Carl Thomas dot net

Things I Can’t Wrap My Head Around

We all do things that aren’t perfectly logical but we usually have a reason. I like to figure out that reason so I can gain other people’s viewpoint. However, there are things in this world that I simply cannot wrap my head around. Try as I might I simply cannot understand why people continue this behavior. If you have some insight, feel free to share it with me.

Folks who posts on someone’s Facebook status just to argue with them. When you quote scripture to rebut someone’s status you don’t show your intelligence or revelation, you show your lack of class. If your post is particularly spiteful, you show that you lied when you sent a friend request. We all know how frustrating it is when you find out that someone on the internet is wrong but it is not your mission from God to correct them publicly. You logged on to Facebook and insulted a nationally respected leader? I can’t wrap my head around that.

Buying an iPhone on purpose. I have a friend that bought a Galaxy Note and an iPhone 4s. The Note looked like an amazing piece of equipment and the iPhone looked like a bland watch. The iPhone also weighed as much as a coffee mug. I have a Galaxy S2 and it weighs a fraction of what the iPhone weighs and the screen is bigger! On top of that you are stuck with iOS so no native Google apps. Yet people still say the iPhone is the better phone. I cant wrap my head around that.

Decaf coffee. I cant wrap my head around that.

Christians who “don’t believe in the traditional church.” You can normally find these folks gathered in someone’s living room where one person talks for an extended period of time while everyone else listens…but it’s not church like “THEY” do it. Yeah, they have the talk after singing some songs and normally receive an offering but they are totally different then the people who are doing it wrong. I see nothing wrong with a house church. But to have church and say you don’t believe in church? I cant wrap my head around that.

Folks that claim the infallibility of Scripture but think the Holy Ghost no longer empowers believers. When you have a high view of Scripture you believe the plain teachings of the bible. When you don’t, you are a liberal. You can’t relegate whole chapters of the New Testament as ancient history and still claim to have a high view of Scripture. God is not the same today as he was back then? I cant wrap my head around that.

My Official Reaction to President Obama’s Stance on Gay Marriage

Yesterday President Obama announced in an interview that he supports gay marriage. Several pastors both locally and nationally have gone on the record with their response.  I feel it is now time for me to respond as well. I hope this will not offend anyone.

It is my official position that even if people are legally allowed to engage in same sex marriage, I will stay married to Tracey Thomas, a natural born woman.

I do not feel that this will have any effect on my marriage or family. My son will one day still marry a woman, and my daughter will marry a man much, much later then that.

We Winning by Willie Moore Jr. – My Current Jam

We Winning by Willie Moore Jr. – My Current Jam Willie "PDub" Moore Jr. – The Turning Point on #Spotify http://open.spotify.com/album/77mlsI1FIxP2qPgSUGIMg3

Men’s Fellaship (and moving party) This Saturday

All right fellas.  This Saturday morning we are going to get together to eat bagels, drink coffee, and move some stuff to the church office.

You down?

Meet me at the church office at 8 :30a.m.

Empowered Conference Day 3

I was ready to get going on the third day.  I had a better night sleep even though we got to bed much later.  The hotel breakfast was really bad so we opted to het Mickey D’s on the way to the conference. 

We got there in time for Worship lead by Steve Swanson.  This guy is really an amazing worship leader.

Bill Johnson lead the first session and he dished out a bunch of his Bill Johnson goodness. 

Bill made the connection between ministers who avoid accountability and submission to the local church and hype in the pulpit.  It was really powerful.

After him Rodney Hogue taught on deliverance ministry.  I generally go to great lengths to avoid any teaching on deliverance, not because I don’t believe in it, quite the contrary.  But often the classes could be renamed “fascination with demons.”  When I encounter the demonic I want it away from me as quickly and quietly as possible.  If I want entertainment I will watch television. 

Rodney stressed time and again that the focus of ministry is on people, not demons.  That was so refreshing.

That brings me to what I liked most about this conference.  All the men on stage were either pastors or spent a great deal of time pastoring a local church.  They all have been in the ministry at least thirty years.  None of them are trying to make a name for themselves.  It was a bunch of elders dispensing wisdom.  Take it or leave it, they did not seem to care.  I loved it.

After lunch all the speakers did a Q & A session with pre-screened questions.  You kind of had to be there for that one but it was great.  The center of attention was Mark Chironna’s and Bill Johnson’s shoes.

We ended with the afternoon session of Randy Clark teaching on impartation then a time of laying on of hands. 

The day before I kind of got drafted into catching so I was determined to let the bodies hit the floor if need be, I was getting mine. 

Mark Chironna spoke a powerful word to me and immediately after Bill Johnson laid hands on me and shifted my world.

We skipped the evening session and headed home.  I don’t think we actually skipped anything because shortly after hitting the road an outpouring began in my car.  Think of the most anointed revival meetings you have ever been in with shaking, crying, prophecies, tongues with interpretation, deliverance, all kinds of manifestations, open visions and words of wisdom.  Then picture it happening in a car going 80 miles an hour down the turnpike.  It was amazing.

