jesus_is_lord Home Page: Archive: Message #33 Date: Oct 15 1999 01:53:09 EDT From: jesus_is_lord Subject: The Power [Reminder: This list is for Christians only. If you are hellbound, get washed in the blood of Jesus and then this list will be for you.] Dear Christian Friend: Greetings in the name of the ONLY wise God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Tonight I'm doing something I don't normally do. I'm sending out an e-mail to you when I still have loads of e-mail in my in box. If you write me in response to this mailing, you may or may not receive a prompt response. As the Lord continues to bless the website, the amount of e-mail continues to go up. Nevertheless, my friends are always welcomed to write--I just may not respond quickly. **** PART I -- AN INTERCHANGE **** It's about 11:30 pm right now on a Thursday night. I usually go to the studio every Thursday night in order to work on our local access tv show. It's been a couple of weeks since I last went and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to go tonight or not. I didn't feel like going but my husband Tony said, "You need to go and get the show together." He was right. I repeatedly called the studio to see if I was scheduled for an editing bay tonight--but I couldn't get through, the voice mail was messed up. I am confident that God's providential hand was in that messed up machine. At about 5:30, I grabbed a few things and went out the door. As I approached the studio, I realized I forgot the video footage I needed but I had some audio that I could lay down so the night wouldn't be a waste. When I got to the studio, I walked in and the manager and two other producers like myself were finishing up watching my last show featuring Dr. Kent Hovind the Creation Scientist. "Interesting" I thought. They had apparently watched the whole show because one man asked if it was me in the show's introduction. I asked the manager if I was scheduled for the night and he said "No." He promptly left the room. Then one of the producers who was watching my show pounced on me about Dr. H (his creation videos are excellent-- www.drdino.com). I'll share the jist of what was said-- After somewhat derogatory comments about Dr. Hovind's compelling message, the man tried to defend evolution. I told him, "Evolution is a belief system and is not true science. It is not observable, testable, or repeatable." The man then said, "That does not make your belief true." I said, "That is not what I said to you. I said, 'Evolution is a belief system. It is not real science.' Nobody was there when the 'big bang' occurred just like nobody was there when God created the heaven and the earth." (he only mildly consented that evolution is a belief system, I let him get away with that, but probably should have ridden that one longer.) [Note: I find that when talking to cultists of any sort, you have to constantly redirect them to the point at hand. Don't go on to the next point until they agree with you on the ONE fundamental point. They have a tendency to cloud the issue by bringing up unrelated points which can lead to frustration for you and will not accomplish anything. I've learned by the school of hard knocks.] He went on to say, "People interpret the Bible in so many different ways." I said, "There are a lot of people out there trying to interpret the Bible who are not qualified. You have to be born again/regenerated by the blood of Jesus to understand the Bible. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him." The other man just kind of quietly sat leaned back against the wall as this interchange was taking place. The "talker" confidently said, "This earth began 43 million years ago." I said, "Even evolutionists don't agree when this earth began. Some say 7 billion years ago, some say 15 billion. You often hear them say things like 'probably', 'maybe', 'should have', 'possibly'. It's not science. Evolution is one of the world's biggest hoaxes." He then went on with some other mumbo-jumbo thinking that for his much condescending speaking I'd bow down. He was pasting together random thoughts. I told him "I don't know where you are going with all this but I'll let you know, it is not important to me that you agree with me. I'm already saved and on my way to heaven. All I can do is tell the truth." [Aside: when I wrote to you last time about geocentricity, most of you who wrote me read me the Riot Act. Nevertheless, Jesus showed me that it is not even important to me should YOU think me an utter fool. Paul said, "We are fools for Christ's sake". As long as I believe and speak the truth, I'll gladly bear the title of "fool" whether I receive it from the believer or unbeliever.] The statement, "it is not important to me that you agree with me", capped off this conversation. The man's countenance visibly changed and I believe I heard the other man snickering. I didn't crack a smile and I did not say this in an aggressive way. I did not get loud. The Holy Ghost had me to say it as a matter of fact. When you tell a contentious person that it is not important that they agree with you, you've taken the wind out of their sails and re-established that your only duty is to say "Thus saith the Lord". As God said to Ezekiel "whether they HEAR OR whether they FORBEAR they shall know that a prophet hath been among them". As God's spokesman, all you've got to do is say the truth. The results are not your responsibility. Christians can get frustrated when they don't see souls saved -- but that ain't your responsibility. That is the work of the Holy Ghost to convict souls. You can't do that. If you speak the word in season, you have fulfilled your course--and it will bring forth fruit in its season. You may or may not see that fruit. Be encouraged Christian worker. I also told that man that the Bible and evolution are irreconcilable and told him why. He then went on another diatribe and I said to him "If you want to believe you used to be a gorilla, go ahead. But I know God made me in His image." He then said, "Actually evolutionists don't believe that we were gorillas they believe...gorillas are our cousins." I said, "Well if you want to believe a gorilla and a rat is your cousin go ahead." I know that the other man snickered this time. The conversation was going no where. Cast not your pearls before swine lest they trample them underfoot, turn again, and rend you. I said, "I really must go." I was not upset but knew that I must shake the dust off of my feet because my words were not being received. The talker said to me, "Peace and blessings" as I walked out the door. I don't know what I said, but it wasn't "God bless you". I don't ask God to bless false doctrine. Amazing