Daily Devotional
JUNE 1
GOD’S WORD TO A WOMAN
Acts 2:17 “your daughters shall prophesy”
June 1, 1310: Marguerite Porete, respected teacher, Catholic mystic, and author of A Mirror for Simple Souls, was burned to death as a heretic in Paris because she claimed to receive direct revelations from God.
After the martyrdom of Marguerite Porete, one would expect that any woman who believed that she was receiving direct revelations from God would be afraid to share such revelations with anyone in church leadership. But, this was not the case, Porete’s death was not in vain for it inspired another woman who would later become a saint. Her name was Catherine of Siena, and she lived from 1347 to 1380. Our best information about her today comes from her biography, La Vita de Santa Caterina da Siena, written by her confessor Raimonda da Capua. Father Raimondo writes that one day when Catherine was lying in her bed, “burdened by many pains,” she called him, in secret, to come to her bedside. She wanted to share with him, “certain things which the Lord had revealed to her.” According to her confessor,
She began, though feverish, to speak in her usual way of God and to tell of the things that had been revealed to her that day. But when I heard such great and unheard of things, I said in my heart …”Do you suppose that all the things she says are true?”
Catherine spoke with remarkable authority during a time when the male hierarchy of the church had no tolerance for such claims, so it is not surprising that her Father confessor was anxious about being the recipient of such revelations. But, what happened next would not only convince Father Raimonda that her revelations were truth from God, it would demonstrate how the Divinity of the One we worship so transcends human gender. As the confessor stood there struggling with doubt, he records that he looked closely into the face of Catherine and saw that “her face was changed in an instant into the face of a bearded man who, gazing at me with staring eyes, gave me a great fright.”
“The face was rather long, of middle age and had a beard that was not long, the color of wheat, and in appearance it displayed such majesty that it thereby revealed itself as the Savior.”
Amazed and in a state of shock Father Raimondo records that he threw up his arms and exclaimed, “Who is this who is gazing at me?” Catherine answered, “He who is.” At this point the face of Christ disappeared and the confessor returned to hearing the revelations of Saint Catherine with renewed faith. God’s revelations are nothing new today, but they are breaking forth in unprecedented power – especially to those who know that He is the “same yesterday, today and forever.”
Source: Harvey Cox, Fire From Heaven (New York: Addison-Wesley Publ., 1995) pp. 204-206.
JUNE 2
HATE IN THE NAME OF GOD
Matthew 7:23 “Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
June 2, 1780: More than 50,000 people rioted in the streets of London in an attempt to overturn the Catholic Relief Act which restored equal rights for Catholics.
For many hundreds of years Protestants and Catholics waged a war of hate in England and Ireland. When a Protestant occupied the English throne laws were passed against Catholics, and they were persecuted. When a Catholic, like “bloody Mary” occupied the throne, the tables were turned and Protestants were persecuted and martyred. By 1780, Protestants had controlled political power for two hundred years, since the reign of Elizabeth I. But, after the Revolutionary War broke out in America, King George III’s ministers thought it would be wise to pass a law restoring rights to Catholics.
After the Catholic Relief Act passed there was one man, a Protestant retired navy lieutenant named Lord George Gordon, who was so filled with hatred for Catholics that he made it his singular goal to see the act repealed. He spent months collecting signatures on a petition in the hope of seeing the law overturned. Then, more than a year after the Act had passed Parliament he rallied more than 50,000 people to march to Parliament to present their petition. However, the march turned ugly and resulted in days of riots where Catholic homes and churches were looted and burned to the ground. Before the riots were over approximately 500 people were killed or critically injured. But, the Catholic Relief Act was not overturned.
Jesus knew that hate is such a powerful motivator that he taught his disciples to love their enemies. We cannot afford the luxury of a hateful thought as human beings, for every drop of hate becomes a powerful poison in our system. Every failure to forgive releases the demonic “tormentors” in our lives according to Jesus (Matthew 18:34). Let me flow today in God’s love, resisting every seed of hate, and forgiving every offense against me. For God’s people cannot be consumed by what is evil, nor will they be quick to attribute evil to others.
Source: Ken Curtis, This Day in Christian History (Christian Publications, 2 005)6-2.
