suddenly your opponent goes "oh it's my turn?"

I feel like this is what needs to happen with many Christians today, myself included.

We need a wake up call, we need to say "oh, it's my turn?".

Jesus said  "as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
In other words, He was the answer for the injustice during His time on the earth.

He wasn't just disturbed by the injustice, He had a passion for bringing Justice to the world around Him. What would happen if Christians all over began to wake up and not just be disturbed by what's going on in our world today, but we began to take action.

What if we began to feel the responsibility of bringing the good news of the kingdom to our world.( I'm getting stirred up just writing about it.)


Jesus told his disciples "you are the light of the world" in other words you have the answer, you have the responsibility to bring justice to the world around you, just as I showed you.


It's hard for us to believe lives are at stake, but they truly are. It's so easy for us to continue living as if it's somehow someone else's responsibility.

I can't help but think of the recent tragedies and wonder, were there any Christians in the shooters lives that could have gotten them set free? Maybe they passed through my city and walked by me.

What if someone would have showed up on their doorstep with the gospel of the kingdom days before the shootings, how would things have been different? When you look at it that way, our steps don't seem so small do they....

Have we lost our voice?

Recently I was listening to a radio program with two counselors giving "help" to people calling in. During the program I kept thinking "wow their giving really bad counsel to these people".

One of the callers was trapped in a homosexual lifestyle and was asking for help in finding a fulfilling romantic relationship.

The caller was very frustrated and was desperately seeking help. The counselors advice was to just keep looking, he suggested the callers frustration and lack of fulfillment was largely because society hasn't fully accepted this lifestyle.

It was very sad to hear the caller genuinely asking for help and getting such bad, totally wrong, counsel. It was like a lost driver getting directions and being sent in the opposite direction of where he needs to go.

I was reminded of Proverbs 18:17 The first one to plead his cause seems right. Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

Much of the help available today is very far from the truth, even in our religious culture much of the help offered does more harm than good because it's simply not true.

It may be true in a sense, according to this world, but not according to Christ and His kingdom.

We have a mandate as the Church to speak the truth in love. When we're silent, "the first one to plead his cause seems right."


In other words when the counsel or politically correct "truth" of today is left unchallenged. It is more easily embraced as "right". There is conveniently nothing to compare it to.

We are the neighbor this scripture speaks of.
It's our responsibility to examine. If we don't who will? It's our responsibility to speak the Truth.

The Hebrew word used here for examine means of examining thoroughly, so as to expose weakness in a case

We need to test the ever changing popular truth of today by the everlasting truth of the Bible. It's time to not just silently agree with God but boldly speak the word of God.
Our voice isn't insignificant, in fact Jesus said "he who hears you hears me" That's a pretty high calling.

It's time to get our voice back, it's time to pray that prayer "Lord grant to your servants that with all boldness we may speak your word".

Are you still sleeping?

The other day I had a very sobering experience. I was sitting in traffic at a red light, when all of a sudden, I started to feel really good. I had such peace come over me, and the warmth and freedom I started to feel was exhilarating.

I hadn't felt something like this in a long time and something inside me was saying "yes, this feels so so good". All the stress and responsibility of the day seemed to just disappear I was finally free.

The only problem was during this seemingly "religious" experience, my foot had actually come off the brake pedal and now 80,000 lbs. of truck was rolling towards the car in front of me.

I had fallen asleep. Thankfully God woke me up just before I hit the car in front of me and I was able to regain control and stop before hitting the car.

My job requires me at times to go without sleep and work extended hours or work through the night. This was one of those times.

God clearly spoke to me right then about the account in scripture, where Jesus asked his disciples "are you still sleeping?" This was one of the most critical times in history as Jesus was about to go to the cross.

Well here we are once again at a vital time in history and the temptation to sleep is overwhelming many.

Sleep in one sense is when the flesh finally gets it's way, unrestrained by responsibility the body can fully focus on self.

I believe selfishness is one of the great last day assaults that's currently taking many out of the will of God.

Even in some people close to me
I have seen an unbridled brazen selfishness rear it's
head and it's very disturbing.

The problem with the last day temptations is that they will just feel too good.

Much like the experience I had falling asleep, this same experience is happening to many in their spiritual life and I fear this strategy will continue to take out many.

God help us to stay awake, love of self is so dangerous because it feels so good. Normal Christianity is dieing to our self, this opens the door to real joy, peace, and satisfaction.

Are you still sleeping?

Trampling on serpents

The other night I had a dream I stirred up a nest of venomous snakes, one came after me and I was able to grip the back of it's head without it getting it's fangs in me.

I remember thinking in the dream, I need to get a better grip on this thing, but I also knew if I tried, it would probably bite me. It took everything I had to keep my grip and as long as I didn't let up, I was fine.

Well the next day, my wife, not knowing of the dream I had, shared Luke 10 :19 with me
"Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Trampling on serpents creates a path to walk on, our enemies are suppose to be under our feet just like the Lords' are under His.

As we make this our lifestyle our authority will increase because this is who we are in Jesus. It's not arrogance or presumption it's called walking in truth.

