Tag Archives: Godly

What has so easily Offended you making you go Astray?

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images-24Have you notice the epidemic of people who are offended and living their lives entrenched in the bondage of offences. Maybe it is a friend that out of the blue won’t talk to you or a co-worker that becomes standoffish after your promotion. Maybe it’s even hit closer to your home with a family member who hasn’t communicated with you for sometime. Whatever the scenario might look like most of us have been defiled in someway by offended people.

We read in Matt 24:10-11 Jesus’ words concerning the end of the age, “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many”. One of the many signs that He gives them in this dialog is that there will be a noticeable plague of people

Once a person is offended they are dragged down a demonic trail that will open their callused hearts to deception.   (tweet)

who are offended. The word “offended” in this passage means to entrap, to put a snare or stumbling block in the way. The word picture is the lever on a trap that ensnares whatever is enticed. In other words an offence will ensnare and hold in bondage the person that has been offended.

We set ourselves up for offense when we require certain behaviors from those with whom we have relationships. Offenses unchecked will lead to hurts and distortions. A person that chooses to be offended has allowed himself or herself to be entrapped and held captive. Limiting them from being about the fathers business.

We read in Matt 24 verse 10 that once people are offended that it leads to betrayal of each other. Meaning to cast off your commitment or bond that was there before the offence. It even implies to put in prison or bondage. When a person

The ironic thing about the person that succumbs to being offended is that they will become offenders themselves     (tweet)

becomes offended it breaks the bond or covenant one may have and actually imprisons a person in the enemies hold. To betray someone is the ultimate abandonment of covenant!

Unfortunately, we also read in verse 10 that the slippery slope of destruction progresses from just being offended to betrayal and then drops off the cliff of Continue reading →

Will you be a Garbage Can or a Trash Man?

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160221956Trash talking and gutter gossip is nothing more than fruit from the pit of Hell! (Jas.3:1-12) and it seems to be such a big part of our society. We have TV shows and magazines solely dedicated around slander and gossip. It has always astounded me how different ones can constantly be involved with corrupt communication. In many communities of believers we even cloth it with religious jargon saying it’s a prayer request. But sadly there never seems to be the prayer just the gossip.

Years ago I was invited to go with a medical team to the Philippines to minister. It opened my eyes to the needs and tremendous hurts of people. While I was there we went to a regional garbage dump to minister where individuals actually lived on the garbage heaps. These people spent their days rummaging through the toxic garbage of others looking for something of value but only received infection and sickness.

In the same manner people that are obsessed with listening and spreading hateful communication are themselves living amongst the most unrighteous mounds of spiritual trash. It is no better than eating out of a dumpster or living on a garage

Some people think its spiritual to be a garbage can where as we really are to be a trash man.       (tweet)

dump rummaging through others refuse. Some people think its spiritual to be a garbage can where as we really are to be a trash man. A garbage can will get putrid and smelly and contain germs, but a trash man is one that takes someone’s garbage and puts it in a safe place to be covered up.

Paul exhorts the believers at Ephesus saying, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good …that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Eph 4:29) The Greek word “corrupt” actually means rotten and worthless words. So Paul is telling us not to be involved in trash talk, but only those things that will uplift and bring grace to others. When you say things that tear others down and is not edifying it Continue reading →

Go for the Gold without being Disqualified

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588666430-1There is no greater exhilarating feeling than pushing yourself beyond the natural limit during the last seconds of a race. It’s as if every muscle and fiber in your body is working together to thrust forward to cross the finishing line first where with pulling off a victory.

Paul writes to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 9:24-27, comparing the same type of commitment in athletics as to the believer in their Christian journey. He begins by exhorting the believer to run to win not just participating. Then Paul goes on by saying in verse 26-27, Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one

He that spends all their life speaking a message to others and not walking that message themselves will end up disqualified (tweet)

who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. Paul is most likely speaking in light of the Isthmian Games that took place every two years during the spring in Corinth.

