Give Thanks with Me…. Dar Graças Comigo

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give-thanks

The day was January 3, 1969

I was in the Air Force with orders for Vietnam. My life up to that day had been increasingly filled with drugs and alcohol abuse. I had been watching my life slip farther and farther away, but I had no power to stop the slide.

My friend from High School, Mark McPherson had written to me about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and my response was, “I’m glad you found something that works for you, but that’s not my thing,”  But January 3, 1969 found me headed for his house in San Jose, California… just for a quick visit. I was on my way home to my parent’s house in Palos Verdes, in Southern California. I was planning only about a ten minute visit. After all, we didn’t have that much in common any more. He had his faith, I had my drugs, and booze. I was coming from a time with friends in Sacramento, California where I was on drugs or alcohol most of the time.

All I had was Mark’s address in San Jose. I had no map, so at the first San Jose exit off the freeway, I pulled into a gas station to ask directions. To my amazement, when I asked how to get to that address, the attendant said, “oh, that’s easy! Just go to the next light, take a left turn, take another left turn and you are there.”  I thought that was rather strange… little did I know I was being set up by the God of the universe! Mark told me years later that when he saw me walking up to his house, the Lord spoke t him and said, “Don’t let him leave until he knows where he is going.”

That planned ten minutes ended being the entire day. Mark was faithful to what the Lord spoke to him, and faithfully witnessed the love of God to me over and over again. We had lunch together, and he talked about a personal relationship with God. All through the afternoon. Over dinner, he faithfully answered my questions and continued to share about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross for me.

That night, about eight in the evening, while waiting to see a movie, sitting in my 1969 Triumph Spitfire,  spitfire1he asked me the ultimate question… “Are you ready?” I said yes, and prayed right there, asked the Lord to forgive my sins and make me a new person in Christ. There was no big flash of light, but the lifting of the burdens on my heart was immediate and profound. The desires for drugs and alcohol were immediately gone, and never returned.

My time in Vietnam turned out to be a time of rapid spiritual growth thanks to the img080ministry of then, Overseas Christian Servicemen’s Centers, now called Cadence International. I was baptized in April of 1969 in the South China Sea off the coast of Nha Trang, Vietnam.

vietnam-baptismEach year, on January 3, I take time to remember the power of a faithful witness, THANKS AGAIN, MARK! and the power of God to transform a life. This year, 2013 marks my 45th spiritual birthday, and I am eternally grateful to God for His grace and mercy, and how over these past 45 years, He has been faithful in every way. I would never go back, and count myself among those most blessed by God’s amazing love. I have never doubted for a moment since that night that I have a personal relationship with Him. Since that day 45 years ago, my only desire has been to serve Him in whatever way He has directed me.  As Pastor, Bible Teacher, Prayer Ministry leader, I have only one desire.. that on that day when I stand before Him,

I will hear the words, “Well done, Steve! Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

I invite you to give thanks with me to God for His love, and mercy and grace that sent His Son to die on the cross for you and me, rose from the dead to conquer death, and ascended to heaven, and one day He will return for us.  If you do not have a personal relationship God in this way, feel free to contact me, I’d love to share with you how Jesus can transform your life, and give you a personal relationship that is for all eternity.

Thanks for sharing this Spiritual Birthday with me….  The Adventure Continues….

…till next time…

 

 

 

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Lessons from my Accident – part 1

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On Sunday, October 27th, in our church, I opened the prayer time by running down the isle of the church saying, “The Word of God is Running!” based upon 2 Thess. 3:1, Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you.

 

On Tuesday, October 29th, as I was riding my bicycle home, I was struck by a hit and run motorcycle driver. The accident left me with a severely fractured tibia, and assorted contusions and bruising. I was taken to the local trauma hospital here in Joao Pessoa, Brazil.

What follows are some reflections on things the Lord has been speaking to me about this incident, and lessons for myself and all of us.

WHY?

It is the most common response, and the least answered question in times of tragedy and pain… “why?”  Because God made us as rational beings, with reasoning powers, our first tendency when faced with overwhelming circumstances is to ask why. What caused this to happen to me? Or my loved one? Did they do something wrong? Is this a result of some sin or poor choice?  The best response to these kinds of question is found in the incident with the man born blind in John 9:1-5. Jesus response to the question of why by the disciples was to point them to the work of God, and the power of God at work in the man’s life.

Certainly being hit by a motorcycle and fracturing my tibia and being laid up for weeks of recovery was not something I ever thought would happen to me.

head - smAnd, to be honest there were those times when I asked that unanswerable question of why. Why now? Why me? Why here in a foreign country so far from everything familiar? What’s happening to my life?

