update | Jun 30 2007 1:26 AM
well.....i haven't updated my blahg in a while so here goes.
it's been a while.
about a month.
but things haven't changed much.
I've still been just here in abilene, chillin at my house, or with friends, or whatever. Doing fun things, doing things that honor God, and many times doing both.
We went to camp last week, and it was incredible, kind of different, but was still really good. I think God is starting to move in more and more powerful ways, and this was expressed in 40 + people from my church going to accept Jesus, or rededicate their lives...and most of them are still going with it.
I feel so burdened to keep as many as possible plugged in and active in the local church, and I want to see our youth group grow.
People have left, some have stayed, and more have joined. But our youth group hasn't changed much.
God is still growing us, and most of us are still running hard after God. most.
The cool thing is that though some things change, it's always progressing, things are always moving forward and accelerating. Worship is getting more and more good and intense. People are joining in, rather than sitting in the chair and watching. But it's not about the motions. It never will be.
A lot of times as I'm on the stage, I get caught up in what I'm playing, and trying to make everything sound perfect. I'm still worshiping in that, but I'm not getting everything God has for me. I'm not giving him complete Glory and Honor.
It's not about the motions, and it's not about jumping around and having a good time. It's still about honoring the King of Glory for what he's done and for who He is. Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth.
Sure, it's fun, and it's intense. Just ask anyone who has experienced it. But it's still not about "getting into it". Sure if you jump around and go crazy and that expresses your love for God, go for it, and encourage me to worship harder too. But remember what it's about.
Yes things are exciting right now. I want to see all these new Christians grow strong, take root, and feed themselves. I love this time, though my life at home has been anything but exciting...these days have been increasingly boring.
There is an increase in the move of God. He is on the move. But just as God begins to work in Abilene, the enemy does more and more also. So be on guard. I'm saying this to myself and everyone around me. The enemy has battered me with attacks this week, of all kinds. But I'm gonna hold strong to this shield of Faith, and wait for God's truth to pierce the Darkness. We do have a weapon. Let's use it.
Life is good right now. It is easy, it's not challenging. It is a time of unmeasured potential of growth...but it's time for us to change that potential energy into kinetic energy, if you know what I mean. Let's fight, let's get in the word, let's fellowship with other Christians, let's worship God, tell others, let's abhor evil and hold fast to what is good.
Let's run this race. Let's give that cup of water to the least of these.
Let's cross the finish line with humble pride.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Walk on Water | Jun 4 2007 12:03 PM
Walk on Water | Jun 4 2007 12:03 PM
Check this video out:
Mel Tari: Walking on Water
http://www.extremeprophetic.com/videoplay.php?id=http://www.propheticmedia.com/video/video_email_media/6_1_Weblist_MelTari_WalkingOnWaterHIGH.mp4
While you watch this video, pay attention to the fact that they were not seeking a miracle, but only God's will. When God told them to go, they went, and God gave them a miracle to facilitate their task. Like he says, "It is important for the people that hear this testimony to understand, we weren't there looking for a miracle, we weren't even expecting or thinking that this would happen: the mission we had was the lost, and God told us to go..." The miracle is not the end itself, it is the means, it is the tool, the help God has given us so we can reach point B and preach the gospel. The focus is always on Jesus and the mission.
I copied this from brett, if you want you can look at it on his page too.
This one is cool too:
Bill Johnson: Character VS Power
http://www.extremeprophetic.com/videoplay.php?id=http://www.propheticmedia.com/video/video_email_media/5_4_Weblist_BillJohnson_CharacterVSPowerHIGH.mp4
Check this video out:
Mel Tari: Walking on Water
http://www.extremeprophetic.com/videoplay.php?id=http://www.propheticmedia.com/video/video_email_media/6_1_Weblist_MelTari_WalkingOnWaterHIGH.mp4
While you watch this video, pay attention to the fact that they were not seeking a miracle, but only God's will. When God told them to go, they went, and God gave them a miracle to facilitate their task. Like he says, "It is important for the people that hear this testimony to understand, we weren't there looking for a miracle, we weren't even expecting or thinking that this would happen: the mission we had was the lost, and God told us to go..." The miracle is not the end itself, it is the means, it is the tool, the help God has given us so we can reach point B and preach the gospel. The focus is always on Jesus and the mission.
I copied this from brett, if you want you can look at it on his page too.
This one is cool too:
Bill Johnson: Character VS Power
http://www.extremeprophetic.com/videoplay.php?id=http://www.propheticmedia.com/video/video_email_media/5_4_Weblist_BillJohnson_CharacterVSPowerHIGH.mp4
Low Point | May 13 2007 3:12 PM
Low Point | May 13 2007 3:12 PM
I hope I can make this short because I need to get back to doing my homework, and because I honestly don't feel like writing...but we'll see.