The athletes would compete in various competitions such as, long jump, footraces, wrestling, throwing the discus and javelin and more. Unlike our modern day Continue reading →

Seeing with Eyes of Faith

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465104663Are you a person who knows how to pray with expectant faith? In James 5:16–18, Elijah was not superhuman, but was an ordinary person like us. The scripture goes on to say that he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and for three and a half years it did not rain, not even one drop. Then, in verse 18 it says, “He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

Looking at this story a little bit closer in I Kings 18:41–45 we see, Elijah told Ahab to go back to his kingdom to eat and drink, because in the Spirit there was “the sound of coming rain. Elijah knew what the will of the Lord was for that season, even though it had been a drought for three and a half years. He had been sent by the Lord to declare there was the sound of abundance of rain coming in the land. Now

We must pray with expectancy and confidence as we see with the eyes of faith, and hear with the ears of the Spirit.       (tweet)

, Elijah had just witnessed the power of God in magnificent force on top of Mount Carmel where God had accepted Elijah’s sacrifice before all Israel.

Now, Elijah is back on top of the mount after he had declared the coming of rain to the king. It says that he knelt down in a praying position and I believe, like it says in James, that he prayed with expectancy. Telling his servant to go and look for the coming rain clouds seven times. Six times the servant came back saying, “There is nothing in the sky.” But on the seventh Continue reading →

Determined to Reach the Summit

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605374893Have you ever tried to climb a mountain and felt as though your heart was going to pound through your chest? If you’re like me the answer is more times than I’d like to remember. One of those times was when I was returning back to my parent’s ranch, which is settled in the midst of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I had decided to climb one of the peaks that I had conquered many times growing up. Whether it was self-deception or a shortage of oxygen that made me think I was in shape enough to start

The ultimate prize of every believer is to achieve the prize of the upward call of God, through Christ Jesus.    (tweet)

out in a full stride, I will never know. I guess you could say I was feeling rambunctious and over confident until moments later everything within me began to scream for me to quit! The more air I needed the less I was getting. My heart was thumping in my chest so loud I thought it would explode.

I quickly had an epiphany of the possible health trauma and looming defeat of not accomplishing the summit, so I adjusted from a sprint mentality to a marathon mindset. Taking one step at a time while focusing on shorter distant goals in front of Continue reading →

Knowing God’s Heart

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Let’s revisit one of the most encouraging stories in the scriptures I believe—Matthew15: 22-28, the Canaanite woman, who would not settle for anything but a miracle for her daughter. This courageous mother was willing to press in to Jesus no matter what the consequences. Mark 7:25 states that she “Heard about Him.” She must have heard of the wonders and miracles that followed Jesus. It was this deep understanding and undeniable confidence that drove her to humble herself and not take offense. This mother would not give up for she knew Jesus was the answer for her afflicted daughter. I believe she was persistent and unrelenting because she got a glimpse of His heart and knew He was merciful and loving. The end result of this sometimes-misinterpreted story declares His heart is truly to heal and set the captives free.

History has documented mothers, which have done extraordinary things for their children. But, how many mothers today have caught a glimpse of His heart to the point that they are just as willing and persistent for their children’s healing? Our families would be eternally changed if we all caught a revelation of who He is and what is in His heart.

Mary who was sitting at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:38-42) listening to His words wasn’t there asking for her lists of wants, but was intent on knowing what was in His heart. So often, we spend our precious prayer time focused on what is burning in our hearts. Then we get busy doing things for Him and never just listen to His words. I believe God has so much He wants to share with us and He wants us to partner with Him in His purposes. In John 13:23 I love where it says, “there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” I can imagine John with his head on Jesus’ chest wanting to understand the secrets of His heart. To me this is such a good picture of the kind of deep spiritual intimacy that we should have with Jesus. I believe as we commune with Him in prayer that He invites us through His great love to lay our head on His chest, and hear His heartbeat and learn of His will. That is the greatest honor and privilege that we will ever attain to—knowing what is on the heart of our Creator and King.

