Yea, this world is hurting too deeply not to give them the One true God, the One true Savior, the One true Hope, the One true Faith and the One true Love that will ever set the spiritual captives free, bring Joy to the depressed, deliver the oppressed and heal the sick, addicted and mentally ill.  

Yea, this world is hurting too deeply to not give people the full glory and the full power of Jesus Christ.

Did I ask too much?

More than a lot,

you gave me nothing, now that’s all I got,

we’re one but we’re not the same,

well we hurt each other and then you do it again. 

You say love is temple, love higher, love is a temple, love the higher law,

you ask me to enter, then you make me crawl….

and I can’t be holding on to what you’ve got

when all you’ve got is hurt

one love… one blood… one life you got to do what you should

one life with each other…sisters, brothers…

One life but we’re not the same, we get to carry each

Carry each other

One…..One….One….One…One

“(1) One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon. (2) Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful (my emphasis) , where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.  (3)  When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.  (4)  Peter looked straight at him, as did John.  Then Peter said, “Look at us!”  (5)  So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.  (6)  Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk (my emphasis).  (7)  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong  (8)  He jumped to his feet and began to walk (my emphasis).”  Acts 3:  1-8 (NIV)

The temple gate called Beautiful was prime real estate for cripples and beggars.  Not only did a lot of people pass through daily but a lot of  religious people with a little extra coinage that wanted to look good in the eyes of God.  Day after day after day, the cripple went to the gate to beg for a few coins that would ensure his survival for another day.   So when Peter and John passed by and told the cripple to “Look at us!”, he looked at them with anticipation and expectation of receiving a silver or gold coin to add to the day’s tally.  But Peter didn’t offer the cripple anything of this world….he offered him a supernatural encounter with Jesus and it radically changed his life.  He went to the gate called Beautiful as a broken cripple and walked away a restored man.  It wasn’t Peter that healed the cripple but the Spirit of Christ.  All Peter did was what Jesus told him he would do, in His name – greater things than I have done.

Today, the hurting, the broken, the depressed, the oppressed and the lost come to our churches called “Beautiful”, expecting to meet the Jesus that can heal and deliver them, transforming their lives and making them whole again but get everything except the real power of Jesus.  They get denominational interpretations in the form of false doctrines (think Cessation), they get carefully orchestrated worship and preaching services meant to ensure the Holy Spirit doesn’t show up and ruin their Sunday morning tea party, they get beautiful, comfortable sanctuaries that bring out the well-mannered country club crowd on Sundays…..but not the real Jesus.  At least not the Jesus that Peter called on that day to heal a broken cripple.

Sad isn’t it – the cripple expected coins and received healing in the powerful name of  Jesus Christ.   The sick and hurting of today come expecting and hoping to be healed and get parting gifts and watered down versions of Jesus….but not healed, not delivered of their pain and spiritual strongholds because we choose to ignore the Words of Jesus and refuse to walk in the supernatural power of Christ. 

The disciple (Peter vs. Patrick) may be different but the name isn’t.  Jesus is the same today as that day the cripple was healed, and the command to heal and deliver the lost and hurting in His name is still the order for his followers. 

So in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth……

Sitting here surrounded by our parents and Christy’s grandmother, in our beautiful home counting down the hours til we dig into the Low Country Boil waiting patiently in the refrigerator, I cannot help but to feel overwhelmingly blessed and thankful for all that God has given me in this life.  A beautiful, godly woman as my wife that I get to chase God with.  Parents that are still with me on this earth and in good health.  A brother that is on his way to finding recovery and meaning in his life.  A few good friends that I can count on.  A beautiful, Southern Belle of a city surrounded by breathtaking stretches of beach, rivers and marshes in which to live.  My health.  A career in which I get to make a true difference in people’s lives.  A Holy Spirit-led church that still believes in the real power of Christ and is a light unto its community to belong too.  A small role in a missions ministry that reaches the lost and hurting of Brazil – Gospel for Brazil.