But in the midst of the confusion and the tragedy, God was showing that He was in the midst of the situation. My fiancé, Crizelania was on the scene almost immediately, and became my life giving advocate. The pastor of the church was there to help and to advocate at the hospital, members of the church  became involved and were touched by how God was working in the midst of this difficulty.

kika2-smPersonal stories were written on the hearts of those who got close to our experiences. God was showing up and working, and as Jesus said to His disciples… so the power of God might be seen in him.

This saga is not yet finished. God has spoken to our hearts that He can use this for His glory on into the future. When I came to Brazil, it was with the call of Psalm 71:17-21 on my life. Verses 17 – 18 say: O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

One of the things the Lord spoke to me after the accident as I was reviewing this call on this season of my life, was that God reserves the right to decide HOW that will be fulfilled. His calling is still in effect, and He can decide how he wants to demonstrate that power in and through us. Our part is to be a willing vessel.

I do not know if,  in the Lord’s presence He will explain to us the “why’s” of our lives. But I suspect that when we are there in His presence, we will no longer have a need to understand why, because He will be all the answer we need.

’till next time…

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A Response to the Current State of American Affairs…

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A Response to the Current State of American Affairs…

manI have been, as many of your have been, watching the current horrific actions of our national leaders centering around the partial government shutdown and the debate over raising the debt limit. I have been appalled at the petty actions to hurt the American people, and American Veterans by denying access, and even arresting those who cross barriers to national monuments, and denying people access to their own homes or businesses if they happen to be on federal lands.

I have to confess my total outrage and disgust at the pettiness that is being shown on so many levels, and on many different sides of our society today.

My heart is broken for our society in these days, where at a school in Washington State, balls are banned from the playground because they might harm students, and the NSA spying issues, the lack of leadership and the list can go on, and on.

I have to confess also, that I have found myself being caught up into a sense of hopelessness for a time… a negativity that we have seen the last gasps of our great republic. I had thoughts that I have lived to see the descent of The United States of America into a form of government that was never intended by our founding fathers, and that most of us so not want, but have not stood up to defend.

But God…

Those are the words that I was reminded of out of that pit of hopeless thinking. I was reminded that this is a perfect time, and a perfect opportunity for the church to respond in an appropriate manner… in the manner that has, in the past brought great awakenings to our country.

I think many American Christians today are not aware of the writings and teachings of the revival historian Dr. J. Edwin Orr.

In a speech called, “The Role of Prayer in Spiritual Awakening,” Dr. Orr describes the conditions in the colonies prior to the First Great Awakening. This is what  he writes:

Not many people realize that in the wake of the American Revolution there was a moral slump. Drunkenness became epidemic. Out of a population of five million, 300,000 were confirmed drunkards; they were burying fifteen thousand of them each year. Profanity was of the most shocking kind. For the first time in the history of the American settlement, women were afraid to go out at night for fear of assault. Bank robberies were daily occurrence. What about the churches? The Methodists were losing more members than they were gaining. The Baptists said that they had their most wintry season. The Presbyterians in general assembly deplored the nation’s ungodliness. In a typical Congregational church, the Rev. Samuel Shepherd of Lennox, Massachusetts in sixteen years had not taken one young person into fellowship. The Lutherans were so languishing that they discussed uniting with Episcopalians who were even worse off. The Protestant Episcopal Bishop of New York, Bishop Samuel Provost quit functioning; he had confirmed no one for so long that he decided he was out of work, so he took up other employment. The Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall, wrote to the Bishop of Virginia, James Madison, that the Church “was too far gone ever to be redeemed.” Voltaire averred, and Tom Paine echoed, “Christianity will be forgotten in thirty years.”

Take the liberal arts colleges at that time. A poll taken at Harvard had discovered not one believer in the whole of the student body. They took a poll at Princeton, as much more evangelical place; they discovered only two believers in the student body, and only five that did not belong to the filthy speech movement of that day. Students rioted. They held a mock communion at Williams College, and they put on anti-Christian plays at Dartmouth. They burned down the Nassau Hall at Princeton. They forced the resignation of the president of Harvard. They took a Bible out of a local Presbyterian church in New Jersey, and burned it in a public bonfire.

Christians were so few on campus in the 1790’s that they met in secret like a communist cell, and kept their minutes in code so that no one would know.

In case this is thought to be the hysteria of the moment, Kenneth Scott Latourette, the great church historian, wrote: “It seems as if Christianity was about to be ushered out of the affairs of men.” The churches had their backs to the wall, [highlights mine] seeming as if they were about to be wiped out. How did the situation change? It came through a concert of prayer.

Dr. Orr goes on to describve how people began to gather in concerted gatherings of prayer, and in response to concerted, humble, desperate prayer, God responded with what we now call the First Great Awakening.

