Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Repost from MorningStar Ministries: On Revival and Divorce

The History and Future of the Present Revival - Part 8 View Part 1

We knew that our gathering on 8/8/08 would be significant, and we were not disappointed. Eight is the number of new beginnings, and we had many prophetic indications that this day was going to release a new beginning for us. It did.

The night before this gathering in our Breakout Meeting, there was an unusual and high level anointing. We later realized that 8/8/08 had already begun in the Lord because He starts His days on the evening before. Through the summer we have had extraordinary meetings, with exceptional healings, miracles, signs, and wonders. Even so, much of what has been happening at MorningStar has come through our youth and students, and we have been greatly looking forward to them returning in September from summer vacation. But on Thursday night, August 7, it was electric, and it felt like one of the meetings filled with the youth and kids even though many were not there. There was a renewing, and everyone was seemingly feeling and acting younger. This too is a sign. This anointing for renewal is for body, soul, and spirit. We are going to be getting younger rather than older in many ways.

The bride of Christ is called to be without spot, which speaks of her purity. That she will be without wrinkle speaks of her perpetual youthfulness. Because eight is the number of new beginnings, there was a spirit of renewal present here and it is manifesting in us in many ways. Of course, renewal and refreshing come from the presence of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit will quicken our mortal bodies. Not only are people having their visions and hopes renewed, but many have been feeling and even looking much younger after being in our meetings for a time.

These are also the times when we can expect “signs in the heavens and on the earth beneath” as prophesied in Acts 2:19. The thousands who came to our gathering on August 8 witnessed a significant one. Days before, a high pressure system had been sitting over the area, and the temperatures had been as high as 100 degrees. The night before our gathering, a low pressure system moved through, and cleared the air. When we began our 8/8/08 meeting at 5:00 p.m., according to the weather report, it was 88 degrees, and the wind was blowing at 8 mph. Though this is what we prayed for, it is of course far beyond our ability to do something like this. It was a sign from heaven.

August 8 is a special day for my family and our ministry. My daughter Amber’s birth was prophesied by Bob Jones in 1988 to come on August 8 and that she would weigh 8 pounds. Bob prophesied this two years before she was born on August 8, 1990, at about 8:00 a.m. She weighed 8 pounds just like we had been told. The prophecy was that she would be a sign of a new beginning that was coming to the church. That new beginning is here! Amber turned 18 on 8/8/08, which is the age of maturity, and we can expect to see the new breed of ministry that the Lord has been promising to now begin to emerge into their purposes.

It was also in 1988 when Bob Jones was told by the Lord that he had “lost his marbles in the garden,” as a metaphor of how mankind had lost its mind at the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Bob was also told that he would begin finding marbles in his literal garden that he planted each year, and they would each be a prophecy. On the day of Amber’s birth, Bob found marble number 8, and it was amber in color. Amber is the color of the glory of God and represents the coming of His glory to His people. In fact, we need to see His glory to get our sanity back and that is precisely what this new beginning is going to reveal—the glory of God.

When we were given this prophecy, Julie and I were not expecting to have any more children. Many Christians have likewise ceased to expect any more from God, but He has other plans! You may think your time of bearing fruit is over, but it does not matter how old you are because we have been given a new beginning. You have been given a new beginning. This is a new day! We, the church, are not going to be the same from this time forward. A great change has come, and though it may take some longer than others to recognize it, with some resisting it (as is always the case), a new thing has been released, and we will not be the same again.

Greater Signs and Wonders
We have seen more healings, miracles, and supernatural signs in the last sixteen weeks than we have in the last sixteen years—and we have experienced a lot in the past! We continually walk around in awe now, and this is without question a new level for us, but I also think it is just one more step back to what should be normal church life. This “new beginning” is actually a return to the “ancient paths,” the path of life that the church in the first century began to walk on before it was diverted from its course.

Nothing on this earth is as wonderful as knowing the Lord and watching Him do the wonderful things that He does. These are truly the days of miracles and wonders. As awesome as 8/8/08 was, and as our nightly Breakout Meetings are, He keeps on telling us to get ready for more! We still have not seen the birth, but what we have been experiencing are the last spiritual contractions, or birth pangs, before the birth. Again, this is not just about MorningStar or the Lakeland Outpouring, it is far bigger. True revival is coming to America!