JUNE 3
THE FIRST FORT KNOX
Acts 5:19 “Judge for yourself rather it is
right for us to serve God rather than man”
June 3, 1559: On this date John Knox entered St. Andrews Castle to preach facing drawn spears, swords and canons under the threat of death.
In the year 1559 John Knox returned home to his beloved Scotland to fulfill a prophecy he had made years before. Though driven away by persecution for his strong Protestant preaching, Knox prophesied that he would return to St. Andrews Castle to preach the Word of God again. As he approached the castle he was joined by hundreds of Protestant nobles on horse back who were determined to lend their support to their hero in any way that they could. But, Knox made it clear that it was the conviction of God’s Spirit alone that drove him to the confrontation that awaited him. Archbishop Hamilton had heard of the reformer’s coming and had prepared with an army of guards and soldiers who were prepared to arrest or execute Knox at the Archbishop’s command.
As Knox neared the intimidating sight he made it clear that if he had not been stopped by wicked kings, murderous queens, barbaric executioners, expulsions, armies, torments and galleys, he was not about to be stopped now. He walked straight up to the castle entrance where he was immediately met by the Archbishop and his troops. Hamilton assured him that if he continued forward he would be met by canon fire that would end his life. However, as Knox assured him that it was not a heretical Archbishop, but God, who would determine his fate, Hamilton saw the determined nobles behind and failed to fulfill his threat. Knox proceeded to the pulpit and preached such a powerful and anointed sermon that the Catholic clergy who had gathered to condemn him were literally mesmerized.
Knox not only finished his entire sermon without incident, but preached for three more days as well, culminating his messages by burning Catholic images before their eyes, as the astonished priests sat motionless. When the ruler of the region heard what had happened she was so outraged that she summoned her entire army and accompanied them to arrest Knox. Unfortunately, for her, by the time she arrived more than three thousand armed nobles had gathered to protect Knox. She and her army were quickly dismissed and forced to retreat, and all the Catholic churches in the region closed their doors. All this, because one faithful reformer was not afraid to risk his life for the kingdom of God. What are you risking for His kingdom today?
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 300-301.
JUNE 4
BIRTH OF A PENTECOSTAL PIONEER
Acts 8:16 “the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them”
June 4, 1873: This was the birth date of Charles Fox Parham, the mentor of William Seymour, and considered by many to be the founder of the modern Pentecostal Faith.
The theology of modern day Pentecostalism was formulated by Charles Fox Parham who was born on this day. His life started very slow and with much difficulty. He was chronically ill most of the time and found himself confined to bed for months at a time. During his sickly childhood he had an encounter with God which convinced him that he was called to the ministry. So at an early age he began to read and study the Bible extensively. However, when he was thirteen years old, he was plunged into a terrible crisis by the death of his mother. Yet, during this time of turmoil and trauma Parham met Brother Lippard who was a leader in a Congregational House Church. Through this relationship, Parham was “born again,” taking his experience with God to a new level.
Remembering his pre-conversion call to the ministry, he entered a Methodist-formed school called Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. But, as he progressed in his studies, he decided that he could minister for God as a physician just as well as a pastor, so he switched the emphasis of his studies. However, he had no sooner made this change when he was struck down with a severe case of rheumatic fever. While he was once again confined to bed, he returned to a diligent study of the Scriptures, concerning the healing ministry of Jesus. He became convinced that Jesus wanted to heal him, and wanted him to return to his focus on ministry. So he switched back to theology and was immediately healed enough so that he could get out of bed, but he was still quite crippled and had to use crutches. God then convicted him that he was to drop out of school and forsake formal education. When he did this, he was completely healed.
This decision set the stage for Parham to leave the Methodist Church and to become an independent holiness preacher. In 1898 he settled in Topeka, Kansas and founded the Bethel Bible School and Healing Home. It was here that he taught the importance of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and emphasized speaking in tongues as the one and only Bible proof of this baptism (a doctrine still taught in many Pentecostal churches). It was in this school that William Seymour would be convinced of Parham’s doctrines and would go on to teach them before the fire fell on Azusa Street. Does the Azusa revival prove that all of Parham’s doctrines were correct? No more than the Protestant Reformation proves that all of Luther’s doctrines were correct. But, like Luther, Parham had a powerful relationship with our Lord, and we owe a great debt of gratitude for his faithfulness to God.
