Pentecost, Passion and One Life to Live

In the days leading up to Pentecost Sunday (May 23 this year) and then on Pentecost Sunday itself, the Holy Spirit was moving in amazing ways!

• At a Life Group meeting in Bicutan, just as I finished reading portions of Acts chapter 1, the electricity went out. It was HOT... No fan and no windows and of course no light. You could not see your hand if you put it in front of your face. We went to prayer and every single person except one received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit within minutes. It was a life changing evening for all of us as we were washed with power. I'm sure the one will get her free gift from the Lord soon as well. Awesome!
• At an all night prayer meeting at a different Church on a Friday night, after preaching my 2nd sermon for the night and at around 11pm, we went to Holy Spirit ministry time and it was like a bomb went off in the place. People were slain, dancing in the Spirit (the kind that they don't have their eyes open and is completely non choreographed), jumping, shouting praises, on their faces, weeping, laughing, crying out... Amazing! People were saved, delivered, set free, and most importantly empowered through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to this generation! We departed for home at 1:40am and I was literally afraid to drive thinking I might get pulled over for drunk driving. (you know, because the same thing had happened to me and to many the same way as on the day of Pentecost where they seemed drunk though they were not drunk with wine...) It was great!
• Then at our main service at Cinema 2, Gateway Mall Cuboa at 11am on Sunday, we had an amazing service. The Praise and Worship was magnificent (God was magnified), the message penetrated hearts and the presence of God was so real that the air we were breathing seemed as if it was the rarified air from the throne room of God in heaven. People were weeping as they were Baptized with the Holy Spirit. But the greatest thing about it is the testimonies we have heard about what happened after the service. People at lunch began to cry. People in their homes later received the Baptism. Others began to boldly witness in a way they had not previously done so. And that's really what it is all about isn't it? Not what happens in the "upper room" so much as what happens in the streets afterwards! Amen!
• Then May 25, a bunch of us, around 8,000 from all over Manila attended the Passion world tour at the Araneta Coliseum with Louis Giglio and Chris Tomlin. Need I say more? It was a wonderful night filled with glory to God! I would have to say that one very interesting thing for me to report is how "the song" that I would say was the big breakthrough song for the night was the Kari Jobe, Revelation Song. It also served as the basis for Louie's sermon intro. To join Chris Tomlin singing that song the way he does with the crowd of intense worshippers was simply awesome!!
• As soon as I'm done writing this post, we will pack the car up to head to Fontana Resort at Clark (formerly the US Air Force Base in Pampanga) for the Prime Movers (young adults) getaway retreat entitled One Life to Live. I am anticipating an amazing move of God with the result of changed lives, not one of us leaving the way we arrive. If you read this, would you please lift us up in prayer?

Thank you for your readership and for involvement in our lives in prayer and in partnership. May the Lord continue to bless you with His wonderful presence, provision and fulfillment!

