New Wine New Wines Skins

 

“Elevated thinking always agrees with elevated believing”, these were the first words spoken as I addressed our church family before crossing into 2010. As the evening unfolded and the word was shared this statement began to take shape. The Pharisees and Johns disciples asked why the disciples of Jesus did not fast (Mark 2:18) and his response was profound, “No one pours New Wine into Old Wineskins”. The understanding is this, as the wine ferments it will burst an old skin which had no flexibility. He knew his concept of fasting and theirs were vastly different. He also knew if the New Wine he introduced was poured into New Wine skins both would be preserved. 

 Today we have New Wine in many forms. Oral Roberts, some years ago introduced something new, he wanted to revolutionize his ministry concept with televised revivals. During the process resistance came from his own group of Pharisees’, however his determination was evidenced by this statement “Principles don’t change methods change”.  He was simply introducing New Wine. 

 In 1995 two Stanford college students working out of a garage in California would revolutionize the way information would be gathered and how research would be done. They impacted the advertising world by changing the model and all this today recognized by one word, Googling. Today Sergei Brin and Larry Page and their company Google has given us all New Wine. 

New Wine are fresh concepts, ideas, practices and beliefs which are not always readily accepted. I believe this will be a year in which God will introduce some New Wine and pour into those skins that can embrace his new concepts, ideas, practices and beliefs. 

All who do will receive and benefit from all he will do. Remember “Elevated thinking always agrees with elevated believing”. 

Isa 43:19 

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.                                                         

 

God with Us

There is always something different about this time of the year, there is an apparent change in the attitude of most people. Many families anticipate spending time together, rekindling relationships and there is  just an overall attitude of goodwill. Maybe it has something to do with the time God chose to enter the realm of human existence, coming exclusively to deal with mans greatest problem, sin. The angels declared upon the birth of Christ that peace has come to men who will to do good. This was a paradigm shift in how mans greatest problem could now be resolved because the savior, messiah, anointed one and prince of peace was now in the earth to reconcile man to God. No wonder there was so much excitement in the heavens the day of his birth and this season remains in the opinion of many the most joyous of the year. My Christmas prayer is that more will come to know him, the power of his saving grace, his reconciling love and the true meaning of his name, Immanuel.

Another Year

With every passing year one of the more interesting times for me is the day of my birth. It’s not because I’m getting older with each passing year like everyone else, but it’s the time of the year, October 31^st which most of the world recognizes as Halloween. It’s a 4 billion dollar holiday, that’s big business by anyone’s standard. I thank God every year for his grace  however this season presents another reality that I cannot dismiss. This is a season of hyper spiritual activity, a time when front yards are filled with ghoulish masks, headstones marking graves, skull and bones of all kinds many vying for the most coveted front yard, even as I write this the doorbell rings with parents and children just enjoying a seemingly innocuous holiday. While behind all the commercialization of this billion dollar day some child will go missing possibly involved in a ritual marking the day, covens of witches and warlocks celebrating Satan and honoring this holiday as the most open time to celebrate with dead ancestors, while proudly wearing the Baphomet, the pagan deity revived in the 19^th century as a figure of Satanism. In this pluralistic society we hear everyone’s beliefs should be respected however as the church we don’t sit idle allowing the portals of activity to go unchecked, no this birthday celebration is about warfare, actively engaging the church to arm itself likewise by praying against everything that lifts its head against God. While I pause to thank him for another year of my life, celebration I must admit is not first and foremost on my mind.  

Just Thinking

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 

                                                                                          2 Thesalonians 2:7

This is no time to be surprised when we see the horrific crimes against humanity, the stealing of tens of millions through fraud, the decline of morality and values in every sphere, greed sending a nation into an economic tsunami. Lawlessness has long been at work since this scripture was written. The depth of which would probably shock even the Apostle Paul, the author of this letter. The media gives great attention to it, in all its deviant forms. Lawlessness has pervasively impacted every facet of our society and its social structures. Yet God gives us the insight, and both informs and prepares his body.

Thank God we have the whole story and the peace in knowing what has happened, what is happening, and what is yet to happen all because of our connection to the Alpha and Omega.

Amazing Love

Well our week of ministry here in Trinidad has come to an end, and what a week . With all the promotion building the meetings at Holiness Revival Ministries, it really paid off. We had spectacular turnouts every night. The Sunday morning meeting climaxed the week and preparations for next year are already buzzing.  So here we are resting before returning home in place called Mayoral, a seashore community and home of the Leatherback turtle.  I believe I’ll stay awake and catch them nesting after midnight on the beach (yeah right). The turtle comes in to lay her eggs (I’m told she is huge) and makes her way back to the ocean. In the background is a song playing called ”Amazing Love”  by Clint Brown (it motivated this blog) the song says, “Amazing love giving me more chances than I deserve, Amazing love staying with me after knowing all I’ve done“. There is nothing more true than that. When I look at the meticulous design of the earth, the careful preparation for his people not only in this world but the one to come. This beautiful place where these animals know exactly what they should do and where, his love is displayed in everything, what an appropriate song. He keeps giving and giving, it all flows from his “Amazing Love”  which none deserves but continue to experience, there is absolutely no doubt he loves us.

Observations

Men will be lovers of  themselves more than lovers of God. After 3 days here in Las Vegas with my wife and daughter who just graduated (on Sunday) with a Bachelors in Business. It was her desire to visit a place she had never been before beginning the third leg of her education. My opening scripture reference sums up my insights and observations during this trip. More than any other time in human history we are in living in the age of this scripture reference.

First things First

In the book of Luke (chapter 10) there is a story of the disciples excitement over their new found ability. They were impressed with what happens when using the name of Jesus, however the response of Jesus is far more interesting. He states “I saw Satan fall from heaven” in other words I know first hand what you just experienced. But then he says something to refocus their attention on what was really important, their names being written in heaven. Since he was not only familiar with the authority they had but also the place it came from he refocuses them immediately. It appears he wants us as his body to remain focused on what is really important, not to diminish the value of our authority over darkness but to increase the reality of the believers identity and future with heaven. Apparently if our names are written in heaven there is authority to be expected from that identification, so get excited not about the power you have but the place it comes from.

Welcome to my Blog

Hello, this is my first post , I’m up early this morning praying and meditating on the word I have to deliver at this weekends Resurrection service. My focus will be the Calvary’s Cross,  its meaning and how it continues to impact our world today. For the believer it becomes their beginning, for the unbeliever it’s their answer. The Cross yet remains the place every issue in life is resolved. Please visit  from time to time I will use this forum to update you on my ministry activities, and share a word or two as well.