I remain simply astounded at the response to my posts on nationalism,
patriotism, and idolatry. I am convinced the Spirit is actively doing a
work of grace in many, many hearts. Just so everyone knows where
I am in my journey I want to share. But do not think that your
perspective has to mirror mine, or that you will be bullied if you are in
a different place. But it would be edifying for brothers and sisters to
sharpen each other´s iron.

I was brought up in a middle class home that went to a Lutheran
church. I was baptized as an infant and I went for three years to
catechism after which I was confirmed as a member. But I was still
lost. But I was raised in a common patriotic family who watched the
4th of July parade and voted Republican. We always displayed a flag
on the fourth.

But in 1975 I was born again. My life was changed and I was
delivered from drugs and immorality and violence. But one thing that
did not change was my patriotic perspective. I never questioned it
and since all the new believers I met were also patriotic Americans
it just seemed like a non-issue. And even after I became a pastor
I held patriotic services on the fourth of July weekend. I can remember
pledging allegiance to the flag on that Sunday as well as singing a
couple patriotic songs. We were good American Christians.

During those years I can remember listening to radio and television
people who held "conservative" political perspectives. Some would
castigate the "liberals" and mock and berate them. And since being
a politically active conservative seemed to be the evangelical way,
I never questioned the Biblical nature of such verbiage.

When Iraq invaded Kuwait I can remember the patriotic pitch rising
dramatically, and even in evangelical churches there was a frothing of
the mouth concerning the coming war. The emotions ran high, and if
someone even questioned all it they were considered liberal or at least
some 60´s hippie throwback. And I can remember listening to the radio
and television updates about how the coalition (America) was winning
the war. Even the phrase "shock and awe" was a rallying cry!

It was around that time that men like Rush Limbaugh began what we
now call talk radio and now talk television. And since we were all
patriotic Americans who revered the Constitution and the founding
fathers, we didn´t notice the caustic and self righteous rhetoric.
Mocking liberals and demeaning jokes about President Clinton were
commonplace and accepted even among preachers. The snowball
got bigger and bigger and the evangelical church became very smug
and self assured.

But in the late 1990´s something began to eat at my insides. I could
not put my foot on it but something just seemed wrong with all the
saber rattling and incendiary language. I would speak with my best
friend about it and he too was feeling uncomfortable. One day he
asked me for Scriptural support for a violent overthrow of the American
government if we disagreed with its tax policy. I thought he had lost
it! I told him there was absolutely no Scriptural grounds for violence
over money, none. Then he asked me why then would God support
the Revolutionary War? And where was Scriptural support for that
war? I was stunned. I had never even considered the Scriptural validity
of the Revolutionary War. In the crowd I ran with that would have been
considered treasonous just to ask such a question. In some circles it still is.

I did a study of the New Testament just to allow the Spirit to guide me
without any preconceived attitudes. It soon became obvious, I had been
sold a bill of goodsOur allegiance is to Christ and Christ alone. To pledge allegiance to
any earthly government is a form of spiritual treason. It does not mean
you are not saved or that you do not love the Lord Jesus, but it does
mean you are blind to that form of open idolatry. If we are to be honest,
it is indefensible. But I was blind and I had to repent. And I would suffer
criticism and even verbal persecution from some who were my friends.
It was surprising how personally believers take even a discussion in
this realm.

And then there was the battle of self righteousness and any air of
superiority. Whenever the Spirit guides me into a truth that substantially
changes the way I think and behave, the devil and my flesh immediately
urge me to feel superior to others with whom I had agree not too long
ago. Isn´t the flesh such a diabolical and clever enemy? I still need to
guard against that kind of feeling.

And in November of 2000 I cast my last vote for George Bush. And
during the last 12 years I have examined many things concerning
politics and the New Testament. While we are called to obey the
authorities, we are never called to join with them. Politics is an
unholy alliance of the saved and the unsaved. And when we resort
to the ballot box, we dilute the gospel. The world sees us involved
in changing the outside of the cup and subsequently they are not
confronted with the eternal aspect of the gospel message. They see
us as a moral religion not a faith of redemption.

So now I ask for your thoughts... - Rick Frueh.

 
Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

-According to both tradition and church history...

_1_ Matthew

Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia , killed by a sword wound.

_2_ Mark

Died in Alexandria , Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the
streets until he was dead.