A Priority Assignment

I don’t take many guest speaking engagements anymore simply because I am focused on the Church which I Pastor. This has been the case now for many years but is especially true in this season of building a brand new congregation in the heart of Cubao, Metro Manila, Philippines. If I do take one, it is because I sense that it is A Priority Assignment from the Lord.
I took one recently at a small “Barangay (formal neighborhood)” Church in a suburb of Manila. I took it because the service was set for 8-10am and our service at the Gateway Mall Cinema 2 starts at 11am.
The Church was wonderful. The Husband and Wife Pastors and their children were obviously doing a great job in building this work. The people were engaged, the workers were well trained and I could tell that the Word was held in high regard and that the people were not only hearers of the Word, but doer’s of the Word as the Bible teaches us should be the case.
After I delivered the Word, the keyboard played (the Keyboardist was a teenage Daughter of the Pastors) and we went into free worship for awhile as the prophetic flow began to stir. 90% of the crowd came to the altar when it was opened but it was slow going at first, as is sometimes the case. But things began to heat up and people were incredibly touched. Many were weeping, lost in adoration of God, deep in intercession, some even laughing with tears of Joy and dozens (probably close to 100) experiencing something that we call in Charismatic/Pentecostal circles, being “slain in the Spirit.” This means that while being prayed for (or sometimes without any touch or personal prayer), they fall down in a supernatural way and lay on the floor either lifeless (like they are dead which is why the term “slain” is used) or maybe while speaking in an unknown tongue or praying intently. Sometimes even just resting.
When I say “supernaturally fell,” this is where some debate comes in. Many people feel that this happens primarily in congregations where there is conditioning towards it and therefore it is more of an emotional or trained behavior. Certainly, I have seen this and I am of the thought that this is quite wide spread. There are probably those who “get slain” every week. I have ministered in Churches where everyone was slain and they only fell after the trained ushers touched them on their elbow as a signal that “it’s ok to fall now because I’m gonna catch you.” And I would agree that there is nothing or at least little supernatural about that and I would not be of the thought that it is a healthy practice simply because it takes away from the genuine experience. Personally, when I find myself in the midst of such a group ministering, I usually encourage the person I am praying for to “stay standing if you can.” Sometimes to the chagrin of the catcher who seems to think the goal of ministry is to fall down. And we haven’t even addressed the “pushers,” the ministers who push people over because they feel they are being evaluated by how many people go down.
On the other hand, there are places in which people are open to being slain in the spirit but they absolutely will not fall down like they are dead unless it is really something that the power of God is causing. Even when this is the case, there are times when the force of God’s power at work is stronger or milder depending on… well, I don’t know why. That’s just the way it is. It then becomes the choice of the person receiving prayer as to whether or not they will “fall.” And the choice usually becomes a matter of whether or not you take a step back to stabilize yourself and stay standing when the force comes upon you. And usually, you can put one foot back and stay standing. Either way is fine with me. Personally, I take the step back and I can count the number of times I have been slain because I only “go down” when it is strong enough that I cannot fight it. But that’s just me. It keeps the whole experience completely genuine for me. But even when I stay standing, I sense God’s power and I receive ministry. Indeed, I have noticed that many times people stop receiving once they go down and it would have been better for them to stay standing. For my readers from other traditions in which you don’t see this kind of thing, I hope you are enjoying this discussion at some level J Just be careful not to judge what you don’t understand. There are scriptures about that too…
Back to my recent Priority Assignment. This was definitely a Church in which people don’t just drop like flies. After an hour of “altar ministry,” I sensed that at least one main assignment had not yet been accomplished. I looked at the Wife Pastor who pointed me to the Husband Pastor. There was a problem in that he was not positioned as if he wanted prayer. He was looking at the congregation, giving his obvious approval but not looking like he wanted to receive anything personally. I went to him and sheepishly asked him if he wanted prayer. He sheepishly looked at me and said yes, probably because he didn’t want to be rude. As I began, I was painfully aware that he was highly conscious of the eyes of his members. I told him, “ Just lift your hands to the Lord and imagine yourself as a sail catching the wind of God.” I was just as surprised at my words as he was… (that’s a teaching for another time) I then said, “In the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, receive the wind of God.” In that instant, he filled up like a sail. I don’t know how to describe it. The unseen but felt wind came from the front and arched his back and body to where he was sort of bowing forward. It then picked him up and blew him back to where he settled to the ground and a couple of guys caught him. (think something like a Kung Fu movie where the characters are able to float or stay suspended in the air for short bursts of time – um… if you watch movies)
The congregation and especially the Wife Pastor gasped. It was obvious that this was not the norm, especially for the Husband Pastor to be slain and definitely not like this. I don’t know what God did for that Pastor in that instant or even for the Church to have seen if for that matter, but I do know that I had the sense from the Holy Spirit saying, “mission accomplished.” I had to literally leave at that moment in order to make our 11am service.
I have heard testimonies from that service and it was a big mile marker for that Church… one of those services where huge strides are made. Allow me to talk with you Pastors and long time Church leaders for a minute. Couldn’t you relate just now to the Pastor giving his approval to the moving of the Holy Spirit but yet not really engaging? I know that I could. That is me so very often as well! Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Ushers, Worship Team, Ministry Directors, Life Group Leaders… It’s so easy for us to not press in for our own touch for a variety of reasons. Maybe like my Brother recently, it is being the known leader and feeling all those eyes on you.
I believe that God is targeting you and I even right now as I write and as you read. Let us soften our hearts, open our spirits and receive all that God has for us. Let us become his Priority Assignment for the ministry of His Holy Spirit even in a public setting. Let us humble ourselves before man, therefore humbling ourselves before the mighty hand of God so that we will be lifted up in due season once more!