Source: Vinson Synan, The Century of the Holy Spirit (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001) pp. 42-43.
JUNE 5
Heretic or Hero
Revelation 12:11 “and they loved not their lives unto death.”
June 5, 1415: On this date, after five miserable months in prison, John Hus was promised a public hearing to determine whether he was a heretic or not.
It was a time of great confusion and despair in the Catholic Church. Corruption had reached an all time high and three different men were claiming to be Pope and excommunicating each other. On top of this, Godly men such as John Hus were being arrested and accused of heresy for simply trying to preach the plain teachings of Scripture. The Council of Constance had been appointed to pursue and convict such heretics and was made up of powerful, but also very corruptible, churchmen. As Hus rotted in prison, he prayed for a defender to come to his aid. King Sigismund who had seemed to be such a protector, came to the cell where Hus was being held.
It was at this point that chaos broke loose because Pope John the XXIII was deposed and forced to flee. His Council of Judges that had specifically been assigned to the Hus case fled with him, and the key to Hus’ cell was left with Sigismund who had the opportunity to release Hus. But, instead he showed his true colors and had Hus transferred under heavy guard at night to a cell in the Castle Gottlieben on the Rhine River. A new Council of Judges were appointed to deal with Hus who were equally corrupt as the previous council. Hus was treated in even a more inhuman manner than he had been during his previous incarceration. But, as protests increased, the new Council promised that Hus would be given a public hearing on this date. However, when the day arrived, the Council reneged on its promise and met first without even allowing Hus to be present as they accused him of various heresies. Then they dragged him before the tribunal in a state where he was so weak, filthy, and smelling rank from the dungeon’s dampness that he was barely able to defend himself – yet he would still not recant of the Bible truths he had so boldly proclaimed.
So he was returned to his cell, and further betrayed by Sigismund who now insisted that Hus was to be executed for his heresies. A month later, on July 6, Hus appeared before the cruel Council one last time to be mocked and ridiculed by those who wished to see him dead. His condemnation and sentence was pronounced when he again refused to recant and he was then stripped, humiliated and tortured before he was burned at the stake by his accusers – even as his last words were to forgive them. How much we owe to men like Hus, as we celebrate the Good News of the Protestant Gospel today, knowing that all our sins have been forgiven – past, present and future – in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 102-109.
JUNE 6
YMCA YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Ecclesiastes “Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth”
June 6, 1844: Sir George Williams and eleven other men strongly interested in social reform founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in London.
In 1844, George Williams was a twenty-three year old tradesman working in London who was concerned about the lack of healthy activities for young men working in big cities. Taverns, brothels, and gambling halls were the most popular hang-outs, but there was almost nothing for young men who were interested in spiritual growth or healthy self-improvement. So Williams and eleven other young men, ten of whom were part of his same trade, founded the YMCA. Originally, this organization placed a great emphasis on spiritual development, which included programs for Bible study and making Christian disciples.
The YMCA also made it its mission to encourage ecumenical love, respect and unity. The original YMCA motto was taken from Jesus’ great prayer in John 17:21, “That they all may be one.” In 1855, at a meeting in Paris, the YMCA became an international organization, encouraging global unity and holistic development of the entire person –mental – physical – spiritual – social and emotional growth. Today, the organization has grown to more than forty-five million strong (much faster growth than any church has experienced). But, like so many great organizations that began with a strong Christian mission, it has become largely secular.
Even in its more secular era the YMCA has done immeasurable good. It has provided shelter and inexpensive housing for millions of individuals needing lodging. It has produced sports activities for millions of others, and was the place where James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. For years members swam in the nude in YMCA pools, to avoid having fibers get into the early unsophisticated filters, but when women and children were allowed to join, this practice stopped. The YMCA also played a sponsoring role for the Boy Scouts organization. Its amazing how much good has come from the vision of one man. What vision has God placed in your heart?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMCA
JUNE 7
A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON
Hebrews 12:27 “what can be shaken will be shaken”
June 7, 1996: On this date the Brownesville Assembly of God featured a video entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” promoting manifestations connected with spiritual inebriation.