that people want peace and blessings when they despise the very Author of these things. That man will have no peace until he gets washed in the blood of Jesus. Both of those men need to be saved. There are a number of people in the studio that need to be saved. I'd appreciate it if you would quickly send up a few words for them. Please also pray for the show that it will be an effective witness. That it will lift up the name of Jesus and slay lies by the word of God. After Jesus put it deep in my spirit to do the show, I had the impression that it would go past my local area. If you are a child of God I ask that you send up a prayer on my behalf that Jesus would have His way in this and that we would know the will of the Lord. **** PART II -- THE POWER **** I heard someone say that they pray for power, not fame. This was impressed upon my spirit. The power. Mmmm...What power should the Christian want? Jesus says in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME both in Jeruselem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Come Holy Ghost and endue us with THE POWER TO WITNESS, TO TESTIFY OF JESUS CHRIST. Charismatics often talk about the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues as if that commends us to God or shows our supposed spirituality. Signs and wonders they seek. But what does the Bible say about the ministries of the Holy Ghost? Is His job to give us "happy juice"? Is He dispensed by "the Holy Ghost bartender" that many charismatics brag about? (this doctrine is pure evil). No! An emphatic, "No!" Let's look in on a prayer meeting I would love to be in on-- Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND THEY SPAKE THE WORD OF GOD WITH BOLDNESS. The Holy Ghost will give you POWER to witness, to speak the word of God with all boldness. THAT is the power we should seek. Power to witness. Power to speak the word with great boldness of speech. With no shame, anytime, anywhere as directed by our Lord and our God. YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU. What kind of power? AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME... Power to witness. It is ours because Jesus has ALL the power and He sheds it on us by the Holy Ghost. Jesus does not lack any power. He said that whatsoever I ask according to His will, He will do it. Well, I WANT POWER! POWER TO WITNESS! Oh Lord, I beseech thee to be mindful of thy feeble maidservant. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME in heaven and in earth. Luke 4:32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for HIS WORD WAS WITH POWER. Jesus is about power--not weakness. For those who will receive it, Jesus has given us blood-bought, regenerated, born-again disciples POWER. No thing, no devil, no enemy should terrify us for Jesus said, Luke 10:19 Behold, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over ALL the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. If we won't be hurt, why should we be afraid? Do we believe Jesus Christ is the Lord? Then why do we tremble and shake before men and Satan? So what, the Beast is coming. The world is getting more and more evil. So what? That should in no way terrify us. It should rather excite us to the battle that rages. It should make us rejoice as we see the plan of God unfold as recorded in the scriptures. It should galvanize us to be bolder witnesses of the Lord Jesus, increasing our exploits. It should cause us to turn off the hellivision and seek our God through hard, serious study of the word. It should cause us to fast, weep, pray, and repent. Jesus said don't fear man, fear God. Christians throughout the centuries have been tortured and murdered. Jesus did not promise us an easy cushy life like we have in America. Here is a scripture not often preached-- Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, NOT ONLY to believe on him, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE. Are you suffering for righteousness sake? If so, rejoice. It's just one more evidence you belong to Jesus. One more evidence that you're doing the will of the Lord. Our mouths should be enlarged to speak about Jesus but so often we fail--and to my shame, myself included. I've asked this before--"What has Jesus done to make you ashamed of Him?" Oftentimes we are more scared of man than of God. God is watching and we listen to fleshly fears rather that His convicting Holy Spirit. The following is a good scripture to memorize-- 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; BUT OF POWER, and of love, and of a sound mind." The spirit that God gave us is a spirit of POWER, not fear. In the book of Acts which is the chronicle of the early church, we see that-- Acts 4:33 ...WITH GREAT POWER gave the apostles WITNESS of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Herein we see the promise of Acts 1:8 fulfilled. Jesus promised the disciples power to witness. Paul told the Thessalonians-- 1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came NOT UNTO YOU IN WORD ONLY, BUT ALSO IN POWER, AND IN THE HOLY GHOST, and in much assurance... We need THE POWER. **** CONCLUSION **** You and I are part of the church. Why don't our churches have power today? Has God changed? Is the Holy Ghost not enduing us with power? Has the power gone forever? God forbid. The POWER is just as burning hot, and just as POWERFUL as it ever was. The problem is with us. Many churches are too busy with game nights, politics, guns, jokes, meaningless trivia, and loving the world. As a result, many of them are ICHABOD--the glory of the Lord is departed from them. Lord, please open our eyes. We give God lip service yet we know that I Corinthians 4:20 ...the kingdom of God IS NOT IN WORD, but in POWER. The POWER comes when we DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. The power is not found in flowery pretty words and a random "God bless you." The power comes when WE KNOW OUR GOD THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD. Dear Christian friend, what exploits are you doing in the name of Jesus? Is the Bible a closed Book to you? Do you know your spiritual gifts? Are you exercising them? Are you a functioning member of your local assembly? Do you tithe? If you don't have a church, you can find several lists at http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/saved.htm. Go half way down the page and you'll find three links to lists of churches worldwide. Well, that's it for now. God speed as you pursue, and serve, the ONLY wise God and Saviour Jesus Christ. May you desire POWER to witness. Jesus will give it to you. for Jesus' sake, tracy -- http://www.jesus-is-lord.com ...I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Ezekiel 2:4, 6