Category Archives: Move of God

-Renewal Among the Methodists

Posted on by
Reply

image

Here’s a report of a renewal going on right now in the United Methodist Church through Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. The report comes from David F. Watson:

I know many people who are praying for renewal in the UMC and beyond, and we should continue to do this. But what we need also to understand is that renewal is happening now. You just have to know where to look for it. And in the UMC it’s happening through Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. Thanks be to God.

<Read the whole article>

Response: Read David’s entire report of a recent conference sponsored by Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. It is really encouraging. We really do need to pray for a continuing renewal in the UMC. Wouldn’t it be great to see these mainliners on fire again and add spiritual gifting and power to churches all across the heartland that have been declining for years.

These folks already know how to reach out with social programs. Can you imagine what would happen if life changing healing and miracles were added on to what they are doing now? This is what our cities need in America- to be on fire with the Holy Spirit instead of racial strife. Praise God and bring on the renewal! Time for you intercessors to get busy.              

-Jerusalem 2015: World Harvest Demonstrated

Posted on by
Reply

image

So many American Christians are involved in the on-going ‘culture wars’ and the hopes for revival in our own country that sometimes we miss what God is doing in this generation all around the world. Nothing demonstrates this more than what happened last Sunday- Pentecost in Jerusalem.

The whole event was sponsored by Empowered21 and lead by American and Western Pentecostal and Charismatic church leaders including Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University, and Dr. George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. Other notables attending included-  Reinhard Bonnke, Morris Cerullo, Jack Hayford, Marilyn Hickey, David Mainse and Vinson Synan who were honored for their past service along with many others.

Christians came to the event from  more than 70 different countries but among the largest groups in attendance were those from China along with a group from Indonesia. It really does demonstrate that a ‘World Harvest’ has been going on for quite a while and now new evangelists and world church leaders are being called forth from those nations.

Look for young missionaries and evangelists to begin to come forth from Asian countries like China, South Korea, Indonesia and from the well established churches in Africa. Do not be surprised if they start showing up in Europe and America to re-sow the ground that was once fertile and produced the missionaries that originally brought the Gospel to their own nations. 

-Christian ‘Forgiving ISIS’ Videos Go Viral in Muslim World and Reports of Revival Among the Refugees

Posted on by
Reply

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:44

Here’s a video of a Christian child, 10 year old Myriam, forgiving ISIS even though her family has lost everything because of the terrorist group.  She said:

“I will only ask God to forgive them.

Now comes the news that the video and several others like it have gone viral in the Middle East demonstrating the teaching of Jesus to ‘love your enemies’ in a culture where ‘eye for an eye’ is the normal response. From Christianity Today:

To date, more than 1 million people have seen her witness online. [Full video at the bottom]

SAT-7’s 5 channels reach an audience of 15 million in North Africa and the Middle East, though it’s impossible to measure how many people watched Myriam. However, numbers can be tracked through the social media campaign, which has reached 25 times its normal audience, with subtitles of the video provided in English, Spanish, Turkish, and Chinese. Word spread not only through SAT-7 affiliates, but also in the local secular press.

Pan-Arabic al-Arabia praised Myriam for confronting ISIS with love. “Everyone who listens to her is astounded,” echoed the Egyptian Youm 7. Leading Lebanese daily al-Nahar called for the clip to be shown in the nation’s schools as a lesson in humanity.

<Read the whole article>

Response: What a lesson in faith! File this story in the  “for such is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16) category. They are far better Christians than I.

Most of us in America wonder what kind of ‘Christians’ these displaced Iraqis really are. Since they mostly attend Catholic and Orthodox affiliated churches many of us have an erroneous impression that they might only be so-called ‘cultural Christians.’ Maybe that is why so few of us are upset or up in arms when we read the reports of their persecution and death. But hundreds of thousands of these Near Eastern Christians have lost everything for their faith and thousands have paid the ultimate price as martyrs. They actually have a greater right to bear the name of Christ than many of us living in safe and comfortable communities in the West.

