WesleyGospel Ministries

Background. Every evening, I’ve been reading St. Teresa of Avila’s Autobiography translated by J. M. Cohen; so far I’ve read chs. 1-10 (but skipping chs. 11-22, which are teachings on prayer); and I’ve read chs. 23-25. Two nights ago I read ch. 25.

Contemplation Experience.

1. At 8pm, I postured myself for contemplation in the following manner. I put two pillows up against the wall at the head of my bed. I wrapped the comforter snugly around my body; for my legs, I had two pillows, and some other comforters neatly folded, and equal in size to the pillows to pad my knees which were cross-legged; I was wearing a hoodie sweatshirt; and soundproof earmuffs.

2. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). There was some level of discomfort where the earmuffs met my head, and my neck was a little disjointed; also, my lower back was a bit strained. My thoughts were getting distracted, so I prayed, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: I come to You through Jesus Christ…Please forgive me through the blood of Jesus for [a certain sin of the heart], I pray that you will cast it out of me, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Also, I pray for divine favors, graces, and consolations; so I can be given wisdom and guidance–and be encouraged in my faith in You.”

3. About 30 seconds after I prayed these words, sitting still and concentrating my mind on Christ with my eyes closed–a blanket of the comforting heat of the Holy Spirit came and rest on my belly, chest, and arms (which were resting on my legs)! “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You” (Isaiah 26:3). Perfect peace! Perfect comfort! It was EASY TO CONTEMPLATE JESUS. It was a light kind of ecstasy; I had no more discomfort as I did when I started. I continued in this Holy Spirit blissful heat state, easily, totally concentrated on Jesus, for about 5 minutes! It was AWESOME! The Holy Spirit had come and just blanketed me with a comforting, consoling heat; and my mind was totally locked on Jesus.

4. I began to ask God questions about various things; and the voice of the Holy Spirit responded immediately with a quick and wise sentence! The Spirit of Wisdom.

5. After the Holy Spirit baptism wore off, I was totally refreshed and empowered.

6. THEN I HEALED MY DAUGHTER’S FEVER. We all praised Jesus!

You shall not commit adultery. –Exodus 20:14

I believe that for every sin against the law of God, there is a demon that tempts people to commit that sin. I especially believe there is a demon of adultery, which tempts both husbands and wives alike to fuel their carnal, fleshly natures, of which Jesus said, “Out of the heart come evil thoughts…adultery, sexual immorality” (Matthew 15:19). Man has a fallen, depraved, sinful nature–a predisposition to adultery, marital unfaithfulness, and sexual immorality. The FLESH is predisposed towards its own selfish sexual gratification, regardless if it would hurt the ones we love…so it will seek to justify watching sex scenes in movies, or looking at porn. The FLESH does not believe in marriage to only one spouse, but would prefer to join itself to any person it pleases. The WORLD does not help Christians to fulfill their marital vows:–women, both single and married alike, dress like prostitutes these days, especially during the Spring and Summer seasons. Whether you’re at work, or Walmart, or church, or the beach, the pool, the park:–they feel that in order to “look beautiful,” they need to “look sexy” and wear barely anything at all: to dress themselves in such a manner as to accentuate their boobs, butt, curves, etc; to wear spaghetti straps, revealing bra straps, underwear, and basically the kinds of things young, horny women wear to a NIGHTCLUB, where they seek to be deflowered by some horny drunkard.

The DEVIL also sends evil spirits out into the earth to TEMPT men to fornicate (to have sexual experiences outside of marriage); or to commit ADULTERY (to come up with excuses to have sexual experiences with another woman other than the one you are currently married to). “A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God…their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord” (Hosea 4:12; 5:4). St. Antony said this was a literal demon that once identified itself to him in an open vision: “I am the friend of fornication. How many who wanted to live prudently I have deceived! How many of those exercising self-control I won over when I agitated them! I am the one on whose account the prophet reprimands those who fall, saying, you have ‘been led astray by a spirit of fornication‘ (Hosea 4:12). For it was by my devices that they were tripped. I am he who so frequently troubled you and so many times was overturned by you” (The Life of Antony, ch. 6).

Certainly spirits like this are prevailing on the world and the church nowadays. With the American divorce rate at 50% right now, its clear we need to be wary of the devil’s schemes and check our hearts by the law of God: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Don’t be self-righteous, be humble; and God will give you the grace to overcome the sexually immoral sins of your heart.

The ONLY Four Biblical Reasons to
Divorce Your Current Spouse and Marry Another

1. Death. “By law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage” (Romans 7:2). The reverse applies if the wife dies and the husband lives. It is not then against God for the surviving spouse to marry a new Christian spouse. The Book of Common Prayer says, “I take thee to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, TILL DEATH DO US PART, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.”

