Wilkerson's Urgent Message

I saw this Sunday Night - thought I would pass it on. This Guy is usually on the mark!

Here is the link - Wilkerson Blog

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).

God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).

In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.

WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?

First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. If possible lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.

As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options. This is outlined in Psalm 11. We “flee like a bird to a mountain.” Or, as David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).

I will say to my soul: No need to run...no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.

Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.

God bless and keep you,

In Christ,

DAVID WILKERSON

Faith and stuff I can't see

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about faith. We have been studying the book of Romans on Wednesday nights. And Paul is trying to convince a church full of ex-Pharisees that salvation is by grace through faith not by works. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law - Romans 3:28. So since our salvation (the way we are made good enough for God) is through faith, think how powerful it must be. At least for me, the wickedness of my heart goes deep, so for me to be made righteous, faith must be powerful stuff.

Now I want you to imagine something with me. How sure are you that there is a God and that He sent His Son to save us? How sure are you that Jesus died on a cross and that what He did is able to bring us forgiveness from God? Most likely you are totally convinced of these things even though you have nothing to go on except your belief that these things are true. There is nothing physically that we can put our hands on to prove that God loves us and that He wants to save us. But we are 100% convinced. How? Well some will say that the Bible is proof of these things, but how do you know that what the Bible says is true? FAITH! It is what you believe and no one can change your mind!

Here is the point I am trying to make – This faith, that completely convinces you of the things of God, is truly powerful stuff. Yet I see so many weak and struggling believers. Jesus said “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”. – Matthew 17:20. Did you see that! Jesus says “NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU”. Whenever I read this verse I always focus on the mountain part; ok, I can move a mountain, big deal, give me a big shovel and I will get right to it. But Jesus doesn’t stop there He says nothing will be impossible. And this is with a little tiny seed-like faith.

Each of us carries this nuclear bomb of faith within us – able to do the impossible! So what is stopping us!

Getting Back to Church Stuff...

Sunday, Eastside held our annual meeting. So I thought I would share my initial thoughts while they are fresh in my mind.

First, I must tell you that I am interested in group dynamics, people are interesting, but when they are put into group situations something special happens. Each year I am always interested to see the interaction that takes place in the church. This year we had one nominee for the Board of Deacons and three resolutions to the Constitution and By-laws.

When it comes time for the meeting you never know what things will come to the surface, which makes for a little anxiety on my part, but usually is never warranted. I tried something different this year, instead of presenting a whole list of goals for our church this year I gave one “project” for us to focus on in 2009 - RETENTION OF VISITORS to the church. (You’ll be seeing a lot of my thoughts on this in the coming weeks).

But the real fun came when we broke down into groups. Each group was given the following assignment:

1. Choose a leader
2. List 3 things about Eastside that are good.
3. Name one thing about Eastside you would change.
4. Develop a strategy for making the change

The results of this were interesting, not because of the specific responses, but due to each group’s approach to fulfilling the assignment. The point of this exercise was to get real ideas about the perceptions in the congregation. I chose to use groups in order to stay away from individual sensitivities or pet-peeves, hoping that the groups would be forced into consensus responses. So here are my observations.

There were seven groups. Four of the groups followed the directions exactly. Three did not - they came up with multiple answers to number 3 (Name ONE thing about Eastside you would change.) The reason – they could not come to a consensus on one item and/or the leader who wrote down the responses controlled the pen and wrote what he/she wanted. But then added what the others in the group had expressed. Hence the multiple answers.

Almost every group listed the same three for four “good things” – just a note here. Every group said that Eastside was a friendly church. I believe this to be true; however, does any church think they are unfriendly? I point this at because I don’t want to think we have this mastered, there is plenty of room for improvement. (Remember this is our focus for 2009)

Every group had a different change they would make; even the multiple answers were not repeated. Which tells me that all in all Eastside is a healthy church because we don’t have that big obvious flaw that most troubled churches have. Also the things listed were far from being major issue items. (Don’t tell this to the groups, they probably think they are major or they wouldn’t have listed them.)

When it was all said and done, it was really a very productive and yes, an enjoyable experience, can’t wait until next year. (OK, that went too far, didn’t it?)

Skubalon Happens

Philippians 3:7-8 - But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ...

In yesterday’s message I used the above verse to illustrate that when it is all said and done the things that we seem to think are so important, really aren’t at all, not even close. And in my own life I experience this over and over again. I will become concerned, disturbed, worried, troubled, and terrified over something that turns out in the end to really insignificant. And I think about the lost sleep, the upset stomach, and the frustration and yes even anger, and then realize it was all for nothing.

If my life is really in the hands of God, then aren’t I really just along for the ride? I keep forgetting that there is a God who loves me wants the best for me. He is way smarter than I am and He knows how to guide me into a life that I can’t even imagine. And here I am getting all stressed out, and for what? For nothing really all that substantial, because in a 100 years (or during eternity in heaven) what will these things really matter?

Here is where “skubalon” comes in. Paul says that compared to knowing Jesus and having Him in my life all these other things can’t even come close to comparing. So he thinks of the most insignificant thing he can to compare how little these things are, he uses the word skubalon (skoo'-bal-on). The translators of the King James Bible can’t use this word in its literal meaning because it is deeply offensive to our sensibilities. And they translate it using the word “dung” or the New King James uses the word “rubbish”. But Paul is making a very important point that gets lost in the translation, his intent is to show how small and trivial the things of the world are compared to knowing Jesus. So he uses the example of, (WARNING: if you are easily offended by language then you should stop reading right now: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!) are you ready for this…He compares the things of this world…dog poop compared to knowing Jesus. (BTW, I would have used Cat poop instead!)

So what are we so worried about? We know Jesus! And He knows Us!

The Eastside Challenge - 2009

• Regularly attend as many church activities and services as possible
• Pray everyday day for the church
• Support the church with the tithe
• Invite and bring someone with you once a month
• Fast one day a month on behalf of the church

1/100th of a second!

Yesterday, right in the middle of my message the Holy Spirit brought something to my mind. (How do you know it was the Holy Spirit? Believe me I'm not that quick on my feet or able to think that fast!) I was sharing from Corinthians: "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV) The focus of my message was that too often when we are taught about the rapture we are taught in such a way as to scare us with the "threat" of Jesus' return, however, when I read the defining scripture about the rapture, we are told to "comfort one another" with our beliefs about Jesus appearing.

I was talking about how fast Jesus will come and how fast we will be changed and taken to heaven. I had read that the twinkling of an eye was as short as 1/100th of a second. And then it occurred to me, right there in front of everyone, that we are really only 1/100th of a second away from the rapture. When could the rapture happen? Within the next 1/100th of a second. Think about it! When we say that Jesus could come at any second this is literally true! Although, technically we are a 1/99th of a second off.

So the challenge, are we living in such a way that we actually believe He is only 1/100th of a second away!

I believe some crazy things!

I believe...
God created the world in six 24 hour days…
Noah really did build an ark and that every animal was on it...
Jesus is the Son of God...
That Jesus’ mother, Mary was a virgin at his birth…
Jesus died on the cross for my sins…
Jesus was resurrected from the dead after three days in the grave…
The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and filled the church…
The gifts of the Spirit are for today–including speaking in other tongues…
In divine healing…
There is a difference between right and wrong...
In the devil…
In a literal hell…
Jesus will return before the tribulation and rapture the church…
God loves even me...
The Bible!