_3_ Luke

Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

_4_ John

Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during
a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was
miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines
on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic
Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and
returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an
old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

_5_ Peter

He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church
tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he
felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

_6_ James the Just

The leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet
down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple
when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that
he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.
This
was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.*

_7_ James the Great

Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a
lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader
of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem . The Roman
officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at
his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of
execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the
judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

_8_ Bartholomew

Also known as Nathaniel, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our
Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching
in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

_9_ Andrew

Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras , Greece. After being
whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to
the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that,
when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these
words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has
been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to
preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

_10_ Thomas

Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to
establish the church in the sub-continent.

_11_ Jude

Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

_12_ Matthias

The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned
and then beheaded.

_13_ Paul

Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D.
67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which
allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed
throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many
of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of
the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed
minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the
apostles/disciples during their times for the sake of the Faith. "And ye
shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:"

"But he that endureth to the end shall be saved." - Matthew 10:22.

-Please comment on this topic at the website below-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

"Do you want the real power of the Holy Spirit? Then don’t pretend
by pushing people to the floor when you pray."

I love it when the Holy Spirit shows up in church gatherings.
Whenever sinners are converted, backsliders repent, bodies are
healed or self-centered believers are broken by God, we see
evidence of the Spirit’s work. But I don’t appreciate it when people
fabricate spiritual manifestations to prove God is using them.

A few years ago a popular charismatic preacher spoke at a
meeting I attended at a church in Orlando, Fla. After his message
he asked all ordained ministers to run to the platform so he could
lay hands on them. Immediately this man’s team of beefy
bodyguards began grabbing people, dragging them onto the stage
and holding them in place until the evangelist could pray for everyone.

“We seem to have become masters of mixing the anointing with
other ingredients. The charismatic movement has become an
embarrassing mixture of flesh and spirit.”

I felt queasy about this spectacle. It resembled a charismatic
version of World Wrestling Entertainment: lots of smacking noises,
falling bodies and cheers from the excited crowd. We Christians
seem to love a good show, even if it is staged!

I cringed as I watched the bizarre theatrics. But before I could
move to the side of the auditorium, one of the evangelist’s
220-pound goons strong-armed me onto the platform. When I
looked up, the wild-eyed preacher was heading toward me with his
arms flailing. I tried to duck, but when he got close enough he
shouted “in the name of Jesus” and slapped me across the face. I
tumbled to the floor.

My face and neck were stinging with pain. I had not been slain in
the spirit, as some observers assumed. I had been assaulted. This
man used his own strength to make people think he had imparted
a special anointing to me. All he did was give me a headache.

Because of this embarrassing smackdown, I decided I would never
push people during prayer, not even gently, or do anything to
manipulate the Holy Spirit’s power. I want the real thing. I don’t
want to grieve the Holy Spirit by pretending.

Why do some Christians insist on pushing people during prayer?
Some do it out of ignorance or because they have seen famous
evangelists doing it. Others push to force spiritual results. They
think if enough bodies end up on the floor, people will assume God
showed up.

I know there are times when people can be so overcome by the
Holy Spirit’s presence that they become weak in the knees. King
David trembled in God’s presence, and the priests in Solomon’s
day could not stand in the temple because of the heaviness of
God’s glory (see 1 Kings 8:10-11). But there is absolutely no
biblical precedent for forcing people to fall.

In Exodus 30:22-29, God gave Moses the recipe for the holy
anointing oil that was to be used in the tabernacle. Each ingredient—
cinnamon, myrrh, fragrant cane and cassia—had to be crushed
first and then blended in olive oil. All five components represent
Jesus, who was crushed for us. Moses was warned that the oil
was never to be misused, nor were any ingredients to be left out
or substituted.

God commands us never to cheapen the oil of the anointing, mix
foreign substances into it, dilute it or create our own version of it.
The Holy Spirit is holy! People in the Bible who tampered with the
holy recipe (such as Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered
strange fire on God’s altar in Lev. 10:1-2) suffered serious consequences.

Today I fear we have blended the anointing with other ingredients.
The charismatic movement has become an embarrassing mixture.
Some preachers dangle God’s promises over people’s heads and
offer elusive promises of prosperity "if people will call this number
now and give a donation." Others fake certain body movements to
make people think they are super-charged by God. Others mix
exotic anointing oils (on sale now for only $12.99!) or they create
anointed candles, suggesting that certain scents can trigger the
Spirit’s power. This borders on witchcraft.

Please search your heart. Do you push people to the floor when
you pray for them, rather than trusting the Lord to do His work?
Are you trusting in Him, or in the arm of the flesh?