Wish all the people I cared about were there but the car was too small as it was.  There is only so much flopping men can do in a car before it gets dangerous.

Woke up this morning in the presence of God and the anointing is not decreasing. 

Loving Jesus and excited about the future.

Empowered Conference Day 2

I am typing this while watching Bill Johnson preach the morning session.  I don’t know how does his shopping but I wish they would outsource their services.

Yesterday things kind of kicked into high gear.  We got to the service on time, which is about an hour and a half earlier than the day before and got the exact same seats. 

By some crazy coincidence four out of five of us were wearing our Nicaragua mission trip t-shirts and we looked like some sort of youth group trip.  At first it made me feel fairly uncomfortable but I decided that God is sovereign.  It gave us a brand identity though I don’t know what we would need one for.

Bill Johnson started off the day speaking a powerful word about Jesus and the Kingdom and all that other great stuff he talks about.  After that Randy taught a bunch of academic stuff regarding healing and deliverance. 

At lunch there was a pastor’s luncheon.  I often don’t fit into these things. Unfortunately I did not go to seminary so I did not attend the class on how a pastor is supposed to dress and behave around other pastors.  Every person I met in the meeting was nice and seemed to genuinely love people and Jesus but often ministers seem like they do not want to make relationships that don’t pay long term dividends.  That leaves a room full of folks who have common interests, employment, education, and ultimately life desires yet not forming relationships.  Ministers are some of the most isolated people I have ever known yet are the group least likely to do anything about it. Just an observation.

After lunch Randy Clark taught on impartation.  The teaching is good at these conferences.  The worship is good.  The fellowship is good.  But if you come to a Randy Clark conference the point is to wait for this service and have Randy pray for you.  I was wearing a t-shirt in Spanish so he prayed for me in Spanish.  Fortunately I am most fluent in Spanish surrounding all things prayer related.

It was a bit of a slaughterhouse after that. I caught for Bill and I hope to write more about that later.

Bill Johnson just said, “Jesus did not live in reaction to the devil. He lead in response to the Father.” Good word.

That night we had worship with Steve Swanson.  That guy is amazing.

The night ended with Bill Johnson speaking again.  After that he released words of knowledge for healing.  Lots of great stuff happened.  I ministered at the altar and had some great ministry time.  I had some great healings and prophetic ministry.  I like going other places so I have to people to prophesy over.

Went to the room, made popcorn and knocked out.

Empower Conference Day 1

We packed up the car and took the trip north to Mark Chironna’s church to go to the Empower conference, Randy Clark’s healing school.  I went last year and my knees were healed even though I did not go for personal healing.

The church is about three and a half hours north and we got a little late start. 

We managed to get there in tome to see Randy Clark, Tom Jones and Mark Chironna. 

I am a big fan of Randy Clark and our church partners with his ministry.  I don’t know of anyone who operates in a greater anointing to get other people operating in healing ministry then Randy Clark. 

The early sessions were on the basis of healing and words of knowledge.  After these two lots of folks got words and a whole bunch were healed.

Mark Chironna preached on inner healing and the healing presence of Jesus and His ministers.  Mark is a brilliant man and has a viewpoint that can easily attacked if you are looking for something to attack.  If you are looking to help people through the power of Christ he serves up much to be learned.

Rodney Hougue and Randy Clark each taught after lunch about deliverance and each stressed that you should not humiliate people to get them free.

Last night Randy taught on how God is good.  simple but sorely missed in the church.  After that a ton of folks got healed.

We are staying at the Howard Johnson’s which is actually not that bad save the awful breakfast.

Right now it is Me, Andres, Corey, Ron and Kevin.  We met a young lady from Nigeria by way of Boston who has entered into the fold.

Please keep me and my family in prayer while we are away and petition God that we get all God has for us here.

Jam Off This For A Minute – Steffany Frizzell – He Is Like

Steffany Frizzell – He Is Like

This was a spontaneous song from the IHOP Prayer Room that got released on one of their limited edition CDs.  Stephanie kills it right here.

Three Quick Things

1.  FAU is going to be FIRE next year.  A coach named Carl?  You know they are gonna light it up.  Seriously though, I am excited about their selection of Carl Pelini.  Pelini will be the highest paid coach in the Sub Belt conference.  Florida has way to much talent for FAU’s team to be so bad. And since he coached in Nebraska, he should be able to pull some talent from the mid-west.  Only time will tell but this should be good.

2.  Go get tickets to the Christmas Party.  You don’t want to miss it.  I know it’s a Sunday night but sin will wait for another day.

3.  We had the leaders Christmas Party tonight and had a secret Santa gift exchange.  I don’t know where anyone else shopped but I clearly gave the best gift.  Ask anybody that was there.

4. (ok Four quick things)  Did you see the baptism teaser? 

Found Some More Pics from Voice of the Apostles

Went to VOA last month.  Read about it here.  Here are more pics.  Forgot to get pictures of my wife’s amazing Thanksgiving meal.