If you look at my links box you will find one for In His Name Ministry. On this site you can listen to some of Pastor Don’s teachings, watch a few TV shows with him preaching. He has two great books published – One called Christianese and the other called Not Forsaken;  Healing the Father Wound. Both books are great and impacting. I do hope though Pastor Don does publish his discipleship manual, for there is much information in that that would help the body of Christ.

What I particularly love about Pastor Don is his heart for the lost, the genuine love that he shows, and how patiently he reaches out to help people see the love of God. I was blessed to be the recipient of that when I started speaking with him as those of you who have read my testimony saw (3/24/06 entry). He teaches the church members this too, for it breaks his heart if someone does not feel loved and accepted when they walk through the church doors.

Here is another entry from the discipleship manual that may bless you, from pages 57 and 58.

Condemnation

   Don’t stand up and identify anybody’s sin, behavior or actions. Let’s say you have a friend who’s “living in sin.” Don’t stand up and say, “I’m bringing this guy to church and he’s breaking God’s law.” or “He’s not living right.” or “He’s got to get straightened out.” Don’t embarrass people or over-expose them to criticism, judgement, and condemnation. It’s embarrassing, and you have to give people time to come to the Lord and get right first in their hearts.

   ***People must first see the Power and Love of God before they’ll
          receive the correction of God.

   Jesus met the woman at the well, and it wasn’t until after a foundation of conversation was laid and she recognized that He was the Teacher that He prophesied a Word of Knowledge over her in a non-condemning way, pointing out her sin. We want to be like Jesus. Look at how He did this.

   Turn to the Book of John Chapter 4. Jesus is at Jacob’s well. John 4:7 “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”" Now verse 9, “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” Actually the Jews considered the Samaritans dogs. So Jesus breaks down the wall of prejudice and accepts her by two things. First: she’s a woman and He’s speaking to her, second: He knows immediately she’s a Samaritan, but goes beyond prejudice.

   Let’s look at the scene. They are on a journey and it was about the sixth hour. The sixth hour is about high noon. She is doing a most difficult labor that no one chooses to do at the hottest time of the day. The reason she would do it then is because she’s trying not to meet people at the well in the heat of the day. Her reputation is soiled and she’s probably avoiding the “respectable” women who draw water at the cool of the day in the morning. Then she speaks to Jesus and identifies the fact that she’s a Samaritan woman and He’s a Jew. She says, “How can you ask me for a drink?” Jesus is immediately saying, “I’m going to meet you where you are, at the level where you are. I’m going to accept you and treat you with love. If not love, then, at least acceptance. I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt”

   When we over-expose someone, we are not giving them any benefit, doubt or otherwise. We are condemning them, elevating ourselves and putting them down. We are saying, “I’m saved, born-again, spirit-filled, but you…you have the good sense to come to church with me, but…you don’t qualify yet.” Jesus wasn’t doing that, though He could have. Not only is He a Jew, but He is the Lord.

   In the 10th verse Jesus says, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” They continue on and talk about the well and the water. Jesus goes on in verse 13, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again…In verse 15 the woman said, “Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst…” She has opened the door here. In verse 15, the woman has established that Jesus has something that she doesn’t have and now Jesus, by His conversation with her, and the fact that He hasn’t dealt with her in a prejudiced or condemning way, has made it possible for her to identify her own need.

   Next she says to Jesus, “Give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty.” Another interesting thing, if you notice, Jesus said to her, “Everybody who drinks this water will be thirsty again.” He used everyone. therefore, not signaling her out. He didn’t say to her, “Woman, if you drink this water, you’re going to be thirsty again.” Go to verse 14: “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” And not, “Woman, I have the answer to your problem. If you take My answer, you’ll never thirst.” He continued, “But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

   Jesus has painted such an indirect, third person situation that it makes the woman free to accept or reject without condemnation. As opposed to, “I got it. You ain’t. I’m giving it away, if you want it, but if you don’t want it, you’re going to hell, and I know private things about you too!!” That is very ineffective because by the time the person does come to the Lord, they won’t want you to have been the vessel or the messenger. And you won’t get the crown or the reward.

