Pastor Bob’s Blog

On January 1, we received a word from the Lord that 2012 would be a year of shaking, with an assurance that believers who stay “fastened to the Word” would not be shaken.

What came to mind for me was a passage in which Jesus talked about times of shaking, and what to do to keep from being shaken. In Luke 6:46-49 (ESV), Jesus said this:

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Two houses could be sitting next to each other. The same storm hits them both. One gets shaken off its foundation and swept away. The other stands sturdy. What did Jesus say was the difference? Hearing and doing His words. Today, two people could be sitting in the same church. One is making grocery lists in his mind while the other is listening intently. One leaves the church and does things his own way while the other determines to do things the Bible way.

In times of turmoil, we need to double down on our Word consumption – reading and hearing. But not only do we have to read it and hear it; we also have to DO it.

Hebrews 12:28 tells us that we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. What kingdom? The kingdom of God. It’s not a place. It’s a system, a dominion, that is both on the earth and in heaven. Just as laws of physics rule the earth, laws of the Spirit rule the kingdom of God.

If we’ll stay fastened to the Word of God, and purpose to do what it says instead of what we think is so smart, we won’t be shaken when everything else is shaking around us. We’ll know what to do, will be able to stay calm, will be steadfast in the middle of turmoil, and can be a help to people around us. That, my friends, is a great testimony to Jesus.

Today while I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, I read a tweet that made me stop and think. It said, “Don’t stop praying till the mountain has moved.” It always seems right to pray, and perseverance in prayer is scriptural. But I had a “check” in my spirit.

Jesus talked to his disciples about what to do to mountains. When the disciples were amazed that Jesus had spoken to a fig tree, and it had withered, he told them in Mark 11:22 to have faith in God. Then he gave them a key to operating victoriously in the Kingdom of God: “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:23 NKJV)

What is your mountain? Sickness? Loneliness? Debt? Lack? Bondage to a sin or habit? Yes, pray. But do what Jesus told you to do. Use the name of Jesus and start talking to it. Believe what you say. Eventually you are going to see the “mountain” crumble and be washed away in the stream of God’s power, released by what you have spoken in faith.

Has anyone ever said to you, “Only the Lord knows what’s in a person’s heart.” It seems reasonable. How can we know what we can’t see, hear, taste, feel, or experience? In fact, how can we really know what’s in our own hearts?

Jesus told how we’ll know, and it’s recorded in Luke 6:45 (ESV): “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” The Amplified Bible amplifies that last clause: “for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.”

How do you know what’s in a sponge? You can’t tell by just looking at it. If you squeeze it, though, its contents gush out.

What’s in your heart? We know by what comes out of your mouth when you’re squeezed by your circumstances – financial, health, relationship, and other pressure. Are your first words ones of fear, doubt, loss, anger, or panic? Or are they words of faith, love, hope, and confidence in God? Are they the words of Dr. Phil or Oprah? Or are they the words of Jesus?

I want my heart to be so full of what I’ve read in my Bible that when pressure comes, the words that gush out of my mouth are the promises of God. I want faith, hope, and love to be the overflow of my heart. And the only way that will happen is if I fill up my heart with the right stuff – before the pressure comes.

I invite you to spend time with your Bible and to fill up your heart with what God has to say. When pressure comes, what God has to say is what will come gushing out of your mouth. And you won’t even have to think about it.

The word the Lord directed me to deliver for 2011 and beyond makes it clear the Church has to stop being just a meeting place and start being Jesus in our culture.

I’ve been re-studying the book of Acts. People refer to it as the Acts of the Apostles or the story of the early church. It’s really the acts of the Holy Spirit, and the “early church” was just the same Body of Christ we’re a part of but set in an earlier era.

The Church today should operate more like the Church of the early followers of Jesus. They gathered regularly to worship, to be equipped, and to encourage each other. The gifts (manifestations) of the Holy Spirit were present. But those early disciples didn’t just have meetings. They met to be recharged for ministry outside the meeting place. And when they went outside the meeting place to share the good news of Jesus, signs and wonders followed.

Today I see some churches that are filled with lively worship, encouraging and solid Bible teaching, and manifestations of the Holy Spirit, but all of that good stuff stays bottled up in the building. Other churches are passionate about the Great Commission and engaging the culture around them, but they deny that the miraculous workings of the Lord are for today.