The Word of God is always true in every fluctuation of society, and when He says:

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and prayer and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land – 2 Chronicles 7:14

It is a promise we can count on today…

Are things terrible in our country today? Yes, on many levels. Does any of this catch God by surprise? Not at all! Is any of this beyond His ability to bring revival and transformation to our country? Not in the least.

The question is, what will my response be? What will our response be? Will we wring our hands in fear? or will we pound our fists in anger? or will we get on our knees and humble ourselves and confess that we as the people of God have been part of the problem? Will we cry out to Him in concerted, humble, desperate prayer? Or will we hold on to our own sins and pride, blame everyone else, and watch thigns continue to crumble before our eyes?

I am not claiming to be a prophet, but I know the Scriptures are true, and I know the testimony of history. If we will respond as God directs us, He will be faithful to answer us, as surely as the sun rises in the morning (Hosea 6:1-3).

Now is the time for the church to unite in humble, desperate,  united prayer for our nation. Turn off CNN, and Fox News, yes and even Facebook, and gather in prayer with other believers and petition God for the salvation of our nation. It is not too late. The Lord awaits our response.

This is my plea to believers wherever you are…start now… Dont’ let up until He answers with power in  your life, in your family, in  your city, in our nation…

praying man

Cry out for mercy, for revival, for transformation.

Even so, Come! Lord Jesus!

Humbly submitted,

Steve Loopstra

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A response to the current state of American affairs…

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A response to the current state of American affairs….

I have been, as many of you have been, watching the current horrific actions of our national leaders centering around the partial government shutdown, and the debate over raising the debt limit.  I have been appalled at the petty actions to hurt the American people by denying access, and even arresting those who cross barriers to national monuments, and denying people access to their own homes if they happen to be on federal land.

I have to confess my total outrage and disgust at the pettiness that is being shown on so many levels.

My heart is broken for our society in these days, where at a school in Washington state, balls are banned because they might harm students, and the NSA spying issues, the lack of leadership, and the list can go on and on .

I have to confess too, that I found myself being caught up on a sense of hopelessness for a time… a negativity that we have seen the last gasps of our great republic.  I had thoughts that I would live to see the descent of The United States of America into a form of government none of us wanted, but none of us stood up to protest.

But God…

Those are the words that I was reminded of out of that pit of hopeless thinking.  I was reminded that this is a perfect time, a perfect opportunity for the church to respond in the appropriate manner, in the manner that has, in the past brought great Awakenings to our country,

I think many Americans today are not aware of the writings and teachings of the revival historian, Dr. J. Edwin Orr.

In a speech called “The Role of Prayer in Spiritual Awakening,” Dr. Orr describes the conditions in the colonies prior to the First Great Awaking. This is what he writes:

 Not many people realize that in the wake of the American Revolution there was a moral slump. Drunkenness became epidemic. Out of a population of five million, 300,000 were confirmed drunkards: they were burying fifteen thousand of them each year. Profanity was of the most shocking kind. For the first time in the history of the American settlement, women were afraid to go out at night for fear of assault. Bank robberies were a daily occurrence. What about the churches? The Methodists were losing more members than they were gaining. The Baptists said that they had their most wintry season. The Presbyterians in general assembly deplored the nation’s ungodliness. In a typical Congregational church, the Rev. Samuel Shepherd of Lennox, Massachusetts in sixteen years had not taken one young person into fellowship. The Lutherans were so languishing that they discussed uniting with Episcopalians who were even worse off. The Protestant Episcopal Bishop of New York, Bishop Samuel Provost, quit functioning: he had confirmed no one for so long that he decided he was out of work, so he took up other employment. The Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall, wrote to the Bishop of Virginia, James Madison, that the Church “was too far gone ever to be redeemed.” Voltaire averred, and Tom Paine echoed, “Christianity will be forgotten in thirty years.”

Take the liberal arts colleges at that time. A poll taken at Harvard had discovered not one believer in the whole of the student body. They took a poll at Princeton, a much more evangelical place: they discovered only two believers in the student body, and only five that did not belong to the filthy speech movement of that day. Students rioted. They held a mock communion at Williams College; and they put on anti-Christian plays at

Dartmouth. They burned down the Nassau Hall at Princeton. They forced the resignation of the president of Harvard. They took a Bible out of a local Presbyterian church in New Jersey, and burned it in a public bonfire.

Christians were so few on campus in the 1790s that they met in secret, like a communist cell, and kept their minutes in code so that no one would know.

In case this is thought to be the hysteria of the moment, Kenneth Scott Latourette, the great church historian, wrote: “It seemed as if Christianity were about to be ushered out of the affairs of men.” The churches had their backs to the wall, [highlights mine] seeming as if they were about to be wiped out. How did the situation change? It came through a concert of prayer

Dr. Orr goes on to describe how people began to gather in concerted gatherings of prayer, and in response to concerted, humble, desperate prayer, God responded with what we now call the First Great Awakening.

