Thoughts on Eschatology Part 2 - Unless the Lord Builds the House...

Will the Third Holy Temple be Rebuilt Soon? This was the headline I saw when I opened my email this morning. A ministry working in Israel sent it to me claiming that this temple must be built in order for the Messiah to come. They were citing passages like Exodus 25:8 where God says to Moses to make a sanctuary for Him so He can dwell among his people. Passages from Haggai about neglecting to build the Lord's house were also used to help with this project. Did God send us the better in Jesus so that we can go back to this?

What if I told you that the third temple is already here with its priests and sacrifices?

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 1 Peter 2:5

Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 6:16 that YOU are the temple of the living God and that God dwells and walks in you! Jesus and His body are the fulfillment of Exodus 25:8. The message of Hebrews is that God has done away with earthly temples and the sacrificial system. To teach that God is going to one day rebuild a temple, accept sacrifices, and go back to the law is serious error. Hebrews 10 clearly states that Christ took away the first, that he may establish the second. After He had offered ONE SACRIFICE for sins FOR EVER, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God and NOW WAITS for His enemies to be made His footstool (Hebrews 10:12,13). To miss the mark and go back to this system does despite to the Spirit of grace. The third temple God is building is us and it's going to be more glorious than any earthly temple ever could be.

In John 4 Jesus is speaking with the woman at the well. She questions him as to where the proper place of worship is. Do we worship on the mountain our fathers worshipped on here in Samaria or on the mountain in Jerusalem? Jesus responds to her by saying that neither mountain is the appropriate place for worship. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him (John 4:24). The Father is not seeking to dwell in a temple made with hands, but in the temple of His people.

Why is this important? Because today many Christians see a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem as a sign of Christ's soon return. This along with the message of gloom and doom have done a great disservice to the Church. Books like Left Behind and The Harbinger present a very bleak view of the last days. While certainly entertaining they don't present an accurate picture of the word of God. There's no place for scare tactics in bringing in the lost. If we bring people into the Church with a message of fear we're going to have to keep reinforcing this message to keep them there. On the contrary it is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance (Romans 2:4). Christ's return is referred to as the Blessed Hope, not the dreaded horror.

The most serious error in much of the current ‘prophetic’ teaching of today is the claim that the future of Christendom is to be read not in terms of Revival and Victory, but of growing impotence and apostasy, and that the only hope of the world is that the Lord will by His visible coming and reign complete the task which He has so plainly entrusted to the church. - Oswald T. Allis

Instead of doom and gloom let's look at Christ's return through the lens of victory and hope. While most of the Church is complaining about the giants in the land, God is raising up Caleb's and Joshua's who see things from a higher perspective. Your identity is not on the other side of the Jordan warring with the enemy (or with God for that matter) but in the Promised Land which is Christ. We haven't gone this way before. The threshold of the Most Holy Place has just been crossed. Let's enter in to all that God has for us.

Heaven is much closer than you think. In Luke 17:20 the Pharisees, like many today, were asking Jesus when the Kingdom of God should come. He answered them by saying that Kingdom doesn't come by observation, nor will they say here it is or there it is because the Kingdom of God is within (or among) you! Christ IN you (plural) (Colossians 1:27) is the hope of glory. He is coming to be glorified IN His Saints (2 Thessalonians 1:10). It's time we stopped looking for the disappearance of the Saints, but rather for His appearing.

Christ's coming is not to be understood as any minute but rather UNTIL.

1. Until His enemies are made His footstool.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. - Hebrews 10:12,13

Christ is currently seated in Heavenly places on the throne of David. Much teaching today says that there is coming a day where Christ will reign on His throne. Either way what you believe concerning this has huge implications for your eschatology. If he's not currently seated than neither are you! To plant one's foot on the neck of a prostrate foe was a symbol of complete victory. Leading up to the return of Christ we are going to see more ground gained for His Kingdom than ever before. This is not a time where we are going to be retreating into caves but a time where we will be a city set on a hill giving light to the nations.

2.Until the restoration of all things.

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. - Acts 3:19-21

Here we see that times of refreshing and the restoration are coming before the return of Christ. The word for refresh in the Greek means a recovery of breath. Might I suggest that the Church is experiencing a second wind. If your Church, family, life, etc is tired and exhausted receive the breath of the Lord on your life right now. New Covenant prophets prophesy the breath of God and not the wrath of God. The Spirit is moving mightily in these days so that ALL THINGS will be restored.

3. Until we all come to the unity of the faith.

Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:13

The belief that the Church is growing weak and impotent is dismantled in light of this passage. The body that Christ is returning to is going to be in equal proportion to the head. As He is SO ARE WE in this world (1 John 4:17). It's time leaders are raised up like the Apostle Paul who labor as though in birth for Christ to be fully formed in His Church. Come outside of your tribes and join up with others in the body of Christ. Christ is uniting, not dividing, His Church!

4. Until He receives the early and latter rain.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. - James 5:7

The early and latter rain speaks of the outpouring of the Spirit resulting in a harvest. Before Christ returns we are going to see a harvest on unprecedented levels like we have never seen before. The early rain was poured out on the day of Pentecost and this latter rain is being poured out in this season of Tabernacles. The time of ingathering is upon us.