Paul himself reveals this same desire as he writes to the Philippians saying, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (Phil. 3:10). He didn’t want the shallow acquaintance and unhealthy religion that he was raised with. He desired a understanding of what was on God’s heart. In other words, Paul wanted to know everything about Him, whether in His suffering, His death and definitely in His powerful resurrection.

Do we have that same hunger to know Him? Or, are we so caught up in our life goals and religious duty that we aren’t really concerned about His heart. The scriptures clearly reveal God’s desire to be among us. Communing with His children has always been at the center of His heart. The Holy Spirit woos us to seek after Him and pursue knowing Him as He knows us. Only then will we be as the young gentile mother and never be discouraged or offended at Him.

Don’t Mess with the Family!

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Beaver CleaversRemember, when June, Ward, Wally, and Beaver Cleaver represented the American family, in the show Leave It to Beaver? One of the worst things that happened in their family if I remember right was when Beaver broke a vase on the mantle. They always pictured a strong stable family even in the midst of weekly dilemmas. Unfortunately, today is a whole different story. It seems as if there is an attack on the traditional family.

Not too many families even sit down together and eat dinner anymore. More tragic is the fact that the definition is being changed by our society. Same-sex couples took their vows for the first time May 17, 2004, in the state of Massachusetts and now, after deliberation for over a month, on Friday, June 26th the Supreme Court handed down their ruling that same sex marriage is legal. No longer is the American family considered a sacred assembly.

Today, on top of redefining marriage the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are over 1.6 million births to unmarried mothers, which is a staggering 40.8% of all births in the USA. The Divorce Source, Inc. indicates divorce rates have escalated in recent years with numbers hitting 877,000! The voice of some activist says that the family must be done away with because it’s enslavement to women.

God knew a society needed guidelines and boundaries of righteousness to keep it strong and prospering, so He instituted the Family   (Tweet)

Social professionals agree that the disintegration of the family structure is the cause of an intense major problem in America. The percentage of mothers not at home but serving in the work place is on the rise, producing a generation of “latch key kids” named for their ability to let themselves in their own houses after school because mothers weren’t home. The family is being attacked, and we’re doing nothing!

When the God-defined family deteriorates, there’s also a decline in morals. God knew a society needed guidelines and boundaries of righteousness to keep it strong and prospering. Family is a means that God has established to help keep a righteous structure in our society, keeping out any immoral rust that brings confusion and deception.

Sexual Immorality is a problem that has touched our land from the White House to our own homes. There was a time when politicians were pressured to back out of politics due to sexual immoralities. Present-day polls say, “If it doesn’t affect their jobs we don’t care what they do at home. That’s their business!” Whole cities have holidays where there is nothing but drunkenness and immorality! Our young people say, “Everyone’s doing it!” Some say, “If you don’t experiment, how will you know if it’s right?” With all the different influences, it is no wonder our families are going headlong downward.

The Internet is full of pornography and is an easy access for anyone wanting or just stumbling on to it! Adult bookstores outnumbered McDonald’s in the US by a margin of at least three to one. Annual revenues of the pornography industry in the U.S. are $13.3 billion. This is more than the revenues of the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball combined says the Stop Porn Culture.

Anytime a nation or society gives way to what the Bible defines as immoral lifestyles, it soon opens the doors to all kinds of unnatural and warped acts of sexual sin resulting in it’s downfall. The Church must respond to the urgency of the hour with a loving but firm voice of righteousness, “Don’t Mess with the Family”!

I am Not Letting Go!

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holding onOne of my favorite stories is found in Matthew 15:22-28, where we see a woman from Canaan come to Jesus. You could say she was from the other side of the tracks. Yet, I believe she came to the one person who she knew could help her daughter. In Mark’s gospel he records this same story in chapter 7:25. It says that she “Heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.” What did she hear? By her actions I believe she heard He was a merciful loving miracle worker; therefore she was persistent in getting His attention. She believed He was good and just, so she honored and worshipped Him as Lord. As if there was no other hope, this gentile woman cried out to Jesus for divine mercy, that her daughter would be delivered from the enemy’s grip.