Do not try to get a better grip. Do not go down the path of searching for another way, do not try to improve on the Lords strategy. Just learn to enjoy your supernatural life of victory.

"Nothing shall by any means hurt you" because our protection is found in dieing to self, and exercising (putting into use) our authority as a lifestyle.

God prepares a table in the presence of our enemies, I'll admit it's an acquired taste, but once you've eaten a few serpents religious food just doesn't taste the same.

Jesus just couldn't leave it alone

One of the things I love about the Lord is his willingness to unapologetically do His fathers will and speak the truth in love. I believe he wasn't purposely trying to be contrary or different for the sake of His own ego, but He was truly just being Himself in fulfilling His call.

He was a man, He had a masculine spirit. I believe this is one of the great assaults on our generation. Most Christian men today are in such confusion because they have bought the lie that a religious non confrontational passive feminine spirit is the Holy Spirit.

I remember growing up in religion and being nauseated by the religious passive culture surrounding me. Although this is no excuse, many today stay away from the church because this is still the norm in most places.

We are in a spiritual war, a passive feminine spirit will get you killed on the battle field. Many Christian leaders today have exchanged God's truth for a religious culture that in many ways is contrary to the life and teaching of Jesus.

Even in the prophetic main stream most of it is dominated by the passive non confrontational religious spirit that ran the religious system in Jesus day. Basically all talk and no action, many today define a religious spirit as a self righteous driven type of spirit that relies on works for salvation.

Although that is true to some extent that type usually finds expression through cults and false religion.

The kind Jesus hammered away at is what dominates many churches today. He said the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy, not so much self righteousness. He said "do as they say but don't do as they do" (Mathew 23:3) He's called us to walk in maturity, walk out what we say we believe.

An over emphasis on worrying about "striving" is really just exposing how immature we are. Salvation is by grace, once you understand that, it's no longer about you or "your" salvation That's settled, now it's time to turn and think about helping someone else.

Continued emphasis on an anti striving campaign will eventually turn you against God in defending your selfishness and immaturity.


This is why our religious culture today is in such danger, because eventually it will turn completely away from the doctrines of Christ. It will actually be anti Christ and not even know it.

God help us!

Guilty or innocent

I've been concerned about the attitude of many Christians regarding the tragedy in Haiti. I've heard some declaring "this is judgement from God."

Others have quickly rushed to God's defense declaring "those were innocent people, God wouldn't hurt innocent people".

I don't know if it was judgement or not, that's not the issue I'd like to address. I believe God is exposing a dangerous mindset of many today.

Jesus exposed this same thinking in Luke 13 :1-5 "do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

We're all deserving of Gods judgement, it is a worldly mindset that thinks otherwise.

If we repent, if we believe on Jesus, we are free from judgement. We are free from damnation only because of the mercy and sacrifice of Jesus.

Unrepentant people are guilty before God and deserve damnation. If this offends us, it may be exposing a dangerous flaw in our thinking.

I know this messes with our human logic and emotion but if were not careful, we may end up shaking our fist at God someday along with the rest of the world, when His judgement and wrath are poured out in full strength.

This understanding is what should motivate us to truly love the lost. This revelation will bring us out of the sphere of religious talk where many live and teach, and into the harvest fields where Jesus said to go.

The coming wrath is certain, this is what were saved from. I know this is not popular teaching today, it sounds so religious and old fashioned.

Most of the doctrines of Jesus are coming under great assault as they always have. Jesus said in Luke 9:26 "whoever is ashamed of Me and of My teachings, of him will the son of Man be ashamed."

The current wave of deception and distraction is sadly taking many.

Let us with great humility, stay encouraged and focused on our King and the great harvest before us.

Persecutions are coming

This is one of the promises in the Bible that we rarely put on our refrigerators if ever. Well, we might as well go ahead and put it up there because it's coming and it's here. What is Jesus instruction in dealing with the coming and current persecution.

In Mathew 5 we're told to pray for those who persecute us and also to love are enemies. In Mathew 10 Jesus gives some practical wisdom concerning persecution.

The persecution we deal with is not yet physical, but mainly the attacks that come from the "man made religious system" of our day or the "politically correct" spirit that is gaining momentum on a worldwide scale.

Whatever name you want to give it is beside the point. The reality is, it's an anti-Christ spirit, it's aggressive and it is after you, your family, your aggressive faith and what you believe. If you are a true follower of the King it is pursuing you to injure you and cause you harm.

That's the bad news.

The good news is God's strategy for your life is not for you to put your tail between your legs and hide in the corner. The exhortation Jesus gives us is to BOLDLY PREACH FROM THE HOUSETOPS the message from the king.(Math.10:27)

We need to do it in our families, neighborhoods, cities and even in our churches. The assault on truth has gone unchallenged for to long. The time for apologizing for being a follower of Jesus is over.


There are only two kingdoms, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The time of the gospel is a very short season, let's spend it wisely. Harvest time in the light of eternity is a very short time which cannot be gotten back once it's gone.

Let's with cheerful courage boldly proclaim Jesus is king! Enjoy the fight, never quit, never give up, we can take the land!