This is about the harvest that is the end of the age. We need to have a clear perspective of what is coming so that we can be used in it. Every one of His people on the earth at this time has a significant calling to fulfill. For this reason it has also been our purpose from the beginning of the Breakout to equip the people who come to go home and release healing and miracles into their families, their churches, and their communities.

Todd Bentley’s Ministry on 8/8/08
We were very excited about having Todd Bentley back with us for the gathering on 8/8/08. Todd has stirred up the church like few others in recent times. There are also very few who are neutral about him. Immediately, unprecedented excitement and threats about Todd were coming. The threats encouraged us even more that this was from the Lord, but in these times, they must be taken seriously, and we prepared for a move of God and attacks from the enemy. As most of us have learned, the greater the move of God, the greater the attacks usually are.

We had food vendors, different exhibition tents, and bookstores set up and ready early in the morning, and people started coming just after 9:00 a.m., even though the main service was not scheduled to start until 5:00 p.m. By noon, the crowds were getting large, and everyone seemed to be having a great time in the festival atmosphere and the incredible weather.

When the meeting began, the presence of the Lord was heavy, and as often happens in our meetings, many people’s eyes were opened to start seeing things in the spiritual realm. To see the energy and zeal on the crowd was most encouraging, and though there was plenty of room for everyone to sit, thousands actually stood for the entire five-hour meeting.

I have known Todd for years and have spoken at his conferences just as he has spoken at ours. However, he was as anointed that night as I’ve ever seen him, and he said it was the strongest he had felt for some time. His message was both profound and anointed. The ministry time was powerful, and many people, some of whom we knew, were healed. There were also what the Scripture calls “noteworthy miracles” (see Acts 4:16). When it was over, everyone on our team and everyone I talked to afterward said that the day had exceeded their expectations. God had no doubt smiled on this gathering in a remarkable and prophetic way. The DVD sets from that night will be classics.

Todd Bentley’s Personal Problems
I did not hear that Todd was going through a personal crisis until the day before our meeting with him here. When I saw him Wednesday night, he immediately wanted to share with me about his personal problems—especially about his recent separation from his wife. Todd did not share this in a way to try and justify himself, but he wanted me to know what was going on with him to give me an out if I did not think he should minister the next day. I greatly appreciated this.

I still do not know all of the details of his separation, but I did ask him if there had been any immorality on his part, or if he had affections for someone else that was causing this. He assured me that he had never committed adultery, and that there was no “other woman” that caused his separation. Some of his leaders who I talked to also confirmed that Todd had not been in any immoral relationship, though they were all grieving over Todd’s marital problems.

The problems Todd and his wife have had getting along have been public knowledge for several years. I don’t know enough of the details to blame anyone, but I know Todd quite well, and being married to him has got to be like being hand-cuffed to a hurricane. Todd is so intense he makes Mike Bickle and Bob Weiner seem laid back. I think he is very much like the Apostle Peter. What makes him capable of such extraordinary faith also makes him prone to extraordinary blunders. Todd is an extreme manifestation of an emerging extreme generation. His wife may deserve to sit at the right hand of the Lord in the kingdom, and anyone who has worked with him should be up there close somewhere too.

Like it or not, that is often the nature of those who accomplish some of the greatest spiritual exploits—they also make some of the biggest bloopers. Hearing about these problems did not surprise me at all. Since I have now heard about more details, I’m still not shocked. These are problems, and they need to be fixed, which includes repenting and turning around, but if we want the victories and breakthroughs we all hope and pray for, they usually come through people with the same kind of nature. Right after Jesus gave Peter one of the greatest commendations in Scripture for the receiving the greatest of all revelations, that Jesus is the Christ, and then gave him the keys to the kingdom, He had to give Peter one of the greatest rebukes in Scripture by calling him Satan! (see Matthew 16:18-23)

However, the Lord did not take the keys back from Peter, even after he later denied the Lord, and even later in his life when the youngest apostle, Paul, had to publicly rebuke him (see Galatians 2:11-15). It seems that most of those who are given these keys to unlock the spiritual doors to the kingdom will also be prone to make major blunders. This type of person is simply not going to do anything small—they will have great victories, and when they have defeats, they will be great too.

When I was in Lakeland a few months ago, I was told that Todd had been making a real effort to patch things up and heal their relationship, but in June she had left and refused any contact. Todd has now lost hope that it will be worked out, especially now that she has made it clear that she will not even see him. Todd is obviously frustrated and just wants to resolve this situation that has been so hard for so long.