2. Desertion by the Other Spouse. “If the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace” (1 Corinthians 7:15). Matthew Henry said of this verse, “Not tied up to the unreasonable humour, and bound servilely to follow or cleave to the malicious deserter, or not bound to live unmarried after all proper means for reconciliation have been tried, at least of the deserter contract another marriage or be guilty of adultery, which was a very easy supposition, because a very common instance among the heathen inhabitants of Corinth. In such a case the deserted person must be free to marry again, and it is granted on all hands. And some think that such a malicious desertion is as much a dissolution of the marriage-covenant as death itself. For how is it possible that the two shall be one flesh when the one is maliciously bent to part from or put away the other? Indeed, the deserter seems still bound by the matrimonial contract; and therefore the apostle says (1 Corinthians 7:11), If the woman depart from her husband upon the account of his infidelity, let her remain unmarried. But the deserted party seems to be left more at liberty (I mean supposing all the proper means have been used to reclaim the deserter, and other circumstances make it necessary) to marry another person. It does not seem reasonable that they should be still bound, when it is rendered impossible to perform conjugal duties or enjoy conjugal comforts, through the mere fault of their mate: in such a case marriage would be a state of servitude indeed. But, whatever liberty be indulged Christians in such a case as this, they are not allowed, for the mere infidelity of a husband or wife, to separate; but, if the unbeliever be willing, they should continue in the relation, and cohabit as those who are thus related. This is the apostle’s general direction.”

3. Adultery of the Other Spouse. “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery” (Matthew 19:9). When Jesus Christ said this, He was combating some lewd and horny Sadducees who believed that divorce and remarriage could be committed as many times as you like, and for any reason. Jesus basically said to them, “Unless your wife commits adultery against you, then it is a sin against God for you to divorce her!” However, in the issue of a spouse deserting you, Jesus left it to the Apostle Paul to address that (1 Cor. 7:15).

4. Cruelty, or Physical Abuse. I have long wondered about this one. And I am convinced that physical abuse would also be a reason for divorce. The Puritans called it cruelty; and saw it as a valid reason. It says in Titus 1:7, KJV, “A bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker”–and are not men the bishops of their households, in a religion that calls every Christian a royal priesthood and a holy nation? (1 Pet. 2:9). So, no husband can be a striker either.

Anything else than these four Biblical permissions–its a SIN AGAINST GOD to divorce!

Don’t follow Todd Bentley and his loosey-goosey example.

Don’t be an adulterer–at heart or in your life.

Have integrity and be a righteous man or righteous woman.

Confess and repent and pray through your struggles with your spouse, because you can only get through it together.

VERY FUNNY! It’ll make you think, too.

Priceless golden nuggets on REAL REVIVAL.

Highlights and guideposts to the way of true holiness-revival:

1. PRAYER MEETINGS – for revival, for fathers, for teenagers, etc.
2. Life of Jonathan Edwards – imitate this saint.
3. Hannah – best example of intercessor in the Bible.
4. Roger Ellsworth’s Come Down, Lord!
5. E. M. Bounds – revival prayer theology.
6. Non-denominational revivalism. (Life Action Ministries; Last Days Ministries)
7. Life of Charles Spurgeon – imitate this saint.
8. Evan Roberts – imitate this saint.
9. William Booth – imitate this saint.
10. John Wesley – imitate this saint.
11. Read the PURITANS on HELL and JUDGMENT and HOLINESS.
12. Dr. Watts’ Plain and Easy Catechisms for Children – kids can memorize.
13. (1) We Don’t Know God in Prayer. (Puritan Christology)
14. (2) We’ve Lost Sight of the Day of Judgment. (Puritan Eschatology)
15. Jonathan Edwards’ The Life and Diary of David Brainerd
16. Jack Deere (Surprised by the Voice of God, etc)
17. Be willing to lose church/pastor friends over being HOLY and ZEALOUS!! (rejected).
18. William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armor
19. L. G. Parkhurst’s modern editions of Charles Finney‘s books
20. P. T. Forsyth’s The Soul of Prayer

Watch and learn what REAL REVIVAL is all about; insights from his life.

Highlights and guideposts to the way of true holiness-revival:

1. The Biography / Life of William Booth (d. 1912) – imitate THIS SAINT!
2. The Methodist Hymnal (1939)
3. A Biography of John Sung (d. 1944) – imitate this saint.
4. S. Frodsham’s Smith Wigglesworth: Apostle of Faith (d. 1947) – imitate this saint.
5. The Biography / Life of Evan Roberts (d. 1951) – imitate this saint.
6. In Pursuit of God: The Life of A. W. Tozer (d. 1963) – imitate this saint.
7. Keith Green: No Compromise (d. 1982) – imitate this saint.
8. John Wimber and Mike Bickle – imitate what is good in them.
9. William Gurnall’s The Whole Armor of God
10. Arch Wiggins’ The History of the Salvation Army

As I was meditating on the cross, it occurred to me the number of times Jesus was beaten down; and yet He got up determined to die on the cross. He set His face like a flint to go to Jerusalem, knowing the betrayal, the pain and the rejection and the shame He faced there. Because He had to get to the cross. He went to the garden of Gethsemane knowing He would struggle in agony and distress in wrestling with His humanity. Because He had to get to the cross. He could not die when He was beaten down to the ground. He could not die while He was brought to nothing. He could not quit or lie down or die apart from the cross. He had to get up and get to the cross. He could not give up the ghost climbing Golgotha’s hill because he had to get to the cross. He had to get to the cross to open a fountain where the souls of men can be cleansed and washed and made new! He had to get to the cross and suffer and die and be made an offering for sin. He could have laid down exhausted and bailed out. But He had to get up that hill and get to the cross and die on the cross, the just for the unjust. He had to die on the cross to fulfill the Scriptures. His body had to be broken that the power of sin could be broken. He had to die on the cross to be made a curse to break the curse. He died on the cross of a broken heart to heal the brokenhearted. He was pierced that the water and blood would be poured out; and that every drop of His precious blood would be spent for me and for you! He spent the last full measure of His life that we might have life in full measure!