The Word of God is always true in every fluctuation of society, and when He says,
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

It is a promise we can count on.

Are things terrible in our country right now? Yes, on many levels. Does any of this catch God by surprise? Not at all. Is any of this beyond His ability to bring revival and transformation? Not in the least.

The question is, what will my response be? What will our response be? Will be wring our hands in fear, or pound our fists in anger, or will be get on our knees and humble ourselves and confess that we as the people of God have been part of the problem? Will be cry out to him in concerted, humble, desperate prayer? Or will we hold on to our own sins and pride and watch things continue to crumble before us?

I am not a prophet, but I know the Scriptures are true, and I know the testimony of history. If we will respond as God directs us, He will be faithful to answer us.

Now is the time for the church to unite in humble desperate prayer for our nation. Turn off Fox News, and CNN, yes, and even Facebook, and gather in prayer with other believers and petition God for the salvation of our nation. It is not too late. The Lord awaits our response.

This is my plea to believers wherever  you are… start now…. Don’t let up until He answers with power in your life, in your family, in your city, in our nation.

Even so, Come! Lord Jesus…in revival power.

humbly submitted,

Steve Loopstra

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Some Personal Thoughts on Saving and Spending…. It’s NOT what you think

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Some Personal Thoughts on Saving and Spending…. It’s NOT what you think

piggy bankI’ve been thinking a lot lately about the subject of saving and spending. Most people my age (65, and very happy to be here!!) are looking at collecting Social Security, dipping into the 401K and enjoying the retirement life. Granted, today’s economy makes it a lot more difficult than it was when my parents retired, but that is sort of the normal “season of life” thing that you do when you get to be my age.

But I told you this is not what you think… sure, I’m starting to make plans to utilize my Social Security and retirement ( a very, very small plan), but that is not what I have in mind when I talk here about saving and spending. You see, Jesus used this kind of terminology in Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24 and 17:33.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  –  Matthew 16:24-26 (NKJV)

In all three gospel accounts, Jesus is not talking about money but our lives. He is talking about what we spend our lives on; whether we have a mentality to hold on to our lives – saving, or spend our lives for Him and the Gospel.

Jesus makes it very clear that if we have a mentality to hold on to our lives, we lose. If we spend our lives, we win. So, I want to share with you what I have been thinking about saving and spending in this context.

I have been in ministry in some form or another for nearly 40 years. I am 65 years old. There are those who would say that at this age, I would deserve to settle back a bit, retire, and enjoy a more laid back lifestyle. Ministry? Sure in some less demanding form… part time ministry, and more time fishing, or painting, and taking it easy. I have thought about that. And I know friends who have at this point in life been on many varied points on this scale. Some have retired from ministry and are enjoying the fruit of their retirement. Others, some variation of continued ministry and retirement. Sounds nice, I have to admit. And don’t get me wrong… there is nothing wrong with that, I’m not criticizing anyone. I’m reflecting to you my own thoughts.

That would be what I call the “saving” aspect of my meditations. Now, here is the “spending” aspect, and how I have been thinking. Jesus tells us of another aspect of this that have been an exceptionally strong motivation for me in my ministry and life. It is found in Matthew 25: 14-29 and Luke 19:11-27 in what is known as the parable of the faithful stewards.

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ – Matthew 25:23 (NKJV)

One thing in these parables is branded into my heart, mind, and soul. I want to hear on that day (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10), from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ, those words; Well done, Steve!! Enter into the joy of  your Lord.  No other reward could be as sweet. No effort too much in order to hear those words from my Lord Jesus.

judgment seatHere I am in Brazil. A crazy adventure that the Lord actually invited me on, in December of 2011 in what I would describe as a dream or vision. Even here, people ask me if I am going to retire. Well, yes and no. I will draw the monies that are mine in order to live here, and hopefully some support from those who believe in this ministry, but that is only a means to an end.

I want to spend my life. I want to spend my life on others. I want to spend my life pouring into others whatever little the Lord can allow me to spend so that they will love the Lord more, desire to serve Him more, and that they might here those words, “Well done.” I do not know how long the Lord will give me here on this earth. None of us know that for sure. My wife’s life was cut short, but she is now enjoying the joys of heaven. I am here, and I want to spend my life giving into the lives of others, so that on that day, I will know those precious words of my Lord Jesus. It looks at this point, that that kind of spending may take a very radical look. A kind of spending that most people would not expect at my age, or maybe understand. I have thought and prayed a lot about this. I could take a different road. But I believe the Lord would have me choose the “road less traveled.” The road to spend myself into the lives of others.

path of life2It will not be easy. It is not the “norm,” but then again… when have I ever done anything according to the “norm?” It will be demanding and tiring at times. But I actually get excited thinking about being able to pour my life into others in a way that could affect them for eternity. My guess is that you will be hearing more about this in the months to come.

