Thursday, July 26, 2007

My Jamaica Experience part 3

DAY 3

I am glad that I finally listened to God for last night I saw the fruits of my obedience. All I can say about last night is wow...there was such a powerful anointing that when I got up to preach it just began to flow out of me. Oh, the wonderful freedom that comes when there is nothing to rely on except God. I preached about faith using the story of Lazarus. It was truly a prophetic message. Once again the altar service was powerful. Everyone that came forward fell out. I simply laid my hand upon them and said "come forth". At one point I stood on the platform and said "argyle mountain, come forth." I think the whole church exploded with the power of God. Demons even began to manifest, but they were quickly and powerfully dealt with. There is a strongman of witchcraft in these mountains, but God is breaking through. I give God to glory because last night I believe I stepped into the fullness of my calling as a prophetic preacher. All doubt has been erased. God is so amazing.
Tonight I will preach again, once again I leave it in God's hands, I have no choice I only had 1 sermon prepared not 3, but God is faithful.
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I entered this Journal on Wednesday, but I'm actually talking about the Tuesday night service. I remember the Bishop saying I might preach, it all depended on whether the other preacher showed up or not. Well guess what the other preacher didn't show, and I was going to preach. I remember sitting in the Pastor's office praying to God, asking Him to give me something. I had about 3 different things running in my mind, but nothing set in stone. So I went out and joined them for praise & worship. Tuesday's night service was geared toward the men, so the men were leading praise & worship, plus there was a mens choir. As I sat on the stage I could feel the presence of God getting stronger and stronger in that place. I remember thinking earlier "God what are You going to do tonight?" As i sat there praying I realized the answer to my question. God was getting ready to descend upon that church as He did before the children of Israel at the mountain. As I was being introduced by the Bishop I suddenly felt the anointing of God rise upon me in a very powerful way. No sooner did I stand and the words just began to flow out of my mouth. The more I preached the stronger the presence of God became. It finally got to the point where I had to stop because it was overwhelming me. Right at that moment the power of God began to fall upon the people and what happened next is the kind of thing you read about in books. People just began to fall out with and without the laying on of hands. Miracles, signs and wonders began to manifest itself, demons even began to act out. I'll never forget one young women, about 17 years old, she was worming around on the floor and growling. I walked over to her laid my hand upon her rebuke the spirit of witchcraft. That thing was holding on for life, the Spirit of God instructed me to grab my Bible and use it as the weapon that God intended it for. I laid my Bible on her belly and that demon exploded out of her like a volcano. It was a awesome display of the power of God. There was another young boy who was manifesting, I remember that thing growling at me and trying to stare me down, but praise God greater is He who is in me, than he that is in the world. The pictures I took at the end are worth a thousand words. There is so much more I could tell, but space is limited. The night ended with people giving their heart's to God. This was one service that I will never forget. In closing God has revealed to me from that night, that the same thing that took place in that church. He desires to do in our church(s). We just have to crucify our flesh, lay aside our traditions, rituals, customs and acknowledge that God is wanting to do something new and maybe even different in our lives and churches.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

My Jamaica Experience part 2

DAY 2

Last night's service was wonderful. The worship was anointed and powerful. What can I say, these people know how to worship. It kind of reminded me of a black church back home. These people don't have much around here, but that doesn't keep them from rejoicing in God. They don't make excuses, when its time to be in church and worship, they're there and why not, they don't have anything else to draw them away. Oh, to be like that, to be at a place where nothing else matter except God. These precious people have discovered the same thing Mary did, and I have discovered that for all this time I have been like Martha. When we can lay aside the distractions, the schedules, the traditions, and church as we know it, we will come to see Christ as Mary did. Lord, I want to be like Mary, and You brought me to a foreign land so I could see the difference, thank you! Help me to return home with this revelation and to hold on to it! In Jesus name.

I had to go to mo bay to change my ticket. My plan was to leave tomorrow, but this morning God was telling me to wait until Thursday. I didn't want to listen then Christa called and told me God warned that I need to stay til Thursday. So my flight home will be on Thursday. I guess God really wants Egypt off of me. My flesh is not enjoying this, but its more important that I'm ready for when He comes down, so I can draw fully near to Him. Once again it becomes all about Him!
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As I said in Part one, my flesh was fighting what God was trying to do in me. I heard God's voice clearly and understood what he was telling me, but my flesh was saying NO! Of course looking back I am very glad I listened. Part of the reason I wanted to leave was because it looked like was only going to preach on Monday night, so of course my thought was what's the point in staying, the sooner i can get out of this place the better.
In order to experience what God has for us, we have to get our flesh out of the way and friends sometimes the only way that happens is for God to get us out of our comfort zone. Remember Lazarus couldn't come out of the tomb until the stone was rolled away, only then could he truly be set free and experience the new life God was offering. It was the same thing with Mary and Martha. Martha knew Jesus, but she was caught up with customs, traditions, and making sure she did everything that she knew to be right, yet Jesus said that Mary had found the better thing. Why? Because Mary had discovered the truth and reality of who Jesus really was and that was more important than anything else she knew.
That's the kind of people I found there in the mountains of Jamaica(mary), and that's what I saw in myself(martha), well actually that's what God showed about me. Yet I have learned that I'm not the only one, most Christians and churches in North America are more like Martha than Mary. When we can lay aside our Martha personality and allow God to draw the Mary out of us, we will then begin to see Jesus in a new light and understand what we've been missing!

