Speaking in Other Tongues - The Text Messaging of Heaven

Have you noticed that many of the boys and girls in our ministry have cell phones and spend an enormous amount of time either talking or texting on their phones? According to the "Too Much Texting" (page 127) article in the December 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping, texting is the new talking. The article reports that the average teen sends and receives about 2,900 texts per month according to the Nelson Company. That's almost 100 text messages a day! This is more than six times the average of 2007.

A couple of days ago, I believe that the Holy Spirit gave me this idea which uses text messaging as a tremendous way to illustrate some of the practical aspects of praying in our heavenly prayer language. Consider these similarities:
* Private ... the message is directed towards and intended for one individual
* Simple ... the message is easy to form
* Practical ... the message can be formed and sent in a crowded auditorium or in the privacy of your bedroom
* Timely ... time restraints can allow the message to be just a simple few words or a lengthy conversation
* Immediate ... the message is transmitted instantaneously
* Global ... distance is no deterrent to its transmittal and delivery

Isn't this a great object lesson? If you have additional thoughts on linking text messaging to praying in our heavenly prayer language, please send them to me ....

Notify Your Face!

Have you ever heard the phrase, "If you are happy, notify your face"? I'm sure that you from time-to-time see people whose face resonates the words from the song from the 70's and 80's television show Hee Haw "Gloom, despair, and agony on me, deep dark depression, excessive misery ..." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TDqvD34hEA&feature=PlayList&p=D4299D031F39E3C6&index=1).

From time-to-time, we need to take a reality check and look into the mirror to see what other people are seeing in our face. What we are portraying through our actions and words just isn't lining up with the way that Jesus said it should be.

Just days before Jesus departed the earth to return to heaven, He huddled His followers together and gave them the game plan for their new assignment. In leaving them, Jesus promised that He would not leave the followers helpless, powerless, and hopeless (King James - comfortless). Instead, He promised that He would send the Comforter (Amplified Translation - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) to help them fulfill their assignments.

Tell me, what more do you need? How can things be so tough when you have the Comforter (Amplified Translation - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) called to walk alongside you? Is it really that difficult? It is really hopeless? Do you really not have the means to get the job done? Perhaps your face is reflecting the fact that you might be trying to do the job alone and not allowing the Comforter (Amplified Translation - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) to do His job.

Come on. Let's change our countenance. Let's demonstrate through our words and actions that the Holy Ghost abides within us and is enabling us to do the greater works that Jesus promised.

Resident Presence, Resident Power

A few weeks ago, we did a series called "Get MAD" in which I challenged the children to Make a Difference. In one of the four lessons, I used the verse from Acts 3 in which Peter looked at the man who had been lame for 40 years and commanded the man to get up and walk. In using the verse in our three services that weekend, I noticed a truth that I had never really captured. Look at the verse:

But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, stand up and walk!" Acts 3:6 (New Century Version)

The part of the verse that jumped off of the screen are the words "I do have something". Peter didn't say, "I'll go get something" or "I'll find something" or "I'll go find someone else to take care of this". He stated that he ALREADY had what was needed at that exact moment. In each service that weekend, those four words just resonated as the Holy Spirit amplified them in my spirit. Because of the Spirit of God abiding in me, I ALREADY have what is needed. I don't need 45 conferences and 15 books and hands laid upon my head by every Holy Ghost speaker. While the conferences, books, and impartation are great, there is a Person and power ALREADY abiding on the inside of me that enables me to address any and every need presented. Doesn't this cause you to be excited? You don't have to be Oral Roberts or Benny Hinn or Joyce Meyer to see Satan's works destroyed. Capturing that truth will cause a tadpole to beat up an elephant.

Holy Ghost Seismologists

This week, I feel compelled to combine the thoughts from two recent blogs and challenge you to step into a new, exciting roll. Before reading the following thought, take a minute to reread the posts "There's a Whole Lot of Shaking Going On" (September 29) and "Revival is Voice Activated" (October 4).

Here's this week’s thought ... God has called you to become a Holy Ghost seismologist! What does a seismologist do? This person is one who studies the vibration of the Earth's interior caused by natural and unnatural sources. In all actuality, this person is one who specializes in the study of movement in an unseen realm and often warns or foretells of such movements.