Don't be discouraged by the fear-mongers. Christ has given you His peace. Your future is bright!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. - John 14:27

In conclusion my goal is not to present a rosy, everything will pan out picture of the future. All those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. However it's possible to live in victory and joy while outside pressure is piling up on you. The early Church suffered much persecution but grew daily and moved in mighty signs and wonders. Christ's Kingdom though starting as small as a simple stone is becoming a mountain that will fill the whole earth. Don't despise the day of small beginnings. The Lord is for you and not against you. Fear is not in your future!

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts. - Haggai 2:9

Recommended Reading:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ - Lynn Hiles

Surprised by Hope - NT Wright

Victorious Eschatology - Martin Trench, Harold Eberle (Kris Vallotton recommends this in his book Heavy Rain)

Whose Right It Is: A Handbook of Covenantal Theology - Kelley Varner

Thoughts on Eschatology Part 1 - The Lens of the Kingdom

The Christian life can be seen as that of a journey. We're constantly on the move going from glory to glory and from faith to faith while maintaining a posture of rest. Proverbs 4:18 declares, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." As a Church God is moving us progressively forward in order that Christ may be fully formed in us (Gal 4:19).

While the point of this post isn't my journey let me share a little of it with you. Like many Christians in the bay area I grew up in a Christian home that was birthed out of the Jesus people movement. It wasn't until I was in High School that I decided to get serious about my faith. God put a hunger in my spirit for Him. I was all in. The Church I was in at the time was great. I was being fed daily and had made a great group of friends that encouraged me in the things of the Lord. After some time I felt that something was lacking. It wasn't until I had made some friends at the local Pentecostal church that I found out what it was. To the disappointment of many I ended up at the Pentecostal church. My life was immersed in this Church. After High School I attended Bible College there and ended up teaching in their Bible College in Kinshasa, DRC. During the time I was a part of this Church I had traveled around the world, seen miracles, signs, and wonders, and knew that God had called me to His service. After some time I felt the Lord leading me away from this Church. I praise God for all I learned there and wouldn't have traded it for anything but I to say I walked away with a certain lens in my approach to Scripture would have been a huge understatement. The past ten years have been huge for me in that I've learned so much but more importantly I've unlearned a lot.

My point in sharing my story is that we all have a lens or worldview through which we view the Scripture whether it comes from our culture, our family, our denominations, etc. Our lens isn't always a bad thing but it can blind us to what the Lord has for us. The Lord is calling us upwards and onwards and its going to require us laying aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us. This is going to require us to at times see things in a whole new light. To my brothers who have kept the Passover in salvation and to those who have been filled with the Spirit in Pentecost the Lord is calling us on to Tabernacles where we are filled with all the fullness of God.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

What we believe determines how we live. Therefore it is imperative that we search the Scriptures and listen to the voice of the Spirit to lead us on this journey. The purpose of these posts is to challenge teachings that have crept in the Church that weaken and divide the body of Christ. I have no desire to go outside the bounds of orthodoxy but I have every desire to dismantle anything not built on a proper foundation.

It was Karl Barth who said, "take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible." I agree with Barth however I think many of us have interpreted our Bible from our newspaper. When you read the paper or watch TV it looks as though the Gospel will not prevail. But when we open our Bibles it is very clear that it will. When did we let the newspaper or current events become our authority for doctrine? It's time we rethink some of what we've been taught.

In the Bible God has promised the Church that the gates of hell will not prevail against her, that all the ends of the earth will turn to the Lord and that all the families of the earth will worship Him. It's my prayer that victory and hope will replace doom and gloom in your eschatology.

If your theology brings you back to the place where you go back to outward temples made with hands, and the ashes of red heifers, and the blood of bulls and goats - somewhere you missed the point. - Lynn Hiles

We can no longer interpret the New Testament through an Old Testament lens. The Old Testament must be interpreted through the New Testament. Because of this we've taken passages like Isaiah 2 and pushed them so far into the future instead of making them a present reality today. When we believe a message of doom and gloom we are resigned to say "that is just how the world is" as opposed to taking a stand and changing the way things are. War, poverty, aids, etc are things that we as a Church must challenge not sit back and let happen. It's time we stop letting culture influence us and for us to start influencing the culture.

We pray "your kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven." The Kingdom of God comes it does not go. An escape from the created order, rather than the redemption of it is an unbiblical view of the Kingdom. This message is that the Kingdom has arrived on earth, not that we can leave earth an go to Heaven. Jesus came to save the world, not save us from the world.

Life is a dress rehearsal for Heaven" is much closer to Gnosticism than biblical Christianity. Life on earth is what Jesus came to restore. - Derek Vreeland

When we view salvation as an escape from the physical world as opposed to saving us within it we've let Gnosticism creep into our theology. While Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world it is very much for and in this world. Our message is not dying and going to heaven but rather one of new creation.

Christ's Kingdom has come. Daniel's stone was cut out without hands, struck the image and is becoming a great mountain that will fill the whole earth (Dan 2:35). The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14). Let this be your present hope.