   In many cases that’s why we can’t win our neighbors, family, and the people closest to us. When we express ourselves in that manner it is seen as arrogant and condemning. you want to avoid appearing judgmental. If what you have is so good, you want to express it like, “Man, this is really good, in the sense that it really works for me. I really love the Lord. It’s a beautiful thing that really works for me.” And leave it at that. They’ll get the message. As opposed to, “It really works for me and, if you don’t do what I’m doing, you’re going to hell.” Might be true, but we don’t need to say it. Except as a last resort, and only under the unction (leading of the Holy Spirit).

****

Heather’s comments:

I have been on the receiving end of some heavy-handed evangelism, and walked away often mocking the person, not listening, tuned them out. Trust me when I say that more will be accomplished quicker by planting a seed of love. I think that we often feel we have to do it all, and in one fell swoop. Yes, the time is short, and yes, there are times when you must tell a person bluntly get saved or you will end up in hell. But often your walk in the Lord will entice a person, making them want to know what it is that you have. If you face a crisis with faith, that will interest those who are watching you and your walk with the Lord. Sometimes just what you do on a day to day basis will have more impact, for it shows that you walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Talk is cheap, the walk shows commitment. I think it boils down to following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And sometimes planting a seed once, that another will water later on down the road is as important as bending a person to your beliefs. But again, it is a situation by situation thing, and there are times when you are prompted to not just plant a seed, but do a complete renovation of the garden. God will guide if you let Him. Remember where you came from, and realize that it took time to get to where you are, and give people the courtesy to let them come to points of realization in their own timing. Entice, and intrigue will sometimes break down barriers.

I belong to a Woman’s Book Club, and I suspect that 3/4 of the members are either New Age or non-believers, or those who have rejected church completely. These women have delighted in picking books (they do know my past, my previous involvement in the occult before I got saved, and the fact that I am now a Christian) that are rather challenging to me. Two that I can think of are the DaVinci Code, and the Mists of Avalon. During our discussions they would pointedly ask me what I thought of the books. I would tell them, when I was a witch I felt this way….now I feel this way… One of the members said to me, “You know what I like about you Heather? You don’t seem to go at religion from a denomination or a set of beliefs or laws, you just seem to have a relationship with Jesus.” What a complement, for that means that they are seeing the effects of my walk with God, not the particular denomination or seeing me as a legalist. Yet, I am able to honestly talk about God.

I am not always so perfect in this though, and there are times when I bite my tongue and wish I could take back things that I have said to people. So sometimes I pray that God will cause a crop failure for words I have spoken, or that if something is not right for a person to hear, that they don’t hear it.

I think too that if you genuinely love the people you are relating with, even if you make a mistake they will see that it comes from love.

Hope you have a blessed day! As you can see, I had a bit of insomnia tonight.

Heather

Revelation 14

The last events in Revelation come very quickly – now that the antichrist is revealed, there are 3 1/2 years left before the judgements of God are finished. Chapter 14 talks in part about the Fall of Babylon and the Second Coming of Christ, but we will see the details of that in Chapter 18 & 19, but first we will see the events from the point of view of Heaven, and the Heavenly Mount Zion. After the antichrist emerges on earth, people are killed for not worshipping the image of the beast – that the 144,000 are martyred and are now in Heaven with Jesus. Yet, even with the death of these 144,000 evangelists, God still does not give up, and he sends three angels to make pronouncements.

Chapter 14:1-5

The Lamb is standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. (Remember there was a mark put on them before the trumpet judgements, and now we know that the mark was God’s name). And John hears a voice from Heaven, like the voice of many waters and thunder, and the sound of harpists playing harps.

And the 144,000 sing a new song BEFORE THE THRONE (This is the clue that the Mount Zion is in Heaven, for the throne of God is in Heaven and the 144,000 with Jesus are singing before the throne), before the four living creatures, and the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were REDEEMED FROM THE EARTH. (Here is another clue that the 144,000 are in heaven, redeemed from the earth).

I love the description of them in verse 4-5: These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

This lets us know that they stayed pure, and obeyed Jesus. Because they stayed true to God, and did not worship the image of the beast, they are counted as the first fruits to God. And they are BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD, so now the only ones on earth still are the antichrist, the beast, the another beast, and Those who dwell on the earth. We will see that some on the earth will listen to the three angels who make pronouncements, but most left on the earth will take the mark.

God makes one more final plea to those who dwell on the earth with the proclamations of three angels.

