“Christ’s call is to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; He came not to call scoffers but sinners
to repentance; not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, churches, and cathedrals at home in which to rock Christian professors to sleep by means of clever essays, stereotyped prayers, and artistic musical performances, but to capture men from the devil’s clutches and the very jaws of Hell. This can be accomplished only by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered devotion, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Oh hallelujah!
Tag Archives: Faith
Do You Have a Secret History?
With God I mean.
Do you look back at all the times when you were alone with Him in His presence? When He had called to you “Come away” with Him and you hearkened His voice and went?
Do you have a “secret place…in the clefts of the rock
Where He can see your face,
Where He can hear your voice;” ? (see SoS 2:14)
Do you remember those times when you sat at His feet and wept?
When you sat there like Mary and learned of Him…?
When He shared Himself with you and He was revealed…?
When your eyes were opened to His beauty and glory…?
When He unfolded the work He has for you…?
Do you have a golden thread running through the tapestry of your life?
All those times when nobody else knew or saw, but you were with Him, where He was?
Times that you look back on with almost painful joy….
When the household was dark and quiet, asleep, but you were there on your knees wrapped up in the glories of heaven, tears streaming down your face?
All those times in the dark quietness of the prayer closet, where your roots went down deep. Where you were established. Where nobody else saw.
Only your Creator.
It is those times spent with God, where nobody else sees – where if you were to try to describe it to another that words just woudn’t do justice – that is the place where your relationship with Jesus is rooted and established, like the roots of a tree. That is where true Holy Ghost ministry is born. That is where His life is imparted to you and to me.
A secret history with God is necessary first to establish roots in each of us. Once the root system has been established below in the dark then the tree is able to begin its slow emergence up into the sunshine. This is the realm where others can see the result, or the fruit, of the work of the unseen deep.
“Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls…” Psalm 42:7
The result of your time spent alone with God.
It’s never too late to start….
Get alone with God.
Spend time with Him. Don’t count the minutes.
Just be unhurried…
The secret is unhurried prayer.
God bless you friend.
Street Preaching Last Night – An Epic Battle
The Hare Krishna’s came back as we were preaching. Two weeks ago, as I wrote about here, they came and did their dance to Krishna but left after only a few minutes.
Well last night they came as I began to preach. But this time they stayed.
This time they had an amp with them and sang songs and chanted mantras to Krishna whilst they danced. It was loud.
I kept preaching though. I kept on, like last time:
“Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the LIfe. No one comes to the Father but by Him…” etc
“There is no other Name under heaven by which humankind can be saved than the Name of Jesus…”
On they stayed.
On I kept preaching.
“Jesus is Lord. And at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father!”
It went on. Multitudes of people came over to see what was going on. They were fascinated. It was a battle and everyone knew it. Many people video-ed all of it on their phones (if you see it on YouTube, let me know!)
10 minutes – I began calling out the words to “Amazing Grace”.
The Hare Krishnas became frenzied. Faster and faster they got, they worked themselves into an ecstatic frenzy. They reminded me of the prophets of Baal as they cried out to their “god” to answer them on Mount Carmel.
15 minutes…
My voice started hurting, my chest was heaving. I prayed to God that He would sustain me to keep going. I saw why He has prompted me to get fit lately.
I looked into the crowd as I proclaimed that “Jesus is Lord” and there was a gift from God. A young lady with her hands in the air crying out “Amen! Jesus is Lord!”
She became my lifeline. I looked to her as it went on. She encouraged me to keep going.
I didn’t know what else to do. I lifted my hands in the air and shut my eyes and cried out:
“Jesus, I proclaim that You are Lord over this station! You are Lord. I praise the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world! I praise you Lord! Hallelujah to the Lamb!”
The Hare Krishna’s left.
Praise God.
I kept preaching for another minute, then the gift-from-God young lady came over and asked if she could sing. She had never sung by herself in a public street before but the presence of God was so strong.
She sung a beautiful song all about Jesus.
Some people from the crowd hung around to talk to some of the guys.
There was a great battle last night, but there was a great victory for the kingdom of God too!
Needless to say, it has taken me all day today to recover…:)
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
The Place of Enlargement
I believe it is God’s heart to bring His children to the place of enlargement.
“Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness” Job 36:16
It is not His desire that we should stay spiritual babes, rather it is His design to bring us forward, to help us grow and enlarge.