Have you given much thought to this subject of saving and spending? Have you considered allowing the Lord to use you to spend your life for others, and shunning saving the last years for yourself? The Lord has a plan for each of our lives, and we need to discover what that is, but the words of Jesus echo through my being, and I long to hear them on that day, Well done, Steve!! Enter into the joy of your Lord.   May God guide you as you pray about and consider saving and spending.

“till next time…

 

 

 

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Wanted: Theolgians

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Wanted:  Theologians

As you read this title, you might be thinking of excluding yourself. After all, you are not a theologian. That is someone who has gone to seminary, and studied for years and is an expert in religion.

theologians

But wait… before you leave the room. Let me remind you of who we are REALLY looking for here.

The Webster online Dictionary defines Theologian this way: one who specializes in Theology

They further define Theology as: the study of God and of God’s relation to the world

A Theologian, simply put, is someone who studies the nature and character of God  and how He relates to this world and it’s people. Theology is simply, the study of God.

Does that sound a bit like the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 – 11? that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead (NKJV).

We need theologians in the church… NO! I am not saying everyone needs to go to seminary… please no!!  But, I am saying we need more people who give themselves over diligently to the study of the nature, character, and ways of God. We need people who are growing in their knowledge of God.

bible fire

We do not need people who are studied in religious systems and theological debates. We need people who are growing in a personal knowledge of the Living God!

Why? Why is this important for you? What difference does it make? Friend, it makes all the difference in the world!  And here is why:

If you are not a theologian, a person who is growing and learning the person and character of God, you will not know how to handle the challenges, and storms of life. You will be tossed about as a dingy in a hurricane. You will be left to try to figure things out by your own perception, and that is a sure formula for failure, depression and wrong thinking.

I HATE using myself as an illustration here, but for the sake of this point, I am going to use my own experience to make the point. Two years ago, my wife, Marilou was in a hospital in the Seattle, Washington area, and finally being given the news from an oncologist that she had stage 4 cancer of the pancreas that had spread to the liver. There was no cure, no treatment except to relieve pain. The doctor said we had, at the outside, two to three months. Thirteen days later, she left this life.

My experience is not unique. Many people have travelled that road. I know of a friend whose wife died in a similar fashion. His response was to retreat into his home, avoid contact with others, gain weight and start drinking to mask the pain.

But if we are a theologian, one who knows and seeks to understand the character of God, we will know that our God is a God who gives strength, hope, and a future to those who grieve. I sure did, and continue to grieve the loss of my wife. But because I am convinced that God is who He says He is in His Word, I decided I would step out into the new territory of His character. He invited me on a new adventure, and today I am experiencing new dimensions of Him that I would never had known if I had not decided many years ago to be a theologian.

Are you a theologian? Are you actively seeking to learn more and experience more of the character and personhood of God? Is your life dedicated, as Paul’s was, to “know him?”

glory to godBecoming a theologian will prepare you to be able to weather, and be victorious over any circumstance that this life may throw your way. And you and I both know this life on earth can be difficult. I urge you to decide today to become a theologian. It’s the greatest decision you can make because you will find in Him, a treasure trove of grace, and love, and mercy, and hope, and so much more that you can apply to your everyday life.

 The church, and this world needs more theologians!

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Why Should We Care?

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Why Should we care?

The other day, a friend on Facebook asked a very good question. “Why is it important to us what is happening in Egypt and Brazil?” She was speaking specifically regarding the public demonstrations that have been taking place in these countries (and others by the way).

FireShot Screen Capture #009 - '‫والله اروع فيديو رأيته عن ثورة مصر 25 يناير __ هايبكيك‬‎ - YouTube' - www_youtube_com_watch_v=sNVsvEo46YY

I asked if I could have some time to put together a response. These are my thoughts. Certainly not complete, or exhaustive, and others may have better answers, but perhaps here is the beginning of a discussion.

 

 Why is it important to us what is happening in Egypt and Brazil? ( and other countries)

  1.)   God cares about the nations.

The Scriptures are full of the evidence of God’s heart that the nations know Him as Lord. Psalm 2:7-8 (NLT) states: The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. The condition and the destiny of nations matters to our God, and by implication, they should matter to us. God’s puGod painting the earthrpose for Israel was not isolationism, but that through them, the nations would know that He is God. As the nations observed their submission to the Lordship of God in their nation, other nations would be drawn to them, but also they were to be emissaries for Jehovah to the nations. God cares about nations because nations are made up of people, people for whom Jesus died on the cross and rose in resurrection power. We should care what happens in other countries because God cares what happens in other countries. The Old and New Testaments speak about the conditions, and activities of nations, and God’s responses. But His heart is always toward redemption and restoration to Himself. We should care about what happens in other countries because God cares enough about nations to set their boundaries (Acts 17:26). We care about nations because God continues to care about these nations.