Having recently returned from Rodney Howard-Browne’s Tampa church, called the River, I am still recovering from the powerful anointing of the Spirit that moved through the meetings leaving many of us spiritually inebriated. This is nothing new for Browne’s ministry, for it was under his leadership that “Holy Laughter” first came to Toronto, and the Pensacola Revival in Brownsville, Florida saw a host of powerful manifestations of the Spirit. One example of these manifestations involved a pastor and his wife who became so drunk in the Spirit that they could not remember where they were from. This struck the leaders of the revival as so humorous that they made a video of the event entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” The video features an interview with the couple where the wife is so drunk in the Spirit that she can’t remember where the couple is from. So the pastor husband interrupts to clarify the confusion, only to be so overcome by the Spirit himself, that he can’t remember where they are from.
Both husband and wife continue under such spiritual inebriation that they are totally disoriented and appear to speak in a manner that is completely irrational. The video continues, focusing on the physical manifestations of two sisters, Alison and Elizabeth Ward. As they attended the Brownsville Revival they became more and more moved by the testimonies and manifestations of others until they too began to manifest. Elizabeth describes her experience in these words, “After watching people being touched by God, my spirit got hungry and I began to shake. The shaking went on for about three days … I couldn’t eat and I would shake in my sleep. My family had to feed me through a straw. My whole body was convulsing for three days.”
Such descriptions seem scary to some, and so extreme to others that they are assumed to be from the enemy, but one of the most mature pastor’s I know, Bill Johnson, who pastors the Bethel church in Redding, California has described a similar experience in his own life, when his hunger for God, led him to shake in the Spirit for three days, resulting in a life transforming anointing. I am not for pursuing manifestations for the sake of mani-festations, or even focusing on manifestations. But, we should be careful not to dismiss or condemn them, simply because they seem strange to us. I have found that the fruit of manifestations, generally reveal their source, and that God often uses strange manifestations to heal and empower people in ways that lead to major breakthrough in their lives. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Source: “Honey, Where Are We From?” In Times Like These (Brownsville Assembly of God – June 7 & 8, 1996 Videotape).
JUNE 8
ONLY BELIEVE
John 3:36 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”
June 8, 1859: On this date Smith Wigglesworth was born to John and Martha Wigglesworth in the small village of Menston, Yorkshire, England.
When Smith Wigglesworth was born it was already a very historic year. William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) had distanced himself from organized religion, the Church in Wales was praying for revival, and the Third Great Awakening was building powerful momentum in America. Yet, who would have thought that a baby born to two dirt poor parents who weren’t even Christians – would become one of the greatest voices for God in his generation. Though deprived of a normal education, because he had to help the family make a living by working in the fields pulling turnips at the age of six, Smith would talk to God about simple things. For example, he would ask God to help him find a nest of birds, and almost instantly he would be told where to look.
His grandmother was an old-time Wesleyan who believed in the power of God, encouraging Smith along these same lines. She faithfully took her grandson to her Holy Roller church where Smith saw people praising and worshipping God by clapping hands, dancing, and crying out about the power of Christ’s shed blood. When he was only eight he had an experience in one of these services where he came to understand and accept what Jesus had really done for him through His death and resurrection. Smith would later describe this experience in these words.
“I saw that God wants us so badly that He has made the condition as simple as He possibly could – ONLY BELIEVE!”
Smith grew up to be a champion of simple faith. Through his simple faith he saw God heal every form of disease, he saw God cast out every form of demonic spirit, and he was even used by God to resurrect the dead. It is not about education or training – it is about simple faith in the radical grace of Jesus Christ and His shed blood. We are either under His grace or we are under the law. If we put ourselves under the law we give the enemy permission to judge us and condemn us – and we in turn have a judgmental spirit towards others. Today is the day to make sure we are fully covered by His blood and radical grace – and like Smith Wigglesworth to live in simple faith.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 197-199.
JUNE 9
THE PENTECOSTAL PHENOMENON
Acts 1:8 “the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and you shall receive power”
June 9, 1958: On this date, Henry P. Van Dusen, the President of Union
Theological Seminary in New York, shocked the religious world with an article in Life Magazine announcing the third major force in Christendom.