Ministry Update

Things have been busy here in Manila building this Church branch which we call TFI Gateway. TFI stands for Tabernacle of Faith International which is a 25 year old group of Churches which was founded and is run by my Father-in-Law, Bishop Ray Llarena. Gateway is the name of the shopping mall in which we meet. Gateway Mall Cubao at Cinema 2 every Sunday at 11am. But we like the name Gateway and even if we ever move from Gateway Mall, I’m pretty sure we will keep the name.
At TFI Gateway, Bishop Ray is the Senior Pastor as he is over several Churches and I am the Resident Pastor. We have a wonderful group of Pastors and Volunteers (all of us who are not paid from the Bishop to the Sunday School Workers to the Ushers to Everyone). They are committed and dedicated and are doing an incredible Job from the heart.
We launched the work around 9 months ago and we saw a huge initial group come and then it settled down to as low as 120 people. But we have been steadily growing and are running between 180 and 215 precious people every week. The people are loving and caring and meet the needs of each other during the week through a variety of ministries including Life Groups and the Follow Up folks are connecting beautifully. The Young Adults (we call them Prime Movers) are riding a tremendous wave of growth right now and it is exciting to see them growing in the Lord and in numbers too! The greatest element I believe which attributes to our growth is that the presence of God is mightily evident every time we come together. Not only in our services but even in the small groups & week day gatherings. The worship is amazing, the preaching is alive and the people are touched!
Just last night at a Life Group in Bicutan, I walked in and found two of the household members sick in bed. I was also not feeling well and we needed a miracle. We moved chairs into the bedroom and all the attendees met in there so that the sick people could participate. After sharing the lesson, we prayed and prayed and prayed and we couldn’t stop praying. The Holy Spirit came upon each and every one of us in an amazing way! Half way through the prayer, the two majorly sick ones were up on their feet and could have tap danced. I was feeling the same way! It was awesome! By the time I left, I’m pretty sure they were energized and healed to the point that they could have started their spring cleaning. It is well into the next day as I write this and I must tell you that my healing last night was a complete and instant one! Praise the Lord!
Please pray for us. The warfare is strong and the finances are an everyday challenge. We struggle to meet the deficit in this new work and our family is fully relying on the Lord and His faithful Kingdom people for resources. Thank you for your prayers and for your partnership!