The video above should transform our thinking about these fellow believers. I know of several missionaries and relief personnel loosely connected with my home church which are working among these refugees in Iraq. The word and reports we receive from them is that there is real revival going on among these folks with abundant healing and miracles in their midst. Please keep praying for these bothers and sisters and those who are ministering in their midst.           

-Beginning of Revival in L.A. High Schools

Posted on by
Reply

There is the beginning of an extraordinary revival in some L.A. and Orange County high schools in Southern California. Here’s the story from God Reports (Link NLA):

About 2,500 students at 15 high schools hear the gospel each week through campus Christian clubs, which invite One Voice representatives to speak, Giglio says. Kids have been saved from drugs, violence, sexual sin, and hopelessness.

The move of God began in Roosevelt High School two years ago. A watershed moment came when opposing gangs put down their weapons and met each other in the gym for prayer, along with 400 other students who had gathered to hear a heartfelt and compelling message. Giglio says the Holy Spirit came into the room and the kids just broke down weeping. …

On-campus Christian clubs, run by students, have a right to use facilities and invite outside speakers, Giglio said. Principals have been known to monitor these meetings but usually are happy to see students hearing positive messages about getting out of gangs, drugs and other life-ruining traps.

This is just the beginning but it is spreading to other schools in Southern California including several Southern Orange County high schools that I know of where kids at our local church come from. I have also heard some antidotal evidence that it is also spreading to some of our area colleges and universities. Somewhat under the radar at the present time but a real move of God none the less.

-Messianic Jews Making Gains in Israel

Posted on by
Reply

image

Messianic Judaism is a movement of Jewish folks who have accepted Jesus (Yeshua) as their savior and Messiah. Yet they continue to maintain their identity as Jews and embrace many of the traditions of their people. A recent article by Rabbi Barry Rubin in Ministry Today Magazine celebrates the gains that Messianic groups have recently made in Israel- “Messianic Judaism Gaining Momentum in Israel.” The following are a few quotes:

The primary evangelistic work in Israel is not through missions. It is being done through local Messianic congregations. … There are 150-plus congregations in Israel with as many as 15,000 Messianic Jewish believers…

The growth in the number of congregations has increased over the last 20 years…Nearly every year, another indigenous congregation or two springs up, and as more and more Jews from around the world return home, this will only increase.

Israel is a small country—about the size of New Jersey—so these congregations are easily noticed by their fellow Israelis. More and more, Israel is increasingly aware that there are Jews who trust Yeshua as the Messiah and savior, much as it was in the New Testament era.

These Messianic Jewish congregations are now led by Israelis, even though they may have a mix of Jews and Gentiles. Most services are in Hebrew (sometimes Russian, Amharic, French or Spanish). The music too is indigenous, as is the style of worship —very Israeli. The melodies have a distinctly Middle Eastern tone to them. Most meet on Saturday when Jews generally hold worship services. These congregations of Yeshua-followers are clearly Jewish.

Messianic Jews are gaining more acceptance in Israel. Instead of being perceived as threats to the Israelis, due to prejudices going back 2,000 years, they are recognized as friends, fellow citizens, and an active part of Israeli society.

<Read the whole article>

Response: This is really good news and we should remember to pray for our fellow believers in Israel. For years the Messianic Movement was opposed in Israel but now because of the faithfulness of the Jewish Israeli believers they are increasingly being accepted as never before. You can add Israel to the many nations that are seeing an exponential growth in the number of believers and  groups.

Meanwhile the enemy is trying to destroy Israel but the Lord has plans of His own for that land and people.           

-Is it too Late to Pray for Another Great Awakening?

Posted on by
Reply

image

              (Photo credit: sadler0)

This week Americans celebrate the 238 birthday of our country. It began with a document that declared that all human rights were derived from our Creator and not from human governments and kings.

If the Declaration of Independence was written today it might be declared as ‘unconstitutional’ for mentioning the Supreme Being. Meanwhile our current governmental system is defining ‘rights’ and revisions to the natural order of things that were never intended at the dawn of creation.