I have it pretty well settled in my mind that tent revivals are GOD’S WAY of church planting. This may be the pattern shown to me on the mount (Hebrews 8:5). My dreams of Leonard Ravenhill and my “coincidental” run-in with Michael Thornton and his new book Fire in the Carolinas, reveals a divine prophet-pattern in the lives of A. B. Crumpler and G. B. Cashwell as well. I will be examining two historic church plants: both of which were holiness churches.

Crumpler’s Pattern of Church Planting

A. B. Crumpler founded the Holiness Church of North Carolina, which eventually merged with the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

1. Conducting Revival Services in a Gospel Tent and Then Organizing a Church in It. “During the month of June 1896, A. B. Crumpler and his entourage conducted an earth shaking revival in a Goldsboro tobacco warehouse.” These meetings were inter-racial; and centered on the Wesleyan experience of sanctification: heart purity through the baptism in the Holy Spirit … “His sermon was one of his sanctification series and was interspersed with Scriptural citations bearing on the subject.” … In March 27, 1898, pre-revival services were held in the courthouse…”while services were running,” Crumpler “was erecting his cousin’s 2,500 men tent directly outside on the courthouse square. Before the days of stadiums, convention centers, and mega churches, the courthouse square is where one went to be heard. Like the Old Testament temple in Jerusalem, the courthouse was generally situated in the middle of the town and was often surrounded by crowds of people who were visiting the city for whatever reasons.” … “Three weeks of preaching day and night” … At the same time, Rev. Collett, a black holiness evangelist, was holding a tent revival in Goldsboro, and would work with Crumpler–so that the tent congregations could integrate… “The courthouse revival at Goldsboro in March of 1898 did manifest some long-lasting fruit, namely the organization of the first Pentecostal Holiness Church, a church that was both white and black.” … “The Pentecostal Holiness Church was organized…in a gospel tent on the Court House grounds in the city of Goldsboro, N.C.”

2. Drawing Up a Church Discipline: Methodist and Holiness in Doctrine, but Congregational (Missionary Baptist) in Church Government. “During this meeting”…”ministers who had been converted under his ministry”…”drew up a church Discipline which consisted of both doctrines and rules. As a result, the holiness bunch formed a loose style of church government. According to A. B. Crumpler, this government would run ‘on the order of the Missionary Baptists.’ Being the leading denomination in Eastern North Carolina during this time, the Missionary Baptists were a congregational church that allowed each church to operate autonomously. Fearing against a tyrannical form of church government, A. B. Crumpler established the Holiness Church as a self-governing congregation to minimize any one leader from taking control.” … “Ambitious though they were, these burning pioneers never intended to church the Holiness Movement into a denomination. Instead, they organized independent holiness congregations. Operationally, these congregations were independent, inter-denominational, and inter-racial. Regardless of social status, gender, race, or creed Crumpler and others were bent on providing for these despised and destitute saints a ‘congenial home’ where they could be free to worship, free to dance, free to shout, and FREE TO PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE OF HOLINESS WITHOUT FEAR.” … “It is very likely that one of the elders in the church continued the preaching, Sunday School activities, and ministry operations while Rev. Crumpler was recovering” from typhoid fever.

3. A Big Giver Lends (Bad Idea) Lots of Money for a Big Church Building. “Initially, the Goldsboro church started meeting regularly in a small building. After Rev. Crumpler’s arrival, the little meeting house became inadequate to host the large crowds attending. This problem was alleviated when a leading business man offered to LEND  A LARGE SUM OF MONEY towards the construction of a large new tabernacle. At sixty by ninety feet, this plain wooden structure was surrounded by windows and was able to accommodate an audience of over one thousand [mega church]…It was mostly made up of both black and white poor tenant farmers who, according to Mr. Crumpler, ‘did not even own a home.’ Though attendance would be high, INCOME FOR THE CHURCH WOULD ALWAYS REMAIN LOW AND HUMBLE. THIS LACK OF FINANCES WOULD PROVE TO BE AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM FOR THE HOLINESS CHURCH IN THE DAYS AHEAD.” [Because Crumpler would not be able to pay off his church debt to the large sum of money that was lent by the business man, the church had to merge with the IPHC later on, which brought Crumpler much pain of heart–learn from this mistake…DON’T TAKE OUT CHURCH LOANS! If you have large crowds, then split them into small house churches…don’t take loans on church buildings…Luke 14:28-29: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you“–Jesus].

4. Pastor Relocates His Family to the City Where Church Plant Succeeds. After traveling from city to city, holding gospel tent crusades, Goldsboro, NC is where he encountered the most success, and accomplished planting his first church. Rev. Crumpler decided to relocate his family from Clinton to Goldsboro in order to “focus on shepherding the Holiness Movement. It was also during this time, that Rev. Crumpler began a newspaper called The Holiness Advocate…running bi-monthly, this publication informed readers of the North Carolina Holiness Movement between the years 1900-1908…Like most holiness papers of that era, it contained editorials, sermons, holiness teachings, itineraries of preachers, supporters, and local testimonies. However, perhaps the most controversial items were found in discussions concerning church issues of the day, such as tobacco, divorce, and secret societies…it was freely circulated to the Methodists, Free Will Baptists, and other church groups. This also made the paper inter-denominational.”

