The Power of Facebook and the Internet

This past week I did some hunting on Facebook looking for old friends from High School, hometown, etc.  I should say friends from my teen years, since they wouldn’t really be old, would they?

Came across an old buddy who hung out with the group.  Steve Kimmel.  Great guy, amazing bowler. 

When I went to Facebook on Sunday morning to announce our broadcast of our services, he saw that.

See the encounter below.  Click here to see the service he watched and forward to 14:27 to see me mention him!

 

Screen clipping taken: 3/15/2009, 1:01 PM

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 8

If I never speak in tongues does that make me a bad Christian? 

No.  Absolutely not.

Speaking in tongues is a gift God gives to believers who seek and ask for it reaching out in faith.

It is an added blessing on your life.  It in now way validates your faith, your Christian experience, or your behavior.  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit validates Jesus promise that:

Acts 1:8 (NIV)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 7

How can the Holy Spirit come on me when I fail so much?

Sounds like an enemy has been at work here. 

God’s grace and mercy, and the Holy Spirit, are poured out due only His Grace and His Goodness. 

How good would you have to be to receive the Holy Spirit?  Obviously we can never get there.

In the original languages the gifts are called the Charismata – charis meaning grace – they are the gifts of grace.

Here is some simple advice to follow:

James 4:7 (NIV)
⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 6

How do you know if you are forcing the speaking in tongues or if it is real?

This was a very big dilemma for me.

I so wanted everything to be God and God alone that I removed myself from any participation.  I opened myself up as a willing vessel, but I wasn’t willing to speak!  <smile>

It will always be you speaking in tongues.  Always.  But it will always be Holy Spirit enabled.  Always.  If the Holy Spirit didn’t enable you, you wouldn’t be speaking in a language you had never learned!

Acts 2:4 (NIV)
⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 5

What can I do to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit?  I have prayed several time but I haven’t received it yet.

I do know how you feel on this one.  I sought for a long time and at times left the altar frustrated.

I encourage you not to fret or worry.  That is what an enemy wants you to do.

Continue to seek and remember that God rewards the persistent. 

Luke 11:8 (NIV)
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 4

What if you are afraid to speak in tongues?

We need not fear of any gift the Father wants to give us. 

James 1:17 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Perhaps some people have misused tongues foolishly and this has scared this person into a “I don’t want to be a freakshow” mentality.

Rest assured – God does not force Himself on you.  The Holy Spirit does not need to alter your personality to fill you.  You can still be you and speak in tongues.

For more on this topic listen here.

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 3

If I don’t speak in tongues will I go to heaven?

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues have nothing, I repeat, nothing to do with going to heaven.

Entrance to heaven is God’s gift of grace to those have confessed Christ as Savior and are following Him. 

For more on this topic listen here.

Vocal Gifts of the Spirit – 3/8/09

Family Life believes in the practice of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit as taught in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, and most specifically in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and 14:26-32.

The most frequent uses of these gifts are the verbal gifts of “a word of prophecy” and an “utterance in tongues with interpretation.”

We were able to capture and transcribe a recent demonstration in one of our services. 1 Corinthians 14:29 tells us to “weigh carefully what was said” in the use of these gifts.

 8:30 Service

All I have asked you to do is to come

Bring your vessel that I might fill it

I want to fill you to overflowing

 

It is I who has presented myself to you this morning and said come

Bring that cup and I will fill it

I will fill it to give you the power you need

 

This is to make you witnesses of what I can do through you

It will spill out into the communities just like I said in my word

Because I want to use you but you must be filled

It will overflow like a river to those who are around you and your community

That light will shine - That light is me

 

Evening Service

I am not far away, I am not far but I am so near

And I gave you My word and if you remember in My word

I said to knock and seek and you will find

I see that you are seeking after Me tonight says the Lord

 

And in that I thank you and desire you to do that says the Lord

And with that there will be a promise not just a question but an answer

And the answer is yes and amen says the Lord

 

So when you reach out and speak out My name tonight

Ask what you will and it will be done says the Lord

Ask whatever you will in my name says the Lord and it will be done

FAQ – Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 2

How do you know when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit?

Great question.  When dealing with spiritual “experiences” we must rely on the Bible’s record.  The Bible teaches that when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit we will speak in tongues.

The Bible shows us in Acts that when the Holy Spirit came/fell on people they spoke in tongues.  You can see that in Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-48, and 19:1-7.

Speaking in tongues is the evidence that the Apostles experienced, accepted, and the only evidence offered in the New Testament.

For more on this topic listen here.

KFC Scavenger Hunt

And you thought that all they were going to do was have fun!

 

KFC Scavenger Hunt - Worship 2 from Mark Lehman on Vimeo.

FAQ - Releasing The Holy Spirit – Part 1

Why do some people have to wait weeks, months, years to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? Especially when some get the gift the first time they ask?

Hmmm. Do I sense jealousy here? There sure was jealousy in my heart when I posed this same question years ago.

The original disciples (120 of them, Acts 2) waited/tarried for 10 days before the Holy Spirit was poured out. This is the last group Scripture mentions that waited/tarried. Others were filled upon asking. There is no reason that believers must beg for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them.

Why does it take others longer? Perhaps faith. It was in my case. Perhaps mental blocks (i.e. it is me speaking, not the Holy Spirit).

God is more willing to pour out than we are to receive. I think that a more childlike faith and willingness to trust God is what is needed.

Advice: Keep seeking, stop begging, and launch your faith!

For more on this topic listen here.

I Just Got Baptized In The Holy Spirit, Now What?

We were blessed by God to have people baptized in the Holy Spirit each service this past Sunday, including the evening service.

I wish that I could remember each one, but I can't! I have written a simple teaching below to help those just filled to continue to grow in their gift. If you were one of those who sought but we not filled - don't quit or be discouraged! You are loved and will be filled!

• Exercise the gift regularly. Speak in tongues when you have a private prayer time.
• Don't wait until next Sunday to think about speaking in tongues again.
• Remember that it is a gift. Choose to use it.
• God didn't overtake your Spirit, tongue, or mouth, and He won't in the future. It was an act of your faith coupled with the Holy Spirit's enabling.
• Don't compare your prayer language to what someone else sounds like.
• Part of the reason the Holy Spirit filled you was for the purpose of pointing to Christ. Let Him lead/guide you this week.
• Avoid the air of superiority. You didn't receive because of your goodness, can't lose it because of future failings.
• Remind yourself that you have not "arrived," or "achieved." It is not the time to rest on your experience, it is time to exercise your gifts and prayer language!
• Praise Him with power this Sunday!

Look Who Has A FLAG Shirt!

Cadence got a FLAG shirt!