Plow in Hope

"...because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop." 1 Corinthians 9:10

Plow in hope. I've been hearing this phrase again and again in my spirit. The Christian life while not always easy is to be a life full of hope. It's going to require plowing at times. Plowing requires work. We break up hard ground by cutting through, overturning, and softening the ground that is unprepared to receive seed. Once we've finished plowing we plant seeds, water, and prune in order to reap our harvest.

Many in the Church today are in the fields plowing without hope. They're breaking up hard ground, and sowing seeds but seeing no results. A hopeless gospel is no gospel at all. I pray that this post will breathe hope into you again.

"And this hope will not disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:5

The Christian hope is such that it shall be fulfilled. We have an expectant hope that what we have plowed, sown into and threshed will bring forth much fruit.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7

This Scripture has been used many times to scare the Saints into right behavior. While I do believe in the principle of sowing and reaping we have to recognize that in Christ we haven't reaped everything we've ever sown. Knowing this we have no excuse to sow bad seed. Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? By no means. Grace is a teacher. It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts so that we can live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:11,12). You sow good seed, you're going to reap a good harvest. To whom much is given much is required.

Whatever A MAN sows, that shall he reap. There are really only two types of men on the earth. There are those who are in Adam and those who are in Christ. Adam sowed to the flesh and for 4000 years we have reaped corruption. Jesus sowed to the Spirit and we have received life everlasting. As Brother Lynn Hiles says, "He took what I had coming so I could receive what He had coming."

'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24

The death of Christ was a sowing into the earth with the promise of a great harvest to come. He became poor so that through His poverty you could be made rich (2 Cor 8:9). He took our sickness so that we can have His health (Isaiah 53:4). He was bruised for our iniquities and chastised so we could have peace. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21)! Christian you have a harvest coming that you don't even know about! In Luke 6 Jesus and His disciples enter the Sabbath field and pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat them. As a Church we have entered into a season of rest where we have ceased from our own labors (Hebrews 4). When we enter into Christ we enter into His rest. Jesus and His disciples were picking the grain because a harvest has come. Keep plowing in hope as your harvest is coming on this Sabbath day.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

You aren't alone in the fields. The Lord is with you. Where you go He goes. He is working with you and will confirm the word you preach with signs following (Mark 16:20). Be strong and don't become weary in well doing. You will reap a harvest if you don't give up.

Plow in hope. This year be daring and plant seeds you haven't planted before. Sow into places you haven't sowed into before. If you believe the Lord has given you a dream pursue it with all your heart. Most of all pursue Him. He will not deny the hunger He has put inside of you.

The dreams that have died in the past let the Lord breathe fresh life into them again. The tears you have sown will be turned into joy (Psalm 126:5). God is giving you new ground. There's grace for this in this season.

Thresh in hope. Threshing is where the worthless stalk is removed from the valuable grain. Every branch that bears fruit is pruned in order to bring forth much fruit (John 15:2). Pruning is never fun but you can rest assured that in it the Father has a purpose. He is preparing you for much fruit and is going to bring you forth as pure gold. Threshing in hope also speaks of having a "culture of honor." It's where we choose to see people after the spirit as God sees them and not after the flesh. Things don't always look nice when refinement is taking place. Rest assured that He who has begun a good work in you (and your brothers) will carry it to completion (Phil 1:6).

Don't be afraid to put your hand to the plow in 2012. Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of your faith and the fallow ground will be broken up. Plant seeds of righteousness, water, prune and you will see your harvest!

I pray that hope surprises you in 2012! Let HOPE be the banner over you and your Church. May hope infuse your relationships with others in the body of Christ locally and universal. May your eschatology turn from fear to one of hope. The Lord has HOPE stored up for you.... and this hope does not disappoint. Blessings!

The 2011 Book List

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That is why I read books." - Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Here's a list of the books I've read in 2011 along with a short commentary on a few of them. NT Wright and Kelley Varner had a huge influence on me this year. I can't recommend their books enough. It's my hope that you'll find something on this list to read. A number of these books can be found free online.

1. Freedom from 12 Deadly Sins - Kelley Varner // Excellent book on the "isms" that have invaded the Christian world.

2. Journey to Significance - Tony Miller

3. For Love's Sake - Jessica Davis

4. NT Principle of Kingdom Stewardship - Stephen Everett

5. Let Us Draw Near - Judson Cornwall // This book details the lives and thoughts of Moses and his contemporaries as they followed God's instructions to build the Tabernacle. Loved it.

6. Justification - NT Wright

7. Washed By the Blood - Brian Head Welch // Found this on my Father's bookshelf. Glad to see it there.

8. Secrets of the Ascended Life - Kelley Varner // Wow!

9. Principles of Present Truth: Ex - Deut - Kelley Varner // KV's Principles of Present Truth series are simply amazing. Every serious Bible student should own this set.

10. Jesus Among Other Gods - Ravi Zacharias

11. Manifesting God's Love Through Miracles, Signs, and Wonders - Jerame Nelson

12. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad // A classic.