Sources. Michael Thornton’s Fire in the Carolinas: The Revival Legacy of G. B. Cashwell and A. B. Crumpler, Chapter 7: “Goldsboro: The Gateway City.”

A. B. Crumpler’s The Discipline of the Holiness Church (1902).

Ravenhill’s Pattern of Church Planting

Many don’t realize this, but in his early years, Leonard Ravenhill was a church planter and pastor of the Calvary Holiness Church, which eventually merged with the Church of the Nazarene. The following order was followed in his approach:

1. Evangelistic Campaigns with a Gospel Tent. Four young Wesleyan evangelists, one of which was Ravenhill, had a fire for Scriptural holiness, and wished to convert all of England. They traveled to various towns conducting evangelistic tent campaigns preaching the Gospel in their gospel tent, some of which lasted months. At the town of Oldham, “They remained for weeks into the summer, walking the streets daily, sharing, witnessing, holding open-air services, praying that God would work. Nightly they sang and preached with passion, charity, and power. The evangelists not only preached evangelistically, but also topically and expositionally to bring the believers to a deeper seeking of God.” … “There was a prayer meeting planned on the night I was going…it was a big tent sitting on grass…informality…we had seven prayer meetings a week.”

2. Forming the “Gospel Tent Crowd” into a Church. Maynard James wrote, “It was not until the tent campaign was over that summer and a new church had formed in Oldham as a result of the mission that I realized the amazing success God had given us in the summer of 1932.” … “With the end of the tent campaign nearing, the evangelists had a problem–what were they to do with all the new converts? There was nowhere to send them to be taught and fed spiritually. There were hundreds now looking to Ravenhill’s team to shepherd them. The decision was made that Maynard James and one of the other team members would remain behind to consolidate the work into a new church.” … “One day while walking through town, one of them saw Rose Draper’s Shop on Manchester Street. Above it was a large empty hall with a sign that read ‘Ebenezer.’ They secured it and The Oldham Tabernacle was established on Manchester Street with almost seven hundred people attending in the early days [purchased/rented a hall for the tent crowd]. On Sunday afternoons many of them would divide up into three groups and saturate the area around town, even in the midst of opposition and heckling [Sunday afternoon open air preaching/witnessing groups].”

3. Appointing Elders to Assist the Pastor, Not Control or Supervise Him. “The ministry there was demanding at this time, as the increased success of the Gospel meant increased pastoral responsibilities. The church chose an assistant pastor and a deaconess to direct much of the work and to assist Leonard.”

4. Pastor Doing the Work of an Evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5). “Leonard served here faithfully as a pastor and at the same time conducted open-air meetings and weekly evangelistic work anywhere he could. He regularly preached thirteen times each week, six of those being street meetings in the open air, near the market, or in city parks.”

Sources. Mack Tomlinson’s In Light of Eternity: The Life of Leonard Ravenhill, Chapter 5: “Revival and the Calvary Holiness Movement.”

Jack Ford’s In the Steps of John Wesley: The Church of the Nazarene in Britain (1968)

—–

What are you waiting for evangelist-to-be? Save up your money and buy a gospel tent!

Gospel tents vary in size: the larger they are, the more expensive: they can range anywhere from $1,000 to $160,000.

Click here to buy a gospel tent!

—–

Books on Salvation

We’ve covered the means, now, let’s not forget the message!

Alleine, Joseph. A Sure Guide to Heaven. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989. A modern version of “An Alarm to the Unconverted.” Influenced Whitefield, Wesley, and Spurgeon.

Baxter, Richard. A Call to the Unconverted. Welwyn, UK: Evangelical Press, 1976.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, e-book, wesleygospel.com, 2014.

Collins, Kenneth J. The Scripture Way of Salvation: The Heart of John Wesley’s Theology. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997. Wesley’s order of salvation based on all his works. Level 3.

Edwards, Jonathan. The Wrath of Almighty God: Jonathan Edwards on God’s Judgment against Sinners. Edited by Don Kistler. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1996. The standard sermons of Puritan Hellfire preaching from the Great Awakening. Hands down, the greatest Hellfire preacher ever.

Finney, Charles. Lectures on Revivals of Religion. Edited by Richard Friedrich. Fenwick, MI: Alethea In Heart, 2005.

Gerstner, John. Steps to Salvation: The Evangelistic Message of Jonathan Edwards. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1960. Gerstner is a great modern Reformed scholar on Jonathan Edwards—just as Kenneth J. Collins is to John Wesley.

Luther, Martin. Commentary on Romans. Translated by J. Theodore Mueller. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1976.

Ravenhill, Leonard. Revival God’s Way: A Message for the Church. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1983.

Wesley, John. John Wesley’s Sermons: An Anthology. Edited by Albert Outler and Richard Heitzenrater. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Books Against Love-Centered Antinomianism

There is a movement of love-centered antinomianism emerging out of today’s pastors. We must keep on our guard against this insidious and harmful heresy; no amount of “love” talk from any pastor is ever going to sweep away what the Bible says about our personal responsibility to keep God’s moral laws, to fear Hell, or to preach justification by faith in the blood of Jesus.

Fletcher, John. Fletcher’s Checks to Antinomianism. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1953. Uses the word “love” over 100 times; published by Church of the Nazarene.

