In anticipation of our son Michael coming home for an evening last weekend, we raced home after church Sunday morning and made a big pan of enchiladas for a special dinner that evening. By the time that dinner finally arrived, my mouth was salivating. I was really, really ready to end my hunger pains. After all, I had fasted since lunch (except for the chips and guacamole throughout the afternoon). Upon taking that first bite, I immediately discovered that something was noticeably different about the taste. For whatever reason, it was missing that extra "oomph" that makes a meal into something that you'll talk about days later. To this day, I can't tell you what it was. But, this thing is for sure, something was definitely missing!!!
While I haven't discovered the missing ingredient for the enchiladas last weekend, I have discovered what I believe is the missing ingredient in many Spirit-filled Christian lives. This same ingredient is also missing in most children's ministry settings. What is it? I discovered it while reading through the Book of Acts again. It's found in a single word that is used 3 times in the Book of Acts. This missing ingredient is boldness. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John ..." (Acts 4:13) ... "with all boldness they may speak thy word ..." (Acts 4:29) ... "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31).
Allow me to use a Texas phrase. I double dawg dare you to look at your personal life last week or for those in children's ministry think about last weekend's service(s). It just happened. To quote a friend of mine, it was what it was. You'll quickly agree that there had to have been something missing, right?
Consider this. We all know that "the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead" (Romans 8:11) is living and abiding within us, right? The Holy Spirit isn't weak or anemic. He isn't lacking in power. What would happen if we began to acknowledge this reality and allow the Holy Spirit to operate through us with boldness.
Let's be bold as we take on the day. Let's be bold as we minister to children. Don't allow things to "just" happen. Speak with confidence and authority. For those of us in children’s ministry, boldly announce to your children that everyone will raise their hands and begin to worship God. And then with authority lead and demonstrate the joy of worshipping God. Don't be passive. Announce with authority what is about to happen and then draw the children in. The same is true of engaging your children in praying in their heavenly prayer language. Many children's ministry leaders are passive about engaging the children into this realm of prayer. Consequently, few if any children pray in their prayer language. But, I've found that as I boldly announce to the children that for the next 30 seconds EVERY person will close their eyes, raise their hands up towards heaven, open both their hearts and mouth and begin to pray in their prayer language, a large majority of the children begin to connect with God through the prayer of the Spirit. Midway through the 30 seconds, I again boldly emphasize that everyone should be praying with me.
Before you take on this next week or the next weekend services, begin to talk to the Holy Spirit about boldness. Then, take on the week/weekend services with a spirit of boldness and authority. You'll notice a remarkable difference. Afterwards, write me and tell me about it … billy@billyburnsministries.com.
I'm Billy Burns and I endorse this blog entry!!!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Secret of the Supernatural
This week's blog entry won't need much explanation. The thought is so simple. And yet, getting a grasp of the depth of this 14 word sentence could change not only your life but your children's ministry and children. Here's the thought ...
The Holy Spirit won't be real through you until He is real to you.
Benny Hinn's book Welcome, Holy Spirit quotes the late Kathryn Kuhlman as saying, "The Holy Spirit is more real to me than you are." Consequently, the Holy Spirit flowed mightily through Kathryn with tangible, undeniable signs and wonders.
Intimately know the Holy Spirit and you will see Him and hear His voice. Casually know about the Holy Spirit and you will hear about what He does ... elsewhere.
The Holy Spirit won't be real through you until He is real to you.
Benny Hinn's book Welcome, Holy Spirit quotes the late Kathryn Kuhlman as saying, "The Holy Spirit is more real to me than you are." Consequently, the Holy Spirit flowed mightily through Kathryn with tangible, undeniable signs and wonders.