America began as a Protestant nation. There was a real struggle over the issue of religious freedom in the colonies, but as these colonies ultimately united into one country numerous forms of the Protestant faith were legally recognized and tolerated. When a major immigration of Catholics moved into the United States during the last half of the nineteenth century, religious tensions increased, involving powerful prejudices and significant violence.
But, finally religious freedom and tolerance won out again, changing America from a Protestant nation to a Christian nation. However, there was to emerge in America a third major movement within Christianity that would surprise and amaze both Protestants and Catholics. This Charismatic movement was birthed in the Azusa Street Revival and would continue to grow with unprecedented speed until the President of Union Theological Seminary would announce its presence in a powerfully prophetic article in Life Magazine.
On this date, in 1958, Henry P Van Dusen stunned the religious world with an article entitled, “The Third Force in Christendom.” Showing remarkable insight, he predicted that Pentecostalism was destined to change the face of Christianity throughout the remainder of the twentieth century. Little did Van Dusen know, when he made this bold prediction, that classic forms of Pentecostalism were about to break out within both the traditional Protestant and Catholic camps. Just two years after his article, Episcopalian Priest Dennis Bennett would be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues in a manner that would send shock waves through his denomination and ultimately open a door to Charismatic renewal within the Episcopalian movement. Less than a decade after Van Dusen’s article, the Catholic church would experience a similar phenomenon that would lead to charismatic renewal among its ranks.
Just previous to Van Dusen’s article, a little known American Pentecostal evangelist named Tommy Hicks, traveled to Argentina, without invitation and at his own expense, because he felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to preach the “full gospel” in Buenos Aires. Without advertising or any sponsorship, except from God, he proceeded to conduct the greatest single evangelistic crusade in the history of the Christian Church, up to that point. In just fifty-two days, he preached to more than two million people who attended his meetings. The final service, held in a huge football stadium, had over 200,000 in attendance, itself. And so it was that Van Dusen’s prophetic words would explode around the world in the last half of the twentieth century. When God lights a fire, no one can put it out!
Source: Henry P Van Dusen, “The third Force in Christendom” Life (June 9, 1958) pp. 113-124.
JUNE 10
GOD’S ICONOCLIST
Proverbs 28:1 “The righteous have the boldness of a lion”
June 10, 1559: On this date, John Knox preached a fiery sermon at Saint Andrews Castle before the Lords of the Church, defying the Regent Mary, where he had valuable images and works of art destroyed as idols.
John Knox had a boldness about him that transcended that of every other famous reformer, even Luther. Of all the best known Protestant reformers, Knox was the only one who actually allowed and participated in the destruction of valuable images and works of art that he considered to be idols. Knox was a man of courage like few other prominent preachers who have ever lived. He was the target of murderous queens, angry archbishops, armies and executioners – but he never backed down or refused to speak his mind. During the first week of June in 1559 Knox set his sights on the Castle of St. Andrews, as he preached from one church to the next across Scotland, he was determined to finish his tour in this famous edifice from which he had been banned.
News of his approach led the Regent Mary to threaten him with arrest and imprisonment if he dared to defy her order. As Knox began his entry on to the castle grounds he quickly encountered Archbishop Hamilton and one hundred spears pointed at him by the soldiers under his command. Behind them were 12 cannons that were aimed at him if his supporters dared to put up resistance in an effort to have him preach. But, Knox had never been intimidated before, and he was determined, not to retreat in this stand off. So with Protestant Nobles at his back, and the regents army in his face, he stood before the archbishop and declared, “As for the fear of danger that may come to me, let no man be solicitous, for my life is in the custody of Him whose glory I seek. I desire the hand nor weapon of no man to defend me.”
His courageous words caused the archbishop to weaken in his resolve as he saw a growing crowd of barbaric Scottish Protestants gathering to hear their hero, Knox, and to give their lives in his defense. Incredibly, the archbishop called off his spearmen and other soldiers, and Knox marched into the castle to begin several days of sermons that would thrill his countrymen and fill the Regent and Archbishop with rage. He culminated his preaching on June 10 with a sermon that called for the literal destruction of valuable images and works of art considered precious to the church, right in his presence. The Catholic clergy in attendance were so stunned by this bold action that they sat in total silence, like statues, almost hypnotized by the powerful words that flowed from the mouth of Knox. Knox set fire to the “idols” and burned them before their eyes. By the time Knox finished his preaching, all of the Catholic churches in the region had been dismantled. “The righteous have the boldness of a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).