At the moment we are extending our little house. As a result, things are busy, messy and chaotic here. Currently we have no phone line, no proper plumbing in the kitchen and big holes in the wall where our back door and kitchen window used to be. It is winter here, I might add…. It is difficult, painful, inconvenient. However, with the greater vision in mind of the complete transformation at the end of all this, I find I can grin and bear the mess and disorder (so far at least).
The process of the enlargement of our home somewhat reflects the process of enlargement in the spiritual life…
Enlargement always comes through straitening.
I love this old-fashioned word. The KJV uses this word and I don’t think any other translation can beat it.
Jesus said: “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” Luke 12:50
It means to constrict, pinch, restrict, squeeze, distress, compress.
(A “strait-jacket” in its purpose to confine and restrict gives a good picture of this word.)
We see that Jesus Christ Himself went through a straitening process in His sufferings and ultimately His death on the cross. He was straitened. He was God wrapped in human flesh yet His eternal divinity was compressed into the limitation of humanity.
“This limitation could be removed only by the baptism of dying on the cross. Then the unlimited divine eternal life within the Lord Jesus could be released.” The Experience of Christ, Witness Lee
So why did the Lord of Life have to be straitened?
He was straitened so that we could be brought to the place of enlargement.
It was through His death that His divine Life was able to be released and imparted to us limited, small human beings. He interceded for us by becoming a human-being like us. He was confined, restricted, distressed and squeezed for us so that we could be brought to the place of enlargement by partaking of His divine life.
“Verily, verily I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24
It is only through the impartation of the divine life of Christ that we are enlarged and there is no enduring enlargement apart from Him. But in order for this to happen we are taken through many afflictions, trials and suffering.
Unfortunately there is no other way – we also need to be straitened to be brought into the enlargement that God intends for us.
As with the renovations all around me : for the new to be brought in, first the old has to be removed. And sometimes that’s painful, noisy and messy.
It is His way of conforming us to the image of His Son.
So if you are feeling pinched, restricted, squeezed and in distress – know that God has a purpose in it. Know that He has not abandoned you, nor is He finished with you. No! Instead He is busy working on and in you to bring you to a place of enlargement. Like clay in the hands of a potter, simply yield to Him, allow Him to do His work and you will be brought through it into a broad and spacious place.
“He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me” Psalm 18:16-19
God bless you!
Street Preaching Tonight
It was different tonight than it’s ever been.
It began pretty much the same as usual, but at some point I noticed the Hare Krishna’s dancing their noisy way towards us.
Great
With their colourful clothes, tambourines and dancing they make it all but impossible to preach the gospel. They usually pull up in a wide circle in front of where we are preaching and dance and sing for sometimes 10-15 minutes.
Usually we get pushed to the sidelines amongst all the colourful chaos and the tourists bustling to take photos of them. Standing on the sidelines politely waiting for them to finish their worship ceremony to their false god is absolutely frustrating. It feels like Satan has got one over on us.
Something I’ve learnt: if you give Satan an inch – he will take a mile.
We are in a spiritual battle and being on the city streets you cannot forget it.
So tonight as they approached I grabbed the microphone and began preaching. As they came up to us I kept going. They waved to me, I waved back. I was polite, but not polite enough to stop. I preached:
“Jesus said ‘I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me”.
They kept going. I kept going: “There is no other name under heaven by which man can be saved, than the Name of Jesus!” Sometimes I just called out “Jesus! Jesus!” over their noise.
They stayed for maybe two minutes then gave up and left.
But then it happened…
As I was preaching, I began weeping.
Yes, weeping. In front of lots of people. It was weird. I couldn’t stop it. I felt God’s heart breaking for these lost sinners. I felt Him yearning for them to come home. It wasn’t me being emotional or sad – it was Him calling to them through me. I wept as I preached to them His heart.
But then I stopped preaching because I began to think. That can be a problem whilst preaching. The anointing lifts off when you start to really think, especially if you wonder what people are thinking of you. Now I kind of wish I kept going because that’s never happened to me before and I think I probably stopped it before God was done. Sorry Lord.
Important point: I believe God wants to raise up preachers who are broken for the sins of the people.
You see, there are preachers who preach the cold, hard truth of the gospel. They want the authority that gives them, but they don’t take any responsibility for the people.