Intimately know the Holy Spirit and you will see Him and hear His voice. Casually know about the Holy Spirit and you will hear about what He does ... elsewhere.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Results Not Typical
If you ever wrestle with a bout of insomnia, I have a sure fire way to end this malady. Turn on the television and find a cable network that is showing non-stop infomercials. You know what I'm talking about. Find a station that has a heaping-helping, hefty dose of promotions for Abs of Steel and Miracle Hair Revivors and the ever-popular FDA approved Flab Blaster Capsules. Soon, that thing that is causing the insomnia will cry out for mercy. To escape the absurdity of these infomercials, insomnia will glady give way and soon the zzzzzzzzzzz's will be flying through the night air.
Have you ever noticed that there is one common factor among all of these infomercials? While all of the hype and promotion of miraculous results are being promised, you will invariably see the words "Results Not Typical" flash across the screen for 3 or 4 seconds. According to this disclaimer, after paying four easy payments of $19.95 plus shipping and handling, you won't neccessarily look like the person that you see on the Abs of Steel infomercial whose dumpy, anemic body turned into a walking pile of muscle in six short weeks. Because of this disclaimer, you can count on the fact that after spending $39.95 plus shipping and handling on Miracle Hair Revivors that ladies some day WON'T be running their fingers through that beautiful new head of hair. I'll leave it to your imagination what you will look like after faithfully taking the Flab Buster Capsules. The small print says it all. Results are NOT typical.
Before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, you and I had to live in the "results not typical" world. In reading through the Old Testament and the four gospels, we won't find to many of us "common" folks doing great things for God. But the day of Pentecost turned everything. The small print announcing "results not typical" across the lives of the Billy Bobs and Mary Janes and Joe Schmos disappeared. Now because of the One who has been called to walk alongside us, the great Equipper, the heavenly Revealer, the energized Prayer who now abides within us, ANYTHING can happen. The life of the supernatural can be the way of life rather than the exception. The "these signs shall" found in Mark 16 can happen in the life of the person living on your street in your house wearing your clothes. In other words, YOU!
Come on now. Believe that this true. Begin to talk and act as though Jesus actually knew what He was talking about as He told about would happen as you allow the Sent One to abide in and operate through you! Go ahead. Make your own infomercial about a Holy Spirit filled life. In big bold print announce RESULTS ARE TYPICAL!!!!!
Have you ever noticed that there is one common factor among all of these infomercials? While all of the hype and promotion of miraculous results are being promised, you will invariably see the words "Results Not Typical" flash across the screen for 3 or 4 seconds. According to this disclaimer, after paying four easy payments of $19.95 plus shipping and handling, you won't neccessarily look like the person that you see on the Abs of Steel infomercial whose dumpy, anemic body turned into a walking pile of muscle in six short weeks. Because of this disclaimer, you can count on the fact that after spending $39.95 plus shipping and handling on Miracle Hair Revivors that ladies some day WON'T be running their fingers through that beautiful new head of hair. I'll leave it to your imagination what you will look like after faithfully taking the Flab Buster Capsules. The small print says it all. Results are NOT typical.
Before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, you and I had to live in the "results not typical" world. In reading through the Old Testament and the four gospels, we won't find to many of us "common" folks doing great things for God. But the day of Pentecost turned everything. The small print announcing "results not typical" across the lives of the Billy Bobs and Mary Janes and Joe Schmos disappeared. Now because of the One who has been called to walk alongside us, the great Equipper, the heavenly Revealer, the energized Prayer who now abides within us, ANYTHING can happen. The life of the supernatural can be the way of life rather than the exception. The "these signs shall" found in Mark 16 can happen in the life of the person living on your street in your house wearing your clothes. In other words, YOU!
Come on now. Believe that this true. Begin to talk and act as though Jesus actually knew what He was talking about as He told about would happen as you allow the Sent One to abide in and operate through you! Go ahead. Make your own infomercial about a Holy Spirit filled life. In big bold print announce RESULTS ARE TYPICAL!!!!!