Revelation 14: 6-13

The first angel will preach the everlasting gospel to those who DWELL ON THE EARTH, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. This angel will announce that people should fear God, give glory to Him, and worship Him, for the hour of God’s judgement has come. (no one who is on the earth at this time in Revelation will be able to say that they did not hear the Gospel – some people say that the angels could be satellites, but I think that is stretching things a bit).

The second angel will say, “Babylon is fallen is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (we will see more of the destruction of Babylon in chapters 17 & 18).

A third angel will tell people that if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or hand, that he shall drink the wine of the wrath of God, poured out full strength (without mixture), into the cup of his indignation. He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. The smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever, no rest day or night.

Then Revelation 14:12-13 Here is the patience of the saints, here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me. “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works follow them.”

Luke 21:36 Jesus says after talking about watching and being prepared for the Day which will come on you unexpectedly, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Remember the saints under the altar in Chapter 6:9-11 the souls of those slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held, and they cry out to God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Here is the phrase again, those who DWELL ON THE EARTH. They are told to rest a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed was completed. (This must speak of what is happening now in Revelation 14, for saints are being killed by the antichrist for not taking the mark or worshipping the image.) These saints are clothed in white garments which are righteousness. We might want to keep an eye on those who are clothed in white garments as Revelation continues. Those garments are made white because of the blood of Christ.

God is soon going to begin reaping the harvest of the earth, it is good when we read this in Revelation to remember that Jesus spoke many parables on the harvest, to guide us.

Will continue tomorrow on this, hoping you have a blessed day.

Heather

Well, back to the future (Revelation 13:11-18) I encourage you to read Revelation for yourself. There is a blessing that comes from reading revelation, Revelation 22:7 Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. Please don’t let anyone make you believe it is too hard of a book to understand, the plan and outline is in Revelation 1:19. Frankly, Genesis is a more challenging book for me because it contains all that is in Revelation and every Biblical principle has its origin in Genesis.

When last we were in Revelation we went over the prophesies of Daniel, about the beast.

Now we are going to meet his side-kick, another beast – this one will come up out of the earth and he has two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. This beast is unnatural, no lamb has horns, and this other beast will speak like the dragon (satan).

He will have all the authority of the first beast (antichrist), in the presence of the antichrist. So the power the second (another) beast has is dependent on the antichrist.  And this second beast will cause all who dwell on the earth to worship the first beast who had a deadly wound that was healed.

This second beast will perform great signs (imitations of what Christ and the prophets do), and will make fire come down from heaven. (Remember Elijah prayed and God made fire come down from heaven, and the two witnesses had fire that proceeded from their mouths – so this second beast’s job will be to fool those who are on the earth and keep them from the truth of God). He will v. 14 DECEIVE those who dwell on the earth by the signs which he can do IN THE SIGHT OF THE BEAST. And will tell those who dwell on the earth (notice how often that phrase “dwell on the earth” is used) to make an image to the beast, and the second beast will give breath to the image that should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed (remember that God breathed life into Adam, here the second beast is breathing “life” into the image, and causing men to worship the image. ) Verse 16 “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.”

No one will be able to buy or sell if they do not have the mark or the name of the beast or his number. The number of a man, 666.

Again, the mark is not an original idea. Cain had a mark put on his forehead by God so that people would not kill him after he was banished by God. The 144,000 had a mark put on their foreheads by God. In Leviticus 19: 28 it mentions marks, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am the LORD.

We will see in Revelation 14:9 A third angel will announce, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Oh, take heed of this, again, it is not God’s heart to do this to those on the Earth, but if they choose, given all the chances that they have had to pick God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, it is a choice they have to live with eternally.

When I first met Pastor Don, the Holy Spirit had led me to read the Bible through to give God one last chance (praise God He did give me that prompting), but I remember being stuck on the Moses/Pharaoh story, where I read, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. I pointed that out to Pastor Don because I felt that God had it in for Pharaoh, that God hardened hearts at will, and of course inferred that perhaps God had hardened my heart. We took a careful look at this story in Exodus – First encounter in Chapter 5, Pharaoh says, Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice, and Pharaoh makes the life of the Israelites harder. God sent many plagues to Pharaoh and his people, and pharaoh hardened his own heart, (God saw that his heart was hardened, but it was pharaoh who hardened it in spite of the warnings, river of blood, plague of frogs (why did pharaoh when asked when to remove the frogs say “tomorrow”, if I had frogs coming out of everywhere I would have said now.), the lice v. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. Then there was a plague of livestock, and the heart of Pharaoh became hard (Exodus 9:7), the seventh plague hail and he hardened his heart again in verse 34. Exodus 10, plague of locusts in verse 1, here God says, “..I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants.” Up until the 8th plague Pharaoh hardened his heart, finally God gave him his desire, and hardened Pharaoh’s heart. But there were many signs and chances for Pharaoh to do the right thing. (an aside, have you noticed how the plagues of Pharaoh and the plagues of Revelation are similar?)