In marriage, I have learned there are those who admit they have been through times when they wondered if their marriage would make it, and then there are liars. Relationships are hard, and the closer they are, the harder they can be. I tell everyone that I give premarital counseling to that the Lord has ordained their marriage in order to kill both of them! That is true. It is also worth it! The greatest gift He gave to man was marriage and family. However, to have a marriage that is good, both will have to die to themselves. If either one does not make the commitment to lay down their life for their mate and their family, then what was meant to be heaven can be hell.

Family is the foundation of society, and the weaker the family is, the weaker that society will be. The weaker the families are in the church, the weaker the church will be. That is why the family life must be strong of those whom the church accepts as leaders, and there are clear biblical standards for them. If we start compromising the clear biblical standards for morality, integrity, and relationships, we will fall, and we will fail at all that the Lord has called us to. Compromising clear biblical standards can never be on the table—for anyone, regardless of how much power they walk in, how great they can preach, or how they can mobilize people.

We are also living in a society where about half of the people have now been divorced. Many more are refusing to get married because of the problems they have witnessed and the pain they suffered when their parents went through a divorce. The children are always the biggest victims of a divorce, and the meltdown in family is one of the great tragedies and great emergencies of our times. It is therefore understandable that some want to make a big deal out of Todd’s marital problems—it is a big deal.

So, should someone who is divorced be disqualified from ministry or from leadership in the church? How can we disqualify someone from ministry or leadership for something that would disqualify God? In Jeremiah 3, we are told that God gave Israel a certificate of divorce. God is divorced. Nearly half the people in our churches have been divorced. A good many Christians now stay away from the church because they have suffered a divorce, and they feel condemned by the church for it. This is an issue that we need to address for the church, not just Todd.

When God got a divorce, was it His fault? Of course not! He was the most perfect Husband there could ever be, but He had a wayward wife that He finally gave up on. That is what happened, and if you do not believe me, go read it yourself. There is a limit to what even God will put up with and rightly so. There are things that justify divorce. Even so, I think it is because the Lord Himself went through a divorce that He hates divorce so much. Divorce is always a tragedy and usually even more for the children than for the parents.

I am not at all saying this to justify Todd or condemn him. At present, I still do not know enough about his situation to condemn or justify anyone. Unrighteous judges, who are often those who rush to judgment, are also condemned in Scripture. I am writing this to try to keep some from stumbling by jumping to conclusions. We have a brother, a sister, their children, and a ministry that is really hurting right now. I greatly appreciate Todd’s willingness to keep ministering and praying for the healing of those who are afflicted and hurting, but he, his family, and his ministry need much healing right now. One thing that would help them and the body of Christ, possibly more than anything else, is to see some real Christian charity expressed in this situation and some righteous judges stand up, which is the duty of true elders in the church.

It would be one of the great tragedies to the body of Christ in our times to lose a ministry like Todd has. He is called to start much more than the Lakeland Outpouring, and just as the Lord went around destroying the works of the enemy by healing the sick, casting out demons, and demonstrating the power of the kingdom, Todd is doing that. He is taking ground in real power ministry on a level that has not been seen in decades. To lose Todd, and to lose Fresh Fire Ministries, would be a major defeat for the body of Christ. We would survive, and we would still ultimately prevail, but the cost of this defeat would be great.

So what do we do? First, in all things we must keep in mind that “love never fails” (see I Corinthians 13:8). How would the Lord respond to this? How can we see this through His eyes? We already know because He showed us. In II Corinthians 5:14 Paul wrote, “For the love of Christ controls us.” How would we behave if Christ’s love was controlling us? When mankind fell, He did not criticize, gossip about us, or condemn us—He laid down His life for us.

The world will never believe our gospel of redemption and restoration until we learn to redeem and restore. Let’s take a worst case scenario here and say that Todd was guilty of terrible things and is the one at fault in the separation—what should our response be? We are told in Galatians 6:1:

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

So, if anyone has been “caught in any trespass,” those who are “spiritual” must restore them. Those who are truly spiritual approach every situation with that goal—redemption and restoration. This is more than just forgiving them—it is getting them back to the place they were. The next verse says, “Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Already there is some gloating over this situation. Some are trying to use it to promote themselves. Every situation like this is a test for everyone. Some will pass and some will fail, and the nature of everyone will be exposed. Those who truly walk in the Spirit of Christ will be obvious. The Holy Spirit is the Helper, and those who truly walk by the Spirit will be trying to help, because they love Todd, his wife, the church, and most of all, the Lord who already laid down His life for them.