I could go on and on listing the things that I am thankful for on this Thanksgiving holiday but they’re all nothing compared to the one thing that I am most thankful for in this life….my relationship with Jesus Christ!  Because of the sacrificial blood that he shed on a cross so many years ago, I have been rescued from hell and born again as a child of the Risen Lord.  He redeemed me.  He forgave me.  He healed my spirit and filled it with His Holy Spirit, giving me a joy and peace that is no longer dependent on the things of this world.  He gave me  purpose and direction, and the power and authority to reach the lost, heal the sick and deliver the oppressed.  So as I sit here writing this post, I wonder what else I could ever need in this lifetime!?!  Nothing!  For Jesus is enough….He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

To all my family, friends and passers-by to the site – Happy Thanksgiving!!!!  May you have a blessed day with the people you care most about, and I hope you remember your true blessings with humble thankfulness.  And for those that do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior, may this be the day that your greatest thanksgiving comes to life….a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Being baptized in the Holy Spirit, for a Christian, is like a kid receiving the most awesomely pimped-out bike in the neighborhood.  The bike is the kid’s vehicle to status and power within his sphere of influence.  When he is on his bike, he’s invincible.  He can pop wheelies and ride them miles at a time.  He can jump the widest and deepest ditches.  He wins every 100 yard dash and every marathon race around the neighborhood circle.  Kids on last year’s tired model or rusted out shell of a “has-been” bike envies him, and respects his authority as “The One”,  yielding to his authority.

Now imagine being told by your parents, after receiving your pimped-out bike that’s going to take you from neighborhood geek to ultra-cool dude, that you can only ride it on the drive-way.  No wheelies allowed.  No Evel Knievel jumps over five lawnmowers.  No glory…just “what-ifs”.

For us as Christians, the Holy Spirit is our vehicle to power and authority in the spiritual “neighborhood.”  It’s our ride into the supernatural realm of anointed preaching, teaching, healing and deliverance.  The Holy Spirit can set the spiritual captives free, bring hope to the desperate, joy to the depressed and deliverance to the oppressed.  IF….we take the shackles off and tear down the man-made, denominational boxes we have placed the Spirit in, and allow Christ to work fully and mightily through the Church.

It isn’t often that we get to donate $10-$20 to a cause that can truly impact someone’s life in a significant and meaningful manner.  Please go to www.gospelforbrazil.org to donate and assist Gospel for Brazil in making Christmas a special memory for a child living in extremely impoverished conditions.  Below is some information about “Christmas in Ubauna – 2009″ from GFB’s site.

         ———————————————————————————————————————

Imagine a life that is lived out in a desolate region where the heat makes people old before their time, where food is a precious commodity that is typically consumed just once daily and clean water is rare. Imagine the life of a child growing up in such an environment.

Imagine.

Now imagine the face of a child in that environment receiving a box full of “goodies” that he could not possibly afford to purchase. Pencils, hair ribbons, a toy car, soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, candy. Imagine that taking place on Christmas day. Imagine never having celebrated Christmas before. Imagine discovering that someone, somewhere, loves you so much that they’d make such a day possible for you.

This is Christmas in Ubaúna 2009.

Two hundred children are going to experience Christmas for the first time ever in their lives on December 25, 2009. Two hundred special boxes are ready to make their journey to the interior of northeastern Brazil. Two hundred children are going to be surprised on Christmas. An entire village is going to be awed by the love of Jesus being shown to them in a special way.

If you would like to be a part of this special surprise Christmas party, a simple gift of $10-20 will help make the party happen. Contributions are being accepted up to December 13.

A financial donation of $10-20 on your part not only will bring a smile to an impoverished child’s face, it will open the doors to bring Jesus into their homes.

As I sit, writing on my nice, expensive laptop, on my comfy sofa, in a beautiful home that is safe from the elements, equipped with central heat, air, bonus room, two car garage with a refrigerator and pantry full of food, I think about little Ana Vitoria.  I wonder what today will bring for her.   Ana Vitoria is a beautiful little girl living in Ubauna, Brazil, in the northeastern desert region of the state of Ceara, and today is her 5th birthday.  I know a Barbie-themed or Dora the Explorer-themed birthday party with lots of little girls and boys all sitting around her wearing birthday hats, eating sugary cake, blaring party horns in celebration with colorful balloons all around  is too much to ask in this impoverished area.

She lives in extreme poverty.  Food, safe shelter and medical attention are difficult to come by for her and her family.  They often go without.  It’s a tough, and often, sad life for a little girl to live.  There is no food stamp assistance, no children’s Medicaid and no Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF – “Welfare”) to get them through.  In her short life on this earth, she has seen more misery and hopelessness than most in America will ever experience in a lifetime.  To say that this is an unfair travesty would be an understatement. 

