Prayer for a real Party in Heaven

For the past 10 days Adventists around the world prayed for the inactive church members, and former believers. Today we begin 110 days of reaching out those in our community who have lost touch. As brother Renford Cole led the Prayer devotional last Wednesday night at the North Church he red from Luke 15 three stories about reasons for partying in heaven.

First there is a Shepherd who goes to look for one lost sheep. Verse 7 concludes that heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away! Then there is a woman who uses light to find a coin lost in the house. Verse 10 suggests that there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents. Then the story of a prodigal son, with Father welcoming his return with music and dance celebration (verse 25).

There are three types of lost people: those who need to be found, who on their own cannot find their way back and need a shepherd to help them, those who are lost “in the house,” who fall through the cracks, who are still among the family of faith but are lost inside – they need the light of the Holy Spirit shone in their soul and mind; and there are many who chose to be lost and are capable of choosing to come back, sometimes it takes to hit the rock bottom before they repent. The Trinity story of Shepherd Christ, Light of the Holy Spirit, and Love of the Father shows how broad God’s acceptance is, shows that God uses all means to save those that are lost.

Those who never strayed away and stayed faithful need to join God in his joy for every one who repents, for every one who finds his/her way back. How conscious are we of people around us who are lost and need a guide, who are in a need of teaching and mentoring to bring them back into the fold? How conscious are we of people who are still among us but their spiritual zeal has disappeared? Do we see people in our churches who need the Experience of the Holy Spirit? What about those who come back on their own? How do we treat those who are returning to faith?

You know many who had been at one time members of our church family, you know the youth who are living in London and chose not to come to the church, spending the inheritance of values that their parents placed in their early years, you know people who are coming from Sabbath to Sabbath but are in need of growth, in need of spiritual enlightening – pray for them, call them up, visit them, let them know that we care, individually.

This type of prayer and ministry will result in causing party in heaven, for every renewed person. Think of it this way: you seeking the lost is building God’s Kingdom and throwing celebration party for whole heaven! How about that as a reason for Prayer meetings?

Into the New Year with Prayer

What a marvellous time we had meeting the New Year in Prayer! We stood united, holding hands, praying for a blessing. The time of testimonies and prayer, reviewing the year past, giving thanks to God for his protection and leading – what a way to enter into the New Year.

Some mentioned that the midnight Jan 1^st is just a symbolic marker of time, and it is God’s presence in every moment of our life that is of eternal significance. Very true. Jewish people considered New Year beginning after the Day of Judgment, that vindicated every person and cleaned their record to start afresh. The festivity of the Yom Kippur ushered the new year. People label time, mark time, waste time, and use time. Different cultures meet the New Year at different times; some meet it 8 times in one year (India). In any case, we like the new beginnings, and as the nature goes through cycles so we pause to review where we’ve been and where we are going.

As I opened the London Free Press on the first day of the New Year I saw the local columnist, Ian Gillespie, call the coming year 2008 “the year of the confused.” Sure when we wake up to learn that we are 18^th of 27 large Canadian cities in overall rating, considering lacking doctors and bad air quality, plus being the 82^nd in the country by the traffic management, it’s confusing. But that’s not how I see my time in 2008.

Last year a grass-roots initiative spread like a fire through the world. Operation Global Rain – people praying for the outpouring of the latter rain. This year this initiative grew into Global Rain 360^o starting January 2^nd with 10 days prayer for the former and inactive church members. Hundreds of congregations in around the world are praying until January 11^th interceding for the Holy Spirit to reach those who once were with us.

Then for next 110 days congregations are to go and visit, call, meet and remind those who left that we do care, remember and wait. One of my wishes for the New Year is that no one would be shaken out from among us (Hebrews 12:26-28).

Then May 1-10 another ten days of Prayer will be focused on our church members becoming soul-winners, followed by 110 days of practicing intentional soul winning, culminating in another 10 days of prayer - August 28^th to September 6^th. This time prayer focused upon non-Adventists, followed by 110 days of united and focused outreach.

We live in the city that needs Jesus, where 85% of people – your neighbours never darken the door of a church. Who’s going to take the gospel to them? If we are not ready – let’s pray for readiness.

Vision for our New Year

What are you dreaming of for the New Year? What do you expect in 2008? Recently Adventist News Network asked these questions random Adventist church members. Answers had a lot in common – looking forward to Christ's coming, hoping to spend more time in the New Year introducing Christ to those who do not know him. Reading different responses I am glad to see that most see the New Year as another opportunity to truly embrace God's calling for them to minister to others. I am delighted to read these answers because they represent sentiments in our congregations too. We are looking how we may hasten the Coming of our Lord Jesus.

I am reminded of a vision seen by Ellen G. White in 1904 (Manuscript 102) She writes of it: “Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little. It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world, and crushed large houses. From place to place rose the cry, "The Lord has come! The Lord has come!" Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, "Praise the Lord!"

"Why are you praising the Lord?" inquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction.

"Because we now see what we have been looking for."

"If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?" was the terrible response. "We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us, and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!"

The vision needs no comments. She expressed her emotion in words of this advice: “Every church member is to train the intellect, in order that he may gain a clear understanding of the will of God concerning him; everyone is to educate the voice, that he may communicate a knowledge of the Scriptures to those who are in ignorance. May God help us to stand, like Daniel, in our lot and place during the days of probation that remain.