Ok, we were praying in the car on the way back from Albany, and someone was praying that church should be the low point in our week, spiritually. And it's true.
We should be engaging God on a regular daily basis so that when we get to church it's just a celebration of all the stuff we've been experiencing with God throughout the week...you know? Sunday morning shouldn't be the time where we get re-energized for the week, but it should be a time to fellowship and talk with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I know in my mind that I can have as amazing times as we have at Unite in my bedroom, but I have trouble believing it in my heart. I really really want more intimacy with God though...
I hope I can make this short because I need to get back to doing my homework, and because I honestly don't feel like writing...but we'll see.
Ok, we were praying in the car on the way back from Albany, and someone was praying that church should be the low point in our week, spiritually. And it's true.
We should be engaging God on a regular daily basis so that when we get to church it's just a celebration of all the stuff we've been experiencing with God throughout the week...you know? Sunday morning shouldn't be the time where we get re-energized for the week, but it should be a time to fellowship and talk with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I know in my mind that I can have as amazing times as we have at Unite in my bedroom, but I have trouble believing it in my heart. I really really want more intimacy with God though...
Last Unite...incredible | May 2 2007 10:03 PM
Last Unite...incredible | May 2 2007 10:03 PM
Well, I just want to say that Unite was incredible last night.
Complete freedom in worship.
Wow. It was an amazing end to Unite for this school year, but there will be another "unite" next week that will be all worship!! So I'm pretty excited about that.
First of all, the worship was great to start out with. It was SO PACKED!!! There were so many people there!!! At the beginning they played a bunch of fast songs like For All You've Done, and Take It All, and Marvelous Light, and it was just a time to celebrate and dance.
Then, Cory Ayers gave the testimony of the girl whose legs got healed and got up out of her wheelchair and walked - after being paralyzed!!! (This happened on Saturday night in Albany.)
Then Brandon Spoke about taking our faith into "four wheel drive" and he talked about how this time that we're in is "open heaven season", where, because God's will is that his kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, we can see things in the Kingdom to "grab" and take here to earth.
For example, no one in heaven is paralyzed, God's will is that his kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, so God's will is that people will be healed. It's so simple!!!
After Brandon spoke we had some more intense worship, time just to seek God and give him honor. Me and a couple of others, including Brett, who has the gift of healing, prayed healing over my friend Justin who I invited to Unite.
Soon, Brandon came and encouraged everyone to get prayed over and so that they can find their "city", a metaphor he used to describe the calling in his life. God called him to be a revivalist of love, and so that is his "city". It's kind of confusing...
But anyways, I got prayed over by Toby, an amazing guy who gives testimony...he prayed all kinds of things over me, and I don't remember all of it, but I do remember that he proclaimed that I would be a leader among men. I knew this was definitely God speaking, because of the way he said it and the fact that God spoke it to him.
After this, we worshiped more, the worship progressing into more and more intensity. I started experiencing more freedom, in which I danced, spun around, jumped, and worshiped God with all I had in me. Soon, we broke out into Marvelous Light.
This is when the supernatural joy of the lord hit me.
Peanut led into it with some sweet guitar riffs, and when they began to play the intro, everyone went crazy!!! I jumped and spun, and as I looked around me, I saw my friends all worshiping with all they had, and I really can't describe it, but it was the best feeling ever. God just poured out his joy on me and I could not keep the beaming smile off my face. I jumped higher, spun more, and stayed true to the words of Hillsong's "Take it all", where it says:
"My God, I'll only ever give my all"
After God's joy hit me, I could not keep from shouting, or dancing, or anything, because that's what worship is. It's a natural response to GOD. They pretty much played that song for like 10 - 15 minutes, and by the end I would like to think that I was the sweatiest one there. And I'm pretty sure I was, because my hair was dripping with sweat, my shirt was totally soaked, my pants......well, you don't even want to go there. But I had sweat streaming down my face. I just want to say that it's truly a great feeling to be that exhausted from something that good.
In closing we all held hands, which was really really amazing, as a symbol of unity. It was extremely powerful, and just incredible to look around at all the united Christ-followers. I felt so sorry for the girl next to me!!! My hand was soaked and nasty.....oh well. She gave me grace.
Good night.
wait - one more thing....
my friend eric was at lunch today at a Chinese restaurant.
You know how Brandon talked about four-wheel-drive faith, and how when you have four wheel drive you can get to beautiful places no one else has seen? Well Eric got a fortune cookie that read "You are about to begin a four wheel adventure."
aamazing
Well, I just want to say that Unite was incredible last night.
Complete freedom in worship.
Wow. It was an amazing end to Unite for this school year, but there will be another "unite" next week that will be all worship!! So I'm pretty excited about that.