This is a real opportunity for the church to show some maturity and Christian love. This does not mean compromise, but it does mean addressing this situation in an almost opposite way that we have tended to do in the past. We will all reap what we sow, and if we want to reap grace, we must learn to sow grace every chance we get. If we want to receive mercy, we need to learn to sow mercy every chance we get. Here’s a good chance!

So what does this mean for the Lakeland Outpouring? I will address that in a bit more depth in the next Bulletin, but for now, it can continue and it can get even stronger. A well has been opened there that does not have to be shut again. However, it does depend on a lot of decisions made by the church there. We should be praying for them and asking how we can help them because they were used to release something very important to the worldwide body of Christ. Todd had already decided to turn the Lakeland meetings over to Stephen Strader and to only take a couple of other meetings over the next few months to rest and sort out his life.

What will be happening at MorningStar? I will address that in a bit more depth also, but we received a new commission on 8/8/08, and we are going higher, deeper, and further. We are close to the birth of something we were created for, that we believe will begin this fall, around September 21. We have been given that date like we were 8/8/08 and it is not a coincidence that this date is exactly six months after the Honoring the Father’s Conference we hosted with WhiteDove Ministries. Because of this, we moved our Harvest Conference to begin on September 18, and the Worship & Warfare Conference to begin on September 22, so September 21 will be the Sunday in-between. Come to either or both of these if you can, and you may be a part of history.

For information about these conferences, there is a blurb at the end of this Bulletin. More information is available on our website at www.morningstarministries.org. Because this will be a large outdoor event, we are also making a place for dozens of ministries, churches, Christian artists, publishers, etc., to lease a tent at a nominal charge so they will be able to share about their ministries and resources. We will have midnight bonfires, roaming worship and ministry teams, and other events that will create a festival atmosphere that is conducive to members of the body getting to know one another. Many important bonds between them will begin at this event. This one really could be historic, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were 8,888 that come.

By the way, did you notice that this is Special Bulletin #8? I didn’t plan that, and I just noticed it myself. This is just the year of eight for us. Even our NFL team, The Panthers, finished 8–8 last year. For us that was a perfect season!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Share: The Army of God Mobilizes, Part 33 (Message by Rick Joyner on our Giftings and our priorities as Christians)

The Army of God Mobilizes, Part 33


Last week we ended our study by asking the questions about knowing our purposes, ministries, gifts, etc., which we have been given by God. If our Word for the Week readers are typical, only about 2 percent could answer all of these questions with “yes,” and less than 10 percent could answer any of them with “yes.” This is remarkable because studies have concluded that the number one question that people have is what their purpose is in life. Every human being knows inherently that they are not here by some random accident, but they have a purpose. Yet most tragically, less than 10 percent of Christians, who know their Creator, have the answer to this.

This reveals what is probably the greatest failure of present church life, but we can expect it to be changed—soon. When this is corrected, and Christians begin to perceive their purposes and the gifts or tools that they have been given for accomplishing their purpose, as well as the corporate purpose of the church in our time, the result is going to be the release of the most powerful spiritual force the world has seen.

Seeing our own purpose can have the single most powerful impact on our own life after coming to know the Lord, being born again, and being baptized in His Spirit. Every Christian knows they are called to be a witness, but we have a calling in His body that is more specific than that. Every Christian is called to function in at least one spiritual gift, which is the tool that we are given for fulfilling our purpose. So how do we come to the knowledge of these? There is a clear and easy path to it. My purpose for this study is to make it as clear and easy as possible.

I say easy, as in easy to understand, but it can be more difficult to actually walk out. However, not walking this out will result in a much more difficult and frustrating life. Let me first give you an outline of the following factors, and then we will go deeper into how they apply:

#1) Resolving to live to do the Lord’s will as the chief pursuit of our lives

#2) Beholding the glory of the Lord

#3) Honoring our spiritual fathers and mothers

#4) Finding and becoming a committed part of the body of believers we are
called to be with

#5) Receiving the ministry of the five equipping ministries listed in Ephesians 4

#6) Being recognized, trained, and discipled

#7) Engaging in our calling


We will briefly examine just how each of these apply. These are necessary for us to accomplish the purpose for which Christ called every one of us and to be a successful human being. The most basic criteria for success as a human, becoming what we were created to be and doing what we were created to do, is loving God. We were created for this and known by God before the foundation of the world. If there is any measure of success for us, it will be to hear from the King on that great judgment day, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Matthew 25:21 NIV). Therefore, to hear those words should be the chief pursuit of our lives.