It is the same thing with those  who dwell on the earth, they were given the 10 Commandments as a proving ground to show them they needed a savior, they were given the Prophets to warn them, Jesus who sacrificed Himself and rose from the dead, the Apostles, 2000 years of church history, the rapture, the 144,000, the two witnesses, and as we will see in Chapter 14 the warnings of the angels flying in mid-heaven. Chance after chance after chance after chance. God stayed His hand, hoping, wanting all to be saved. At some point though the disease of sin must be eradicated from the earth. When God saw that the people gave themselves over to the antichrist, taking the mark, they made their choice. It was not God’s best for them, but they made the choice.

God cannot force anyone to love him, forced love is rape, and God had to give us the choice to pick and choose. He begged in Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live…”

God wants us to choose life, eternal life, not death, but if we want death, he is honor bound to give us our choice. Oh how hard He tried to get us to choose life, to the point of sending His son to us, sacrificing His son to forgive our sins, if we reject this great love of God and choose satan, at some point God will say, so be it.

Choose life today!

Heather

Before getting back to Revelation (or is it Back to the Future – we watched that movie this weekend), I just want to type out another chapter from our Discipleship Manuel by Pastor Don.

This is another point Pastor Don emphasized in our six month Discipleship course, and sadly I have seen this in the churches I have attended, including ours. This is comes from Page 191 in The Discipleship Manuel by Pastor Don Moore (he hasn’t published it as a book yet, but I am encouraging him to do so. He got much of this from sitting at the feet of his Grandfather and Father as they pastored and administered churches).

Go Behind Vultures

   This category of vultures is best described by an illustration. You invite guests for dinner and after the meal you wipe off the table and load the dishwasher. One of your guests rises and, to your surprise, begins to wipe off the table again, and to your utter amazement, fills the sink with water, takes the dishes out of the dishwasher, and proceeds to put them in the sink.
   Let’s do another illustration. A husband and wife are locked in a loving embrace, you go over, tap him on the shoulder and say “excuse me, let me show you how to hug her!” Both of these illustrations demonstrate how people can interrupt, disrupt, disrespect, and go behind someone to help where they’re not needed. They may have something worthwhile to offer but they are out of order and on an ego trip. Often they seek attention and recognition as a powerful saint – prayer warrior. Somehow they think that the job isn’t done until they minister to the person. Women seem more guilty in this area than men. The reason may be “coached” sports, where men are trained not to butt in or speak up until asked. After the Holy Spirit or the presiding minister has attended to the people, the vulture will zone in on the prey – unsaved, visitor or disturbed believers, to have a private prayer or counseling session. They take the hands of the prey so they can’t escape and pull them to a corner to be alone. With compassionate eyes they begin, “the Lord loves you so much and I have to tell you what God put on my heart to tell you….” The prey always asks later, “who was that person and what were they trying to do?” When the Holy Spirit has ministered to someone they are doing all they can to dwell in or understand the moment. The vulture, though well intentioned, overloads and adds confusion. Even as a pastor I must be careful not to go behind the Holy Spirit and re-do or un-do His work. If someone is having an experience with God, they don’t need us to go over and lay hands upon or pray or do anything. Hold what you think you have for another time or at least ask God and the minister what should be done.

         ***Self appointed apostles are sent ones—sent by self.

   The go-behind cleaner is flesh led and therefore must be taught and gently rebuked. They are easily offended and their need for importance will misinterpret correction. The vulture feels that what they have to offer is of paramount importance. “I hear from God and you are just holding me back” they’ll say! The hard core will even use the prey publicly in their testimonies of how God used them. A vulture that’s totally out of control will go behind the minister and lay hands on people again. The ultimate ego tripper will pick up those  slain in the spirit and give them a word and attempt to re-slay them. This calls for rebuke without any concern for their feelings, for this grieves the Holy Spirit. Ministry is not a show and people are not puppets to be manipulated; and an Amen goes right there.
   After praying with someone, be aware that after you leave the Holy Spirit continues His ministry. Also before you arrive He has begun to minister. When the unction comes to make an altar call, it is because God wants you to give people the opportunity to act in Faith in response to what He is doing.