Have you lied to the Holy Ghost by faking the anointing? Have you
mixed your own version of the anointing oil, adding exotic
substances that are not of Christ? Have you become addicted to
sensational experiences, always craving a sign yet never satisfied
with Jesus alone?

How sad that a movement that began in the Spirit has wandered
so far from the holiness of God. He sees through our charade.
Let’s repent of our childishness, throw out the fake oils, stop
making false claims, and quit abusing and manipulating people to
make ourselves look spiritual.

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

Nobody had ever seen as many supernatural works as Israel. God
provided miracle after miracle for them—and yet each work left the
people as faithless and unbelieving as before! You would think that
the ten plagues on Egypt would have produced faith in the Israelites.
When Egypt was afflicted with flies, none were found in Israel's
camp. When Egypt fell under total darkness, there was no darkness
in Israel. Yet none of these plagues produced faith of any kind!

Even after God opened the Red Sea, Israel's faith lasted only three
days. Scripture says: “They did not remember the multitude of
Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea" (Psalm 106:7).

The psalmist is saying here: "They even doubted God at the Red
Sea—the place where He performed His greatest miracle!"

We are so like Israel. We want God to speak a word, grant us a
miraculous deliverance, quickly meet our needs, remove all our
pain and suffering. In fact, you may be saying right now, "If God
would just get me out of this mess—if He'd give me this one
miracle—I would never doubt Him again!" Yet, what about all the
miracles He has performed for you? They haven't produced in you
any faith to help you in your present trouble!

Two precious men of God from the Zulu tribe in Africa visited Times
Square Church. An incredible revival was taking place among the
eight million Zulus, and God was doing miraculous things among them.

Yet that is not what these men wanted to talk about. Rather, what
impressed them most about the revival were the "overcomer Zulus"—
those who stood for Christ, burning witchcraft books and witnessing
boldly, even though they were being tested and tried severely.
These people were once evil, with murderous spirits, and they were
being transformed into the image of Jesus!

I believe the greatest sign or wonder to the world in these last days
is not a person who has been raised from the dead. No, what truly
makes an impact on the mind and spirit of the ungodly is the
Christian who endures all trials, storms, pain and suffering with a
confident faith. Such a believer emerges from his troubles stronger
in character, stronger in faith, stronger in Christ.

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

I was in Israel on Yom Kippur, preparing to enter the Holy Days of the Biblical calendar, when I felt the Lord impressing this word on my heart... I pray it is an encouragement to you.
A Remnant is Rising in the Land.

Unseen, unrecognized, they know Whose they are and have died to this present world's ambitions. They want nothing of a consumer Christianity, where God exists for their earthly pleasure. They have caught a whiff of Heaven's fragrant food, and just the smell has satisfied them more than the sweetest delicacies of this passing age, and motivates them to remember that they are just passing through.

A Remnant is Rising in the Land.

They will not be bought or sold with position or money. They are remembering why they "got into this" in the first place – for the Lamb. For Jesus Christ's honor, for the sake of His worthy name. Their backbones are being steeled in the furnace of affliction, and purified of contemporary dross. They are old-school, hard-core Jesus freaks, and they are not apologizing for it. The remnant is not ashamed!

A Remnant is Rising in the Land.

They are blood-bought,and fiercely committed to the Word – the Logos and the Rhema.

Something within them stirs because they know they are here on a kairos assignment. They realize that they may have forgotten that for a moment, been diverted off the path for some years, but like soldiers who remember drills from long ago, they are coming to attention and position and awareness.

They are here on purpose. They are necessary to Heaven's narrative. They are not bystanders. They are the players on the stage of His-story.
A Remnant is Rising in the Land.

This army is realizing they never should have eaten Babylon's food in the first place, even if it was served in halls decorated to look like a cheap imitation of Zion. They would rather be pilgrims than settle. They would rather be fools for Christ than wise in the world's eyes. They would rather be known in Heaven and feared in Hell than recognized on earth.
Whatever happens to them in the world really doesn't matter. They have locked gazes with the Lamb's eyes, and locked step with the cadence of Heaven's march.

His remnant understand that this is the Final Act and there is no turning back now.

A Remnant is Rising in the Land.

They are nowhere to be seen and everywhere to be found. There are very few of them chosen, and a great host of them who will emerge.

It's going to be very, very intense, for the sword they carry is stained with the blood of their lesser desires and their crucified carnality. They've had their battles, faced their own personal Valleys of Decision, and made their choice.

I have Decided. To Follow Jesus. No Turning Back. We have decided. Have you decided?