First of all, the worship was great to start out with. It was SO PACKED!!! There were so many people there!!! At the beginning they played a bunch of fast songs like For All You've Done, and Take It All, and Marvelous Light, and it was just a time to celebrate and dance.
Then, Cory Ayers gave the testimony of the girl whose legs got healed and got up out of her wheelchair and walked - after being paralyzed!!! (This happened on Saturday night in Albany.)
Then Brandon Spoke about taking our faith into "four wheel drive" and he talked about how this time that we're in is "open heaven season", where, because God's will is that his kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, we can see things in the Kingdom to "grab" and take here to earth.
For example, no one in heaven is paralyzed, God's will is that his kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, so God's will is that people will be healed. It's so simple!!!
After Brandon spoke we had some more intense worship, time just to seek God and give him honor. Me and a couple of others, including Brett, who has the gift of healing, prayed healing over my friend Justin who I invited to Unite.
Soon, Brandon came and encouraged everyone to get prayed over and so that they can find their "city", a metaphor he used to describe the calling in his life. God called him to be a revivalist of love, and so that is his "city". It's kind of confusing...
But anyways, I got prayed over by Toby, an amazing guy who gives testimony...he prayed all kinds of things over me, and I don't remember all of it, but I do remember that he proclaimed that I would be a leader among men. I knew this was definitely God speaking, because of the way he said it and the fact that God spoke it to him.
After this, we worshiped more, the worship progressing into more and more intensity. I started experiencing more freedom, in which I danced, spun around, jumped, and worshiped God with all I had in me. Soon, we broke out into Marvelous Light.
This is when the supernatural joy of the lord hit me.
Peanut led into it with some sweet guitar riffs, and when they began to play the intro, everyone went crazy!!! I jumped and spun, and as I looked around me, I saw my friends all worshiping with all they had, and I really can't describe it, but it was the best feeling ever. God just poured out his joy on me and I could not keep the beaming smile off my face. I jumped higher, spun more, and stayed true to the words of Hillsong's "Take it all", where it says:
"My God, I'll only ever give my all"
After God's joy hit me, I could not keep from shouting, or dancing, or anything, because that's what worship is. It's a natural response to GOD. They pretty much played that song for like 10 - 15 minutes, and by the end I would like to think that I was the sweatiest one there. And I'm pretty sure I was, because my hair was dripping with sweat, my shirt was totally soaked, my pants......well, you don't even want to go there. But I had sweat streaming down my face. I just want to say that it's truly a great feeling to be that exhausted from something that good.
In closing we all held hands, which was really really amazing, as a symbol of unity. It was extremely powerful, and just incredible to look around at all the united Christ-followers. I felt so sorry for the girl next to me!!! My hand was soaked and nasty.....oh well. She gave me grace.
Good night.
wait - one more thing....
my friend eric was at lunch today at a Chinese restaurant.
You know how Brandon talked about four-wheel-drive faith, and how when you have four wheel drive you can get to beautiful places no one else has seen? Well Eric got a fortune cookie that read "You are about to begin a four wheel adventure."
aamazing
Prayer: The most underestimated and unused weapon in our Arsenal | Apr 29 2007 9:35 PM
Prayer: The most underestimated and unused weapon in our Arsenal | Apr 29 2007 9:35 PM
Okay. We decided to have a night of prayer for our youth group on Saturday night, and God was really showing me how powerful Prayer is. I often think that prayer is just me telling God what I hope for and what I wish could happen, like "wishing on a star". But it's not like that. Did you know that when you pray, if you believe God will do it, and it's for His glory, and out of love, He will do it? I mean, this happened just last night in Albany Texas when a girl who had broken her back in January got up out of a wheelchair and walked!!! Just last night! Can you believe it? You better believe it, this is what our God is about! You see, the bible clearly shows us that we are God's sons and daughters. It also says that as a loving God He gives us good gifts. He is also all about His glory. So if you ask Him for something, He, as a loving Father, is gracious and will answer you!!! Man, we have royal blood! We're sons and daughters of the king!!! Our father owns all the cattle on all the hills!!! He'll give to us as He pleases, but all we have to do is ask!!!
Check this out: James 5:16 says
16a: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
It's a command!!! And it doesn't say pray for one another so maybe if you're lucky you may be healed. It says pray for one another, that you will be healed!!!
16b: The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
God has made us righteous through Jesus's blood that he shed on the cross, so our prayers have great power. But not just great power sometimes, and not just great power, hoping that something will happen - no, it says as it is working.
In other words, the prayer of a righteous person is already at work!!!