2.)   We are to understand the times in which we live.

Jesus chided the Pharisees because they were not aware of the times that they were living in… the time of the Messiah…in Matthew 16:2-3 (NLT) He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!

I am among those who believe that we are living very near to the return of the Lord Jesus. It would be unwise and even disobedient, according to Jesus admonition, for us to not try to be aware of the times in which we live. The “end times” involves the nations of the world that will be in turmoil. Or look at it from another perspective. Luke tells us about two people, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2) who were so in tune with the Spirit of God and the times in which they lived, that they were privileged to greet and pray over the young Messiah. I personally believe that we as believers need to be keenly aware of the times in which we live, and be ready at all times to share the hope of the Gospel with the world around us. And, be prepared for the imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. clock Jesus taught us this as well in Matthew 24 and other passages. Peter asks the question in 2 Peter 3:11, as we are aware of the future of this world, what manner of people ought we to be? A question that perhaps is not asked enough in these days. And a question that is relevant to this discussion.

3.)   We can make a difference through prayer.

History is replete with the accounts of how the informed intercession of God’s people has made a difference in the history of nations. There are many books that give us examples of this. One of the classics is “Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting” by Derek Prince. One chapter in his book is entitled, “Seeing History Shaped Through Prayer.” In other words, we are not helpless victims in the stream of history. Many events in history have been turned around in answer to the prayers of God’s people. Time does not allow sharing these here, but they are plentiful. We are called to be active participants in the history of nations, and peoples. This was true in Scripture as well, Think of Abraham, Jeremiah, and Daniel only to name a few who through prayer changed the course of nations. praying man This is not triumphalism, but it is realizing the power of prayer and intercession that God has placed in our hands to bring glory to His Name, and people into His Kingdom. The many stories of transformation and healing of the land that The Sentinel Group have documented are further evidence that God calls us to be agents of transformation through prayer, intercession and our lives in the world in which we live. Passivity is not a virtue in the Kingdom of God.

4.)   It allows us to be touched by the heart of God for people.

To watch the people on the streets, whether in Brazil, Egypt or the many other countries that are in this time in chaos, reminds me of the words of Joel 3:14 (NKJV) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.    I earnestly believe that the heart of God aches and is broken for those who are in that valley of decision… believing there is no hope, or believing that the only hope is in a political figure, or institution, or in the power of the state, or any other of a number of false gods that people are grasping for in these days. If we are truly in touch with the heart of God, our hearts too will be broken for the lostness of men in our day, and that will motivate us toward taking the Gospel of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ to them by any means possible.  missionsThe promise of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:14 (NLT) is, And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. We are to go into all the world with the Gospel and reach every nation and hasten the coming of the King of Kings. If we are in touch with the heart of God as we see those scenes from this current turmoil, our hearts will be moved to pray, and give and go for the sake of the commission He has given to us, and the sake of His Kingdom.

These thoughts are surely not exhaustive, but I trust they will stimulate our thought about how we view the images that confront us of the world and times in which we live. These are indeed challenging days. It would be easy for us to want to isolate ourselves from the nonsense, violence, chaos, and confusion that is all around us, yet we are called to be salt and light in this world, not to hide our light under a cover. There are two verses that I find very interesting, especially in these days. This is not to say I believe we are in the Tribulation period, I do not, but Revelation 13:10 and 14:12 describes that in that time of trouble the saints will be characterized by patience and faith. looking

I believe we are approaching those days, and we are also called to exhibit those same characteristics in our world… patience and faith. Placing ourselves in the Hands of God and believing Him to carry us and direct us how to live in our present world. May God grant  us each one, His patience and faith by the power of His Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Even so, Come, Lord Jesus…

Steve Loopstra

 

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Taking a Look at 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Another “If-Then” passage

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Taking a Look at 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Another “If-Then” passage

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Probably one of the most familiar of the Biblical “If-Then” passages is 2 Chronicles 7:14:

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) … if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

And perhaps our familiarity with this passage makes it more important to look at this more carefully. Especially in the light of where our country seems to be headed.

 A Question:  Let me pose a question here. Given the assumption that the Word of God is true, and the precepts upon which this verse if founded are true. In other words, when God says that if we will do the “If’s,” He will do the “Then’s,”  why do we not see more “Then’s?” We have all been in plenty of prayer meetings where this verse has been prayed out and used to plead with God, or convince God to come and heal our land. But if so much pleading is happening, why are we not seeing more answers? Why are we not seeing more divine response to our pleading of this promise?