Ready or not, here they come.

Dr. Robert Stearns

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

Jesus just wasn’t into titles. We shouldn’t be either.

I am often asked if I have a title, and my answer doesn’t satisfy
some people. I travel a lot, so I don’t consider myself a pastor. All
kinds of labels have been pinned on me: Reverend, prophet,
apostle … even bishop. Once I was introduced to a church as “Dr.
Grady” and I almost crawled under my seat. I only have a college
degree. There are no letters after my name.

I tell people: “You can call me Lee. Or if you want to sound formal,
you can say, ‘Brother Grady.’”

Today it seems we’ve developed a title fetish. For a while everyone
in charismatic circles was becoming a bishop (and some were
installed into this office with rings, robes and funny-looking hats).
Then the same guys with the pointy hats started calling
themselves apostles. Then the prophets got jealous and started
calling themselves apostles too! I knew one lady who, not to be
outdone, required people to call her “Exalted Prophetess.”

Now the latest fad is requiring church folks to address certain
people as apostles. (As in, “When Apostle Holy Moly arrives,
please only address him as, ‘Apostle,’ and then make sure he is
seated in a private room while his two adjutants, wearing dark
glasses, guard his door.”) They’ve even invented an elaborate
theology to go along with this ridiculous rule. It suggests that you
can’t receive the true anointing from a man of God if you don’t
honor him with the right title.

Sounds so very ooo-ooh spiritual to the naive. But it’s garbage.

Jesus didn’t play this religious game, especially when he was
around the Grand Poobahs of His day—the long-robed scribes and
Pharisees. After accusing them of loving the best seats in the
synagogues, He pointed out that they loved to be called “Rabbi” by
men (see Matt. 23:7).

Then He warned them: “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is
your Teacher, and you are all brothers. … the greatest among you
shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled;
and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (v. 8-12, NASB).

People have quibbled over these words for centuries, insisting that
ecclesiastical titles are not the problem; pride is what Jesus was
rebuking. I would agree that Jesus was going to the root sin. But
He was also asking these title-crazy guys if they’d be willing to
ditch their labels and act like normal people.

When I was in China several years ago, I met some amazing
leaders who had planted thousands of congregations. They had
also spent a lot of time in jail for their faith, and they’d been beaten
with iron rods for preaching the gospel. They were the bravest
apostles I’ve ever met. But when I asked them if they used
“apostle” as a title, one guy said: “We believe in those roles in the
church. But we prefer to call each other ‘brother’ or ‘sister.’”

That settled it for me. A few years later I met Iftakhar, a Pakistani
apostle who has oversight of 900 churches. He also has two scars
on his arm from gunshots fired by Muslim extremists who have put
a price on his head. When I asked him how I should address him,
he smiled and said, “Iftakhar.”

If these two giants of the faith—and true apostles—don’t require to
be addressed with titles, then Your Worshipful Grand Master Rev.
Dr. Bishop Jones (who claims oversight of maybe four churches)
shouldn’t wear his ministry role around his neck like a tacky neon
name badge.

If people can’t see the anointing on your life through your character,
then don’t cheapen the gospel by wearing a title you don’t deserve...

Jesus is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of David, the
Prince of Peace and the Apostle of our Confession. Yet when He
came into this world He laid aside His heavenly glory and took on
the lowly name of Jesus. He wore no fancy robes. He demanded
no titles. He did not come to be ministered to, but to minister. If
we want to serve Him honorably, we must forsake our need for
fame and cast our crowns at His feet.

-Please comment on this article at the following website-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

-J. Lee Grady.

When I said to God, “Here am I, send me,” a real adventure began.

More than 12 years ago I found myself at a church altar in Orlando,
Fla. God had been dealing with me about leaving my comfort zone.
I had a great job with nice benefits, yet I felt spiritually unfulfilled.
I knew there was an amazing adventure in front of me, but I had
placed serious limitations on my obedience.

As I buried my head in the carpet in that church, I realized God
was requiring unconditional surrender. He wanted me to wave a
white flag. I knew what I had to say, but it was difficult to form
the words. Finally I coughed them up. I said the same thing the
prophet Isaiah prayed long ago: Here I am, send me! (see Is. 6:8.)

This is what I call a dangerous prayer. It’s risky because God
immediately takes you up on it. I believe when you utter these
simple words, heaven takes a Polaroid picture of you with your
hands up—and an amazing process begins. He closes in on us
in order to crush our fears and demolish our selfishness.