The response she received could have easily discourage and offend her, causing her to give up. First, Jesus kept silent and did not answer. Most people hate the silent treatment—it deeply frustrates them. I think the majority of us in this situation would have stomped off offended. Right?

Secondly, Jesus says in a roundabout way that the miracle she desired was not for her. And as if that was not devastating enough He tells her that the promises were not for her. Then, He calls her a dog (Mk. 7:27)! But, instead of getting bitter and offended, this woman replies with the most astounding words. “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table,”(Mk. 7:28). She declares that the crumbs from the Master’s table are good enough for her situation. In essence, she says it only takes one crumb from the Master to solve her need.

                        Persistence and commitment in prayer will always bring a fruitful and rewarding result.   (Tweet)

            In all this, she is worshipping Him, undistracted by her feelings or her pride. Her persistence reveals the faith within her. I believe she had a glimpse of His heartbeat, therefore, she pressed in towards Him. In her time of great need, her request seemed to be long in coming, but she wouldn’t stop. Her faith was being purified and perfected to the point that Jesus announced that she had great faith! The result was her daughter was healed that very instant.

            As we press into His presence concerning His promises, we can be faced with elements that can cause us to either back down or press in harder. Sometimes, God is silent and at other times He deliberately offends our minds to reveal what’s in our hearts and to see if we are serious about seeking Him. If we tenaciously press in and not let go of His promises we will see them manifest. Too often, when our requests are slow to be answered we are offended and gripped with bitterness towards God. The bottom line is that we don’t understand God’s workings and therefore we are robbed many times of God’s miracles. We might not understand God’s ways, but He is always working in us both to will and to do for His pleasure. The same was true in this woman’s situation. He is always working in us for His glory.

     If we tenaciously press in and not let go of His promises we will see them manifest. (Tweet)

It’s God’s heart for us to walk in His purposes and blessings. However, there are often delays in what we ask because He desires to work in us things that will enable us to see the manifestation of His promises. When we understand these principles, then we will have a confidence and a persistence that will enable us to hold on to His promises until we see their fulfillment.

I Caught Something!

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Image   The April sun broke through our kitchen window. I had sleep in my eyes. My siblings and I sluggishly forced ourselves to eat our morning oatmeal. There was nothing uncommon about this morning in 1967. It began like any other typical day. Until, the telephone pierced the silence and brought all of us to attention. My mother answered in her normal cheery voice, but immediately her tone changed. Her cheerfulness went to a devastating, “Oh my God” and from that moment my life changed forever.

Our daily priorities were obliterated by the news that my dad had just suffered a heart attack (that would later become fatal). As my mother hung up she insistently cried, “Everyone go and pray in the front room for your dad.” The sluggish sleepiness that just moments earlier was so prevalent vanished as we all began to cry out to the Lord. In the midst of disaster, we prayed!

Praying became a natural response in times of crises and need in our household, because it was instilled in us as a daily way of life. I can remember how my mother loved to take walks on our ranch in the beautiful Rocky Mountains to pray. On several occasions we would run up the trail to catch her only to find her deep in prayer. It was memories like this that had a profound impact on my life.

I believe some things must be caught not just taught. Joshua had evidently caught something as he followed Moses. The young Joshua saw the results of Moses’ communion with God. He talked to God and then walked in His power every day.  Joshua caught the spirit of prayer and abiding in God’s presence. I love Exodus 33:11 where it says, “So the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Picture this scene: Moses returned to camp and to his responsibilities but Joshua stayed in the Lord’s presence. Evidently Joshua caught something; he understood that a life of intimate prayer and communion with God will result in a walk of power.

A lifestyle of prayer was birthed in my own life through being raised in the shadow of many great men and women of prayer. Even once I had left for college and then continuing down the road to marriage and raising a family; it seemed that God would always place me in the midst of men and women of prayer. Through colleges and seminaries rooted in prayer such as Christ for the Nations Institute and others. Speakers that taught and motivated us to minister out of the place of prayer such as Dick Eastman, Mike Bickle, Bill Bright, as well as, great Pastors such as Dr. Larry Lea, who were used to call a generation to pray. God was definitely orchestrating in me a lifestyle of prayer.

