Jesus Both Our Mast and Sail

The center and fulcrum of all gospel preaching must be the cross, and the center of the cross is self-substitution of God for the sins of His people. This is the crucifixion within the crucifixion. A couple of days ago I wrote a hymn celebrating the glory of the atonement. I hope you enjoy.

Jesus Both Our Mast and Sail

Fastened to a bloody deck,

the Mast of our salvation

It drives the ark that bears Your church

o’er the world’s damnation.

[CHORUS]

Jesus both our Mast and Sail,

our Shelter and our Friend

Thou Ark for sinners tried and true

our haven without end!

The Sail now raised and full doth charge

to the centre of the storm

Where love and law and sin collide;

that glorious Friday morn!

[CHORUS]

The Sail now furled is torn and shred

beyond all recognition

The Lighting Rod of God’s just dread

has wrought its awful mission.

[CHORUS]

The Mast now stained with crimson red;

has met the dark cloud’s fury

Into port it sways and stands

and hails the Father’s glory!

[CHORUS]

Revival Must Come

The nearest I have ever come to experiencing 'revival conditions' was late in the summer of 2010. A dear friend of mine (Jay), who has been my prayer partner for the last 10 years, came out to visit from rural Georgia. It was only the second time I have ever seen this brother but we have spent countless hours in prayer together over the phone.

He got in on Tuesday and then we spent much of Wednesday night preaching at a local event. Later that night about five of us headed up to the Lord's Land in Mendocino, CA for two days of fasting and prayer.

The 'Lord's Land' is an old hippie commune that was converted to Christ during the 'Jesus Movement' revival in the 70's. It is now under the leadership of YWAM and continues to be used mightily of the Lord as a place of shelter and refreshment for weary pilgrims.

Upon our arrival we met a young man who recently came to Christ, who was temporarily calling the LL home. He spoke highly of this wonderful place and exhorted us to try and make it to the 8 AM staff prayer meeting.

Jay looked at me and said, 'I want to go to that. What a way to start our time here.' It did not sound like something that I would want to go to. We would not know anyone there and it seemed fairly awkward to show up at a prayer meeting where we did not know anyone.

That night we went to the cabin and engaged in worship for a couple of hours. It was very powerful and we all got to bed real late. The next morning Jay wanted to go to the meeting so I reluctantly did. When we got there it was simple enough: the husband and wife that ran the LL were there along with several twenty-somethings who were on staff with YWAM. The most conspicuous thing about the meeting was the presence of Christ. It was one of those meetings when you just walk into the room and His presence quietly overwhelms you so your heart warms like wax and tears stand fast in your eyes.

We introduced ourselves and the prayer meeting quickly commenced. What happened next taught me more than anything I ever learned in over seven years of formal theological training. The Lord came powerfully into that meeting and every one present was soon praying 'in the Spirit' (Eph. 6:18; Jude 20).

The power, freedom, unction and assurance was overwhelming. Like the man made of water climbing out of a pool on a ladder of water - I knew, for the first time in my life, what the Scripture means by 'praying in the Spirit.' He became the very atmosphere of that room. He was inspiring our prayers, empowering them, and giving us the complete assurance of their acceptance by God through Christ and thus the absolute confidence of their being answered. Moreover, (and this is the most difficult part to explain) everyone in the room seemed to be praying with the mind of the Holy Spirit - it was as if we all were sharing His consciousness. All the promises of John 15 were exploding and setting that meeting ablaze, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (vs. 7-8). As powerful as that meeting was, it would turn out to be only a harbinger of what happened the next morning.

When we got to the prayer room the next day there were a few additional people. There was much more an air of business as they were in the thick of planning for their big discipleship program when teachers and students from all over the world would come to the LL for three months of intensive training. They were writing names on the white board, working out different scenarios and talking about this and that. Jay and I just silently watched and listened.