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If God is true to His Word, and I am coming from the assumption that He always is, then the fault must lie with our “If’s.” We are not correctly understanding what our part is. Or we are misapplying what our responsibilities are. And the reality is, that there are numbers and numbers of examples where this verse has been lived out, and God has answered with divine fire of revival, and transformation. The Sentinel Group has been documenting such cases for years. And they continue.

So, if the fault lies with us, and it always does, what must we do, what must we understand in order for us to experience the forgiveness, and healing that God promises? We do not have time to go in depth here, but let’s look at each part of the “If’s.”

 If my people who are called by my Name – This group of people is not just “anybody.” These are not simply “church people.” For there are, unfortunately, lots of people in our churches who do not truly have a personal, redeemed relationship with the Lord. Those who are called by His Name, are the ones who are not simply church members, but those who through genuine faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, paid the penalty of sin once for all, have become the children of God through faith in Christ’s finished work. These are those who have the authority to do the “If’s” in this verse. And those who know they are called by His Name have the responsibility to take that authority seriously.

praying man

 Will humble themselves –   We can get all tangled up in talking about what “humbling ourselves” means, but the bottom line is simply that there are no more excuses, no more self-justification, no more wiggle room. We are the reason that our society, our land is so messed up. It is our sin that is the source of the dysfunction in our society. Oh sure, that is not to take away from the effects of the lives of the unsaved. Sin has had and continues to have a devastating, and debilitating effect on every area of society. However, we cannot run away or hide from the fact that when the people of God are living righteously, and with the wisdom, grace, and love of God flowing in and through their lives, those affects are greatly mitigated, and the presence of God is invited into a community resulting in revival of the Church, and transformation of society at every level.

 And Pray – Ask anyone who is living in, or has lived in a time of revival and transformation and they will tell you that what came was the result not of casual, convenient prayer, but of intense, soul wrenching, agonizing, persistent intercession. It is not my intention to do a teaching on intercession here, but I believe that we do not understand well all the dimensions of what this entails. We can tend to be one dimensional in our praying for revival and transformation, when in reality this will take on many forms … which I believe reflects the multi-faceted heart of our God. There are times for bold and forceful storming of the gates of heaven, and there are times when the weight of the sin before us relegates us to silent, desperate weeping before His Holy Throne. There are times of individual intercession, and (this is the most difficult part) corporate prayer that calls for us to set aside our church, denominational, and other preferences for the sake of the greater desire to see God come to our cities, and our countries. This is broken, desperate, peristant prayer that keeps on praying UNTIL God answers.

pleasure of His presence

 seek my face – A short summary would be that the “Face of God” represents His presence, and the completeness of His Personhood … in other words all that He is. His completeness for every area of our lives. To seek the Face of God means that we have adopted the heart attitude that we cannot live another day without His manifest presence in our midst. It does not mean hiding off in a monastery somewhere, but it does mean that we seek His Presence in every area, and in every situation of our lives. Every part of our lives is submitted to His Lordship and His Presence there without exception. A complete abandonment to the desire to have Him present in our home, in our work, in our schools, in our private times, in our family times, in our churches, in our government, in our arts and entertainments. In every aspect of life we hunger for His deeper presence.

 turn from their wicked ways – True repentance, is not just a few words spoken out in a time of emotional outburst. True repentance is a change of lifestyle and habit patterns. Giving up of “pet” vices, and a recognizing of what are idols in our lives. Ancient Israel was constantly erecting idols of worship… the Lord called this spiritual prostitution. We are greatly deficient in recognizing the idols in our own lives. And of course one of our excuses is that the Lord wants us to “have fun.” Indeed, the Lord gave Israel many feasts and talked a lot about the joy of His presence, but He did not tolerate those things that they turned to “first,” or that they “substituted” for worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. Paul makes clear in 1 Corinthians that those things will be different for each of us. That is why it is so important for us to be willing to be instructed by the Lord in what He sees as idols in our lives, in our families, in our churches, in our society. Then we must completely turn from those things, putting them in their proper place, and making a change of lifestyle that reflects true repentance by walking it out in a different lifestyle guided by His Holy Spirit.

if

 “IF” we will give ourselves to our part… God, who is the ever faithful One, will keep His part of the equation. Do we truly want revival and transformation in our lives, our churches, our families, our society? The choice is before us. If we will…. He will…

He only waits upon us….

 

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“If then’s to pay attention to…”

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“If… Then’s” to pay attention to…

In the next few weeks, I thought it would be good to look at some of the “If…then” statements in Scripture. And there are plenty of them. We will not be exhaustive here, but rather some that I hope will be instructive, and encouraging to our faith. Things that will strengthen us to continue to seek His Face, and love Him with all our heart and soul and strength and mind.