So next time you're praying, remember that your prayers are:
1. Powerful
2. Requests of the Father, who enjoys giving us gifts
3. Already working!!!
Okay. We decided to have a night of prayer for our youth group on Saturday night, and God was really showing me how powerful Prayer is. I often think that prayer is just me telling God what I hope for and what I wish could happen, like "wishing on a star". But it's not like that. Did you know that when you pray, if you believe God will do it, and it's for His glory, and out of love, He will do it? I mean, this happened just last night in Albany Texas when a girl who had broken her back in January got up out of a wheelchair and walked!!! Just last night! Can you believe it? You better believe it, this is what our God is about! You see, the bible clearly shows us that we are God's sons and daughters. It also says that as a loving God He gives us good gifts. He is also all about His glory. So if you ask Him for something, He, as a loving Father, is gracious and will answer you!!! Man, we have royal blood! We're sons and daughters of the king!!! Our father owns all the cattle on all the hills!!! He'll give to us as He pleases, but all we have to do is ask!!!
Check this out: James 5:16 says
16a: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
It's a command!!! And it doesn't say pray for one another so maybe if you're lucky you may be healed. It says pray for one another, that you will be healed!!!
16b: The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
God has made us righteous through Jesus's blood that he shed on the cross, so our prayers have great power. But not just great power sometimes, and not just great power, hoping that something will happen - no, it says as it is working.
In other words, the prayer of a righteous person is already at work!!!
So next time you're praying, remember that your prayers are:
1. Powerful
2. Requests of the Father, who enjoys giving us gifts
3. Already working!!!
Blog (nice title, eh?) | Apr 20 2007 5:43 PM
Blog (nice title, eh?) | Apr 20 2007 5:43 PM
I know a lot of people who would be quick to say "I've 'called on the lord' so I must be saved" but they don't understand that they must believe, or maybe they don't believe. Whichever way, they live like everyone else and they think they will go to heaven when they die, but they probably haven't ever read this verse:
Matthew 7:21-23
Verse 21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
ok, so now we know that you can't just say a prayer and get your ticket into heaven. You must live your life pursuing God and doing His will.
Verse 22: "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’"
Wow. Have you ever driven out a demon?
Have you ever performed many miracles?
Think about it...then read this next verse...
Verse 23: "Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Ok. Work with me now. I know you're probably thinking, "Wait a second Thomas. Did you just say people who prophesied and cast out demons won't get into heaven?" The answer is a very blunt yes. But think about it again - people who drove out demons, prophesied, and performed many miracles (IN GOD's NAME!!!) are being cast out of Heaven. God tells them 'I never knew you.' This proves the fact that we need a living relationship with God, not just religion - not miracles even! But one last thing...
Did you notice what God calls them? EVILDOERS! What?!?? God calls people who work miracles we couldn't even dream of (IN HIS NAME!!) evildoers. I think it's time we check ourselves, and make sure we're not on a highway to the biggest letdown in the universe. I encourage you in your quiet time to think about this verse, read it in context, and examine yourself so that you will know whether you have a relationship with God, or just a religion. So that you'll know if you are doing God's will, or just your will.
This verse should make us check ourselves more than anything.
I know a lot of people who would be quick to say "I've 'called on the lord' so I must be saved" but they don't understand that they must believe, or maybe they don't believe. Whichever way, they live like everyone else and they think they will go to heaven when they die, but they probably haven't ever read this verse:
Matthew 7:21-23
Verse 21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
ok, so now we know that you can't just say a prayer and get your ticket into heaven. You must live your life pursuing God and doing His will.
Verse 22: "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’"
Wow. Have you ever driven out a demon?
Have you ever performed many miracles?
Think about it...then read this next verse...
Verse 23: "Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Ok. Work with me now. I know you're probably thinking, "Wait a second Thomas. Did you just say people who prophesied and cast out demons won't get into heaven?" The answer is a very blunt yes. But think about it again - people who drove out demons, prophesied, and performed many miracles (IN GOD's NAME!!!) are being cast out of Heaven. God tells them 'I never knew you.' This proves the fact that we need a living relationship with God, not just religion - not miracles even! But one last thing...
Did you notice what God calls them? EVILDOERS! What?!?? God calls people who work miracles we couldn't even dream of (IN HIS NAME!!) evildoers. I think it's time we check ourselves, and make sure we're not on a highway to the biggest letdown in the universe. I encourage you in your quiet time to think about this verse, read it in context, and examine yourself so that you will know whether you have a relationship with God, or just a religion. So that you'll know if you are doing God's will, or just your will.
This verse should make us check ourselves more than anything.
Endlessly | Apr 15 2007 9:59 PM
Endlessly | Apr 15 2007 9:59 PM
incredible. my favorite worship song since Easter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDbXZwVZd8Q
incredible. my favorite worship song since Easter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDbXZwVZd8Q
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