However, by the grace of God, Gospel for Brazil has been placed into her life to be the light of Jesus that will shine through the darkness that has oppressed her and her family, and offer her life-saving food and medical attention through the Seed of Hope Sponsorship Initiative (www.gospelforbrazil.org to learn how you can sponsor a child).  Our Life Group at The Sanctuary is privileged and honored to be her Gospel for Brazil Seed of Hope sponsor, providing life-saving food to her on a monthly basis, as well as meeting her basic medical needs.   Without our sponsorship of Ana Vitoria, there is a very real possibility that she could starve to death or suffer continued, serious malnutrition that could cause major physical disease,  plaguing her for the rest of her life.  

In addition to providing for her physical needs, Gospel for Brazil also feeds her spirit, teaching her and showing her about the grace, love and hope found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

So to you little Ana Vitoria, Happy Birthday.  From us to you, a prayer to reach across the miles:

Father, we lift little Ana Vitoria up to you in humble gratitude for this precious life you have brought into our lives.  Touch her little spirit and fill it with peace, hope and joy.  Bless her with good health and strength, and fill her little tummy with food and nourishment.  Surround her with your holy angels and fire of the Holy Spirit so that her steps are guarded and her life is protected from any evil that may come against her and her family.  In the name of Jesus Christ, we bind satan and his dominions from having any influence in her life and we claim little Ana Vitoria, in the name of Jesus, as your child, Father.    Live in her spirit so that she may hear your voice and grow to be a godly woman and powerful warrior for your kindgom.  Touch her today with happiness and make her feel like a little princess that is worthy of being celebrated.  Just love on her and hug on her today, Father.  In the awesome name of Christ we pray…. Amen.

In my previous post, “What Version of Jesus Are You Giving The World”, someone asked this question under the comments section.  This was my response (with added comment):

Jesus died on the cross for all to receive Salvation, through the blood of Christ, that believes in Him through Faith and Repentance. It is a gift that has no expiration date, no hidden agendas. As long as this world turns, and as long as someone is breathing, the world, and an individual, can receive salvation. Doesn’t matter what type of life you lived or what type of person you were, you can still receive salvation in your dying moments. Jesus loves us THAT much!!!  Many don’t believe this but it still doesn’t make this truth an untruth.  Think about the criminal dying on his cross beside Jesus.  We don’t know what type of life he lived or the things he had done but with one simple request, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”,  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Forgiven and forever with his Lord and Savior.  The Gift of Salvation is always there for your taking, regardless of time, place or circumstances.  There isn’t anything that someone can bring to the table that is a deal breaker.

Unfortunately, we often treat Jesus as a “limited time offer.” We tell the unsaved about the glorious mercy, grace, love, hope, authority and power of Jesus but once they have accepted Him into their lives as Lord and Savior, we then replace the real Jesus with the Jesus that fits into whatever denominational doctrines we cling too. More accurately, we replace the Holy Spirit (Spirit of the Living Christ) with a tamer version, weaker version or more easily understood version.

For example, Jesus clearly states in the Bible that we, his disciples, will do the same things…and even greater things than He did.  Jesus healed and cast out demons, he raised the dead and reached the lost and hurting.  We, in and through the Spirit, can do the same.  But many denominations choose to ignore this (for various reasons), in essence, stripping the Spirit of His power in the believer’s lives.  Instead of people being healed and freed of spiritual oppression by the use of the Spiritual Gifts (the Power) given to us by the Spirit of Christ, people continue to live in bondage, unhappy, joyless, depressed, bitter and in despair. 

Living a life in bondage, unhappy and hopeless, takes a toil on the soul, regardless of our place in God’s kingdom.  So they walk away from God in search of something….anything, that will heal them spiritually but they never find it.  Jesus Christ is the only One in which true healing and genuine Joy, Peace and Hope can be found. 

Hasn’t the time come for us to burn our prideful, self-righteous, man-made denominational doctrines that keep people in oppression at the altar of repentance, and get about the business of bringing the real Power and Authority of Jesus into the lives of the lost and hurting?

So what version of Jesus and Christianity are you giving this world – the Jesus that brings all the power and authority of the heavenlies into your life and that is full of Grace, Hope, Faith, Love, and that heals, that casts out demons, that raises the dead or are you giving the world the cardboard version of Jesus that is stripped and void of any real power and authority to heal, to cast out the demons that oppress us, to bring Joy, Peace and Hope into lives?  