Over the years I have reflected on many of those days and memories and have been encouraged that I had caught an attitude of prayer to sustain me in and through my life. It has kept me through many trying times and has become a lifelong message of mine as well as a book I have published, “Igniting the Power of Prayer”.  It is my desire to see God’s people live a life empowered through a life of prayer

We Can Do It If We Will

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haystack  “In 1806 a group of students at Williams College in Massachusetts sought refuge from a sudden rainstorm in a haystack.  As the rain beat down, they turned their retreat into a prayer meeting.  They asked God to use their lives.  As they prayed, their faith rose to believe God could use them significantly to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission.  When the rain subsided, they left with the rallying cry, “We can do it if we will!” This unobtrusive meeting went down in history as the Haystack Prayer Meeting.  Today this spontaneous prayer time is seen as the beginning of the mission movement in America.  As a result, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was birthed.”[i]

Through a simple small non-organized prayer meeting the world would never be the same.  God used a group of young people that had a relationship with Him to shake the world through missions. Not because of who they were or even that they deserved anything.  It was all because they chose to allow God’s heart to be vocalized through prayer. That small group came in agreement with God’s will and because of it changed the world!

If the believers of God would only understand there is an incredible power when we come in agreement with heaven through our prayers. We could virtually change our surroundings and our world. The question is, will we no matter what the circumstances are find a place and time and begin to pray prayers that will make a difference?  Let us also make our rallying cry as did that small group many years ago

“We Can do it if we will!”

 

[i] David Shibley, A Force In The Earth, Florida: Creation House, 1989 P. 85

There’s Life in the Vine!

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Image    There is a definite difference between the life that is separated unto prayer and the life that has separated from prayer. One has the power of God flowing through it and the other is powerless. We must understand that Jesus is the vine and we are only the branches. (Jn. 15:5). As long as we stay connected to the life-source then we will walk in His power.

Paul encouraged the Christians in Ephesus with these words: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,” (Eph. 6:10). We walk in His power as long as we are in fellowship and communion with Him. I remember my former pastor, telling the church that some things must be caught not just taught. I believe Joshua caught something as he followed Moses.

Joshua saw the results of Moses’ communion with God. He Talked to God and then walked in His power every day.  Joshua caught the spirit of prayer and abiding in God’s presence. I love Exodus 33:11 where it says, “So the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Picture this scene: Moses returned to camp and to his responsibilities but Joshua stayed in the Lord’s presence. Evidently Joshua caught something; he understood that a life of intimate prayer and communion will result in a walk of power.

We cannot survive without being grafted into the vine. Joshua was committed in making sure that he was grafted into the vine. It was a daily choice he made. Just as it must be a daily choice in our life to make sure we are connected into the life source of the vine.  As we come into the place of prayer and communion with God, we are strengthening our connection in the vine!

The Harvest is Ready…So Just Do It!

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 The flashing police lights and news cameras drew our attention across the street. The assembling crowd was all gazing to the other side of the yellow police tape.  People stood in awe as they covered and took away a body, apparently a victim of a mugging.  We were shocked and dumbfounded at what we were just exposed to. 

            My three younger girls, my wife and I were coming to speak at a church in Houston, Texas.  We had never been to this church before.  So after arriving in town, we began to look for its location.  To our amazement and literal shock we had come upon this crime scene, which ended up being right across the street from where we were scheduled to speak.  At that moment, words could not express the feelings that rushed through my very being.  All I could think about through the night was eternity!  The thought of how totally lost people are without Christ and how close eternity really is to each one of us. 