13. Anointing for Exploits - David Oyedepo

14. The Believer's Authority - Kenneth Hagin

15. The Law of Recognition - Mike Murdock

16. Principles of Present Truth: 1,2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles - Kelley Varner

17. With Christ in the School of Prayer - Andrew Murray // Amazing book!

18. Churched - Matthew Paul Turner

19. Moral Revolution - Kris Vallotton

20. Monganga Paul - Lois Carlson // The Congo Ministry and Martyrdom of Covenant missionary Dr. Paul Carlson.

21. The Blood Speaks - Larry Huggins

22. Let the Nations Be Glad - John Piper // Another classic. Should be read by all.

23. Principles of Present Truth: 1,2 Kings, 2 Chronicles - Kelley Varner

24. Alfred Buxton of Abyssinia and Congo - Norman Grubb // Tracked down this rare book online. A gem. NG is the author of Rees Howells Intercessor. Amazing author.

25. Furious Pursuit - Tim King, Frank Martin

26. Christ in Congo Forests - Norman Grubb // Another amazing book on the history of missions in the Congo.

27. Rest in the Day of Trouble - Kelley Varner

28. Principles of Present Truth: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther - Kelley Varner

29. Love Wins - Rob Bell // :)

30. Promise of the Third Day - Bruce Allen

31. Century of the Holy Spirit - Vinson Synan // Great book on the history of the Pentecostal Church in the 20th century.

32. Principles of Present Truth: Job - Kelley Varner

33. The Revelation of Jesus Christ - Lynn Hiles // One of my favorite books. This is a look at the book of Revelation from the lens of the finished work. Brother Hiles is another huge influence in my life.

34. Apostles: The Fathering Servant - Bill Scheidler // Thankful for this book.

35. King James Version // Call me old school but it's still my favorite translation. :)

36. Traveling Mercies - Anne Lamott // Marin native. Read a lot of books in front of her house as she's on one of the routes I deliver.

37. Blue Like Jazz - Don Miller

38. The Local Church Today - Bill Scheidler // Another great book.

39. The Making of a Leader - Frank Damazio // Excellent. Should be read by all desiring to go into the ministry.

40. The Church That is Left Behind - Kobus Swart // You can get this and other titles for free at www.thekingdomplatform.com. I recommend downloading everything from this site.

41. Prophet on Wheels: The Life Story of Bill Britton // Huge influence on Kelley Varner and others.

42. The Incomplete Church - Sid Roth

43. Let the Good Times Roll - Mark Hankins

44. The Sound That Changed Everything - Stephen Everett

45. Global Reformation - Robert Munien // Pastor Munien from Durban, SA has preached at Shiloh Christian Fellowship in Oakland many times over the years. Great book.

46. Jesus Wants to Save Christians - Rob Bell // Really liked this one.

47. The Source - James Michener // Took a couple of weeks to read. My dad gave me his copy and a couple of days later a book I was reading mentioned it. Glad I read it.

48. These Women Are Two Covenants - Jeff Moales

49. From Tent to Temple - George Warnock // One of my favorite authors. He gives away all his books free of charge. Huge influence.

50. Praying the Bible: The Pathway to Spirituality - Wesley and Stacey Campbell

51. Understanding the Seasons of God - Robert Munien

52. God Without Religion - Andrew Farley // Excellent. His commentary on communion and predestination were worth the price of the book. I also recommend his book The Naked Gospel.

53. The Great Escape - David Levister

54. Dating the Book of Revelation - Frans Du Plessis // Free at The Kingdom Platform website. Very thankful for this brother. His teachings on Apostolic Eschatology are priceless.

55. Apostles, Apostolic People, and Churches - Robert Munien

56. Relationship: The Key to Fulfillment In the Song of Solomon - Violet Kiteley // Another big influence in my life. Very blessed by the Kiteley family.

57. Shake Hands With the Devil - Romeo Dallaire // Powerful book about the Rwandan genocide and the failure of humanity to stop it.

58. The Three Prejudices - Kelley Varner

59. Right or Reconciled? - Joseph Garlington

60. Prevail - Kelley Varner

61. You've Already Got It - Andrew Wommack

62. Liberty Defined - Ron Paul

63. Held in the Heavens Until - Earl Paulk // I actually really like his books. Unfortunately he lived a double life. Sad story.

64. English Standard Version // Loved this translation.

65. Driving Change - Brewster/Dalzell // The authorized biography of UPS. Proud to be a part of this organization for over 7 years now. My grandfather was also a UPSer in San Francisco.

66. Legacy Now - Phil Munsey // Amazing preacher. Great book.

67. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy - Eric Metaxas // Got a number of Bonhoeffer books after reading this. Can't wait to read them.