Anything that eclipses our devotion to knowing and serving the Lord is an idol. An idol is anything that has more of our affection than He does, and it is also anything that we put our trust in above Him. The Word makes clear no idolaters will inherit the kingdom of God (see I Corinthians 6:9). In Revelation 21:8, we are told idolaters will be thrown into the lake of fire and suffer the second death. Being an idolater is not something we want to be! That is the negative but, nevertheless, a true and necessary warning, so it is imperative that we not let anything eclipse our love and devotion to the Lord.

The positive is that keeping the Lord as our chief love and devotion is not only the path of life and the true fulfillment in this life, it also leads to eternal life that will be more wonderful than our minds can even now perceive. This present life is but “a vapor,” a wisp that passes with remarkable speed. What we do here on earth establishes our eternal destiny, so we should not take this life or our calling and responsibility lightly but rather with all the seriousness and devotion that it deserves.

The Scriptures are also clear and we can totally trust in the truth that God is good—He is good to all and He loves all, wanting the very best for all. If we do not fulfill our purpose in life, it will not be His fault, but ours. We must want Him and His will enough to seek it.

He wants the best for us; living in His will and doing His will is the best life that we can ever live. This life that has been chosen for us could be hard at times and could even end in martyrdom, but if that is the case it is still the best life that we could ever live, and much better than any other option.

Of course, the most basic calling for everyone is to love God above anyone or anything. Therefore, growing in love for Him is the foundation upon which every truly successful life is built. If we love Him above all and keep Him as our first love, then He will be the continuing devotion and pursuit of our lives. After that, we must love one another. So loving Him and one another is the foundation. A foundation is something we not only walk on every day and build everything else on, but it must be the strongest part of the building. Since “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” this is the main thing that we must always keep the main thing. Everything else is dependent on this. We must never be beguiled from the simplicity of devotion to Christ (see II Corinthians 11:3).

We will discuss how love is both the door and the path to everything else. One who loves is not only the happiest human being, but the most fulfilled, as long as we keep the order of love right—God first and then people. It is not wrong to love things, but it is right to love the good things God has given to us, receiving them with thanksgiving. However, we must keep our love for the Giver first.

As we grow into the army we are called to be, one of our most powerful weapons is love. In many ways this army is like other armies in devotion, discipline, focus, training, seriousness, and so on, but in some basic ways it is unlike any other army. The weapons of this army are not like any human weapons, but are divinely powerful. We do not hate our enemies, but we love them! We do not fight to kill but to give life—not to conquer, but to set others free.

And this you can count on—you are going to love this job!

Of Superhumans/Superanointeds and Prayer

Before somebody checks in on this and calls me a HERETIC, I'd like to straight to the heart of what I want to say:

You have access to the greatest authority on earth, anytime, anywhere: God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, and the name of the Lord JESUS. Yeshuah. Hesus.

The thing is that people tend to think that the power of the Holy Spirit: the ability to prophesy and speak in tongues as well as the other gifts, are only apportioned to "Super Christians."

Not true.

I used to be one of those who believed in that lie. When I sought out the lady known to be Victory Christian Fellowship's most renowned prophet and intercessor, and asked for an "impartation," she only had one heart in her prayer for me: EYES OF A DOVE: focused on Jesus.

As she prayed for me, I remembered one realization that no doubt the Holy Spirit set in my heart years ago, when I committed my life to the Lord in UP Los BaƱos, in 2003. In fact, I had corrected a girl that was overly praising the pastors and leaders while we were in a prayer meeting circle, with my own prayer containing that realization: That there is no need to look up to these people in false adoration and allowing ourselves to believe that they are the only ones who can preach like that and pray like that.

The Lord has already died, rose again, seated at the right hand of the Father, and He has apportioned His Holy Spirit to EVERYONE.

EVERYONE.

Not "Everyone-except-[insert your name here]."

As the pastors in Victory said, "There is no JUNIOR HOLY SPIRIT."

You know, these men and women who lead us were like us once: young, full of dreams, but messy and messed up.

They had their wilderness moments, and they had their sablay moments.