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Cry of the Holy Spirit
From time to time, we have all come across an individual who evidently is head-over-heels in love with hearing the sound of their own voice. This must be true because this person will talk and talk and talk and talk and talk. For long periods of time, we sit helplessly as this person with the energizer jaws and a super-human lung capacity holds us hostage. We've all experienced the horror of watching them take one quick inhale of oxygen knowing that this will enable them to endlessly go on and on.
With that in mind, consider this thought. Is this perhaps the sentiment of the Holy Spirit? Would it be safe to say that in the majority of our prayer time, the One who knows the mind of the Father and has been entrusted the responsibility of communicating that information to us has to sit helplessly quiet as we go on and on and on?
Enough said .... Selah!
With that in mind, consider this thought. Is this perhaps the sentiment of the Holy Spirit? Would it be safe to say that in the majority of our prayer time, the One who knows the mind of the Father and has been entrusted the responsibility of communicating that information to us has to sit helplessly quiet as we go on and on and on?
Enough said .... Selah!
Monday, June 28, 2010
A Taste Test
While Vickie and I LOVE living in South Florida, we don't claim to be Floridians. Even after living in Florida for some 20 years, we are 1,000% (no, I didn't accidently add one too many zeros) Texans. Florida is an awesome place to live. What you see on the postcards with the pristine beaches and palm trees are part of the Florida package. BUT (all caps on purpose!), this isn't Texas. There are things from back home that we so, so miss ... especially the taste of genuine Tex-Mex food and Texas BBQ brisket. I've been told that Jesus will have Texans cater the Marriage Supper of the Lamb serving the Mexican food and BBQ. I have yet to find a single Tex-Mex restaurant here in South Florida that knows how to prepare delicious enchiladas, tamales, burritos, and sopapillas. The restaurants here just don't have a clue as to how to make genuine Tex-Mex. I don't even want to begin to talk about South Florida's barbeque. The name on the restaurant promises genuine smoked, tender brisket and ribs that are bad to the bone, but just one bite will tell you that the taste just doesn’t live up to the name.
Why am I writing about food? Examining what is called Tex-Mex and BBQ with what actually tastes like genuine Tex-Mex and BBQ provides an excellent example for doing an examination of what we call the Church today. Look at the events that defined the heaven-birth, Spirit-filled Church in Acts 2. The Church birthed in the Upper Room didn't settle for just being spirited. Instead it was the Spirit Church.
There is much that I can write on comparing the name and the things that should define the name. The Book of Acts shows the real-deal, the undiluted, uncompromised Church. Today's Spirit Church is something that has the same name but an entirely different taste. Just as I long for the taste of genuine Tex-Mex and it be bad Texas smoked brisket and ribs, I long for a Church that is the real deal. I long for a gathering of believers that reflect that they are the Church birthed of the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and demonstrate the Spirit. And, what is said about the Church SHOULD be said about our children’s ministry!
Let's go back to the Book that defines who we should be. Let's go back to our roots to see what we should "taste" like. Let’s see if the name that differentiates our church is backed up by the “taste” experienced in our services. If two aren't one and the same, it is time to either change our name or change our taste!
Selah …
Why am I writing about food? Examining what is called Tex-Mex and BBQ with what actually tastes like genuine Tex-Mex and BBQ provides an excellent example for doing an examination of what we call the Church today. Look at the events that defined the heaven-birth, Spirit-filled Church in Acts 2. The Church birthed in the Upper Room didn't settle for just being spirited. Instead it was the Spirit Church.
There is much that I can write on comparing the name and the things that should define the name. The Book of Acts shows the real-deal, the undiluted, uncompromised Church. Today's Spirit Church is something that has the same name but an entirely different taste. Just as I long for the taste of genuine Tex-Mex and it be bad Texas smoked brisket and ribs, I long for a Church that is the real deal. I long for a gathering of believers that reflect that they are the Church birthed of the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and demonstrate the Spirit. And, what is said about the Church SHOULD be said about our children’s ministry!