The prayer time was mainly focused on all the needs of their ministry. It started off very 'normal.' No overwhelming Presence, etc. Then a brother began to pray for this one minister who they were really hoping would come and teach at their training school but said he would be doubtful because of a sudden unexplained sickness. We all started coming against this mysterious aliment and soon the room was filled with power and assurance like the day before.

This went on for about 20-30 minutes and then one of the brothers grabbed a guitar and started to lead us in worship. Again, this began 'normal' enough. Soon though the Presence of Jesus Christ flooded the room. We were all on our faces before Him, bathing His feet in rivers of tears. Worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. O what a foretaste of glory divine! At times I think back to that day and it still fills my soul with such joy I can hardly contain it.

We left later that morning and the presence of the Lord was still dripping off of us. I will never forget the 2 hour car ride home with Jay. Sweeter fellowship this side of heaven I don't realistically expect to have. I hope I am wrong. I have never spoken of divine things - or had them spoken to me - with such joy, unction and longing. Again, that sense of fellowshipping in the Spirit was overwhelming. The truth that in Him we 'live, move and have our being' took on a whole new reality.

Our prayer meetings for the rest of the week took on a new power and our street preaching was graciously attended by the Spirit of God. We preached at a local college - lifting up Jesus - and His presence among us was obvious. The whole place came alive. Even the chair of the religious department came over and spoke to us - 'asking us' to no longer speak in His name.

I long for a full measure of what we experienced that week. We have to have this unction on our ministries my beloved brothers and sisters. This reality of the presence of God. Revival must come.

Paul Washer

Paul is an inspiration to me. If you want to be greatly encouraged in the Great Commission watch this short testimony of God's faithfulness.

The Broken Glass

A couple of weeks ago Jim and Carlin were preaching at Santa Rosa Junior College. A young and rather 'buff' man was approaching them screaming "Shut up; Shut up; Shut up; Sh-..." On the last 'Shut up' the glass full of beverage he was holding fell out of his hands and smashed on the ground. He looked down in disbelief and then - quite embarrassed - skirted away without further ado.

As wicked King Nebuchadnezzar said long ago, "Those who walk in pride, He is able to humble" (Daniel 4:37).

Ministry Update

[This one's for you Marie]

Its been so long since I have updated this blog that I actually forgot what it was called and I had to go to my 'links' page on Facebook to get the site address.

Part of the reason for the infrequent updates is laziness. Another part is that I am always questioning my motives. The words of Tozer continue to haunt me: "Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice." Do I really maintain this blog for Christ's glory, or for my own? God knows.

Although the blogs have slowed down the preaching goes on. The Santa Rosa Jr. College devoted almost an entire newspaper to our ministry. We have been on several news stations and a friend just told me that our local newspaper reported that Santa Rosa will soon be clamping down and introducing new laws regarding public speech, most likely because of our ministry there. So much for the First Amendment.

Here is a story I want to tell you about: A young woman whom I will call 'Jane' was one of our most vehement opponents. I remember one time I was preaching and she stood right in front of me and stuck both of her middle fingers in my face. I remember looking in her eyes. They were so full of hate that I almost could not believe what I was seeing. If she could have ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped it to a pulp on the sidewalk she gladly would have.

For whatever reason the Lord put it on my heart to give her 20 dollars - just to bless her. So when we arrived at our spot the next week I saw her and realized that I didn't have any money on me. About a half hour later when Jim was preaching a man came up to me and said "God bless you guys" and handed me 20 dollars.

So I look up and who did I see but Jane. So I walked over to her and said, "Jane, you will never believe what happened to me. Someone gave me 20 dollars for preaching the gospel but I don't take money for preaching the gospel so I wanted to give it to you." Her jaw almost hit the ground.

About 10 minutes later I was back to preaching again and Jane and her friend walked by and made some evil comments like "Hey fool, thanks for the 20 bucks. We are going to get a big %$@#& hamburger with it."