     ***Let us hold the image in our hearts that we are not the surgeon,
             but the maintenance man. At our best we create an atmosphere
             for the surgeon to work in. Amen

*******************************************************************

Heather’s comments. This course on discipleship, which is the second time I have taken it, sure impacts me greatly and is so convicting. I once told Pastor Don that I walk away feeling I will never be able to do all that is taught, to keep the proper humility, and with a profound respect for what God needs from His servants. That was not Pastor Don’s heart in writing this manual, but I also realize that without God directing my path, there would be no way of doing any of it. Basically it involves being the instrument that is willing to be used by God as a servant to walk alongside others.

One element that runs through the entire manual is Humility, not letting Ego guide one’s steps and actions. I think that when Pride rears its ugly head is when the disciple gets into trouble and pride comes in so many disguises.

I have been the victim of a prayer vulture, and went up to Pastor Don and told him that someone wanted to pray with me, that I felt uncomfortable, backed off, turned and escaped, but was also worried because I did not want to do what was wrong. He told me (and this was early in my time at Living Word Chapel) that if someone wanted to pray for me I should tell them that Pastor Don told me to have them pray for me with Pastor Don present. That gave me a way out to protect myself. In fact, that is a good line to use when someone wants to pray for you and you have a check in your spirit about it, telling them that you would like your pastor present.

I fear so much being a stumbling block on someone’s path. Never do I want to do something to impede a person’s progress toward or with God. And yet, I am certain that there are times that I have done just that. I just pray that God is more in control and my ego less, but trust me, I have far to go before that happens. I have much to learn.

Well, back to the future (Revelation), maybe later on today, maybe tomorrow, depends. The kids have one last day off, two have gone with their dad to saw down a tree that fell this winter on our summer place (one day I’ll put up a picture, my husband loves the place, but to me it looks like something Charles Addams would construct. It is as one TV repair show states, “a real fixer-upper). The other one is going to come with me on the quest for the perfect hammock for his birthday, one that he can take camping with the scouts.

Hoping you have a blessed day,

Heather

Hoping you are having a happy and blessed Resurrection Sunday/Easter Sunday. Here the sun is shining and the day is peaceful.

Continuing from yesterday, I thought I would include a bit from the discipleship manual written by Pastor Don, having to do with exposure of new Christians. This is something that gets my hackles up, and has happened in my presence, has happened to me personally, and is something I even said regarding my family when I got them to come to church, and then realized that was a BIG mistake that I did not repeat.

This is from page 55 and 56 of Pastor Don Moore’s Discipleship Manuel:

     If you expose a new possible Christian before they are a disciple, you may do damage. Don’t witness to somebody, bring him or her to church, stop the service and say that you have just won him or her to the Lord. That’s exposure inside. Exposure outside is when you witness to somebody in the coffee shop and you go to the waitress and you say, “I’ve just brought this person to the Lord.” Don’t expose them. A new Christian should not be exposed, they will die from exposure; they’re not ready yet.

     For anybody to be exposed, it has to be voluntary. You have to say to them, “Listen, you’ve just accepted the Lord. Are you ready to make a public statement and come before the Pastor and the Elders and receive the hand of fellowship or the Holy Spirit? Are you ready for that?” or “Would you like to give your testimony?” Don’t expose them inside the body till the Holy Spirit leads them and they are ready.

     Don’t expose them outside the body, in the world, until they are willing to confess the Lord themselves. The world, which is under the control of satan, will be quick to bring persecution upon the new candidate. If he is not grounded he can be shaken before his roots are established. The fish may feel you are showing him off as a trophy. After all, you didn’t save him, the Lord did. The new Christian is not confessing you but the Lord, therefore let him give glory from a grateful heart as the Lord leads. They must stand or fall by their own voluntary confession.

     If I prayed for people with certain problems, in private, then I don’t get up in church and elevate myself and say, “I prayed with so-and-so…” and tell all. Not unless I have their permission. And then I say, “Do you want to share this? Is it O.K. to talk about it?”