68. Surprised by Hope - NT Wright // The best book I read this year. Please do yourself a favor and read this.

69. Chosen For Greatness - Kelley Varner // AWESOME.

70. The Tenth Parallel - Eliza Griswold

71. Decision Points - George Bush

72. It's Really All About God - Samir Selmanovic

73. Allah: A Christian Response - Miroslav Volf

74. Simply Christian - NT Wright

75. Sex God - Rob Bell // Much better than Moral Revolution. Not what you're thinking.

76. God Is Not a Christian, Nor A Jew, Muslim, Hindu... - Carlton Pearson // Another sad story here.

77. Jesus Manifesto - Frank Viola, Leonard Sweet // Loved it.

78. The Rebbe: The Life and Afterlife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson - Samuel Heilman, Menachem Friedman // Read this after learning that many Lubavitcher believe him to be the Messiah.

79. A Continent for the Taking - Howard French // Great book about Africa.

80. A New Kind of Christianity - Brian McLaren // Thank you for making me think.

81. Whose Right It Is - Kelley Varner // Another very important book. Please get a copy of this.

82. In Southern Light - Alex Shoumatoff

83. They Fight Like Soldiers They Die Like Children - Romeo Dallaire // Important book about child soldiers and what is being done to help them.

84. Consuming the Congo - Peter Eichstaedt // Helps you better understand the Congo's conflict mineral situation.

85. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - Donald Miller

86. The Laws of Prosperity - Bernard E Jordan // Surprised at how many regard him as a true Christian. He's more along the lines of New Thought like Carlton Pearson. I actually really liked his book The Laws of Thinking.

87. Evil and the Justice of God - NT Wright // Great book.

88. The River Congo - Peter Forbath // Learned more about the history of the Congo in this book than any other. Really good.

89. Dead Aid - Dambisa Moyo // Why aid isn't working in Africa.

90. Dancing In the Glory of Monsters - Jason Stearns // Really important book in understanding the Congo conflict.

91. The Israel of God - Frans Du Plessis // Another free book at The Kingdom Platform.

92. Unconditional - Brian Zahnd // A new favorite author of mine. Follow him on Twitter. Started reading his book Beauty Will Save the World a few days ago. Have a feeling it's going to be on my favorite list.

93. Dark Star Safari - Paul Theroux

94. Supernatural Destiny - Don Nori

95. Congo, My Country - Patrice Lumumba

96. The Enlightened Church: Satan Who? - Karl Barden // Really liked this one. Hard to find but should be read by all Bible teachers.

97. Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy - John Julius Norwich // Dry at times but learned a lot.

98. The Lord and His Prayer - N.T. Wright

99. Offspring - Earl Paulk

100. The Fear - Peter Godwin // Amazing book on Robert Mugabe and the martyrdom of Zimbabwe.

In 2012 I'm focusing on quality as opposed to quantity. If you have any recommendations feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Special thanks to Destiny Image for supplying me with a number of free books this year.

My 2010 Reading List

If you know me personally you'll know that I love to read. Not a day goes by where I'm not in the books and you can't leave my house without me handing you something to read. I decided in the middle of 2009 to start keeping track of the books I've read. I decided I'd share my reading list for this year after seeing some people I follow on Twitter do the same. In anticipation of that these are the books I read in 2010. There are a number of other books I started but didn't finish. I'll pick those up sometime...

1. Miracle Workers, Reformers, and New Mystics - John Crowder

2. Facing the Congo - Jeffrey Tayler // One day I'd like to go down the Congo. If I could only get my wife's permission. :)

3. Jesus Culture - Banning Liebscher

4. Release the Power of Jesus - Bill Johnson

5. Culture of Honor - Danny Silk

6. Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship - Jack Frost

7. Angelic Encounters - Jim Goll

8. At the Masters Feet - Sundar Singh

9. Ecstasy of Loving God - John Crowder // Excellent book.

10. Search For God and Guiness - Stephen Mansfeld // Great book about the Guiness family. Some of them were radical Christians and responsible for much of the missions movement in Africa.

11. Church of the Firstborn and the Birthright - Kevin Conner

12. The Jesus People: Old Time Religion in the Age of Aquarius

13. The Epistle of Jude - Kevin Conner

14. Bait of Satan - John Bevere

15. Kings of the Kingdom - Kevin Conner // Ordered this one from Australia. Excellent study on the Kings of Israel and Judah.

16. Power of Passionate Intention: The Elijah Principle - Mark Chironna // I love anything Chironna puts out.

17. Kimbangu: An African Prophet and His Church - Martin // Great book about Simon Kimbangu. Kimbanguism is a large branch of Christianity in the Congo. 

18. The Dancing Hand of God - James Maloney

19. Victorious Eschatology - Harold Eberle, Martin Trench // One of the best books I've read. I highly recommend everyone interested in eschatology read this. 

20. Living a Life of Fire - Reinhard Bonnke - Definitely one of my heroes. Flew to Atlanta a couple months after so he could lay hands on me. 

21. Complete Jewish Bible

22. Healing the Sick - TL Osborn // A classic. Get this book.

23. The Holy Spirit is Not For Sale - J Lee Grady

24. Son of Hamas

25. Unmerited Favor - Joseph Prince

26. John G Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith // Gave away my first copy of this book in Kinshasa in 2001. Excellent book. This guy was ahead of his time.

27. The Way of the Wild at Heart - John Eldredge

28. Principles of Present Truth: Genesis - Kelley Varner // So grateful for Brother Varner. I've ordered almost all of his Principles of Present Truth books. His writings are meat.