Then there are preachers who in response to the above have taken out most of the truth of the gospel and replaced it with psychology or self-help or something else human. They want to take responsibility for the people, yet they have no God-given authority to do so.
God is raising up those who will “speak the truth in love”. We can get rid of neither love nor truth, and that is what so many have done.
God gives authority to those who will take responsibility. And being willing to take 
responsibility for others brings authority.
We need to speak the whole truth of the gospel – yes, including sin, the law, hell and judgment. BUT we need to speak the truth from a heart that has been broken for the people’s sins. We have no right to be preaching to people about whom we couldn’t care less. That is not God’s heart. That has never been His way. Think of Moses, Samuel, Jesus, Paul… We need to be willing to take responsibility for them by standing in the gap and interceding.
Preaching and intercessory prayer go hand-in-hand
Just as:
Authority and responsibility go hand-in-hand
May our mighty God bless you!
“If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for.” Charles Spurgeon
Jesus I love You, But Not Your Word
This is what I said to Jesus.
Many times I said it. Even though I had always read the Bible, even from a young child. I read it a lot. I memorized verses even. I believed it was truth, I believed it was the Word of God. And over and over God used His Word to teach me and to speak to me.
But I didn’t love it.
I certainly didn’t desire to read it or look forward to reading it. I did it because I knew it was the “right” thing to do.
Then one day I watched that old “Jesus” movie…. In it Jesus picks up the scroll of the Old Testament in the Temple preparing to read from it. But before he reads Isaiah 61 he kisses the scroll. That simple act convicted me.
I blurted to the Lord in almost desperation: “Jesus, I love You, but I don’t love Your Word. Not like that.”
I knew I loved Jesus. I loved Him with my whole heart and soul and mind and strength. I could see that “in the volume of the book it is written of Him”, I knew that Jesus is the Word made flesh. And it didn’t make sense to me. If He really is the Word made into human flesh, and if I really loved Him, how could I not love His Word as well?
Well of course there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t make myself love it nor desire it.
Actually, there was one thing I could do – and that was to be honest with Him about it.
So I was. I just kept telling the Lord what was in my heart.
“Lord I love You but I don’t love Your Word.”
Then gradually my prayers began to change : “Lord, give me a love for your Word. Make it real to me.”
It took some time, but one day I realized that I could honestly say that I now loved His Word. And I still do. I LOVE it. I desire to read it. I can’t wait to find more treasures in it. I can’t wait to discover my Jesus concealed in the pages of the Old Testament and find His beauty and grace revealed in the New Testament. I love reading the apostles revelations and teachings in the epistles. I often cry as I read it now, I am so blessed with this wonderful, old Book. There is nothing like it.
So what’s the difference now? The Book certainly hasn’t changed.
No, the difference is that now the Holy Spirit is bringing life where before there was death.
This principle is true not only with reading the Word of God, but with everything in the Christian life – doctrine, preaching, church meetings, worship, fellowship, prayer, giving to the poor… it can all be dry and lifeless. It may all be cold, dead duty, ritual or tradition with no life in it if it’s done in the power of the flesh.
Without the Spirit of life breathing His life into something, anything, there is in fact, a ministration of death. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, so when He is in something – whether it is prayer, reading the Word, preaching- there is reality there. There is Life. It rings true to us, it ministers life to us and we are changed by it.
A long, eloquent prayer may bring death…. If there’s no anointing of the Spirit.
A sermon with all the right doctrine may minister death to the hearers…. If it’s not infused with the life of the Spirit.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not an added bonus or extra in the life of a believer – His ministry of Life is essential. As Watchman Nee said “We either minister life or death. There’s nothing in between.”
Let us pray for the reality of the life of the Holy Spirit in every part of our lives, worship and ministries.
God bless you!
Missionary Quotations: CT Studd
CT Studd gave up professional cricket to become a missionary to China, Africa and India. In a letter home, upon the approach of his soon death, C.T. Studd wrote of the outstanding events of his life:
“As I believe I am now nearing my departure from this world, I have but a few things to rejoice in; they are these:
1. That God called me to China and I went in spite of utmost opposition from all my loved ones.
2. That I joyfully acted as Christ told that rich young man to act.
3. That I deliberately at the call of God, when alone on the Bibby liner in 1910, gave up my life for this work, which was to be henceforth not for the Sudan only, but for the whole unevangelized World.
My only joys therefore are that when God has given me a work to do, I have not refused it.”