     One Sunday a man named Howard came up in the prayer line to have vision restored to his right eye. I removed his eye patch, placed my hand on the eye and prayed the prayer of Faith. After he got home he called to say half of the vision was back. He asked, “What should I do?” So I told him to “Come back next Sunday, and I will pray and God will give you the other half.” The next Sunday Howard’s healing came to his eye. Later that week I went over to his house. I said, “You can see now. The Lord healed you, didn’t He?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you willing to share that?” He said, “Yeah, man.” He came Sunday to church, stood up and said, “The Lord healed my eye, I can see, praise God, I am healed.” He gave his testimony about what God did for him. I didn’t heal him- so don’t use the new Christian for yourself. You’re stealing God’s glory and his testimony.

     If you bring somebody to the Lord, and publicly, without permission announce, “I brought them to the Lord,” the new Christian may hear that and may feel, “Why, you just used me. You just elevated  yourself on me.” Sometimes you see it one way and they see it another. You feel you led them to the Lord and they feel you were an obstacle but the credit goes to God. In reality we may assist but the Holy Spirit is doing the leading. You just happened to be the one that was there being used by the Holy Spirit to witness His most holy work.

     If you are blessed to be used evangelistically then let the fruit speak for itself. If you invite people to church and they never come back, it’s a good bet you could be part of the problem. Do you tell other people about them while they are standing there? “Look who I got to come to church finally!” “It took a while, but look who I brought to church…” etc.

     Every time I have stood and listened to someone brag about, “Look who I got to come to church,” I know this is most likely their last time in church too!!! In all things give God the glory and you shut up! People want to be our equals not beholden or described as poor sap-sinners. If you’ll give a smile and say “This is my friend who’s our guest today,” we’ll all be blessed and Jesus will be pleased. Let the Holy Spirit speak to your friend’s heart. Don’t show off, just pray for God to move supernaturally.

     Another example of “over-exposed” is when you bring someone up to the Pastor and force the person into an “I pledge allegiance to the Lord” recital or say, “He’s almost ready to accept the Lord.” Maybe they just came to have a nice time and to see why you are so nice. Wait and let the person speak for themselves. Don’t force your badge of approval or disapproval on him. Don’t over-expose him inside the church, or outside.

     Provide opportunity for commitment but don’t be pushy or threatening. Disciples must be willing volunteers, as Jesus is still asking, “Will you be leaving me also?” and the true disciple must answer, “Where can we go? To whom? For you alone have the words of eternal life.” Let’s read John 6:65-69 “And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Heather

I woke up with something heavy on my heart today, something that comes up every Christmas and Easter (Resurrection Sunday). Heather is going to step up on her soapbox, talk from her experience, and this is fully Heather’s opinion.

A phenomenon happens in many churches on Easter and Christmas, visitors who normally don’t go to church come. I dare say most churches have at least one visitor who comes solely because of the particular holiday. This is usually noted by the regulars who feel so puffed up in pride that they are not one of those who only come at the holiday, but that THEY worship year round. (Satan does his best to discourage the visitor from making this twice a year church attendance into full time church attendance and when the congregation looks down from their pinnacle of pride it serves satan’s purpose well, for it puts a barrier between the visitor and God).

Here are a few scenarios that I have actually experienced that make my hackles rise.

A Catholic Priest and many of the congregation talk about A & P Christians – Ashes and Poinsettia Christians. They will make a statement from the pulpit that there are many faces in the congregation that we only see at these times, and it may be time to come back to church on a regular basis. Usually these are Catholics who come to at least take communion at these two times of the year, but don’t come regularly. (satan loves that statement about A & P Christians for it thoroughly embarrasses the occasional church attending Catholic, reminds them of why they stopped coming in the first place, and certainly doesn’t send a warmth to the person, they leave the church condemned, and decide why bother.) Granted, the person might get convicted and come more regularly, but I bet you that the odds are almost certain that this sort of lecture from the pulpit will not convict them to attend regularly. Far better to be warmly welcoming, perhaps individually state that it is nice to see them, and that they are welcome to come back. They are missed, etc.