Let's go back to the Book that defines who we should be. Let's go back to our roots to see what we should "taste" like. Let’s see if the name that differentiates our church is backed up by the “taste” experienced in our services. If two aren't one and the same, it is time to either change our name or change our taste!
Selah …
Monday, June 21, 2010
You Can Be SUPERnatural!
Often in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles, people relegate the definition of the word "supernatural" to people coming out of a wheelchair or blind eyes opening or cancer disappearing from a ravaged body. While I can't argue that these miracles are supernatural, the word "supernatural" encompasses far more than the spectacular. In fact, if the definition is understood to mean the genuine, unrestricted working of the Holy Spirit you will find that there is ample room for supernatural ministry each time that you walk into a ministry setting!
Consider this fact ... 99% of the children walking into your weekend class or service or your mid-week Bible club won't need a deaf ear opened or herniated disk healed. You'll find few children needing ministry that would be the cover story for Charisma magazine or the lead story for the 700 Club on CBN. So, is there room for supernatural ministry in a children's class or service? You betcha'!
When a child walks into your classroom and you stop what you are doing and begin to give special attention to the child, that my friend is supernatural. When you look into the eyes of a child that possibly hasn't had any attention from an emotionally tired, physically exhausted parent and with genuiness and warmth tell the child how beautiful/handsome they are, that my friend is supernatural. When you get down on your knees to be able to hug a child or hold a little baby in your arms and kiss them on the forehead or you tell a child how blessed that you are that God has allowed you to be their teacher/leader/children's pastor, that my friend is supernatural. In fact, it is equal to any person leaping out of a wheelchair or being able to speak for the first time in their life.
How can I support this scripturally? I'm glad that you asked. "... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." (Romans 5:5) Where does this love come from? The Holy Ghost. How is demonstrated? By the Holy Ghost. One brief conversation, one hug, one kiss on the forehead, one compliment can literally break a stronghold that might have been passed down from generation to generation. I've seen hearts eternally impacted by the Holy Ghost in the course of a two minute conversation.
Let me remind that the MINOR part of your ministry is the portion done to the masses. The MAJOR part of your ministry is the portion done to the individual.
Do me a favor. Let's be supernatural. In doing so, take note of what happens during the next couple of weeks as you walk out this teaching and then send me a note telling me about what happened as Holy Ghost love touched a child/family. Contact me at billy@billyburnsministries.com.
Consider this fact ... 99% of the children walking into your weekend class or service or your mid-week Bible club won't need a deaf ear opened or herniated disk healed. You'll find few children needing ministry that would be the cover story for Charisma magazine or the lead story for the 700 Club on CBN. So, is there room for supernatural ministry in a children's class or service? You betcha'!
When a child walks into your classroom and you stop what you are doing and begin to give special attention to the child, that my friend is supernatural. When you look into the eyes of a child that possibly hasn't had any attention from an emotionally tired, physically exhausted parent and with genuiness and warmth tell the child how beautiful/handsome they are, that my friend is supernatural. When you get down on your knees to be able to hug a child or hold a little baby in your arms and kiss them on the forehead or you tell a child how blessed that you are that God has allowed you to be their teacher/leader/children's pastor, that my friend is supernatural. In fact, it is equal to any person leaping out of a wheelchair or being able to speak for the first time in their life.
How can I support this scripturally? I'm glad that you asked. "... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." (Romans 5:5) Where does this love come from? The Holy Ghost. How is demonstrated? By the Holy Ghost. One brief conversation, one hug, one kiss on the forehead, one compliment can literally break a stronghold that might have been passed down from generation to generation. I've seen hearts eternally impacted by the Holy Ghost in the course of a two minute conversation.
Let me remind that the MINOR part of your ministry is the portion done to the masses. The MAJOR part of your ministry is the portion done to the individual.