Gunter, Stephen. The Limits of Love Divine. Nashville, TN: Kingswood Books, 1989. A study of John Wesley’s rebuttals of cheap grace “love” theology.

Jones, Mark. Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest? Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013. Chapter 6: “Amor, Amor.” A study of Puritan rebuttals of cheap grace “love” theology.

Sproul, R. C. God’s Love. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2012. Chapter 6: “Love and Hate in God.” Examines Romans 9 and other passages that reconcile the holy hatred of God against His enemies with the love for His elect children.

—

UPDATE – 9/17/17 – YouTube Videos of Gospel Tents and Their Locations

The majority of these videos show that gospel tent ministry generally seems to be done in the Bible Belt, by Southern preachers, with Southern Gospel music. If I were guided by natural thinking, then I would suppose a Northerner should not waste his time with gospel tent ministry. However: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zech. 4:6). Its okay to do weird stuff that nobody else is doing, if you’re told by the Holy Spirit to do it. Even if that means you’re a theological Northern preacher, and you preach like Leonard Ravenhill, with a Vineyard style worship band. That’s okay if the Lord tells you to do it. Its okay to preach repentance from specific sins, justification by faith, and sanctification by growth in obedience (the third use of the law), followed by an altar for conversion, Pentecostal Spirit baptism, prophetic ministry, and prayer for healing. Its okay if God leads you to. Don’t look at it from a natural, cultural viewpoint.

11/11/08 – Hixson, TN – Middle Cross Baptist Church Tent Revival – Hellfire preaching

2/23/12 – Kaibeto, Arizona – with black gospel music

1/16/13 – Espanola, NM – “Power in the Blood” hymn

9/20/13 – Macon, GA – Southern Gospel music

3/25/15 – Columbia, KY – Cornfield Tent Revival – Southern country folk

6/17/16 – Stanford, KY – preaching

8/15/16 – New Holland, PA – Northerners – aka Wilkerson – aka Finney

Originally from here.

Subjects: Contemplative Prayer, Mystical Theology, Christian Mysticism.

—–

Draw Near

Intimacy with God begins when we radically pursue Him with our whole heart. King David wrote, “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O Lord, I shall seek'” (Psalm 27:8). God invites us in James 4:8 to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

God is saying to us, “Seek My face! Draw near!” Our hearts are crying out, “YES!” but our flesh is screaming “NO!” The sad part is our flesh usually wins.

We are instructed in Psalm 46:10 to “Be still, and know that I am God.” The wording “be still” literally means to cease from striving. It means to let go and relax, to turn down the volume of the world and listen to the quiet whisper of God. It’s getting still and coming into a place of rest. It means “soaking” in His Presence. The result is that you will know He is God.

The word “know” is literally an experiential knowledge of God. It’s not being still and knowing about God. It’s being still and knowing God experientially. You will experience God. You will know the Presence of God.

As we focus our heart, spirit, soul, mind, and body (the whole person) on His manifest Presence, we become oblivious to the natural physical world around us.

The key is where your focus is – on the things of God or on things of this world.

Bible reading and prayer are not enough. We must take time alone with Him, not asking for anything but more of Him, more of His fullness, more of His Presence in our everyday lives.

God releases power through us as we dwell in intimacy with Him. The natural outworking of His Presence is miracles.

How to Soak in God’s Presence

How do we “soak”? We soak like a sponge. Put a dry sponge in a bucket of water and slowly the water permeates the sponge. This is the same as soaking in God’s Presence. The more we soak [practice contemplative prayer], the more we become filled with His Spirit.

I’m often asked, “What do you do in your time of seeking His Presence?” I don’t have a set formula. In my life, it varies from time to time, but the basic components are as follows:

First, I go into a private room, lock the door, and get on the floor before the Lord. It doesn’t matter whether you sit or lie down. What’s most important is the attitude of your heart.

Second, I repent of any sin in my life and I receive God’s forgiveness.

Third, I worship the Lord in both my native language (English) and in the language of the Holy Spirit [praying in tongues, 1 Corinthians 14:14].

Fourth, I do the vital prayer of Romans 6:13 that has transformed my life: “…present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Fifth, I begin to recall experiences with the Lord (i.e., healings, miracles, provision) where He has manifested Himself in wonderful ways. This creates more of an expectancy and awareness of His Presence as I relive these times.

I tell the Lord: “God, I want more of You, more of Your Presence, more of Your fullness in my life. Fill me with more of You.” I may repeat this statement many times as I wait on the Lord and focus on Him.

Then, I get quiet and that’s when I begin to hear His voice. Many times, I begin to have visions and supernatural experiences.

The key here is learning to wait in solitude. I cannot overemphasize the importance of waiting on the Lord until I experience His manifest Presence daily. I don’t come out of that private room until I have experienced His Presence.

During our soaking times, we position ourselves to receive impressions, nudges, quiet whispers, pictures, angelic visitations, and supernatural revelations. Here is a partial list of what to expect:

– Dreams (Job 33:14-16; Genesis 28:10-16)
– Visions (Daniel 7:1-3,9; Acts 16:9-10)
– Trances (Acts 10:9-17, 11:5)
– Out of body experiences (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)
– Angelic visitations (Luke 1:57,11-17; Acts 12:7-10)
– Being transported in the Spirit (Acts 8:39-40)

Experiencing the true intimate Presence of the living God will radically change your life. People describe His manifest Presence in different ways. To some, it is heat, electricity, or shaking. To others, it is lightness, peace, or weeping.

