Complacency kills.

As I was preparing for this weeks sermon, I came across a story told by Dale Galloway (Rebuild Your Life) that brought tears to my eyes. I hope it shakes you up like it did me:

The phone rang in a high society Boston home. On the other end of the line was a son who had just returned from Viet Nam and was calling from California. His folks were the cocktail-circuit, party kind–drinking, wife swapping, gambling, all the other things that go with it. The boy said to his mother, “I just called to tell you that I wanted to bring a buddy home with me.” His mother said, “Sure, bring him along for a few days.” “But, mother, there is something you need to know about this boy. One leg is gone, one arm’s gone, one eye’s gone, and his face is quite disfigured. Is it all right if I bring him home?”

His mother said, “Bring him home for a few days.” The son said, “You didn’t understand me, mother. I want to bring him home to live with us.” The mother began to make all kinds of excuses about embarrassment and what people would think…and the phone clicked.

A few hours later the police called from California to Boston. The mother picked up the phone again. The police sergeant at the other end said, “We just found a boy with one arm, one leg, one eye and a mangled face, who has just killed himself with a shot in the head. The identification papers on the body say he is your son.”

I pray that we would be people of compassion, who love with actions and not with words only. With a new-found desire for real compassion,
Pastor Pekka

Vital Components of A Miracle Service (part 1)

In Luke 5:17-26 and Mark 2:1-12 we’ll find the story of a paralytic healed by Jesus. The paralyzed man had four friends who wanted to help him by bringing him before Jesus.
In this story we can find the main ingredients of a service where miracles happen by Jesus.

Component # 1 The Presence of Jesus

Mark 2:1″…it was heard that He was in the house.” In present terms this means that we are after the living, tangible, manifested presence of God. This is the ultimate reason of why we gather together and He has promised that He is with us when we gather in His name.

Component # 2 The Presence of The Word

Mark 2:1 “He preached the word to them.” He preached because the word builds up faith in people’s hearts. He preached beacuse the revelation is being imparted through the word. He preached because God’s word is living and active and more powerful than any two edged sword and has a life-transforming power in it. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God.

Component # 3 The Presence of The Miracle-working Power of God

Luke 5:17 “And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” There was the word and there was the anointing to heal and perform miracles – that is a beautiful balance. We need to be sensitive for the flow of the Holy Spirit and we need to distinguish what the Lord wants to do in different settings and services. Sometimes there is the anointing to prophecy and see visions. Sometimes there is the anointing to heal. Sometimes there is the anointing for inner-healing, comfort and consolation. Sometimes there is time for impartation of God’s fire. Sometimes it can be that all these components are present in one service.

The key is that we as ministers of the Gospel have to exercise our faith and dig deeper to the wells of the miracle anointing of the Holy Spirit. We need to have the full manifestation of the Living Christ in the midst of us but it takes somebody to be willing to receive, believe and obey to see miracles today. Are you one of them?

What Do You Need for A Miracle?

Read Acts 3:1-7 The Lame man healed at the gate called Beautiful.

1. Need. The man was poor, unsaved and lame. He had three needs; physical, financial and spiritual ones. When you have a need of any type in your life, that is a foundation for a miracle to take place. When you are in a desperate situation and pushed to the corner, that is a prerequisite for God’s supernatural intervention.
2. Power. Peter confessed that he was not about to fill the lame man’s financial needs but he had means of other sort – the Christ in Me reality to share with the lame. Just couple of hours ago Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit and this reality was flowing in his spirit. He had the Spirit and with the Spirit he had the power. He released that power and miracle took place.
3. Faith. Peter belived and had faith in the healing and miracle working power of Jesus. Verse 16: ” And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Somebody must have faith so that miracles can happen, either the one receiving the miracle or the one working the miracle or both. Faith is the key for the miraculous manifestation of God.
4. Boldness. Faith equals boldness. Faith is action. Faith works. Peter did act upon the stirring of the Spirit and boldly “took him by the right hand and lifted him up”. Bold action is required miracles to take place.
5. The Name of Jesus. This is the most important ingredient of miracles; the authority and person of resurrected son of God, Jesus Christ the King of all kings. In His name miracles happen, demons flee, bondages are broken and bodies are being restored.
Receive your miracle and let the Holy Spirit use you to release a miracle in somebody else’s life today.

The Word for the Year 2010:

I received a road map for the year 2010 by these following words in The New Testament.

1. “Abide In Jesus” John 15:4. The root of your blessed, abundant and successful life in the Lord is in the abiding in Him. Practice his presence by worshiping, praying with other tongues, reading the word and by just listening His gentle voice on daily basis.
2. “Whatever he says to you, do it.” John 2:5. Words spoken by Mary in the wedding in Canaan. When the Lord speaks – just obey and you’ll be blessed. Obey and obey quickly. Listen + Obey = Success.
3. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30. Let Jesus become bigger in you. Let your old carnal mind be crucified with Christ and let the Spirit reign and rule. When he increases, your life is fruitful and blossoming for the glory of God.
4. “Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22. Faith is the key for receiving any promises of God. Faith is the key for you being useful for the Holy Spirit. Faith is the key to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So dare to believe in God for greater things.
5. “Receive the Holy Spirit” John 20:23. Receive His anointing on daily basis and flow with Him. Decide to be full of the Holy Spirit every day in the year 2010.
Summary: Practice His presence. Obey. Let Jesus rule in you. Dare to believe and be filled with the Holy Spirit in 2010.