We should be seeing both. We should gather for life-changing worship, fiery and encouraging preaching, and manifestations of the Spirit, but we should be taking what we learn, the power of the Spirit, and the good news of Jesus to people we encounter. We should be focused on engaging the culture and being missional, but as in the “early church,” we should expect healings and miracles to manifest in the name of Jesus as we encounter people.

I’m hungry to see the Body of Christ do the greater works Jesus prophesied in John 14:12 – just as our brothers and sisters did in the earliest years of the Church. We can’t do it if we just meet, and we can’t do it if we just go. We need to meet, we need to go, and we need to expect the power of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate signs and wonders as we minister. That is when we will be mirroring the ministry of Jesus, who constantly engaged ordinary people and made Himself available for miracles to occur through Him.

Let’s be the Body of Jesus. Let’s GO in the power of the Spirit!

I was blessed with the opportunity to share today with the amazing, committed, passionate staff of an awesome local ministry in Athens. While I talked way too much, and probably got over-excited, I knew I had an assignment from the Lord – a challenge for them and for myself.

The challenge was something the Lord has been prodding me with lately. It’s this: No matter what issue I face, “Jesus is Lord” is the central issue. “Jesus is Lord” is the key that unlocks even the most difficult problem.

To many Jesus is Savior. That’s awesome! He is the Savior. Every Christian knows that He saves from sin and paves the way to heaven. Some know He still saves from sickness, financial ruin, addiction, bondage, and any other thing we need saving from.

Jesus is our Savior. But is He really our Lord?

A lord is someone to be obeyed. And it’s just “human nature” to chafe at obeying someone else. Just ask Adam and Eve.

Even if we want to obey someone, it’s tough to obey a lord who doesn’t adequately tell us what we should do, or who crushes us if we misunderstand and mess up.

Our Lord isn’t that way. He’s given us a Bible to instruct us, the Holy Spirit to comfort and lead us, and the Church to come around and disciple us. And He’s not a hard taskmaster; Jesus is a Lord who IS love.

I’ve noticed in my own life that when I do things the Bible way, and let Jesus be Lord, it opens the door for Him to be Savior. When I do what He says, things eventually turn out right. But when I do things my own way, things start to tank, and I need to run sheepishly back to him for mercy. Thankfully, He always wants to fix the stuff I mess up – to be the Savior – but He expects me to repent and come back to Him as Lord.

One of my goals is to remember in every circumstance that “Jesus is Lord” – in my finances, in my health, in my marriage and family, in my job, in the ministry He’s given me, in my relationship with the people I bump into every day. My heart’s cry is to do things His way. And I know that because Jesus is my Lord, He’ll always be my ready and ever-vigilant Savior.

Thank you Lord!

I was struck today with this question: If the early followers of Jesus came to visit my church, would they recognize it? Would they see it as an extension of the Church they knew?

I’ve read the book of Acts more times than I can count. I’m reading it again. I’m struck by how outward looking, bold, and power-filled those who were devoted to Jesus were.

Think about it for a moment. The leaders of the temple bound and beat them for proclaiming the name of Jesus, and commanded them to stop. They didn’t. Instead, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer persecution for Jesus. They prayed for even greater boldness to proclaim the name of Jesus. They asked for a healing revival to break out. The Lord must have been happy because His power shook the place! Everyone went out and proclaimed the name of Jesus with boldness!

Miracles and healing were expected. Peter and John walked by the Beautiful Gate of the temple, found a lame beggar. They ordered him to get up in the name of Jesus, expecting him to be healed. He was miraculously healed, got up, and danced.

Throughout the book of Acts, we read that thousands were added to the church. And we’re part of the same Church – just a few centuries later.

We should be doing the same things as our early brethren – and more. But we won’t see any of it if we’re inward looking. We won’t see it if we’re paralyzed by fear of failure or criticism. The Church will be weak if we don’t both BELIEVE and DO what the Bible tells us we can and should do.

Let’s really live by faith and not by our senses and experience. Let’s be really evangelical, boldly proclaiming the lordship of Jesus, and inviting people to join us. Let’s believe what the Lord says in Mark 16:17-18. Let’s have some faith in the authority of the name of Jesus, and in that name let’s cast out demons and lay hands on the sick expecting them to be healed. Let’s operate in the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.