Experiencing the manifest Presence is not the goal but the gateway to the supernatural realm. It’s the beginning. We go into the spirit realm where we can see Him, hear His voice, walk with Him, and be empowered by Him.

Isaiah 64:4 says God “acts for the one who waits for Him.” The Amplified Bible states, “God…who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who [earnestly] waits for Him.” He’s waiting on us to wait on Him.

The Cumulative Effect

Sometimes we may feel our soaking time has been unproductive. We ask, “Is it worth it?” because we see no immediate change or benefit. I realized some time ago that there is a cumulative effect that takes place when I spend time in the manifest Presence of the Lord.

From this cumulative effect, God is making a deposit into my innermost being. As I begin to give out, that anointing flows out of the deposit He had been making all along.

We must learn to come quietly into His Presence just wanting more of Him in our lives. We need to “soak in His Presence,” extracting more of His fullness into those places where we are barren. The cumulative effect of spending time with the Lord will produce an increased anointing in your life. The release of that anointing will serve as a springboard to a life of miracles.

The apostle John offers Believers a mind-boggling statement in 1 John 4:17 (NASB): “…as He is, so also are we in this world.”

The implication of this verse is clear – Believers should be like Him. That is next to impossible without spending quality time in His manifest Presence. We will never even understand His compassionate nature for a lost and wounded humanity without regular, daily times with Him.

Conclusion

Intimacy with God is the simple means by which we access living in the miraculous. Spending time in His manifest Presence is the discipline we must develop to access all that God has for us. And, the cumulative effect is what happens in our anointing (or gifting) to function in healing or any of the supernatural.

God’s timing has come for greater works to be accomplished among His people. Press in for more of God’s Presence in your own life!

Gary and Kathi Oates: During thirty years of pastoral ministry, Gary and Kathi Oates have planted five churches. However, their lives and ministry were dramatically redirected several years ago when, in separate experiences, both Gary and Kathi were caught up into the Presence of the Lord and began seeing the ministry of angels in the realm of the spirit. Following those experiences, they were launched into a worldwide itinerant ministry with an overwhelming abundance of supernatural results. The focus of Gary’s ministry is intimacy with Jesus, how to experience the manifest presence of God, impartation to see in the spiritual realm, as well as healing for the whole person. Kathi has a powerful inner healing and prophetic ministry.

Gary is the author of the best-selling book Open My Eyes, Lord and Kathi is the author of the new book Open My Heart, Lord. Together, Gary and Kathi are bringing an exciting wealth of ministry experience and supernatural wonder to the Body of Christ around the world.

As it is in the MP3 music search on amazon.com, the following is my first “Revival Worship Collection 1.” Songs are ranked for their musical and lyrical quality on a scale from 1-10. Reverence, majesty, quality, holiness, and lordship salvation. Glory to Jesus!

For my views of Pentecostal praise and worship, see chapter 1 of my e-book How to Experience God.

1. Robin Mark – I Am Persuaded (10/10)
2. Robin Mark – Jesus, All For Jesus (8/10)
3. Robin Mark – Lord Have Mercy (Live) (8/10)
4. Robin Mark – There Is No Other Name (9/10)
5. Robin Mark – When It’s All Been Said And Done (9/10)
6. Robin Mark – Be Unto Your Name (8/10)
7. Keith Green – How Majestic Is Thy Name (8/10)
8. Keith Green – Glory Lord Jesus (8/10)
9. Keith Green – Until That Final Day (8/10) – saw white angel sparkle while listening!
10. Keith Green – Jesus Is Lord of All (9/10)
11. Michael Card – Be Thou My Vision (9/10)
12. Amy Grant – Thy Word (8/10)
13. Don Moen – Ah, Lord God (8/10)
14. Don Moen – I Just Want to Be Where You Are (8/10)
15. Vineyard Music – Glorify (8/10)
16. Vineyard Music – You Are Mighty (8/10)
17. Vineyard Music – I See The Lord (8/10)
18. Matt Redman – Lord, Let Your Glory Fall (9/10)
19. Graham Kendrick – Knowing You (10/10)
20. Travis Cottrell – Holy Holy Holy (Hosanna) (10/10)
21. Charlie Leblanc – To Him Who Sits On the Throne (10/10)
22. Betty Johnson – Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me (9/10)
23. Virgil Meares – There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood (9/10)
24. University of Texas – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (10/10)
25. Harvard University Choir – Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (10/10)
26. London Philharmonic Choir – Praise to the Lord the Almighty (10/10)
27. Choir of Paisley Abbey – Be Still My Soul (10/10)
28. Harding University Concert Choir – As The Deer (9/10)
29. West Coast Baptist College – Before the Throne of God Above (10/10)
30. Morgan State University Choir – The Solid Rock (10/10)

—–

Steve Camp

—–

UPDATE: 12/2/14 – Revival Worship Albums

1. The Best of Rev. Milton Brunson
2. Robin Mark – Revival in Belfast I and II
3. The Essential John P. Kee
4. Hillsong – Shout To The Lord (2 discs; special gold edition)
5. Mississippi Mass Choir – The First Twenty Years
6. Keith Green – The Ministry Years I and II
7. Rich Mullins – Liturgy and Songs
8. Michael Card – The Ultimate Collection

I can’t think of anywhere in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, where a denominational headquarters is commanded and sanctioned by God. Sure, the rabbis in Jerusalem at the temple must have had some kind of a denominational headquarters in which they organized a system of synagogues throughout the Roman Empire. But how this man-made setup came into being is anyone’s guess. One thing is for sure: God never commanded it; at least to where you can see it plainly in Scripture.