When I prayed this prayer in 1998, I immediately had a vision while
I was still on the floor. I saw a sea of African faces. I knew I’d be
going to Africa, and I was scared to death. I had no idea how I
would get there, what I would say or who would pay for the trip.
So I swallowed hard and prayed again: Here I am, send me!

Less than two years later I found myself standing on a huge stage
in a sports arena in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, speaking to 7,000
pastors. I did not enjoy the bumpy flight across the Sahara, and
my knees were knocking when I preached. I felt as if I had been
pushed way out on a limb. But even though I was terrified, my fear
was mixed with incredible joy. The Lord had overcome my
resistance, and He was using me! And since that trip I have
ministered in more than 25 other countries.

Grace is so amazing. God not only gives us the power to serve
Him; He plants in us the desire to surrender to His will even if we
are scared of the consequences. This is what the apostle Paul
described when he said: “For it is God who is at work in you, both
to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13, NASB).

God has an uncanny way of wooing us into obedience and
submission. Our flesh may protest; our fears may paralyze us.
But in the end, if we will simply lift our hands in surrender, grace
takes over. He gives us power, strength and a willing heart. And
the results are supernatural because it is God at work in us.

Jesus taught His disciples to cultivate this willing spirit and to pray
this dangerous prayer. He told them: “The harvest is plentiful, but
the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to
send out laborers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2).

This is what I call a trick prayer. You pray it at your own risk.
When we ask the Lord to send workers into His fields, we are
really praying, “Here I am Lord … send Mike … or Chuck … or
Barbara.” But the Lord of the Harvest will likely tap you on the
shoulder and say, “Well? What about you?”

The church has advanced throughout history because of people
who surrendered to God. One of them was the brave David Brainerd
(1718-1747), a missionary to American Indians during the First
Great Awakening. Although he died of tuberculosis at age 29, his
legacy of total consecration lives on in his journal, which was
published by his friend Jonathan Edwards.

Brainerd recorded this very dangerous prayer in his diary: “Here am
I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough,
the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called
comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in Thy
service, and to promote Thy kingdom.”

We rarely hear prayers like that today. Brainerd’s passion would
be considered politically incorrect fanaticism today. We don’t
promote self-sacrifice; we have a new gospel of self-fulfillment.
We don’t talk about carrying a burden for lost people; we ourselves
are lost in our comfortable materialism.

I wonder what would happen if all of us prayed Isaiah’s prayer with
full sincerity before this year is over. What if you raised your hands
and left all your fears, worries, excuses, stipulations, limitations
and conditions on heaven’s altar—and invited God to use your life
in any way He wants. I dare you to try it.

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

The apostle Paul said to his generation: “I have fully preached the
gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19). And he described the “fully
preached” gospel as one that is much more than words. It is a
gospel of words and deeds! “For I will not dare to speak of any of
those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in
word and deed” (v. 18).

Paul was saying, “The Gentiles turned to Christ not because of my
preaching alone, but because my words were accompanied by
miraculous deeds!”

“In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so
that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully
preached the gospel” (v. 19).

If Paul had preached and taught without signs and wonders
following, his message would not have had its full impact. It would
not have been the gospel fully preached! He said to the Corinthians,
“Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with
all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds”
(2 Corinthians 12:12)

Note Paul’s words in this verse: signs, wonders, mighty deeds.
Most Christians today cringe when they hear these words! Why?
Because these words have been made an abomination by
unscrupulous, power-hungry preachers and teachers! The great
tragedy is that such perversions have caused many God-fearing
pastors, evangelists and laypeople to turn away from the truth of a
fully preached gospel.

Beloved, God is still God—and He is mighty in working miracles
and wonders! He is still our healer and He wants to show Himself
strong on behalf of those who trust in Him! Great supernatural
workings took place in the New Testament church without any
perversions—without advertising, showmanship or any person
claiming all the power and authority. The ministry of Paul is an
example:

At Troas, while Paul was preaching a long message, a young man
fell asleep while sitting on a window sill and fell three stories to the
ground. The Bible says the young man was “taken up dead”
(see Acts 20:9-12).

When Paul got to where the boy was, he quieted everyone. Then,
just as Elijah had done, he stretched himself out over the dead boy
and suddenly life came back into the young man. The boy had
been resurrected—raised from the dead! What a mighty miracle!

After this happened, Paul did not send everyone out to spread the
news that a miracle had taken place. No, that was not what
happened at all. Everyone simply went back to the third floor, took
communion, and Paul continued preaching. Scripture does not
even mention the young man again. Why? Because the church
expected supernatural works to happen! They preached a full
gospel—with signs and wonders following!