Let’s stop entertaining ourselves on Sundays, and secluding ourselves in little enclaves. Instead, let’s break out of our safe houses, go into all the world, and let the Lord use us to minister His love and His power to the world around us – just like He did in the Church years recorded in the book of Acts.

I want my church to be a place the early disciples would recognize and feel comfortable in. How about you?

I try to take my instructions from the Bible, and not from popular culture, newspapers, television, and social media. So when I see Christians of all political stripes being really nasty about political leaders, I cringe and choose not to follow.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write this as an instruction not just to Paul’s spiritual son, Timothy, but to all believers for all time:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

I’ve noticed over my lifetime that it’s hard to pray for someone and at the same time call them nasty names. It’s almost impossible to invest yourself in another person’s success, and at the same time tear them down.

As Christians, no matter what we may think about the political convictions of our political leaders, our scriptural assignment is to pray for them. No matter our political affiliation, we need for our leaders to make wise, righteous, Godly decisions. Our well-being depends on it. The preaching of the Gospel depends on it. The country’s future depends on it.

So whether we’re Republicans or Democrats, conservatives, liberals, or moderates, we need to take seriously our scriptural assignment to give thanks for our leaders, pray for them, intercede for them, and make supplication for them. The faithfulness and unity of the Body of Christ in this nation – or in any nation – to fulfill that assignment will be a critical factor in determining the destiny of the nation.

Step into your place and fulfill your assignment!!

This past Sunday, we were blessed to have Prophet Jim Stevens, and his wife, Apostle Judy Stevens, minister in the church. Prophet Jim chose 1 Corinthians 13 as his text, and challenged us to look at it as the “prophecy chapter,” and not just the “love chapter.” The message will be added soon to our podcast; I encourage you to listen.

Through the Apostle Paul, most particularly in the 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters of 1 Corinthians, the Holy Spirit admonishes the Church to operate in the gifts (manifestations) of the Holy Spirit. He also instructs us as to how to operate in the gifts of the Spirit in an orderly and powerful way. The Body of Christ needs to heed the admonition of the Holy Spirit!

Let’s all make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit for Him to minister through us. All of the gifts operate by faith, and MUST be powered and led by love. Let’s get to it!

Wow. It’s been ages since I last posted something. It’s time!

The Lord has been speaking to me for a few months about what’s approaching in the Body of Christ. This past Sunday I delivered what I think is a timely word from the Lord for the Church – for Abundant Life Church, but also for the Lord’s Church worldwide. Get ready for a new era in the Church!

Here it is:

2011 will be a year of “stepping over” for those who believe. It will be a year, and the beginning of an era, unmatched in the history of the Church. A year of breakthrough, fulfillment, and overflow. A year to move in the miraculous, to expect the impossible, to flow in the supernatural. A year to lift your eyes, lift your sights, and raise your vision. A year to double down and double up.

You are entering an extraordinary era of power, purity, and purpose. No more keep your focus on you. My heart for all My people is that they look outside the walls of the Church. See the pain with My eyes, and you will see it as opportunity – an opportunity to glorify Me.

This era will be marked by four things. Parts of My Body that don’t get in the flow will die out or be cut off.

1. Miracles and the impossible being performed through saints who love and believe, not just those in the fivefold ministries.
2. A rekindling of love with a focus beyond self and the institutional church.
3. Unity in the Church, bringing about great power and joy.
4. Believers who are proficient and determined in the use of the gifts, tools, weapons, and authority of the Kingdom of God.

Do not cease pursuing the gifts of the Spirit, but don’t let them be your life’s search. Loving the unloved and using the gifts for others is of greater importance to Me than your moving in the gifts for yourselves. They are not entertainment. Those who look to bring attention to themselves for their use of the gifts will no longer bear fruit, but only those who use the gifts to profit others will be fruitful. Guard your hearts. Be fruitful.

My Church must regain a focus on the poor, the hurting, and the lost. Those parts of the Body that do that will be fruitful. Those who focus inwardly will dry up and die. Bear fruit.

If you want to participate in this next era in the Church, major on faith and love, and live in the Spirit. If you do that, I can use you to do great things, extraordinary things, miraculous things.