JUNE 11
THE TRIPLE A REVIVALIST
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 11, 1970: On this date, Asa Alonzo Allen, one of the most powerful and controversial revivalist’s of his day, died alone in a San Francisco hotel room.
As a young man, A. A. Allen was a party animal. He was known for his singing, dancing, drinking and smoking. He was the triple A life of the party before he became a triple A lover of God. But, even after he was converted responding to a message on the all-powerful blood of Christ he struggled with some of his addictions. Because of this, his ministry received a lot of opposition from those who considered his methods to be highly controversial and who could not tolerate a preacher who struggled with smoking and drinking. Yet, in spite of this opposition, Allen became an effective revivalist in the Assembly of God organization. He believed in the miracle power of Jesus, but when he was first exposed to the radical faith of the “Voice of Healing” movement, he ridiculed it as extreme.
Ironically, he would grow in his understanding of deliverance and faith healing until his ministry became one of the most sensational spectacles of every kind of sickness being healed and every kind of oppression of the enemy being lifted. People were drunk in the Spirit, as the magnified presence and glory of God descended on his meetings. Yet, as is often the case, God used Allen to perform mighty healings, even as his own physical health continued to degenerate. Like John Wimber, who was used by God to heal thousands, but died at a relatively young age because God did not choose to heal him, Allen suffered a similar fate. He acquired a severe arthritis that caused him such debilitating pain, that it progressively got worse, he could hardly function.
His personal physician tried to prescribe every possible medication to relieve and control his pain, but these drugs were addictive in themselves, and Allen became increasingly dependent again, on alcohol to grant him the only respite from his pain that he could stand. Finally, on a lonely night in the Jack Tar hotel, Allen reached out to a friend by phone before he passed out from excessive alcohol use. When the friend tried to come to his aid in the early morning of June 11, 1970 Allen could not be revived and his amazing life of Holy Spirit ministry came to a sad and early end, at the age of 59. Why does God allow His servants to die in such a tragic manner? Why did God allow John the Baptist to be beheaded – or the disciples of Jesus to be martyred. His ways, are bigger than ours, we will never fully understand them, but what we do know is that His power today is just as available to us as it was to A. A. Allen – who turned his world upside down.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 400-408.
JUNE 12
TRANCE-FORMATION
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 12, 1996: On this date, Binny Hinn described on international TV (TBN), how Maria Woodworth-Etter entered into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
Speaking as a trained historian, we are taught that all supernatural explanations must be excluded when we attempt to write our accounts of historical events. Such rules dismiss the possibility of a virgin birth, that Jesus could be both God and man, or that He rose from the grave on the third day as He said He would. When we talk about more recent history, where eyewitness accounts may still be relevant, once again we are told that super-natural explanations are not an option. This historical, academic bias, is particularly troublesome to those of us who have moved in charismatic circles for decades and seen numerous miracles first hand as well as various other supernatural manifestations. Therefore, I was not offended when Binny Hinn announced on Paul Crouch’s TBN Network show “Praise the Lord,” that Maria Woodworth-Etter the great nineteenth century faith healer and evangelist, had gone into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
There are numerous documented cases of Etter going into trances, even while she was making public presentations. No one disputes the fact that these trances would often last for more than an hour. People would be converted and healed even while the evangelist was in these trances. Hinn’s claim that the Lord showed him one of these trances lasted for twenty-four hours, is not the longest trance attributed to Etter and her manifestations from God. Kenneth Hagin, basing his claims on first hand information declared that in at least one case Woodworth-Etter went into a trance that lasted for three full days, without interruption. He describes the event in these words.
She was in her 70’s, preaching in a tent which was full, when right in the middle of her sermon, with her hand uplifted to illustrate a point and her mouth open, the power of God came on her. She froze in that position and stood like a statue for three days and three nights. Think about that: All her body had to be under the control of the Holy Spirit of God. She had no bodily functions; for three days and nights she stood there. According to the newspaper account, it was estimated that more than 150,000 people came by to see her in that three-day period.