There are currently two major conflicting visions for the future of America. One would like to take this nation which has been ‘under God’ for hundreds of years and replace it with autocratic  secular rule which no longer officially recognizes God or allows his name and his Word to be spoken of in the public square.The other would like for God to continue to bless America and bring forth another great revival and awakening. Lately the secular vision seems to be winning.   

The American culture is changing so fast and it seems like what used to be considered as evil is constantly being referred to as moral in the dominant media and that which is based upon Biblical teaching is now being portrayed as bigoted, evil, and on ‘the wrong side of history.’

Among Christians, a week does not go by when I don’t hear someone say that it is too late for America that a line has been crossed that cannot be reversed. Is that the case? Should we just give up and stop praying for revival and another Great Awakening? I don’t think so. Meanwhile the whole world is in the midst of the greatest harvest there ever was with more people coming to Christ than ever before except in America and the West.

Here’s a quote from an article by Franklin Graham giving hope and encouraging Christians to continue to pray for another revival and Great Awakening:

While doomsday appears to be knocking at our door, let me take you back to the early 1800s. Many think of it as “the good old days,” but history tells us that society, even then, was as bad as it could get at that time. John Marshall, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, wrote to President James Madison and said, “The church is too far gone ever to be redeemed.” When we examine why, we find that preachers had stopped preaching the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the people were not hearing God’s Word.

What changed? Christians began to diligently pray for revival—and the result was the Second Great Awakening. When people’s prayers stormed the heavens, and when the Bible was opened in the pulpits and the Word of God proclaimed by passionate preachers, the church was awakened from slumber by the Holy Spirit, who moved in hearts, spreading revival throughout the heartland of America.

<Read the whole article>

Also here’s an prophetic article which also finds hope in our history and calls forth and sees prayer warriors and intercessors rising up once more to take back America for God: “Prophetic Intercessors, Don’t Give Up on the Great Awakening!”

In our area here in South OC California we see Christians rising up in prayer as never before. Pastors of all denominations who just a few short years ago seem to be competing for members are now gathering together supporting each other in prayer for our area, our churches, our economy, and our government. Last year our head pastor Mike Hudgins at VCC Laguna Niguel had a vision of 100 men meeting once a month to pray for our families, our area, and our country. Last month nearly 90 showed up and there is a real hope that the vision will soon be realized.

God has not given up on us yet and His Spirit is calling forth intercessors and prayer warriors to rise up all over America. May God continue to bless America.           

-Revival in North Africa

Posted on by
Reply

image

    (North Africa: Wikipedia)

For hundreds of years very few Muslims came to Christ especially in Northern Africa. But now here is a report of revival going on in those very same difficult lands where Christians are constantly being persecuted.

Tens of thousands of Muslims have been converted to Christ in areas where missionaries are not even allowed and Christians are jailed for sharing their faith. Yet there is a secret revival going on under the most miraculous and difficult circumstances. 

From ASSIST News Service (Link NLA):

A Christian revival is touching the northernmost reaches of Africa. In a region once hostile to the gospel, tens of thousands of Muslims are now following Jesus. Muslims across Northern Africa are converting to faith in Jesus Christ in record numbers.

Speaking in a story by George Thomas for CBN News, Regent University graduate and filmmaker Tino Qahosh said, “What God is doing in North Africa, all the way from actually Mauritanian to Libya is unprecedented in the history of missions.”

Qahoush has spent years traveling the region to document the transformation.He said, “I have the privilege of recording testimonies and listening to firsthand stories of men and women, of all ages where they can be sitting in a room and see the appearance and the presence of God appear to them in reality, like a vision, some of them gave me stories of how they carry on a conversation, it’s not just a light that appears.”

He added that he sometimes feels jealous. “How come Jesus is visiting the Muslim world at this time and age and we don’t hear that happening in the traditional Christian community?”