What happened next was very interesting. For the rest of the night all her friends kept coming up to me saying things like, "Did you really give Jane 20 bucks?" They could not believe it - that a preacher was actually giving money away. Some of them were calling their friends and telling them, "Hey, remember those preachers? One of them gave Jane 20 bucks...can you believe that?"

Another very interesting thing happened. Jane softened towards me. Later that night she asked me for my e-mail and when I got home this is what I found:

"I don't believe in God anymore because of this: My Mom left me. My Dad left me. The only thing I had was my ex-boyfriend. I loved him. I actually loved him and I loved God. Then my ex tried to commit suicide multiple times. This led me down the wrong path and I tried to commit suicide as well. I always prayed for him. I read my Bible everyday. Then he turned on me. He told me I could go and die. So I tried, but it just left me broken and my heart literally died. I turned away from God. The only thing I had left was cutting. Yes I am a cutter and I can't open myself up to God. I have tried so hard to get Him back in my life but nothing happened so I gave up. The only reason I am telling you this is because I am so hurt and I just need someone to talk to...."

This is a very hurting young girl friends. Join me in praying for her...

Sebastopol Farmer's Market

This was a strange day...the demonic activity was off the charts. Sebastopol is a new age community par excellence. Yoga, organic everything, patroli oil pancakes and more curry than you can shake a stick at.

Jim and I started preaching and the place just came unglued. Two (significantly) older women began exposing themselves and shaking violently. The youth covered us with profanities. I think everyone that saw us preach had something wicked to say.

I did something interesting for this preach. I was well aware of this community's 'spirit' so I preached nothing but the love, love, love of God for the first 15 minutes. Not one single word about sin, judgement, hell or anything of that nature. Guess what? They railed me as much as if I was reading Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God right from the manuscript. Why cannot the modern church understand the most basic of all biblical doctrines: that man is naturally God's enemy and wants nothing of His grace and mercy until the Holy Spirit raises him from the dead through the New Birth.

A little later, a man who was a self proclaimed guru came over to me while I was preaching and started saying his mantra over me. I invited him to repent of his false religion. He lost all his inner peace then and started to put a hex on me. I told him it was pointless since I was indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He got so mad that he pulled my stool right out from under me and threw it away in the trash! Right in front of all his disciples too.

We preached for over an hour though and many chained souls heard the emancipation proclamation - the gospel of Jesus Christ!! Declare His Glory Among the Heathen!!!

Santa Rosa Street Market (8.11.10)

It has been a while since I have posted anything. We continue to preach the gospel all over Sonoma County but I find it very difficult keeping the blog updated.

We saw many breakthroughs on 8.11.10. My friend Jay and I got to the market early to pray for the Lord's help in the work before us. As we were praying a young man named Forrest came over to us and said, "I see that you two have Bibles and are praying and I really feel like I need God in my life."

So we prayed with him. He would comment later that when we prayed he felt something happen inside of him. Jay asked him if he knew the Lord or understood the gospel. Forrest replied no to both questions.

As Jay took him through the gospel Forrest began to weep profusely. We directed him to the local gospel mission. Later he returned and was actually rebuking those who were mocking us! He later prayed with Jay. We believe firmly that he came to Christ that night. He began witnessing to many of the people around him.

We saw two other wonderful breakthroughs as well. We have received untold trouble from a man named Ray who heckles and mocks us every week for the entire time we preach. God has blessed us with the grace to always return blessings for his cursing. On this day, to our astonishment, he approached us literally trembling and said, "I have called you guys fools all this time but now I realize that I am the fool." Pray for him! He is close to coming to the Lord.

Perhaps the only mocker worse that Ray is a young skateboarder whose name I do not know. He hurls profanities at us for hours on end. While Carlin was preaching he began to weep harder that I have seen anyone weep in a long time - and that in front of all his friends. The Holy Spirit was powerfully with us on this evening. The personal conversations were incredibly powerful as well.