A church who does altar calls sees an influx of new faces. The church does their service, and then does an extended altar call because they might get a few salvations out of the visitors. The altar call goes on and on and on, and the visitors are uncomfortable, maybe some come forward to shut the person up, but they may not come forward because God has not put it in their heart yet. Remember it is not the church or pastor that saves a person, but a conviction from God and the Holy Spirit.  Please know there is nothing wrong with altar calls, in fact it is important to (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit) invite a person to come forward to receive Christ. But know it doesn’t have to be in front of hundreds of people at an altar call, it can be one on one. I once attended a church with my parents when I was little. It was apparent to us that we were the only visitors, and the pastor made an altar call, and made it for ten minutes (I had a watch), I couldn’t go forward because I would have been beaten to a pulp by my father if I had, neither could my mother. My father didn’t budge. It was just an uncomfortable 10 minutes. In the car going home my father joked about how long the altar call went on and how that pastor sure tried to get us to come forward, it was a joke to him.  There are times when the Holy Spirit will lead a pastor to make an altar call, but there are other times when just a seed of love has been hopefully put in a visitor, a seed that will grow and perhaps make them come back. That seed could wither quickly if they are put on the spot with altar calls that aren’t timely in that person’s life. And please don’t trounce me with this, I certainly know that it is important to have altar calls, but they have to be Spirit led.

And if you are having altar calls, please make sure discipleship is available for the newly saved person. Altar calls are not about how many notches on the salvation belt you can tick off, it is also about following up with the person and setting their feet firmly on a path that leads to relationship with Christ.

Then there is the pastor and congregation who through their studies has realized how PAGAN the roots of these holidays are and they stand up on the pulpit on these days and preach that, making sure that everybody knows that we shouldn’t be celebrating these days because of their pagan roots. Yes, these holidays do have pagan roots and in my walk with the Lord I have been changing them from holidays to holy days, but when a visitor comes in – most likely attracted to church by the holiday, is that the time to educate them about pagan roots of the holiday? I kind of am glad for the brouhaha that comes around Christmas and Easter for more people think about God and Jesus at that time than perhaps the rest of the year. If your church is one that has only members and no visitors, preach away about the pagan roots of the religion. If one visitor graces your doorpost, perhaps consider preaching a different message, say one about how much God loves us that He sent His Son to us, that this Son loves us so much that He died for us and rose from the dead so that our sins could be forgiven. We have them in the congregation perhaps twice a year, much better to share God’s love, and be grateful to that pagan holiday that caused them to step through the door in the first place.

And a note to people when visitors come. There are two tendencies, one is to look at the person and examine them, but not befriend them. A friend of mine (who still doesn’t go to church since) told me that once she went to a church and started attending. She was by herself with three kids, her husband did not come. It was around Christmas and the pastor told people to extend the hand of friendship to each other because of Christmas. Well she stood there and not one person came up to her to greet her, they greeted their friends and family. She felt so awkward that she never went back there or to any church. I am still praying for her that she finds a church that will extend love to her. She refused my invitation to attend a church I knew would love her, and has since moved from the area. And the other phenomena can best be described by a non church example. Have you ever gone to a store and walked into a department and three sales clerks descend on you, you feel surrounded, and it removes the desire to browse. It is important when a visitor comes to make them feel welcomed, and perhaps a person can come up and strike a conversation with the person, get to know them. But don’t overkill either. Let the Spirit lead.

Ok, Heather will step down from her soap box. Know that it is experiences in my past that have caused my hackles to rise. I also know that these above behaviors can occur from a genuine heart of love. I just know that as a former pagan (testimony on March 24, 2006) that these above behaviors impacted me negatively. It is only a sincere desire to really reach souls that makes me type the above. And know that I really am typing from MY experience, and this may not be another’s experience.

hisprayerwarrior pointed out something so important that I am adding it on, when people walk in we should be praying for them, praying for our pastor, and those workers who come in contact with the visitor that they will be used by God to help reach these visitors.

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday/Easter Sunday.

Heather

I brought forward the notes from last year’s seder (below) they are very good to read because they show just how much Christ is represented in the seder. I also included last year’s pictures. Jim took a few pictures from this year, so I am going to share them.

Rabbi Michael and his wife Gail Zeitler are showing how the matzo represents the Body of Christ. It is pierced, and bruised (the scorch marks), and there are stripes.

