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Pretty Sure This Is Going to Play a Part in My Afternoon

Pretty Sure This Is Going to Play a Part in My Afternoon

I am continually shocked at how unspiritual people who are supposed to understand the spirit world are.

I heard Kris Vallatton say “I am continually shocked at how unspiritual people who are supposed to understand the spirit world are.” and I could not agree more. Check out this video.

Forgive the annoying gypsy music in the background.

Charles Finney’s Baptism in the Holy Ghost

This is a long excerpt from Charles Finney’s Autobiography detailing his baptism in the Holy Ghost.

Squire W—- had gone to dinner. I took down my bass-viol, and, as I was accustomed to do, began to play and sing some pieces of sacred music. After trying in vain to suppress my tears, I put up my instrument and stopped singing.After dinner we were engaged in removing our books and furniture to another office. We were very busy in this, and had but little conversation all the afternoon. There was a great sweetness and tenderness in my thoughts and feelings. Everything appeared to be going right, and nothing seemed to ruffle or disturb me in the least.

Just before evening the thought took possession of my mind, that as soon as I was left alone in the new office, I would try to pray again — that I was not going to abandon the subject of religion and give it up, at any rate; and therefore, although I no longer had any concern about my soul, still I would continue to pray.

By evening we got the books and furniture adjusted; and I made up, in an open fireplace, a good fire, hoping to spend the evening alone. Just at dark Squire W—-, seeing that everything was adjusted, bade me goodnight and went home. I had accompanied him to the door; and as I closed the door and turned around, my heart seemed to be liquid within me. All my feelings seemed to rise and flow out; and the utterance of my heart was, “I want to pour my whole soul out to God.” The rising of my soul was so great that I rushed into the room behind the front office, to pray.

There was no fire, and no light, in the room; nevertheless it appeared to me as if it were perfectly light. As I went in and shut the door after me, it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ face to face. It did not occur to me that it was wholly a mental state. On the contrary it seemed to me that I saw him as I would see any other man. He said nothing, but looked at me in such a manner as to break me right down at his feet. I have always since regarded this as a most remarkable state of mind; for it seemed that he stood before me, and I fell down at his feet and poured out my soul to him. I wept aloud like a child, and made such confessions as I could with my choked utterance.

I must have continued in this state for a good while; but my mind was too much absorbed with the interview to recollect anything that I said. But I know, as soon as my mind became calm, I returned to the front office, and found that the fire that I had made of large wood was nearly burned out. But as I turned and was about to take a seat by the fire, I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost. Without any expectation of it, without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me, without any recollection that I had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul.

(This parenthesis is in an earlier American edition: I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love for I could not express it in any other way. It seemed like the very breath of God. I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me, like immense wings.) No words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart. I wept aloud with joy and love; and I do not know but I should say, I literally bellowed out the unutterable gushings of my heart. These waves came over me, and over me, and over me, one after the other, until I recollect I cried out, “I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me.” I said, “Lord, I cannot bear any more;” yet I had no fear of death.

How long I continued in this state I do not know. But it was late in the evening when a member of my choir came to see me. He was a member of the church. He found me in this state of loud weeping, and said, “Mr. Finney, what ails you?” I could make him no answer for some time. He then said, “Are you in pain?” I gathered myself up as best I could, and replied, “No, but so happy that I cannot live.

He left the office, and in a few minutes returned with one of the elders of the church, whose shop was nearly across the way from our office. This elder was a very serious man; and in my presence had been very watchful, and I had scarcely ever seen him laugh. He asked me how I felt, and I began to tell him. Instead of saying anything, he fell into a most spasmodic laughter. It seemed as if it was impossible for him to keep from laughing from the very bottom of his heart.

The Swagger Wagon

This would be funny if it did not strike so close to home.

Its not about manifestations

As many people worship manifestations as are offended by them. I lean toward neither.

Last night we saw a manifestation of the Holy Ghost happen en mass for several hours. What did I get excited about? The calls I am getting today detailing closer walks with Jesus.

Tear down the idols folks, both intellectual and spiritual.

Final Night of ASD

I don’t even know how many months ASD has been going but I could not be more proud of the folks that finished the class.  I have seen tremendous spiritual growth in every person in the group.  I am really excited about what God is going to do with each and every one of them.

The Ladies sporting their ASD shirts

Lifting up their pastor

Some of The Fellas

Monday Musings

• We started a new series on Forefathers this week.  I have been really looking forward to it.
• None of these folks were perfect.  But we can learn significant things from them.
• Talked about Charles Finney.  This man was the real deal.  He had a huge impact on my early Christianity and my current ministry.
• If you have not read it, get his autobiography.
• Had an altar call for revivalists.
• Bunch of folks got saved.
• Lookin forward to Mission Kids splitting into two classes.  This is gonna be a great blessing to the older kids.
• Next week we are going to talk about another revivalist.
• This was the last week of ASD.  To end it all the joy of the Lord fell in the room and folks were out for a couple hours.  Wild.
• Next week bring a friend.

Bring Em Out, Bring Em Out

Excited about our Forefather’s message series tomorrow.  First up, Charles Finney.

If you know any unsaved folks you need to bring them tomorrow.

Monday Musings

• WooHoo!  Two weeks we had a worship service, last week we had David Copeland.  This week I got the mic!
• Mother’s Day at The Mission is different than other churches.  We have lots of young people and they will often go to their mother’s church for mother’s day.
• There was a real chill vibe in service yesterday.
• Preached on the prophet’s reward.
• Hope I blew some people’s mind on kingdom promotion.
• Since we had a few less people in service I decided we were going to have prophetic ministry.  So many people came forward for ministry I had to commission another team.
• Here’s the funny part.  As soon as I went to minister I realized I did not have a single prophetic word! I almost had to laugh.  Then the thought came to me (from the Holy Ghost) to just lay hands on people and they would receive visions.  So I did that.
• Every person except for two received a vision.  Most were really in depth and detailed.
• Half the folks I ministered to had a vision of clouds, trees and flowers.
• Podcast is up.
• Had a great time at Bethel Church in Redding.  But I am glad to be home.

Thoughts About the Journey to Bethel in Redding

We got back from Bethel Church in Redding, California last night and I wanted to post some post Redding thoughts.

The Catholics understand the benefits of the pilgrimage better than most charismatics.  There is something about changing your geographic location in search of God that the Father honors.  Whether it is a Beth Moore conference or a Promise Keepers rally, people from every slice of Christianity give very similar testimonies of refreshing and renewal when they take time out of their life, and money out of their pocket in search of a fresh touch from God.

I think in Charismatic Christianity we get the focus shifted from the God journey to minister worship more easily than other groups of our brothers and sisters.  We wonder why they don’t want to pray in tongues.  They wonder why we are so eager to worship men when Jesus saved us.

In the next few posts I want to lay out a little of what I got from my pilgrimage to Bethel.  I did not encounter a demigod.  Bethel is not wired that way.  Not once in the conference were the leaders shielded from the masses.  They were all there in the sanctuary for every session.  Right there in the front row even when it was not their session to preach.

I did encounter God in a new way I would like to call proper apostolic order.  If you are considering a trip to Bethel I would encourage it.  But go looking for God, not a man.