29. Evangelism by Fire - Reinhard Bonnke // Got this copy of Pastor Mohan's church in Madras, India in 1998. Great book.

30. The Missionary Call - M David Sills

31. The Purpose and Power of Love and Marriage - Myles Munroe

32. Tortured For His Faith - Richard Wumbrand

33. The Beauty of Spiritual Language - Jack Hayford

34. You May All Prophesy - Steve Thompson

35. Power Healing - John Wimber

36. The Shack

37. Waking the Dead - John Eldredge

38. Face to Face with God - Bill Johnson

39. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants - Steven Brooks

40. Moving in the Apostolic - John Eckhardt

41. Expect a Miracle: My Life and Ministry - Oral Roberts

42. You Have Not Many Fathers - Mark Hanby // Excellent book. Been loaning this book since Bible College many years ago. A must read.

43. The Mission of God - Christopher Wright

44. The Remnant - Larry Stockstill

45. Radical the Book - David Platt

46. Rees Howells Intercessor - Norman Grubb

47. The Supernatural Life - Cindy Jacobs

48. The Barbarian Way - Erwin McManus

49. Feed My Sheep - George Warnock // One of my favorite authors. Have all of his books.

50. African Christian Ethics - Samuel Waje Kunhiyop

51. God's Covenant for your Family - Marilyn Hickey

52. Not On Our Watch - John Prendergast, Don Cheadle // Met JP around the time of reading this. This guy is the real deal. He tirelessly works for the rights of Africans.

53. Be a Hero - Campbell & Court // I loved this book. So thankful it came into my hands. 

54. Good News About Injustice - Gary Haugen

55. A Beautiful Kind of Broken - Luke Holter

56. Coins Left Over - Eugene Strite

57. The King James Controversy - J White

58. Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff

59. Reformation of Foreign Missions - Bob Finley // Definitely makes you think. Bob gives this book out free. Get it.

60. Patience and Faith - Keith Butler

61. The Fall Feasts of Israel - Mitch Glaser

62. Africa - Richard Dowden

63. NIV Bible

64. Healing - Father Francis Macnutt // Awesome book.

65. Humility: The Hidden Key to Walking in Signs and Wonders - Mark R. Anderson

66. You're Not Broke You Have a Seed - Leroy Thompson

67. I Believe in Visions - Kenneth Hagin

68. The Order of a Son - Mark Hanby

69. The Ministry of the Saints - Mark Hanby

70. Keys to Heavens Economy - Shawn Bolz

71. Journey into the Miraculous - Todd Bentley

72. The Enough Moment - John Prendergast

73. Dreaming With God - Bill Johnson

74. Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe

75. Prince Caspian

76. Fire and Fragrance - Sean Feucht, Andy Byrd

77. Voyage of the Dawn Treader

78. The Silver Chair

79. The Horse and His Boy

80. The Magician's Nephew

81. The Last Battle

82. Exposition on the Book of Revelation - Kevin Conner // This book was a beast but was worth the read. I don't agree with everything Conner presents in this book but I still got so much out of it. This is another author  whose books I'm always reading.

83. Heavy Rain - Kris Vallotton

84. Moses, the Master, and the Manchild - Kelley Varner // Get every book he's written.

85. Heaven Awaits the Bride - Anna Rountree

86. Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit - John Paul Jackson

87. Crazy Love - Francis Chan

88. Sun Stand Still - Steven Furtick

89. The Laws of Thinking - Bishop E. Bernard Jordan // I actually really liked this book. More of a New Age read though.

90. Taking Over - Eddie Long

91. The Power of Your Life Message - David Crone

92. Corporate Anointing - Kelley Varner // One of the best books I've read.

93. Temple at the Center of Time - David Flynn

94. Is There A Father in the House - Paul Bersche

95. Secret Sources of Power - Tommy Tenney

96. The Prophetic Promise of the 7th Day - Bruce D. Allen // Good book. But having been taught this for so long was hoping for more.

In a couple of weeks I'll post the list of books I read in 2011. That list is much more diverse. If you have a question on any of these books don't hesitate to ask.

The Great Shaking

We are living in a season where a great shaking is taking place in the heavens and the earth. The shaking we are seeing isn't because God is mad or because of some scary end time scenario coming on the scene. The shaking we are seeing is because we are about to see the greatest unveiling of Jesus, the desire of all nations, in the earth! The Church is about to be displayed among the nations. He's going to fill this House with His Glory!

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:6-9

The book of Haggai took place shortly after the Jews came out of captivity in Babylon. In this setting God commanded them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Instead they went about rebuilding their lives. They dwelt in their houses, sowed in their land, ate, drank, and lived life. They said it wasn’t time to build the house of the Lord. The Lord comes to them and tells them to consider their ways. He told them because they neglect his house they sow and do not reap, they drink but don’t have enough, and what they earn they put into a bag with holes. Because of their neglect for the house of the Lord they were living in barrenness and poverty. This sounds like much of the Church today. Many of us are content to come out of the captivity of the world and be saved yet don’t press on to know the Lord. We build nice Churches, have excellent programs, and entertain people all without building His House! Beloved IT IS TIME to build the House of the Lord.