For those of you who believe that you are just a children's pastor or Sunday school teacher or children's ministry volunteer, I have some exciting news for you. You have been given a much higher calling. You, my friend, are a Holy Ghost seismologist. Because of your intimacy with the Holy Ghost, you can sense the shaking of the Holy Ghost. You can see that He is working in your children and ministry. All of His movement might not be easily seen at this exact moment in your ministry with the physical eye, but in the realm of the unseen, the mighty vibrations have begun. And, as a specialist, it is your job to announce your findings.

My thought this week is for us Holy Ghost seismologists to begin to activate with our voice what we have discovered in the unseen realm. Don't be intimidated. You are no amateur. You are a specialist who has findings backed up by the Spirit of God. There truly is a whole lot of shaking going on and you are using your voice to announce what others can't see!

To quotes T.D. Jakes, "Get ready, get ready, get ready." What is happening below the surface is about to make a grand entrance above the surface. Hallelujah!

The Holy Spirit is Awaiting Your Invitation

If you've been around in the church for any time at all, you have heard many of the same things over and over and over again. And yet, I have found this to be true. We can “hear” things and “know” things and yet still be clueless. To quote my Grandma Burns, "My brain leaks." I find that it is prudent that I get reminded of things that I already “know” so that I can begin to put these truths into practice.

With that in mind, allow me this week to remind you of a thought about children in revival that I know that you already know. In fact, many of you will be able to quote the remainder of the verse after just reading the first four or five words.

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him ..." 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Here is this week's thought (reminder) ... God is looking for an opportunity to show up in your children's ministry. He will pass by 100 children’s ministries just to get to yours, the ministry that will invite Him to come and abide. In fact, He doesn't just want to appear. God wants to show that His Spirit is there by doing mighty things. And, He wants to do it on YOUR behalf! Did you catch all of that? God wants to show up and demonstrate His presence in your Sunday school class, mid-week Bible club, or Children's church service and He will do it just because of YOU, the person who has a heart that has "given themselves completely to Him" (New Century Version).

There is ONE Holy Ghost!

Here is a thought that really is a no brainer ... there is only one Holy Ghost. I know that we all know that truth. And yet, our theology and our actions often don't line up. We actually act as if there are two Holy Ghosts, one Holy Ghost for the adults and the other Holy Ghost for the children. Think about it for a minute or two and you'll come to the same conclusion.

If there is only one Holy Ghost (and that's a fact), then He is always the same, no matter the day, no matter the ministry opportunity, no matter the participants. He is ALWAYS that same. He only fluctuates when He is restricted or minimalized.

Are we guilty in our children's ministries of down-sizing and "kidisizing" the Holy Ghost? Are we failing to allow Him to operate in the same manner with the children as He would with the adults? Are we having a "kiddie" Holy Ghost that is only allowed to marginally move in our services?

My thought that week is to remind us all (myself included) that there is ONE Holy Ghost. He is a BIG Holy Ghost who wants to do BIG things at any given time with any given ministry opportunity with any given group of people.

I say, "Come on, Holy Ghost. Be Yourself. Feel the freedom to do what You specialize in. I won't restrict You. I won't minimalize You. BIG Holy Ghost do BIG things!"

Revival is Voice Activated

If revival is seemingly not on the radar screen, I can almost guarantee that I can diagnose your problem. It isn't a location problem or a history problem. It has nothing to do with your gender or age. It has everything to do with the words coming from your heart through your mouth. You see, revival is voice activated!

Often, in our frustration, we begin to let the meditation of our heart and the words of our mouth be dictated by what we see or don't see. Our impatience or disappointment produces words that can thwart God's move. Why? Because heaven is facilitating the words of your mouth.

Let me show you the importance of your words. In Genesis 1, we read that the Holy Spirit had been hovering over a mass that was without form. How long had He been hovering over this emptiness? Before time was time. But immediately upon HEARING the Word of God, the Holy Spirit leaped into action bringing about creation. When did it begin? When He HEARD the Word of God.

Did you know that this is still true today? The Holy Spirit is still waiting to hear a voice. Just as in the days before creation, the Holy Spirit has been hovering over and circling your ministry just waiting on the Word of God to come out of someone’s mouth. When you and I as God's voice in the earth today begin to DECLARE OUT LOUD with our VOICE God's Word about our children in revival, the Holy Spirit will begin to move and bring about the will of God.

Take a minute and examine what has been coming out of your mouth. Begin to declare “This is the generation that will seek His face” (Psalm 24:6) and “I will pour out my Spirit into your children” (Isaiah 44:3) and “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy” (Joel 2:28). Speak this OFTEN, BOLDLY, and SO THAT OTHERS WILL HEAR. In doing so, heaven will respond!