            This experience has stuck with me through the years.  It has given me an eternity awareness that just cannot be shaken.  The fact is there are people dying and going to hell every day around us.  We sit in our stained glass churches every Sunday, hearing the Word of God.  Yet, we leave and never change our society with the message of Christ.  Like we read in Matt. 9:37, “…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  The harvest of souls is ready to be harvested.  They are ripe and in their prime to be picked.  Yet, it says that the laborers are what is holding up or hindering this great harvest, for they are few in number!

  • How many people do you know that need to hear the Gospel?  
  •  Today, Will you choose to be a part of God’s great plan of salvation?   
  •  Will you not only PRAY for the laborers to be released into the harvest field, but be one of the laborers? 

 It’s time to stop talking about reaching people for Christ and just do it.  We go to conferences about soul winning.  We listen to great messages about reaching the lost for Jesus.  We pray about our friends and family coming to know the Lord. But…. We don’t act on it.   

     It’s time to shake off the dust of complacency and be about the God’s business!      

 

Make a change…Just Do It!

Radically Convinced brings radical Actions!

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Image When Revival comes upon any people and place, people will do whatever it takes to get their friends to Jesus.  The harvest will truly come in, whether you are ready or not! And it will probably look differently than you had pictured it in your mind.  Let’s look at the story in Mark 2: 1-13.

One extremely afflicted individual, an overly crowded meeting and four radical friends. It doesn’t sound like a recipe for a move of God, but in the gospel of Mark we read that God moved mightily in a situation just like that. Why, because Jesus was in the midst of it!

The news rushed through the streets of Capernaum that Jesus was back in town.  Before long there were so many people coming to see Him, that there wasn’t even room about the door where He was teaching. Though the room was full to overflowing, it didn’t stop four individuals who were carrying their friend, a paralytic, to the meeting. They were so determined to get their friend to Jesus that they went to the roof and lowered him down in front of Jesus.  Now, think about it?  The house is full to the brim, Jesus is speaking words of life and then out of the blue, four individuals whether they ripped a hole in the roof or just came to an opening in the ceiling began lowering their apparent friend down to Jesus.

Talk about being downright disruptive and rude!  Either they had never been to a church service or they were totally ignorant of the protocol of such a meeting.

In churchanity of our day, in the same situation we would have had the head usher and security on top of the commotion immediately. The atmosphere of the room would most likely had been filled with a rumble coming from the sounds of the saint’s praying and rebuking the enemy, as the security dragged the men off to jail. With the only testimony being how we put to silence the enemy and regained the focus of the meeting back to waiting for God’s miracles to be manifested in our midst.

It’s extreme and out of balance to think that every commotion is of the enemy.  But one thing for sure is when we stop giving room for the supernatural activity of God in our services it will lead us down a road into legalism and lifeless religion.  So often in our feeble attempts to please the Lord we catastrophically blunder and reflect a wrong picture of His heart to others.

Now back to the story. I believe that they were so convinced that their friend’s answer was in Jesus, that they came to desperate measures?  It definitely paid off, because at the words of Jesus, this paralytic’s life was change forever.  He arose and walked out the doors that he couldn’t get in.  Also, the people were so amazed at what they saw, that the multitude followed Jesus to the sea and He taught them.  Not only was this paralytic made whole, but a whole multitude followed after Christ.  It started with four courageous friends who had a radical unction!  Or maybe a better way of saying it is they understood who Jesus was. They were convinced Jesus was the answer and because of that confidence their friend was made whole!  Being radically convinced brings radical actions.  Revelation of who Jesus is and what is on His heart will fuel the passion for revival.

Revival changes the most reserved person into a radical servant of God. It will motivate friends to do whatever it takes to get their friends to Jesus.

  •  Are you convinced Jesus is the answer?
  •  Which one of your family or friends need you to get radical and do whatever it takes to get them to Christ?
  •  Today, It’s time to get desperate and radical about bringing the hurting to Christ?

Because we are His children through the blood of Jesus, we can come boldly before His throne and ask for our inheritance, which are the souls of men. It’s time for Radical results from being radically convinced of who Jesus is.

It’s Time to get Radically Convinced!