Going to be with His Lord in 1931, C.T. Studd’s last word he spoke was “Hallelujah”!
Praise the Lord
Missionary Quotations: Jackie Pullinger1
“Now and again, people would say (concerning her ministry in Hong Kong), “Isn’t it WONDERFUL that God would
choose a woman to go? I would say, “No, it’s not wonderful. Excuse me for being rude about God, but He can pick who He likes.” I mean, it’s no more wonderful for Him to send a woman than a man, or an old man or young woman. He picks who He wants. That’s His business. It was God’s wisdom that sent me. I was just doing what He made me for. That’s no credit to me; it’s all credit to Him. If He’s made you for something, you just do it.”
Spoken by Jackie Pullinger
The Master’s Vessel
The Master was searching for a vessel to use; On the shelf there were many – which one would He choose? 
“Take me”, cried the gold one, “I’m shiny and bright, I’m of great value and I do things just right. My beauty and luster will outshine the rest And for someone like You, Master, gold would be the best!”
The Master passed on with no word at all; He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall;
“I’ll serve You, dear Master, I’ll pour out Your drink, and I’ll be at Your table whenever You dine, My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true, And my silver will always compliment You.”
Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass, It was wide mouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.
“Here! Here!” cried the vessel, “I know I will do, Place me on Your table for all men to view.”
“Look at me”, called the goblet of crystal so clear, “My transparency shows my contents so dear, Though fragile am I, I will serve You with pride, And I’m sure I’ll be happy in Your house to abide.”
The Master came next to a vessel of wood, Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
“You may use me, dear Master”, the wooden bowl said, “But I’d rather You used me for fruit, not for Bread!”
Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay. Empty and broken it helplessly lay. No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose, To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.
“Ah! This is the vessel I’ve been hoping to find, I will mend and use it and make it all Mine.” “I need not the vessel with pride of its self; Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf; Nor the one who is big mouthed and shallow and loud; Nor one who displays his contents so proud; Not the one who thinks he can do all things just right; But this plain earthy vessel filled with My power and might.”
Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay. Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day. Spoke to it kindly. “There’s work you must do, Just pour out to others as I pour into you.”
Author Unknown
No Compromise: “Not a Hoof Shall be Left Behind”
Moses didn’t compromise with Pharoah.
I guess he could have. It would have probably been a whole lot easier for him to accept the first offer from Pharoah which came after the plague of flies : that the children of Israel can go make their sacrifices to God right there in the land of Egypt.
But Moses said “no deal” – that’s not what God had instructed: “We will go three days’ journey in to the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.” Exodus 8:27
After the plague of hail Pharoah conceded slightly and offered a new deal to Moses “Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord.”
But, again, Moses said “no deal”, that’s not what God had commanded : “And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.” Exodus 10:9
After swarms of locusts and 3 days of intense blackness Pharoah called Moses in. He was ready to offer his best compromise yet:
“Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you,” he said.
This was his best deal yet. After all, Egypt’s own animals had now been wiped out by boils, hail and disease. Moses only need leave the animals behind and all the men, women and children were free to go!
Did Moses yield and make a compromise with the one holding God’s people captive? Did he agree to the deal with Pharoah potentially bringing about peace and unity between the Israelites and the Egyptians?
‘But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” Exodus 10:25, 26
Of course Moses didn’t make a deal with the devil, oops, I mean Pharoah. He didn’t compromise one inch! Not even one little hoof was to be left behind!
Moses was a man of God with a foundation of truth and integrity that was built on the Word of God. Moses had always told Pharoah the truth. The whole truth – even the hard parts about judgment. Moses had always proclaimed the truth and he wasn’t going to start backing down now.
My question is…..So what on earth has happened to the Church?
At every turn we are compromising: making deals with the devil, shaking hands, signing documents with Islam (Chrislam), Interfaith conferences, performing occult practices in the Church.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14
Imagine if Moses had said “yes” to one of Pharoah’s little deals…who knows, maybe he was tired and the offer was tempting….
What would we have done? Would we have had the guts to say “No. Not even one hoof is going to be left behind! I am not budging on God’s Word one teeny iota” ? Would we have been brave enough to stand on God’s Word, hard as it may be…?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” Romans 1:16
Let us not fear men more than we fear God. Where would that have gotten Moses?
“Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergyman or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth” John Wesley
Grace and Truth 