Thomas said his interviews confirm what experts say is a profound move of God in the predominantly Muslim nations of Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia.

-Iran: Revival Continues with Young Iranians Coming to Jesus

Posted on by
Reply

We have reported on the Revival taking place in Iran before. Unfortunately nearly every week I read where the Iranian authorities have arrested some Christians meeting illegally. Regardless, the Iranian Muslim leaders will not be able to shut them down since it is a sovereign work of the Lord. It is really good to hear that young Iranians are flocking to Jesus. Many of them have come through dreams and visions since no ‘official’ missionaries are allowed in that country.

What God is doing in Iran is similar to what happened in China after the government kicked out all of the missionaries and shut down most of the churches. The house church movement grew through indigenous leaders that God rose up through dreams, visions, and visitations. What is happening in Iran is also a work of God that can not be stopped in spite of the severe on-going persecution of Christians in that land.           

-The Importance of Giving Thanks

Posted on by
Reply

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  –Colossians 3:15-20 (ESV)

20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, –Ephesians 5:20 (ESV)

With Thanksgiving coming this week in America I believe this is a good time to remember just how important giving thanks to God really is in the life of believers and the church. There are literally hundreds of verses in the Bible teaching us to live our lives in thankfulness to God no matter what and no matter what we are doing.

These are still hard times for many in the USA regardless of all the propaganda to the contrary. Many Christians are out of work or working for far less than ever before. I believe that one of the ways to help believers in America is to cultivate an environment of the thankfulness in our churches. Also it is important that there is an opportunity given in our churches to pray for one another. Especially for those with particular needs- for healing, jobs, or business. And finally a time to hear testimonies of those who have been blessed and received answers to their prayers.

We had our official Thanksgiving service Sunday at VCC Laguna Niguel and there were very few unused seats available since we had a combined service rather than the usual two. This has been an exceptional year at VCC that saw more healings and more people come to Christ than all of the previous 15 years combined. Particularly in the Mercy food warehouse ministry where there were 788 folks that have come to Christ since last March and nearly 600 healings some of which were rather incredible. We don’t have revival yet at the church but it is approaching it in the food ministry. For sure it is a time to be thankful.

Pastor Mike asked for raised hands of those who had gotten new jobs or received promotions after prayer this year and hands were up all over the auditorium. Then he asked for testimonies from those who had received healing and over thirty lined up in the front and testified to the edification of everyone there.

While I was sitting in the service drinking in all of the testimonies of blessings and thankfulness coming from the congregation a word came to me unexpected since I really wasn’t thinking about revival at the time:

Some revivals were cut short for the lack of thankfulness.

After that I started thinking about all of the revivals and renewals that I knew about or had experienced. They always seem to dissipate when the personalities or the gifts themselves become the objects of attention rather than the Lord and along with it forgetfulness to be truly thankful to God through it all.

Point is, I believe that our churches need to become places of hope, faith, and thankfulness in order to provide an environment where God can continually bless us as never before. Especially thankfulness.            

-You Will be Mighty in the Land

Posted on by
Reply

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. –Jer 29:11-14  (NIV)

His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.  …
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
–Ps 112:2-4  (NIV)

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.  –Zech 4:6  (NIV)

For Young Christians (Also for parents, grandparents, pastors and youth leaders):

There is popular message being disseminated to the youth in America today that you will not have a future as great as your parents but must be prepared to settle for less. This thought comes from the pit of hell and should be cast off since it is the intention of the enemy.

But your Father in Heaven has plans for you to proper you and give you hope and a supernatural destiny in the future.  It is the intention of the Lord that you become even closer to Him than your parents and miracles and the ‘supernatural’ become a natural part of your daily life. In the past, work and occupations were considered as separate from ones spiritual life and ministry but no more. They are to be lived as one and the same.

You will not be limited by the might of the US economy nor by the power of the US military but through the Spirit you will receive vision, direction, blessing and an open door for the future. You are destined to be mighty in the land and your light will shine forth in the darkness.