 

Since the Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 11:10, Proverbs 1:7, and Proverbs 9:10), let us begin to look at some of the “If…then’s” related to wisdom and the fear of the Lord.

I want to focus primarily in this session on Proverbs 2: 1- 11. Of course, all of proverbs could be considered an “If… Then” but for this session let’s look at what this passage has to tell us about wisdom.

wisdomLet’s begin by looking at the “If” statements as they appear in the New King James Version. We will look at the meaning of the words as we go along.

 “If’s”

 Verse 1: My son, if you receive my words,

And treasure my commands within you

Verse 2: incline your ear to wisdom

And apply your heart to understanding;

Verse 3: if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding

Verse 4: If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures

 Active verbs here:

Receive – to capture, keep, acquire, or buy

Treasure –  to hide, store up or save

Incline –  to listen carefully, pay attention, to obey. paying close attention to something,
Apply –  to turn, to show love, inclining one’s heart

Cry out –  to call, or to summon

Lift up –  to put, or place something

Seek –  to seek after something, try to obtain

Search – to track down, to search with mind and imagination

 Objects:  the Word of the Lord, Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge

 “Then’s”

 Verse 5: Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,

And find the knowledge of God.

Verse 6:For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Verse 7: He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
Verse 8: He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

Verse 9: Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.
Verse 10: When wisdom enters your heart,

And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

Verse 11: Discretion will preserve you;

Understanding will keep you,

Conclusions:     What we see in these verses is the promise that if we will give ourselves to search out God’s Word, capture it in our hearts and minds, treasure and keep it, and obey it, That is, we are truly wise when we reverentially submit our lives to God in obedience to His commandments. Then we will have a knowledge of God, and a fear of the Lord that will give us wisdom and understanding that will be a shield to our lives, give us understanding of how to handle ourselves in life’s situations, and preserve us on our life’s path.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me! It’s a true promise from the Lord for our lives. If we will apply ourselves in this way to His Word and His ways, then He promises us the wisdom and knowledge to walk through life under His protection and shield. He will preserve us, and we will learn to walk in wisdom, and equity in all of lifes up’s and down’s. It doesn’t mean we won’t have troubles, but His wisdom will assure us that He will preserve our path through whatever comes our way.

Worth seeking out? Worth pursuing?  It is indeed, we must seek for it with the same kind of intensity as if we were hunting for hidden treasure or precious jewels. Job 28:17 (NLT) Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

precious stones

If we will… He will.  Ready to go for it?

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The Ministry of the “Boiler Room”

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One of the exciting ministries that has now begun here at PIB (  Primeira Igreja Batista ) First Baptist Church in Valentina… is the “Boiler Room,” or  House of Prayer.

The term “Boiler Room” has reference to the ministry of Charles Spurgeon, who attributed the power and success of his crusades to the men and women who would intercede for him in the boiler. See this link: “Spurgeon’s Boiler Rooms”

Here at PIB, the “Boiler Room” was inaugurated in December of 2012 with a great celebration in front of the house.  boiler room opening1The “Boiler Room” actually  began functioning in January of 2013

Currently, we have one week per month that is 24/7 prayer and worship. The church is built upon a cell group model, so each cell group takes at least one two hour session in the “Boiler Room” each week. This includes men, women, youth, adolescents, and children. children

 

 

 

 

The “Boiler Room” is located on the first floor of the house where I live. I live on the second floor. That enables me to give oversight to the “comings and goings”  of the “Boiler Room,” and be blessed by the worship and prayer that takes place just below me.KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

 

The “Boiler Room” consists of several rooms and areas in the house.

First is the Area of Promises. Here intercessors can post promises from God, and be reminded of His promises in their lives and the lives of others they are praying for.

Room of Promises

 

 

There is also the Room of Worship… click on this link to watch a YouTube video. You will  get a little peek at what happens here. Boiler Room Worship

Then there is the Room of Silence. A place for meditation, Bible reading and prayer for the nations. Room of Silence When I moved here from the US, I brought with me some items that we had collected in our travels over the years. In this room and the Room of Promises, I have placed these items as ways to remind intercessors to pray for the nations.

Then there is the Room of the Arts, where people cRoom of the Artsan express their hearts of intercession or adoration to the Lord through art, and post these on the walls.

 

In the months ahead, it is our goal to continue to expand the ministry of the “Boiler Room” until we do have 24/7 prayer 365 days a year.

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Please join us in prayer that the Lord would do mighty things here in Valentina, in Joao Pessoa, in Brazil and in the Nations as the incense of intercession flows from our “Boiler Room”

entrance

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