Yet, it is not them who set themselves on these places of authority. They were not the ones who just strategized where they wanted God to put them and maneuvered things. They went through the worst of seasons and the worst of moments, sumablay sila, but as God adjudged them faithful and worthy, He promotes them Himself.

The thing is that we have to seek the Lord and delight in Him AS FOR WHO HE IS. Not for the ministry we anticipate, not for the blessings we anticipate. We delight in the Lord, because He is so lovely, and He deserves our praise.

Sa totoo lang, I had grasped for so much before, I wanted anointings and stuff..

I went through so much.. And I got a lot of stuff that I wanted.. Rewards..

Then the other week, Pastor Robert gave us a Giftings test. As I tallied all the giftings, my perfectionistic streak coming out, one gift was missing.

I looked for it matter-of-factly. But when I finally spotted it and neatly placed it on its row among the top three, I wistfully looked at it and blanched... Because I had so longed for and grasped after it, and at that moment... It didn't matter as much anymore.

Because when all is said and done...

  • I serve because I can't live with myself if I knew God called me for that task for the moment and wasn't faithful with it.
  • I serve with excellence coz I cannot stand leaving slipshod work, no matter how long it takes.


And at the end of the day...




.......All I wanted was that Creme Brulee, Tiramisu, Rocky Road Cake or some other sweet, sinful dessert, that I could have, after all the work has been done.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

What if? # 2 >>>Dancing for Jesus???<<<

I was, as usual, just ambling my way through the Internet today, posting my favorite songs on the Women Pioneers group site I set up where women from Victory Pioneer (and whoever else wants to join) can actually share music, videos, resources, thoughts and stuff.

I saw this video, which made me cry, because it reminded me of all the high school plays and productions that I had taken part in, for the glory of man.

I was also reminded of the play that Gigi had written and taken part in, in a role I would covet anyday, Nyaharhar, and I realized that this is time for another what-if.

Earlier, I had posted on a what-if that was mostly for boys: Parkour.

This what-if is something that women may now relate to: dancing.

We were called to worship, right? And Jesus won't come again till there is a concerted effort to worship Him, a chorus that resounds up to His throne in Heaven, our songs in unison.

So again, the gears in my head are turning, and I want to infect you, too.

What if... You danced your heart out to worship Jesus?

To the parents: What if we took ownership of productions like these in our children's schools and gave them to the Lord?

To the youth: What if we did dance like this for the Lord?


Would you take the call?

Friday, August 1, 2008

My Top Three Songs of the Year

Guys, what are your favorite songs of late? :)

Here are my top three. :)

Share ko lang, kasi sobrang tagos sa puso..


Amber Brooks of MorningStar Ministries (Rick Joyner's group), and her song Like You Promised:

The Cry of the prophets around the world, I Can Hear the Rhythm/People Get Ready by Misty Edwards:

Version 2 of People Get Ready/I Can Hear the Rhythm (Cut short due to YouTube's minute restrictions):

The Song that awakened my heart back in February, You Won't Relent by Misty Edwards:


Misty Edwards is a worship leader for International House of Prayer, led by Mike Bickle, while Amber Brooks is part of MorningStar Ministries, most known for being the church to where prophet Rick Joyner belongs.


Blessings to those who listen, and share rin kayo ng favorites nyo!


For more rockin' music:


http://www.elijahstreams.com

Something to inspire.

I don't know if this man, who has touched so many lives from this moving lecture, was a Christian. All I know is that what he taught in his last lecture series was something Christ would like to teach us, too. :)

It ain't about religion indeed. It's about LIFE and living life to the fullest, by... Loving (I'm guilty of the charge of having a metal heart, please pray for me..) and dreaming... And being passionate for excellence. :)

Below is the Oprah version.

And here is the full version.

Attached is the full transcript, ready for your download. :)

Check the bottom of this post. :)

Enjoy!

Calling the Next Generation!

As usual, I was just minding my own business, trying to fix my blog, and a blog I had promised my Editor-in-Chief friends from Central Philippine University, where I graduated, and I came across this post by another Christian, detailing her agony about how she hadn't seen Christians developing FREE Blogger templates. If anything, she has even voiced out what I had only thought before: that software and what-not created by Christians for Christians are, well, in need of massive improvement.

I don't blame her. Because before, I used to complain the same thing about how the Christian community seems to be rather deprived.