Parents, teach your children regarding the things that are coming upon the earth, and lead them to prepare to meet their Lord in peace. Gain a knowledge of the Scriptures. Do not fill the head with the nonsense of novels. Brain nerve power is required by those who desire to comprehend the truth so clearly that they can teach it intelligently to others. We have none too much brainpower. Never can we afford to use tobacco, or alcoholic liquors, or any other injurious substance; for we must strive to keep our minds clear for the work of saving souls. The Lord is pleased with those who manifest fervid earnestness in His service. It is the privilege of everyone to cultivate faithfully every God-given power.

In that glad day ... the ransomed ones will exclaim: "Worthy, worthy, is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again, a triumphant Conqueror." What joy the worker will then feel in going to those to whom he has spoken with trembling and in fearfulness--those to whom he has opened the Scriptures and with whom he has prayed, thus balancing their souls on the right side. . . .

These are people next to you at work, in school, on your street. Are you telling them that Jesus is coming back?

Cosmic Christmas

As Christmas rolls around, every year someone is going to say “I don’t believe Christmas,” and they even get upset when church puts on a Christmas dinner, or kids produce a pageant, or the Sabbath before a message and a song is on the theme of Christmas. Regardless how many sermons were preached correcting this wrong attitude, or editorials written about the Spirit of Prophecy endorsement of utilizing Christmas season for witnessing, regardless how loud the corporate guidance is given about our Church’s stand on this – there still will be some who would “grinch” about the season.

It is true we do not know when Jesus was born, we do not know exactly when he was baptized, all look tells us that he was about thirty (Luke 3:23). God knows, for when the time was due (Galatians 4:4), when the Divine Schedule was right Jesus came. All we know is that this event of Christ’s birth was attacked always. The story of Cosmic Christmas, the Big Picture of Christ’s birth is well described in Revelation 12. John witnessed an event of great significance: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head, pregnant, delivering the Baby right in front of the dragon, who had one thing on his mind – to devour the baby as soon as it was born. But thanks God, a baby boy was born who was to rule all nations and later he was caught up to God and to his throne. Through these symbols you can see Herod’s army killing all boys in Bethlehem, you can see devil tempting Jesus in the wilderness, causing all kinds of people to trouble Jesus, and then the cross and the grave. Yet after Christ’s ascension to heaven the dragon did not stop. Now the attack is on the His Remnant.

Christmas is not only about Jesus’ birth, it is also about our new birth, it is about every believer being the remnant of Jesus, of the Seed. It is shocking to read in the London Free Press about a youth killing a 74-year old men delivering Christmas cards in the neighbourhood, just because of hate toward God. It is awful to think that some who say they believe have curiosity to watch movies produced to incite hate to God. Yet in the midst of this adversity we are to remain the Remnant. This season is about us too, remaining the world that the reason there will be a New Year is because of Christmas more than 2000 years ago.

This season you are invited to be His Feet, His Arms, His Hands, His Heart, His Words, His Smile – reaching, healing, teaching, going, loving, caring – for we are the Body of Christ, we are the Remnant of the Baby.

Be merry this Christmas, be remnant this Christmas, be the Christ for each other this season.

Handling the holidays

Preparing for the recent Evangelistic series “What’s the Connection” I worked through the Book of Daniel, and one particular subject served as an excellent object lesson for the final topic “Handling the holidays” – Daniel 6. The story where king is coached to introduce a 30-day long holiday. Daniel just retires to his room and ignores the holiday altogether, simply because he’s got his God-given holidays already. Instead of following the secular trend he prays to God the way he always did.

As the season of many holidays is approaching the pressure is on us to follow the rest of the crowd – eat, shop, stay late, and then pay the price of getting sick, dealing with credit debts, being tired and stressed from holidays. Of course, the holiday season evokes warm thoughts of family gatherings, special times with friends, holiday baking, snuggling by the fire, snowball battles, and more. You know the drill. But, the stressors are many. How will you handle your holidays?

It is interesting to observe that the ancient people of God, the nation of Israel had their holidays as object lessons, having a prophetic significance, pointing out to God’s way of Salvation and the final rest in the Promised land: from Passover to Sukkot. The purpose for holidays was not to get an extra cholesterol, but to remind God’s plan of salvation. In fact they fasted before feasting, repented and humbled themselves before celebrating. There was a deep meaning in their calendar holidays, and in their weekly cycle.

Researchers are puzzled with “Circaseptan Cycles” - a relatively new science of chronobiology uncovering some totally unexpected facts about living things. I quote from Susan Perry and Jim Dawson report in their book The Secrets Our Body Clock Reveal. Mind you these are not Christian scientists, rather secular evolutionists write: "Weekly rhythms are one of the most puzzling and fascinating findings of chronobiology. Circaseptan literally means "about seven." Daily and seasonal cycles appear to be connected to the moon. But what is there in nature that would have caused weekly rhythms to evolve? At first glance, it might seem that weekly rhythms developed in response to the seven-day week imposed by human culture thousands of years ago. However, this theory doesn't hold once you realize that plants, insects, and animals other than humans also have weekly cycles. . . . Biology, therefore, not culture, is probably at the source of our seven-day week."

To a Biblical believing Christian this is not a puzzle – God has created the whole living world in six days and rested on the seventh. Another scientists, the world's foremost authority and the pioneer of the science of chronobiology Franz Halberg proposes that “body rhythms of about seven days, far from being passively driven by the social cycle of the calendar week, are innate, autonomous, and perhaps the reason why the calendar week arose in the first place." What a bombshell! God tuned everything living so that it needs the Holy Day every seven days. We call it Sabbath.

So, as you face the holidays, remember that the best way to handle it is – live your normal live on God’s schedule – work six days and on the seventh come to celebrate the promise of the ultimate holiday – the real REST in the new heaven and earth.