Do me a favor. Let's be supernatural. In doing so, take note of what happens during the next couple of weeks as you walk out this teaching and then send me a note telling me about what happened as Holy Ghost love touched a child/family. Contact me at billy@billyburnsministries.com.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Holy Spirit - Our Heavenly Swiss Army Knife
One of my all-time favorite television shows is MacGyver. For seven seasons (1985 - 1992), I loved watching Angus MacGyver escape the traps set by his enemies and possible death by using his ever-present Swiss Army knife. No matter the situation, the Swiss Army knife had just what was needed to deliver MacGyver out of the grip of bad guys. Am I the only one that can remember this hero?
Recently when teaching the two-week lesson series on The Holy Spirit - My BFF (Best Friend Forever), the Holy Spirit gave me the illustration of comparing the Holy Spirit to a Swiss Army knife. What an awesome idea! Almost every boy has either seen or owned or dreamed of owning a Swiss Army knife. Beside having one or two knife blades, the Swiss Army knife has a wide range of tools including various screwdrivers (phillips/flathead), scissors, saw, file, hook, tweezers, bottle opener, can opener, and pliers. I was surprised to see that the knife even includes a toothpick. Whatever the situation, whatever the need, the Swiss Army knife has just the right tool to help.
Let's go back and use MacGyver for this illustration. Wouldn't it have been a tragedy for MacGyver to fall into a trap of an enemy of the United States government, and with MacGyver's full knowledge that he had the knife with him and its capability of coming to his rescue, MacGyver would choose to ignore using the knife? That would be a ridiculous idea, wouldn't it! Why struggle when the answer to your problem is there with you. All that is needed is for MacGyver to take advantage of the tool inside of the knife, right?
Sadly, we as Christians fail to call upon our heavenly Swiss Army knife. Do you remember that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would abide with us forever? (John 14:16). Do you remember reading in John 14-16 about the Holy Spirit's assignment? We learn more about the Holy Spirit's assignment in 1 Corinthians 12-14. The Holy Spirit who has been assigned to be with us FOREVER and has EVERYTHING that we need for ANY and EVERY situation is just waiting on us to call upon Him for His assistance.
Let's remember that the Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365 and is awaiting the opportunity to work alongside us. He is equipped and ready for there is no problem too big or too small for Him. Come on you spiritual MacGyvers. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let's spoil the plans of our spiritual enemy!!!
Recently when teaching the two-week lesson series on The Holy Spirit - My BFF (Best Friend Forever), the Holy Spirit gave me the illustration of comparing the Holy Spirit to a Swiss Army knife. What an awesome idea! Almost every boy has either seen or owned or dreamed of owning a Swiss Army knife. Beside having one or two knife blades, the Swiss Army knife has a wide range of tools including various screwdrivers (phillips/flathead), scissors, saw, file, hook, tweezers, bottle opener, can opener, and pliers. I was surprised to see that the knife even includes a toothpick. Whatever the situation, whatever the need, the Swiss Army knife has just the right tool to help.
Let's go back and use MacGyver for this illustration. Wouldn't it have been a tragedy for MacGyver to fall into a trap of an enemy of the United States government, and with MacGyver's full knowledge that he had the knife with him and its capability of coming to his rescue, MacGyver would choose to ignore using the knife? That would be a ridiculous idea, wouldn't it! Why struggle when the answer to your problem is there with you. All that is needed is for MacGyver to take advantage of the tool inside of the knife, right?
Sadly, we as Christians fail to call upon our heavenly Swiss Army knife. Do you remember that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would abide with us forever? (John 14:16). Do you remember reading in John 14-16 about the Holy Spirit's assignment? We learn more about the Holy Spirit's assignment in 1 Corinthians 12-14. The Holy Spirit who has been assigned to be with us FOREVER and has EVERYTHING that we need for ANY and EVERY situation is just waiting on us to call upon Him for His assistance.
Let's remember that the Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365 and is awaiting the opportunity to work alongside us. He is equipped and ready for there is no problem too big or too small for Him. Come on you spiritual MacGyvers. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let's spoil the plans of our spiritual enemy!!!
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