Moses had no covering; no accountability other than God. The same thing with Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul. Some have argued that Acts 13 and 15 support the idea that Paul and Barnabas had a covering: the church at Jerusalem. But it would be a real stretch of the imagination to see the basis for organizing a denominational headquarters out of such scanty evidence as this. All you have in those passages are some Christian leaders praying and worshiping God in Spirit and truth, and confirming to Paul and Barnabas that the Holy Spirit is calling them to preach the Gospel. If this event had not happened, then Paul probably would have gone preaching anyway, out of obedience to the vision of Jesus. In Acts 15, the so-called “Jerusalem Council” occurred, where they debated whether the ceremonial laws needed to be kept by Christians to secure their salvation:–for example, whether it was necessary to be circumcised in order to be saved. I don’t see Paul going to James and Peter at Jerusalem like going to a pope or bishop. I see Paul and other Christian leaders just meeting together and discussing theology. And I also see Paul, in another place, rebuking Peter for being a hypocrite, and coming under the influence of the Judaizer cult (Gal. 2:11). If Paul looked on Peter or James or the church in Jerusalem as his “covering” or his “accountability,” then why would he rebuke the infallible pope Peter? How could he have confidence before God to dare to correct his General Overseer? Easy. Paul’s General Overseer and Pope was none other than Jesus Christ who sits on the throne. 1 Peter 2:25: “For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Paul’s covering was nothing but the atoning blood of Jesus; some pastors seem to think they need a denominational headquarters, or at least a local elder to SUPERVISE THEIR PREACHING activities–because if they don’t, then the devil is gonna get ’em, because they are stepping outside of Biblical teaching. But where is this Biblical teaching? Show me one Bible verse; or one passage at length that deals with the concept. Even in 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, and the Book of Acts–and I will listen to you. I can find no evidence in these Biblical books that Christian pastors need other pastors/elders to supervise what they are preaching or doing. I have respect for organizations like the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA):–which keep a church’s financial records above reproach before the IRS and the public; to secure pastors from embezzlement scandals, and the like. But this is much different than saying, “Pastors can’t preach the Gospel unless they have a church board supervising them.” Where is this idea clearly taught in the Bible? It’s not! It seems the practice just arose out of necessity over time; men trying to control pastors; and administrate large church organizations. Yeah–it’s not in the Bible. Luke 22:24-26: “A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” This does not mean “servant leadership,” where the whole “supervisor” structure remains; and the guys at top just pretend to be “servants,” but still control, intimidate, and politically correctly threaten other pastors who are stepping out of line! (Side note: every denomination has one guy at the top, right? The Catholic Church has the Pope. The Southern Baptist Convention has its President. Assemblies of God has its General Superintendent. Who are the coverings of these three men? Who are they accountable to? God alone. Exactly my point. Then I see no reason why the same cannot be allowed for a non-denominational pastor, such as Jesus.)

The Pharisees once challenged Jesus about who was His covering and accountability board: “Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while He was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you this authority?’ (that is, who is your covering? who are you accountable to? who ordained you?) Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from Heaven, or of human origin?’ They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, ‘From Heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’ Then He said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things'” (Matthew 21:23-27). Jesus was BAPTIZED by John the Baptist. He saw His own baptism as fulfilling all righteousness; and it was in His baptism that Jesus claimed prophetic confirmation of His calling to PREACH (Matt. 3:15). John the Baptist didn’t “ordain” Jesus; he was only a prophet who confirmed that God had anointed Jesus. And any man that feels himself called to be a pastor should have run-ins with prophets like this from time to time; I know I have.

Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5):–but there is no evidence he ever had a church board supervising his sermons every Sunday; and censoring him from preaching about Hell, repentance, and holy living!

Martin Luther–when he broke away from the Catholic Church…nobody was his covering or accountability except for God. Same thing with…

Richard Baxter and the Non-conformist Puritan pastors; they had no “coverings.”

John Wesley, when he decided to break from the Church of England.

William J. Seymour–his Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission was totally independent from a supervisory board; Seymour was the pastor and accountable to nobody but God. About 280 million Pentecostals speak in tongues today because of this one man.

Do you feel called to preach? Then what are you waiting for!? Obey the words of Jesus: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature!” (Mark 16:15).

You don’t need a preaching license; or any man’s permission (1 John 2:27): Jesus HAS ALREADY given you permission to preach…no, He has given you a command in Scripture: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature!” (Mark 16:15).