The difference between Unforgiveness and Hatred

One of the greatest challenges we face in the Church is blindness. I am of course referring to a spiritual rather than a physical blindness. I am speaking from experience because though I hate to admit it, I have spent much of my time “flying blind.”
This is a dangerous thing especially for leaders as evidenced by the words of Jesus when some of the Pharisees had a problem with Him.
Matthew 15: “12Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"
13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Jesus was clearly saying that there were, and I believe there still are blind leaders in the religious systems of the world, even in the Church of the One and True Living God. He said they are blind guides and that both they and the ones following them will fall into a pit.
I don’t think I have to ask you if you would want to be on a bus or an airplane with a blind driver or pilot. I don’t think you would want a haircut from a blind barber, directions from a blind police officer or anything else of the sort. But would you want to attend a Church led by a blind Pastor or with a committee of blind Elders or Deacons? Think about it. Especially if you are a leader… And hold your breath because it’s not too late. The Word of God offers the solution.
1 John 2: “ 9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness (not being regenerated). 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness (stumbling); he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.”
I recommend that you go all the way from verse 1 to 11 in 1 John 2, but I will just use these 3 powerful verses in this posting. If you read the scripture, it is very clear that those who love their brothers are in the light and that those who hate their brothers are walking around in darkness.
It’s important to identify who John is talking about at this point. My opinion is that he is speaking primarily to believers, though this of course at some level would also differentiate those who are saved and those who are lost. But check out the final statement in verse 11. “…the darkness has blinded him.” We normally get blinded by light. We would not use the term that we were blinded by darkness in normal conversation. The picture that we get from this terminology is clear that those who hate their brothers are walking around in a lighted situation (the Church), undoubtedly surrounded by others who may or may not be blind because this is an individual condition. It doesn’t matter how bright a room is if you are blind. You will still stumble over the most well lit item. In other words, it’s not about the light in the room, it’s about the darkness affecting your eyes. It matters not whether it is day or night to a blind person.
Does this mean that you can be saved while hating your brother? Well now… that is a difficult question to answer and it gets down to technicalities regarding terminology and a study of the original language used to write this letter. Let me just offer a few thoughts and my humble yet studied opinion.
The Bible is clear that your sins will not be forgiven if you fail to forgive the sins of others against you. Plainly, if you don’t forgive others as Christ has forgiven you, then you have no part in Christ and you are on the express train headed for the eternal damnation station. So the question remains, can you have forgiven someone and still hate them, therefore rendering yourself saved but blind? I think so and I think it is more common then we could possibly comprehend. Forgiveness can be viewed as a more technical exercise even when genuine where as hatred is more emotional…
Now for the hopefully interesting example from my own life which I will boldly share with you. There was a guy many years ago who cost me much! Specifically, he cost me well over $100,000 because of a hostile business transaction (before I entered ministry or was even a dedicated believer in Christ). I hated him. I did not forgive him and I never intended to forgive him.
I went to Church one Sunday and Dr. Joe Fuiten at Cedar Park Church in Bothel, Washington delivered a message about forgiveness. I responded and went to the altar and I got right with God and forgave that man. I really did. I was free and heaven bound again!
A few months later, I was in a restaurant enjoying my meal when the culprit walked in the front door. My countenance fell. My wife asked me what was wrong. My ears turned red, my face was flushed and every muscle in my body tensed up. I still hated him even though I had forgiven him. He saw me and left immediately…
I spent a restless and sleepless night before my God considering the evil that was in my heart… asking him to remove it from me. I asked some wise and spiritually devout friends of mine how to achieve this and I made it my immediate goal in life. My finding was that I needed to pray for him. I was told (and the scriptures verify) that if I were to truly pray for him, that I would eventually replace the hatred with genuine love for him for it is impossible to pray for someone, filled with God and led by the Spirit who helps us to pray, without our hearts being changed. If genuinely and intentionally doing so.
I embarked on my journey of prayer. I even prayed for his wife… who I hated too. And his son… who I despised. I didn’t have to pray for his daughter because I liked her but I prayed for her anyway. I’m not going to lie to you. It was not easy. It was one of the most difficult purging processes of my life and it took I don’t know how long… probably the better part of 3 or 4 months. I kept it in writing in my Bible and I did it every day. I sometimes had to begin by playing worship music to soften my heart and get “in the mood.”
One day I woke up and I realized that I didn’t hate him (them) anymore. I still didn’t trust him and I’m pretty sure I still wouldn’t today, but I loved them with a strange, surprising, supernatural love. Today when I think about them, I truly hope that they are doing well. Actually, by all appearances, it seems that they are doing well because I have checked on the internet.
But the best news? I received my sight! It was soon after that when I started to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and I gained new understanding when I would read God’s Word. It changed me!
As long as I keep purging myself from hating anybody, I won’t be a blind guide, leading people into a ditch of death but rather leading them on the narrow path in the light. As the great Charlie Peacock song chimes, “I want to be in the light as You are in the light, I want to shine like the stars in the heavens. Oh Lord be my light and be my salvation, cause all I want is to be in the light.” And we of course know that He indeed is the light .