MORE than PREACHING & TEACHING

I believe the gospel should be accompanied by the power and
demonstration of the Holy Ghost—working mighty wonders, proving
the gospel is true!

Paul boldly stated, “And my speech and my preaching were not
with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). The Greek here means
“with proof.” Paul was saying, “I preach the gospel with proof. God
and the Holy Spirit are backing me up with signs and wonders!”
Hebrews 2:4 says that God did confirm Paul’s message with signs
and wonders: “God also bearing witness both with signs and
wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit,
according to His own will.”

The New Testament believers had one prayer: “That signs and
wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant
Jesus” (Acts 4:30). These apostles went everywhere fully
preaching the gospel.

“Many wonders and signs were done through the apostles”
(Acts 2:43). “And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people. . . . And believers were
increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women”
(Acts 5: 12, 14).

Here is one of the most conclusive of all verses—proving that a
fully preached gospel must include signs and wonders: “They
stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was
bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and
wonders to be done by their hands” (Acts 14:3). This verse says
that the apostles ministered boldly for a long time, preaching grace
and repentance, and then God granted signs and wonders to be
done by their hands.

God’s last-day church will go “out and [preach] everywhere, the
Lord working with them and confirming the word through the
accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20). That is what God envisions for us.

The miracles of this last-day church will be genuine, indisputable,
undeniable, and yet they will not be well known. Instead, they will
issue forth from the hands of ordinary, holy, separated saints who
know God and are intimate with Jesus.

These believers will emerge from the secret closet of prayer—a
small, prepared army full of faith, with no other desire than to do
the will of God and glorify Him. They will be fearless and powerful
in prayer. They will open entire nations for the gospel and God will
confirm His Word by their mighty deeds!

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

I live in Nashville where more Bibles are printed than anywhere else
in the world. We have more Christian publishing houses in Nashville
than anywhere else on the face of the earth – more churches per
square mile – and, outside the Vatican, a greater percentage of
bodies in buildings on Sunday morning than anywhere else on
earth. So we in Nashville have a better chance to get it right,
wouldn’t you say??

We have 1000 churches and 4000 homeless people living and
dying under bridges and in culverts. I know because I have prayed
with them and lain with them as they died, and every week I feed
and pastor them. We can’t even get it right enough for every church
to reach out to 4 homeless people. And yes, that includes children
as young as they get.

Nashville is the headquarters for a swag of church denominations,
and para church organizations like the Gideons, and from this
buckle on the Bible belt of the richest nation on earth, missions
go out all round the globe. Those missions are funded with .01
percent of all monies collected in North American churches.

That’s right! For every $1000 collected by North American churches,
ONE Dollar is sent to evangelize those who have never heard the
name “Jesus” - but from the latest stats, are probably well aware
of the name “Coca Cola”.

And frankly, whereas I once despaired of these manifest failures
of the church, now I say, Bring it on! Let the world see forever the
rich failures of putting religion before Jesus, ritual before relationship,
rules before lives and liturgy before love.

When the world at large finally see that the emperor has no clothes,
so also will the light of the real gospel of grace and peace shine
the brighter. For where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!

Let it get darker, our Jesus will shine brighter.

-Please comment on this topic at the website below-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."

 "Another real problem created by the doctrine of the divine
sovereignty has to do with the will of man. If God rules His universe
by His sovereign decrees, how is it possible for man to exercise free
choice? And if he can not exercise freedom of choice, how can he be
held responsible for his conduct? Is he not a mere puppet whose
actions are determined by a behind-the-scenes God who pulls the
strings as it pleases Him?"
"The attempt to answer these questions [those three questions raised
in the passage above] has divided the Christian church neatly into two
camps which have borne the names of two distinguished theologians,
Jacobus Arminius and John Calvin. Most Christians are content to get
into one camp or the other and deny either sovereignty to God or free
will to man. It appears possible, however, to reconcile these two
positions without doing violence to either, although the effort that
follows may prove deficient to partisans of one camp or the other."
God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral
choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making
his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does
not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it,
inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should
make but that he should be free to make it. If in His absolute freedom
God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay His
hand or say, "What doest thou?" Man's will is free because God is
sovereign. A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom
upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so."
-A.W. Tozer

Jesse and Kara Birkey
Reflect Ministry
www.reflectministry.com
jbirkey@reflectministry.com
813-405-7952

"God does not expose our needs in theory, but in relationship with others."