I was reading a bit of an answer to the four questions. My reading had to do with Pharaoh being told by God through Moses to “Let My people go”

We were singing at the end, Rabbi Michael and Gail Zeitler are on the far left, Pastor Don Moore and Cynthia Moore on the Right,  our music minister Joy and her husband Ray Pollard are in the middle.

There were so many hands behind the scenes that didn’t get on the pictures. The teenagers served the tables, many hands cooked incredibly good food in the kitchen, and so many helped with the seder. We had lots of visitors who had never experienced a seder before. What a blessing. I kept last year’s pictures in because there were a lot of similarities from the previous year, and it might give an idea of what it was like. I highly encourage you to attend a seder if you haven’t before.

Heather

These are pictures from last year, I thought you might be blessed as Passover will soon be here. Someone mentioned that their church did a passover and how symbolic it was of Jesus and it recalled to mind my entry from our experience last year. Hope you do not mind the repetition.

As promised, seder pictures

After prayer and songs, the Sedar was opened with blowing on shofars. Rabbi Michael is on the far right.

Here is Pastor Don and his wife Cynthia.

Here are all but Julie who were at the table. Mike who is a wonderful example of God’s healing power, my daughter Katherine in the orange, me, my husband Jim, my sons Christopher and Edward (in red). The boys were particularly happy to be able to wear yalmukas and Jim was in the role of papa.

Katherine, with the help of Gail Zeitler was asking one of the questions in Hebrew.

Christopher was reading a response to the questions asked.

We were examining the matzoh to see the piercings, and stripes and hearing about how it is a perfect picture of Christ.

Here is another group shot of those who attended. Julie had rejoined our table.

There was a lot of singing and great joy.

We learned a lot and everyone had a good time. There were some funny incidents too, like when Christopher refused to listen to reason and liberally slathered horseradish on his matzoh and we thought he was going to turn red and blow up, but he got it down. What pleased my heart was that everyone is looking forward to next year’s Passover.

Heather

We had an incredible Passover last night. Jim took pictures, so I will update the Passover entry and add some more pictures. Funny how each year the Passover is different (this being my second Passover, so I don’t have a lot of experience.) Right now in the Kay Arthur study of Ruth and the Kinsman Redeemer we are going over all the Passover passages. Pretty incredible.

I am reading Ravi Zacharias’ autobiography, Walking from East to West and came across a quote that I immediately read to my kids.

Page 12 “I have concluded that it is an exercise that is well undertaken by everybody–to journal and write down one’s thoughts at shorter intervals. Memories are good reminders of what God has done and where we could have done better. I remember the time an older man asked me when I was young, ‘Do you know what you are doing now?’ I thought it was some kind of trick question.
     ‘Tell me,’ I said.
     ‘You are building your memories,’ he replied, ‘so make them good ones.’
     If each reader would glean just that from the book than it will have been worth it.”

Ravi Zacharias then goes on to talk about how in every life you wished you did things differently, and stated that he wished he had gotten more of his parent’s history. and continues “I nevertheless came away with the absolute certainty that God has ordered my steps and that God was there, even in the darkest moments of my life. I know this as surely as I know I exist. He never abandoned me and has brought me by His grace and mercy this far. This is the most certain truth I possess, and it is truly liberating.”

For me it is interesting that as I pursue God more in my reading and study I am beginning to see more of God in my past. At one point I thought God only intervened about four years ago, but now I am seeing His hand more frequently in my past.

Wanted to share a funny story with you. Last night at the Passover my middle son was so angry that my husband made him go, he was sitting there at the table wishing he was anywhere but there. My daughter was worried all this week that yesterday we were going to go to the dentist (we weren’t), and it wasn’t until mid day that she finally believed that we had not made dentist appointments (something we usually do during breaks so the kids don’t miss much school).

Pastor Don comes in and says a prayer, and comments, “I can see that Ed doesn’t want to be here.” (Edward was facing away from Pastor Don, and not displaying any outward sign- it was a Holy Spirit thing).” Ed don’t worry, it isn’t like going to the dentist, and having a tooth pulled. We aren’t going to pull any teeth.”

Ed smiled – and this morning when I woke up, it dawned on me how wonderful the Holy Spirit was, to realize Ed’s state of mind, and at the same time mention dentist – what Katherine had feared all that day.

Hope you have a blessed day. When Jim gets the pictures downloaded I will share them, and maybe continue on in Revelation.

Heather