Wikipedia’s article on the “Pastor” says:

Observers, such as clergy counselor Rowland Croucher, suggest that the numbers of “ex-pastors” roughly equals that of serving clergy throughout the Western world.^[3] This would mean people who have left the ministry number in the six-figures. More pastors and priests may be leaving parish ministry than are lost to most other professions.^[4] Until the early 1990s, there were few cross-denominational ministries serving this group. Croucher collected data-based questionnaires of ministers of Protestant denominations.^[5][6][7]

The first writers to explore this research area used questionnaire surveys to look at factors such as age, education and family relationships as contributing factors to decisions to leave the ministry.^[8] Other writers have explored ex-pastors within particular denominations^[9][10][11] and/or focused on particular related issues such as burnout,^[12][13] stress,^[14][15] marital stress,^[16] sexual abuse,^[17] celibacy,^[18] loneliness,^[19] organisational factors,^[20][21] and conflict.^[22] One common cause of conflict occurs when differing approaches to ministry compete in the minds of clergy, congregation and community, as Norman Blaikie found in Australian clergy from six Protestant denominations.^[23]

I’d Much Rather Be
a Non-Denominational Revivalist-Type Pastor

Doesn’t look so good to do denominational ministry to me; personally, I’d rather not do pastoral ministry in a denomination or anywhere with a church board. Biblically, the pastor is responsible for developing the spirituality of his church (Hebrews 13:17). The only way for this to happen, is if the church follows the pastor’s directions–not the other way around. THE PASTOR IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE (CARNAL) DIRECTIONS OF ELDERS OR A CHURCH BOARD–that is nowhere in the Bible! So long as church leaders are in rebellion to the principles of righteousness–its a counterfeit church they’re running.

Is It Spiritual Pride to Say That
Independent Revival Ministry Is God’s Will?

Some may think that I’m just deceived by spiritual pride; you may think that I just need to humble myself, stop rebelling, and submit myself to the powers that be in these denominations. Not going to happen! Pride is an insidious sinful attribute of all men by nature; and I do not claim to be exempt from it. But as it regards this subject, I don’t feel the accusation of pride really fits the picture. What fits the picture in my perspective is CONSCIENCE and BRAVERY:–two concepts you don’t hear very much about in the Christian ministry these days. I don’t want to go to Hell; “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man” (Acts 24:16):–even if it means being anti-denominational with regard to pastoral ministry. I just simply don’t have the conscience to do it; I think it is sinful; the Seeker-Sensitive Movement is simply too widespread for me to waste my time. Experience teaches me, that it is more in keeping with the spirit of humility, to stand for Biblical righteousness even when it requires sacrificing the limelight of a denominational pulpit. On the contrary, pride or vanity, is intentionally seeking the limelight of a denominational pulpit at all costs:–even your integrity, your theology, your morals, and your conscience. Of such men, the Bible says, “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). Satan wanted to ascend the throne of God; he wanted to receive praise and worship (Isaiah 14). May I NEVER come close to that spirit! And neither may you be a vain, limelight-seeking preacher who just tells people what they want to hear (God’s love, etc)! May we with the old saint say, “I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live!” (Job 27:6).

[UPDATE–7/21/14: I refuse to submit, or “be teachable,” under an ungodly church system that muzzles preachers of righteousness, waters-down the doctrine of Hell, or erases it completely, and refuses to even mention the word “sin”; a system that controls and manipulates pastors to be feminine, not evangelistic; program-driven, not prophetically-led; and formalistic, not revivalistic (2 Timothy 3:5). Such a religion is CURSED!]

[UPDATE–7/31/14: Some may accuse me of pride, because I maintain a stance against the majority of evangelical pastors:–that they are in the wrong for compromising the Gospel for the convenience and expedience of seeker-sensitive ministry opportunities. To this accusation, I reply:

I am automatically prideful in my sinful nature (Romans 7:23):–the “pride of life” (1 John 2:16), in that sense, is virtually inescapable. If you know how to be free from it completely, then tell me, and I will take it under consideration. But to say it is “pride” for me to be an independent, non-denominational pastor committed to revivalistic standards; or, to speak strongly against the Seeker-Sensitive Movement:–I admit, it is pride, but godly pride! I’M PROUD OF CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL OF LORDSHIP SALVATION; and very, very proud that He bled under the wrath of God for my salvation from Hell; and proud that all He requires of me is repentance, faith in the cross, and imperfect obedience to His commands.]

—–

Further Reading on Pastoral Independence from Church Boards

Broadbent, E. H. The Pilgrim Church. London: Pickering & Inglis, 1931. Chapters 8-13, from Luther, to the Puritans, to Wesley and the Methodists:–traces the history of reformation and revival in the church; Chapter 11: “English Nonconformists” has a section on independent Puritan churches.

Kennedy, John W. The Torch of the Testimony. Gospel Literature Service, 1965. Chapter 14: “From the Midst of Tragedy,” has a section on the Independents in the time of Queen Elizabeth and the Puritans that followed.

Newbold, Charles. The Harlot Church System. Knoxville, TN: Ingathering Press, 1999. Chapter 14: “Witchcraft in the Church” and Chapter 16: “The Demons of Witchcraft”; in no uncertain terms, flatly exposes the sins of manipulation frequently committed by church boards.

Viola, Frank. Reimagining Church. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008. Chapter 11: “Reimagining Spiritual Covering” and Chapter 13: “Reimagining Denominational Covering.”

Books on Biblical Pastoral Ministry

Baxter, Richard. The Reformed Pastor. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1974.

Chu, Brian. Ministry and Money: How to Start Your Own Ministry, Church, or Non-Profit Organization. Miramar Beach, FL: New Hope, 2012.

MacArthur, John. Pastoral Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005.

Oden, Thomas. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1983.

Other

Enroth, Ronald. Churches That Abuse.

—–. Recovering From Churches That Abuse.