God has done away with physical temples. It was never His intention to dwell in a physical building. He’s looking for a Body in which He can dwell. God dwelt in a tent in the wilderness, then moved to a temple in the Kingdom of Israel, and finally tabernacled among us in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). Today you and I are living stones being built into a spiritual house according to 1 Peter 2:5. We are being built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

We have all heard this verse referring to mansions waiting for us in Heaven. The word for mansions in the Greek is mone and it means abode or dwelling place. It's only other use in the New Testament is in John 14:23 where Jesus says that He and the Father will make their abode with us. I want to suggest to you that the only mansions in Heaven are you and I. You are the mansion of the Lord. God lives in you beloved!

Let's stop looking for a future mansion and be the Mansion. Your citizenship is in Heaven. You are raised and seated with Christ in Heavenly places. You've been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ. There is an open Heaven over you right now! Heaven shouldn't be only a future reality for the Christian, but a very present one. The Kingdom is within you (Luke 17:21).

I hear the Lord saying in this hour to look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh (Luke 21:28)!

This isn't the time to hang our head in defeat. Our greatest hour is upon us. The Lord whom you seek is coming suddenly to His temple! A great shaking is taking place... but the result isn't going to be our destruction. This shaking is what Ezekiel prophesied in Ezekiel 37 where bones come together bone to bone.

A great season of equipping is on us. To equip means to set a broken bone. God is setting broken bones in the body of Christ. He's connecting believers from all walks of life out of every nation and he's releasing the winds of Heaven on them. What we have coming is greater than any upper room Pentecostal experience. We are entering a season of Tabernacles where God is inhabiting a people. A Body is coming together! It's going to be the greatest army the earth has ever witnessed.

In this latter house He will give peace! I'm believing for a greater unity in the body of Christ. We won't speak the same things in this day because of our doctrinal positions or teachings but because we are connected to the Vine Himself. It's His body. Don't settle for anything less than peace in His house.

Times of refreshing are coming from the presence of the Lord. Peter declared in Acts 3 that this is a precursor to the return of Christ. Enlarge the border of your tents and make room because the King of Glory is going to fill His House. The Desire of All Nations is coming!

Look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh.

Restoration is Coming to Your City

This post is from a message I preached ten years ago in Kinshasa. Had I written it today it would have probably came out a lot different. I didn't change any of it for this post. I didn't bother sharing it on Facebook since I shared it there a couple of years back. If it blesses you please share it with someone else. Thanks!

This morning I want to talk to you about restoration because I believe with all of my heart that the Lord is about to restore His Church to a place of power, authority, and purity here in Kinshasa. Today is a new day for the city of Kinshasa and God has called you to make a difference here. You are the ones that God has empowered to reach this city for the glory of God.

We are going to look at a story that took place with the prophet Elijah.

Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" "Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!" The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!" Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth. I Kings 17:17-24

There are many parallels between Elijah and the Church today. Elijah was a mighty prophet that God raised up in a time where God's people were living in mixture. If there was ever a time where the Church has been full of mixture it is today. But, I want to tell you in the name of Jesus that's about to change here in this city.

There are two kinds of prophets. You have prophets of words like Jeremiah, Daniel, and Isaiah. Then you have prophets of action like Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was a prophet of restoration. His ministry focused upon bringing restoration to the people of Israel. Malachi 4:5 says that God will send Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Now we know that John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah. He was a partial fulfillment of that prophecy. But after John the Baptist's ministry we don't see all things restored, so we know that his ministry was just a partial fulfillment. The Elijah ministry speaks of an end time prophetic ministry that the Lord is raising up in the earth to prepare the way for His coming. The Lord is calling you to be a part of that company that moves in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the coming of our Lord.

Here we see a story where the son of a widow woman fell sick and died. Here in this story the son that fell sick and died can speak to us of the testimony of the Church here in Kinshasa. Prior to this woman's son falling sick, this woman and her house were miraculously preserved because she obeyed the Word of the Lord that came to her through Elijah. This woman came into a place of blessing in which the flour and the oil, which she had, didn't run out. Many times your hardest tests will come right after you have received the blessing of the Lord. There was a time when the Church here fell sick and the blessing and testimony was lost. Because of that the Lord is releasing the prophetic ministry of Elijah to recover what has been lost.

This woman lived in the city of Zarephath, which was in Zidon. Zarephath means refining. Have you ever noticed that when the Lord begins to refine us situations come in our life that disturb us? We always want to get out of our refinement process. We say, "Lord, take this affliction our of my life." And the Lord says, "I thought you said, 'do whatever it takes Lord.'" Isaiah 48:10 says, "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." When the Lord refines us he takes us through the furnace. Zidon was the area from where the wicked Queen Jezebel was from. This was the place in which God was going to birth restoration and bring a testimony. Jezebel was one that brought mixture to Israel. The same can be said for the Church here in Kinshasa. She has seen much mixture, but the Lord has chosen this city to be a place for restoration.