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

Friday, July 20, 2007

My Jamaica Experience

I know there are people waiting to read what took place for me in Jamaica. What I did is I journaled each day my feelings and experiences on my pocket PC. So I am going to take those words and transfer them right into the blog. I couldn't possibly share absolutely everything, just because so much took place in me and around me. I may add to these journal entries as I read and post them. The truth is one may not fully comprehend this kind of experience until they encounter it themselves.
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DAY 1

I'm in Jamaica, truth be told be told, I am having a hard time with being here. My flesh and emotions are going crazy. I think I've talked to Christa about 5 times already. There is nothing here, no running water or a/c. Christa has been encouraging, but I'm having a hard time. I've even asked God how am I going to do this. His answer is that it won't be me but Him. So, I wait and see. It now becomes all about Him.

Service was awesome, I battled at the beginning because of a headache, but the word wasn't going to be stopped. The house was packed, people sitting outside and looking through windows, what a humbling experience. I think I preached for about 1 1/2hr. They made it easy. The altar service was anointed, the young people were the first to come and God's power was poured out, they fell out and began to shake under His power. The altar and floor was full and people were dancing in the aisle. There was one older man whose back caused him to be hunched over. When I touched his back, I could feel his spine sticking out. As we prayed, the power of God came over him, he fell out and as he did I heard his back crack. I believe he was healed.
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That night was a tremendous experience, but at the time it felt like I was just preaching a regular service, nothing special had taken place in my life. I just remember that after the service I was so hot and sweaty, that I was begging for relief from somewhere, and as I stepped back into the Bishop's office I saw a jug of water and some cups next to it. it was the worst tasting water that I ever had at that time. It smelled funny, tasted funny, had things crawling in it, and it wasn't even cold, but I drank a glass of it. I also dreaded going back to the house, simply because of how old and run down it was. Just to give you an idea, if you step in certain places and didn't step lightly you might have gone right through the floor to the ground below. I also knew that I was going to have to try and sleep in a room that was more like a sauna and had bugs crawling everywhere. Somehow I will post some pictures, if not here then I will post a link where you can go a see.
So needless to say though everything went great in church I still was hating being in there, my flesh was still fighting.
Looking back if I had known what I was getting into I would have never gone, but now I am thankful God hid it from me until I got there.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

Monday, April 23, 2007

Day 36

Today, I found myself asking God when He was going to bring growth to the church. It’s not so much that I’m discouraged, because I’m not. I believe I’m more on the anxious side. I know it’s coming, it’s a matter of when and how. This is what I was asking God. I felt as though the Spirit of the Lord was telling me it will come when it comes. Of course this is not the answer I was hoping or looking for.
As I was praying this evening though, I asked God what scripture He wanted me to read. He told me Luke 10. I turn there and realize that it was the same chapter that I used for a portion of my message this past Sunday. As I browsed through it, I got to the story of Mary and Martha and I heard the Lord say, “did you see that”? So I looked closer, this it what the scripture says;

Luke 10:38-42
38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."
41 But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! 42 There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it--and I won't take it away from her."
NLT

After reading this through a couple of times I heard the voice of God say this is answer to my questions; “don’t concern yourself with the details of growing the church, be more concerned about being in My presence and hearing My word, after all did I not say that I would draw ALL men unto Me!”
There my friends is the million dollar answer to the question of church growth, after all doesn’t the scriptures also tell us to seek His kingdom and righteousness first, then all would be added to us and it also says that unless the Lord builds it those who labor, labor in vain.

Let me close with this last word God gave to me, “if you are a faithful steward with what I have given you, I will cause it to multiply.” God showed me that this isn’t just about talents, gifts, or money; it’s also about the people He has given you.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Day 17

Heb 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
NKJV

As I was praying this night I received a continued revelation that goes right in line with my last blog. You notice in the scripture above that the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword and is capable of cutting and piercing anything. What the Spirit of the Lord revealed to me is that the sword is only sharp when it us used in a full and uncompromised setting. But when the gospel is watered down or perverted it becomes dull and is unable to even break the skin. If the word is going to be effective then it must be preached without apology, compromising, or hindrance. So once again I encourage and exhort you, preach the FULL gospel.

Monday, March 26, 2007

DAY 8

After spending time in the Word and the Presence of God, I sit here on day 8 of 40 with a very deep concern for those who stand behind a pulpit (including myself). Tonight I heard concern in the Lord’s voice as He spoke to me. The Lord told me that there are many who are preaching an incomplete gospel, and I’m being some what polite about this, but His exact words were “ a watered down or compromised gospel”. For so long the church in North America has preached a salvation message based just telling the people enough to get them saved and make them feel good about themselves, but it has been a half truth. We tell them they need to get saved to get into heaven and avoid hell, but that’s as far as we tend to go because we don’t want to offend anyone. The numbers game comes into play again.
The Lord shared with me this point, “though many say the sinner’s prayer they are saved in name only not in deeds. I don’t just judge based on what name is written in the book, but I also judge those names by their deeds. Did I not speak through James that faith without works is dead and that man is justified by their works. What about my servant John when he preached these words “prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.” All will be held accountable for the words that they speak, but even more so will my servants be held accountable for the words that they don’t speak. Woe to the shepherds who lead my sheep astray. Do not fear man for what can man give or take away from you, but fear Me for I have the power to say “well done” or “depart from me”

I encourage and exhort you tonight, if you stand behind a pulpit do not “water down” the message just because you worry that someone might get offended, preach the FULL gospel. Souls depend on it!!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

DAY 4

As I was praying I asked God something that had been bugging me and hounding me for a long time.
Why is it when Jesus healed someone or delivered someone did He tell them not to tell anyone?
This is what the Lord said to me; "because I knew that they would seek the power and not the truth. They were more interested in My hand and not My face. But look at Moses, he sought My face even though he knew he couldn't see it and as a result My hand of power was at work in him, through him, and all around him."
This was such a revelation to me and I begun to realize that this is where many in the church are today.
Then the Spirit of the Lord said this; "If you will make it about Me, to seek Me and follow Me then My power will be manifest in you and through you."