I know that since Jesus was also persecuted and hated by the world, it's only natural that we're the minority, too. But wait up. The past of the Christian being on the sidelines of the world is gone.

This year had been marked by the American Prophetic community of the year when the Lord's people are taking back the land the enemy has claimed and closing the gates of hell.

If I'm speaking alien here nevermind. What you need to know is that, this year marks something in the air for the Lord. He is sounding the trumpet for His people to rise up and take their places.

Are you called to web dev?

Are you called to writing in mainstream media?

Are you called to love numbers and become an excellent accountant?


Rise up.


We were meant to live for so much more. We were meant to live for beyond feeding ourselves or our families. We were called to take dominion and seize what is Jesus'!

You're young you say? Timothy was young too.

Dudes, figure out what you love doing. Chances are, this is where God will use you to the fullest.

Life is more than the paycheck. Life is more than the misery. When you are on track and on focus towards the goal that the Lord has set for you, three things will happen:

  1. You will understand what needs to be pruned or chopped off in your life to make room for more focus in the direction you were called.
  2. You will know exactly what it is you need to be doing.
  3. You will stop running around in circles.

So yeah, my jobhunting to Manila Bulletin, Powermac, etc., were never in vain. Powermac, I'm sure I will have a season there. I was given the open door in case I still want to come back and I am taking it, when the time is right. Manila Bulletin, I am seriously not sure, but one thing is certain for me: our mainstream media needs new blood.

It may not be me,

It may not be you,

It may be your seatmate in the next D'Block, Yo-Jam, or whatever youth group meeting you are attending that day.

It may be that girl you've been praying for to fall in love with Jesus.

All I know is that we are called to pray, figure out where God is going to use us to the fullest, and walk, relentlessly, in that path.


Blessings!

What If: >>>Extreme Sports for Jesus, Being a Christian Ninja, and Other Stuff Off the Top of my Head<<<

The great part about having a Christian boss who, by all indications so far, is a true-blue JESUS worshiper, is that she's a lot understanding about my adjustment period. She's allowing me to just sink my teeth into the schedule and stuff for now. I, on the other hand, am seriously wanting a maid already. Only, I couldn't afford a maid, heheh.

Much of my time is consumed washing the dishes coz my landlord hatez the mess I leave. Ohkaay. So I have to deal.

Now, because everything is just going crazy and it seems like I'm losing my love for my First Love, I just decided to take some time out and listen to Mike Bickle of International House of Prayer and his vision for International houses of prayer being set up around the world.

I would love to take part in that.

But then there I started craving for one of Misty Edwards' songs. Misty is a member of IHOP's Prayer Room, and her songs are just rockin' and soul-shaking, like this one:



...And in my search for that particular video to share with you, I came across this one, about kids doing the new extreme sport, "Parkour."

What I learned from my earthly father is that with everything that a person has to do, there has to be purpose. There has to be an end goal for everything we do.

While I admire these kids' power and talent, I can't help thinking that this is so reminiscent of the abilities of the ninjas in the old days.

As Misty is singing, we are on the verge of Christ's return. I bear witness to the fact that there IS something happening in the air. He did say in the Bible that when the Son of Man comes, signs abound. It is like the time of harvest, when the wheat heads are full, and they're drooping from the weight of their fertility.

If you are unaware that so many things are happening and all you see is that you want to live your life with your head in the sand, and that Jesus may well not return, then what-evar. All I know is that electricity is starting to crackle in the air.

But back to these kids doing Parkour. Bear with me as I paint a mental picture. In the areas where God is so needed, there is still so much of a need for physical strength, and in the path of flight, where persecution might happen, don't you think that talents like Parkour would have use?

Imagine. Thousands of Christian "ninja's" taking ground for Jesus in the Middle East, in the Communist countries, in the mountainous and hostile regions where His name has yet to be heard.

Imagine. Your prowess of backdiving and stuff better utilized as you flee from physical enemies in nations where they do not understand that God owns this earth and He is taking ground and He wants to use you?

I sure want to learn Parkour if only the Philippines were not so hostile to new things like these. There were days, when I was on an extended fast, that my feet were so light and quick that I felt like I could do things like these.

I know I will get the chance to play around with my physical strength. For now, I'm letting the gears turn in your head.

What if Jesus needed end-time ninja's to go brave Cuba, South America, or even Japan, North Korea, and the unreached areas of China?

What if?

Are you willing to take the call?