We see that this woman couldn't live off of yesterday's blessings. We can't live off of yesterday's revelation, yesterday's blessing, or yesterday's word. We must live off of a fresh revelation, fresh blessing, and a fresh word. Otherwise we will die like this widow woman's son.

So this woman comes to Elijah and says, "Elijah, my son is sick. Why did this happen? Did you do this to call my sin to remembrance?" Many times when we get into a desperate place of need the first thing that the enemy does is tell us that the reason things are going the way they are is because of our sin. What we need to realize is that the Lord is bringing that place of need so that we can have a fresh revelation of Him. Yes, the reason things are the way they are in Kinshasa is because of sin. But, I tell you in the name of Jesus that things are going to change.

Elijah didn't bother answering her questions. He just said to her, "Give me your son." He then took this child and carried him. Part of the prophetic ministry of Elijah is bearing the infirmities of those who are weak. We as a Church need to learn to bear the infirmities of the weak. The Bible says, "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." If we want to see the testimony of the Church change here in Kinshasa then we need to learn to bear one another's burdens. Jesus carried your burden all the way to the cross.

Elijah carried this child up into the loft. So many times when we get into a trying situation instead of going up to the Lord we stay horizontal. What we need to do is go vertical. Bring that one in need into contact with Jesus. Faith begins when we come into contact with the Lord Jesus Christ. As a Church all we need is to come into contact with the Lord and from that place God will raise up His Son in us.

In that place of contact with the presence of the Lord there is a release of life. John 10:10 says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The thief came to this widow woman, stole her blessing, killed her son, and destroyed her dreams. We have seen this same kind of work here in Kinshasa. The enemy has come and tried to steal your blessing, tried to kill the promise, and destroy your testimony in the earth. We have seen much of the power of the enemy here in Kinshasa. They day is coming in which the Lord is going to match that power with the power of His Church. The enemy's day is over here in Kinshasa. Isa. 59:19 declares, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, then the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard." That standard that the Lord is lifting up is the Church. The Lord is raising a standard in the Church.

We see that Elijah took this child into the upper room and cried out to the Lord for his life to come back into him. Prior to this event we have no record of anyone ever being raised from the dead. That didn't stop Elijah from crying out. Just because you may be in a situation in which you have never seen an answer don't let that stop you from crying out to the Lord. Don't limit God. Elijah was one that was persistent in prayer. Many Christians today get to their place of need and just give up when they see no sign of change. What the Lord is saying is ENDURE because I'm about to bring your breakthrough. James 5:16-17 says, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elias was a man just like us, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." Don't give up just because you haven't seen your results yet. The moving of God's Spirit is coming to this city in a greater dimension than what we have ever seen, but we must learn how to pray for it if we truly want it.

As Elijah cried out to the Lord, he stretched himself upon the child three times until his life came in again. This speaks to us of an impartation of life. When we have come to a place of defeat what we need is an impartation of life from the prophetic ministry of Elijah. So Elijah stretched himself three times. Stretch, stretch, stretch, and then the soul of the child came into him again and he revived.

The word stretched in the Hebrew means to measure as with a line. Much of the Church today has fallen sick and died. Much of the Church today doesn't have the strength of the early Church. But the Bible declares that the latter house will have a greater glory than the former. Jesus has been measuring his Church for the last two thousand years to see if His Church has met the standard of His Word, but for the last two thousand years the Church has not. But, the third time Jesus measures His Church her life is going to come into her and she is going to arise. In Luke 13:32 Jesus said, "Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." What did Jesus mean by the third day I shall be perfected? He couldn't have been talking about His death, burial, and resurrection because when He was in the tomb he didn't cast out devils or do cures. So this must have some other meaning. He is the Head and we are the Body. ON the third day the Church is going to rise up into a place where they will fully apply the life of Christ and they are going to rise like this child.

Here in this passage it says that the Lord heard the voice of Elijah. There is something about coming to the Lord with a boldness knowing that you have received what you asked. The Bible says in 1 John 5:15, "If we ask him anything knowing that he hears us, then we have received what we have asked for." God is for you and because of that no one can stand against you, not even the devil himself. Ask God for restoration.

After this miracle was performed Elijah took this child and displayed him to his mother. He didn't just stay there in the upper room rejoicing in what God had done. But he put this child on display. When God restores you don't just keep your restoration to yourself. But display it to the lost. They will begin to come to you and say I want that too. When God has truly touched someone what they have been given from the Lord begins to become contagious. People want what you have. The Lord is bringing a restoration to this Church in Kinshasa. Not so that you can just be blessed but so that you can be put on display to the nations. This woman said, "Now I know that you are a man of God." The nations are going to say, "I know that your God, He is God because of the testimony of the Church of Kinshasa."

This morning you may say I'm in a place much like this widow woman. "God has given me dreams and promises, but it seems like the enemy has stolen them. I'm going through trials like you wouldn't believe. What can I do?" I want to tell you that God is for you and that this desperate situation that you may be in is just an opportunity for God to reveal Himself and give you a testimony. The Lord is going to restore the Church of Kinshasa but he's going to do it one by one and he wants to use you.