Extraordinary upheaval will continue in 2011. Don’t be afraid; believe only. I will take care of My people. Don’t worry about your “stuff.” Be concerned about pursuing the Kingdom. The “stuff” will come. Yes, tithe, sow, and expect a harvest. Yes, confess your healing. Yes, speak the Word. But don’t let your focus be on you and yours only. I need you – I need My Church – to be in place and operating in My power and in My love. Selfishness will be a blessing-blocker like never before. Give of yourself and it will be given to you again without measure!

Look for ways to partner with other churches and ministries. Get involved in what I’ve given them to do. Reach across boundaries. Reach out to the lost. Reach out to the weak and broken. Minister. Serve. Lay hands on the sick and expect them to recover. I will move! Go where you haven’t gone before. Talk with people who don’t look like you. Minister My mercy. Expect the flow of resurrection power wherever you are – NOT JUST IN CHURCH. The dead will rise, the lame will walk, the blind will see. You are entering an era of the miraculous.

There are those of your “kind” who will say you have adopted “social justice ministry.” Don’t worry about it. Do what I’ve given you to do. Walk by faith, walk in love. Believe. Move. Go. Step into the miraculous. Step into the miraculous. Step into the miraculous. When you care for the least you unleash the power of the miraculous. Hook in to Me.

Major on Matthew 25 and Isaiah 58 and Joel 2 in 2011. Be Joel 2:13 people. I’m calling My Church to be Joel 2:13 people. Do it, and you will be blessed. Do what I’ve called you to do, and prepare the way of the Lord. Together we’ll get this job done.

The following prophecy was given by Brother Kenneth Copeland on August 6th, 2010 at The Southwest Believer’s Convention:

“The world is in serious trouble. But for the household of faith and those that will cling to My word and listen very carefully and do this thing that I have demonstrated before you tonight and night after night after night. You can do that. You can do it yourself. You can stand in your place and you can worship and you can praise in the face of hell itself. And you can praise yourself into that place where you say, ‘Ha. Ha. Ha. Everything is going to be all right.’ The world I’ll tell you again is in serious trouble. Some very hard things are coming in different places around the world – very difficult times in a lot of places. They’re that way now but they’ll not get better. They will continue to get worse and worse and worse. It is on a downhill run that the world cannot stop. But for the household of faith everything is going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right. Hallelujah. Oh yeah. You’ll have to make a stand. You’ll have to fight the good fight of faith but when did you not have to do it? These are dangerous times. They’re dangerous times financially. They’re dangerous times in the earth because the earth is weighted under a gross weight of sin. And there are things and places and situations underneath the earth, in the oceans, in the heavens, things are being rattled and shaken and the earth is trying to break in different places. Well, stand on My word and it’ll not come nigh you. Praise and worship My name. Don’t feed and feed fear and feed trouble into your life and into your mouth. No, no, no, no. Quit living in that house. Get on back over here in the household of faith. Feed on My word; not on the bread of sorrow. Feed on My word. Look in My face. Praise and worship and praise and worship. In church praise and worship and preach the Word. Praise and worship and preach the Word. Praise and worship and preach the Word. Everything is going to be all right. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.”

“For as I’ve said and will continue to say until it becomes solid and strong in your spirit, your time has come. It is your time to excel. It is your time to do exceeding extraordinary things in the financial world, in the medical world, in all of the areas where the world is in such dire trouble and so confused. They’re confused beyond their ability to understand how confused they really are and they’re hurting because of it and they’re crying out because of it and people are trying to take advantage of people because they’re so confused and because they’re so troubled. And I’ll tell you right now. There are politicians and there are so-called business people and there are thieves and there are all kinds of demonic folks that are trying to take advantage of My people during a confusing time. And I’ll tell you right now,” saith the Lord, “you can write it down and you can know it for sure. I won’t put up with it and I’ll stop them from doing such a thing. And you’re going to see some things happen. Fear not. I have My eye on them. They’ll go so far and no further. Their end is already determined. I’ll not put up with it,” saith the Lord of grace. “I will not put up with it. They have pushed Me and pushed Me and invited Me out of their lives and their thinking and in many cases and many personalities and many people that are at the forefront of the news in this hour, I have already turned over to a disobedient reprobate mind. I am the Lord God and I’ll not have My people run roughshod. My people that are crying out to Me. I utter My word through My servant tonight and you make mark of it. Everything is going to be all right in your house.” Hallelujah.