Do we tell the world about the real Jesus and then give them the cardboard Jesus that fits conveniently into our man-made denominational doctrines that causes people to say, “This is a piece of junk!  I want the real Jesus!”?   And to that, are we giving the often expected response of, “But you can’t have the real Jesus.  You get the Jesus that we’ve made up.  We aren’t comfortable with all this healing, speaking in tongues, deliverance from evil spirits, prophecy and Gifts of the Holy Spirit truth that God talks about in the Bible.  That Jesus-as-Rebel version that the Bible shows us that rescued souls from the gates of hell is good reading but we dont’ want to get all Jesus Freaky on people.  That was just a nice little PR campaign to bring you to the cross and then indoctrinate you into our way of spiritual thinking.  True, you may never experience the real power of Jesus at work in your lives but we have a really nice sanctuary, good singing and good preaching that makes up for all that other stuff.”

Is Jesus just a “Limited Time Offer” that is good while it lasts or is He the real deal for you?  Are we giving the world the Jesus that changes lives and changes us into new creations full of the power of the Holy Spirit or the one that is handcuffed to our tired and stale demoninational doctrines that tells people how Jesus can or can’t work in their lives?

To learn more about this divinely-inspired, Holy Spirit-driven mission organization, please go to www.gospelforbrazil.org to find out how you can become a part of reaching the lost and hurting souls in the northeast desert region of Brazil.  Enjoy the video.  I’m not a professional so it was just a fun little “project” to share some memories with you.

Now that the Nobel Peace Prize committee has awarded the prize to someone who hasn’t actually done anything to bring about peace in any meaningful manner, I realized, quite excitedly, that this opens the prize up to a whole new population of nominees.  So, I thought I’d list ten nominations for the upcoming 2010 Nobel Peace Prize that are as deserving, if not more deserving, than the recent winner to win the prize and take home $1.4 million dollars (not in order of merit):

1.  Christy and Me:  Why not?  Seriously…we have actually taken four mission trips to Brazil with Gospel for Brazil.  We have spent almost two full months in Brazil spreading peace and goodwill to the people of Brazil.  We share the Truth of Christ with them, hug them, love on them, feed them, clothe them and even cry with them.  Not to mention how involved we are with the Seed of Hope Child Sponsorship Initiative that feeds hungry (very) children and assists with their basic medical and educational needs.    I’ve already got some ideas on how to spend the money.  It’ll be like winning the lottery.

2.  Joe and Arimar Carr:  As deserving as we might be, I think Joe and Arimar beat us out by a fraction.  Joe and Arimar founded Gospel for Brazil, have assisted in a church plant in Wilmington, NC and devote themselves full-time to bringing peace and light into people’s lives.  They have definitely improved our lives and brought some spiritual peace to us.  Go Joe and Arimar!  I’m behind you Bro and Sis!  And don’t forget that we were your friends before you won it…hint, hint!

3.  Billy Graham:  Millions and Millions have been brought to salvation in Christ through Billy Graham, changing their lives here on this earth as well as eternally.  It’s really no telling how many people have been saved and how many lives have been filled with love, hope and peace because of his selfless servanthood to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

4.  Sophie:  Who’s Sophie?  Well duh!  She’s our cat.  Why limit it to humans.  She has blessed our home with a lot of peace and love since joining the family last year.  You ought to see how she makes my wife smile.  And she cuddles good too!

5.  Mickey Mouse:  Isn’t this one a “no-brainer”.  This dude is loved by the entire world and he just makes me smile.  I just feel all peaceful inside thinking about him.

6.  Tyler Hansbrough:  Man, seeing him dunk all over Dook for four years and then cut down the nets after winning the National Championship this year was awesome.  Definitely filled us and Tar Heels nation with a sense of peace….and domination.  And doesn’t the nickname, “Psycho T” have a peaceful ring to it (well…probably not for dooky fans.)

7.  Dean Smith:  Heck….he invented basketball and won a lot of basketball games as the Tar Heels head coach.  There’s just something peaceful and goodwillnaturish about that.

8.  Michael Jordan:  Watching him play basketball and dominate the game was like watching peace in action.  Add in that he’s a Tar Heel and that says it all. 

9.  Mr. Rogers:  Think about it…when he welcomes you to the neighborhood and asks, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”, don’t you just feel the love and peace inside?  I think we should go around this week asking people if they want to be our neighbor.  Wow!   That screams of goodwill, peace and cheer.

10.  Jesus Christ:  Really, I saved the best and greatest for last.  You see, Christ still LIVES!!!!!  He’s as real as the air you breathe or the ground you walk on.  Seriously, who has done more for world and mankind peace other than Jesus.  No one.  He IS love, hope and peace.  Yea, this one is easy.   Thank you Jesus for bringing such an awesomely, heavenly, supernatural peace into our lives. 

So, who do you think is most deserving?