A Lump of Clay

I was attending a seminar conducted by the awesome Selene Yu, Founder of the Potter’s Leadership Academy and a high ranking Executive for both the Volvo and Chevrolet Auto brands in the Philippines at a Catholic Parish in Cainta the other day. She handed a round ball of clay out to every participant and told us to in the next 5 minutes, make something that defines who we think we are.
You have to understand. I don’t like to create physical art work. I like to look at it but I don’t like to paint, draw, work with clay or anything of the sort. And just to set the record straight, I hate playing Pictionary. If I even think for one moment that someone wants to start a game of Pictionary, that is my cue to get tired and go to bed.
With my apprehension in full gear and the clock ticking, I began to work the clay with my fingers. My mind wandered and before I knew it, I had formed something that looked like a cup. But upon further inspection, it looked like a well. At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Remember, you are a well.”
The Lord has spoken that to me many times before but I needed to be reminded. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well that anyone who partakes of the water He gives us will have coming from them, a spring of living water.
I began to remember all of the times that I have been aware that the river of the life of God has flowed from my heart (or belly depending on the translation of scripture) as Jesus talked about and how often I have seen that river change somebody or a situation without my having said a word.
I remembered specifically, a lady on a bus as I was traveling through Athens a few years ago. The Holy Spirit pointed her out to me and I prayed for her from a distance without her being aware. I tangibly felt the presence of God flow from my heart to hers. I prophetically knew she was a wayward Christian and that I wouldn’t need to talk to her and that she would know what to do after receiving ministry from afar. Within minutes, she was weeping (I was also tearing) and she probably had no idea that any human was on that bus being a willing agent of God’s Spirit. After all, I was wearing sunglasses and not looking directly at her. I will see her around heaven on that great day most all of us are looking forward to…
At worship practice last night, the Spirit of God kept reminding me about it. And I talked to the worship team about being wells of God’s power and presence… about intentionally sending that river out onto the congregation every time we minister. And then the Spirit of God descended on us as we prayed together and we shared a powerful and holy moment as God’s Spirit touched us once again and prepared us for the various worship experiences we would be collectively leading this week. Wonderful!
You like me, like our worship teams at TFI are meant to be a well-spring of the life of God. Allow me to encourage you to intentionally let the river flow, let your light shine and be salt in a world that is desperate for the saltiness of genuine people of God!
As for me, I initialed my work of art and I have placed it on my car dash for now. Just to remind me of who I am supposed to be. Thanks for the project Selene! And Thank you God for reminding me once again!!!

Hit by a Power Line

Yesterday as I was walking to run an errand near our home in Pasig City, Philippines, I rounded a corner and saw a power line falling towards me. I jumped to avoid it, but it hit me on the my left arm, right above my watch. It was a moment I will never forget. Was I feeling electricity? Was I going to die? Within a split second, I knew that there was no power surging through me and I saw that the reason why the line had fallen was because a power company crew was there and I could see the guy up on the pole with cutters in his hand.

I was angry. They had cut that line with the possibility of someone like me rounding the corner and it hitting them and had not used proper precautions. It was a big line, heavy and sharp and it hurt. I'm looking at the small scar as I write. It bled for a bit and I have applied anti-biotic ointment several times already. It's a good thing it didn't hit a little kid in the head! They apologized nervously while laughing. I wasn't laughing but I just continued on my errand and used a napkin I had in my pocket to deal with the bleeding.

I thought as I walked... How often has the enemy attacked me, provoked fear, drawn blood, hurt me to a degree, but he was ultimately powerless (limited) and could not kill me?!? More times then I can count! Sometimes several times a day! How about you?!? God is great and those who put their trust in Him shall be under His divine protection!

1 Peter 5:7-9 (NIV)
7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

John 10:10 (NIV)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Do I Need to Pray More Earnestly?

A Life Group Teaching by Pst Steve McKinney

Luke 22:39-46 (NIV)
39 “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

1. Jesus went out to pray “as usual”
a. He had a habit of prayer which He drew on for this very important prayer right before His arrest, trial and crucifixion
b. When facing difficulties, it is important to have that special relationship of prayer well established

2. He instructed His disciples twice to pray so that they would not “fall into temptation”
a. This is important for us to remember… when we are being tempted, the most powerful thing we can do is pray
b. Jesus, just as on that day will speak to our hearts today and warn us when we should pray in anticipation of coming trials even when we don’t know they are coming

3. “He withdrew” and thereby set an example that sometimes we need to withdraw from the crowd and even from close friends so as to be isolated with God
a. But He also showed us that sometimes He will withdraw from us to a “stone’s throw” distance so that we will overcome things like our sleep and press in to prayer
i. If we can overcome in the spirit, this helps us to overcome in the physical

4. He prayed “not my will, but yours be done”
a. We have authority when we pray and even freedom to express our feelings, but we also must function in humility and respect as Jesus did

5. An angel of the Lord appeared and “strengthened him”
a. After being strengthened, Jesus was then able to Pray More Earnestly to the point that His sweat became like drops of blood
b. How do we get to the point that God will supernaturally strengthen us to pray even more earnestly?
i. You should already be praying
ii. You must pray according to God’s will and not your own demands
iii. Pray specifically for strength to pray more earnestly