It is more difficult for modern historians to dismiss eye-witness accounts and newspaper stories, but somehow they manage, because rules are rules.
Sources: Benny Hinn, Praise The Lord (June 12, 1996); Kenneth hagin, Why Do People Fall Under the Power? (Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1981) pp. 4-5.
JUNE 13
LUTHER THE MATCHMAKER
Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one”
June 13, 1525: On this date Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, married Katherine von Bora, a fiesty nun he had liberated.
The broad-reaching range of reforms, that Luther oversaw while he led the Protestant Reformation, are truly mind-boggling. Not only did he trumpet justification by faith, Sola Scriptura, and the priesthood of all believers, but he attacked indulgences and every form of papal corruption, he redefined the sacraments, and liberated priests and nuns from their vows of celibacy. In fact, Luther actually took an active role in finding husbands for nuns who cast off their Habits and joined the Protestant Reformation. The most striking example of this occurred in Wittenberg, where Luther received a letter from a nun named Katherine von Bora. She had already been dis-contented with the operations of the church before she read Luther’s writings, but once she got her hands on the reformer’s works, she found the courage to seek to escape from the convent along with eleven other nuns who wished to follow her. And although it was a capital crime, punishable by death, to facilitate such a rescue – Luther felt it was his duty to help these women, and marry them off to priests who had left the church where possible.
During this time convents were tightly secured so it was no easy task to free a nun – much less twelve at a time. But, Luther devised a clever plan that worked to perfection. Luther knew the father of one of the twelve nuns who delivered smoked salmon to the convent on a weekly basis. He had been doing this a long time so he was trusted by the church authorities and not subjected to searches when he entered and left the convent premises. So on the appointed day, he delivered twelve barrels of fish to the convent, and when he drove away each barrel contained an escaping nun. Once they were liberated from the convent three of the twelve nuns returned to live with their families, and the other nine were delivered to Luther’s doorstep. He found husbands for eight of the nine, but Katherine herself proved to be quite a challenge. She was a fiery red-head with a long nose, a high forehead, a powerful chin, and a sharp and witty tongue. She had been forced to join the convent by parents who didn’t want her at home, so she had no family to live with.
Luther got her a job as a housekeeper, and even found a man who wanted to marry her, but his parents refused the union because she was a runaway nun. By this time Luther himself had become a good friend to Katherine, but was shocked when she suggested they might make a good couple. Luther protested that he could be martyred at any time, but ultimately the union occurred in spite of the fact, that neither claimed to be romantically attracted to the other. As the reformer put it, “I am not madly in love, but I cherish her.” He also saw that his union, on this date, pleased his father who wished to further the family name, and infuriated the pope – a factor that Luther also cherished. Here was a man who was oh so human, but how God used him in such a marvelous way – and He wants to do the same with us today!
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 160-162.
JUNE 14
ESTABLISHED RELIGION
2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness, but …”
June 14, 1715: Reverend Robert Norden took an oath of allegiance in a Prince George County court, which allowed him to become the first pastor of a Baptist Church in Virginia.
America was supposed to be a haven from religious warfare. It was supposed to be the end of the “state church.” But, in the colony of Virginia religious control and the established state church was just as strong as what could be found in Mother England. The state church was patterned after the Church of England. Parents were obligated to have their infants baptized by a minister of the state church. Residents were required to support the church through taxation. This included maintaining church buildings, furnishing minister’s salaries and their parsonages. Attendance at worship services was required and those who failed to comply were subjected to heavy fines.
Baptists, with their strong emphasis on evangelism and baptism by im-mersion, were not welcome. They were subjected to violent abuse and prolonged persecution, all in the name of God. Even in America, it became clear that the church could not be trusted with too much political power and control. Required religion is never the product of the Holy Spirit, it is rather the product of the religious spirit. The religious spirit is the enemies’ substitute for the Holy Spirit. It employs force, fear, control, criticism and condemnation in place of the fruits of the Spirit. It has a form of godliness, but denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
Robert Norden, was the first Baptist to break through the steel curtain of the state church in America, but many fought the religious spirit with less fortunate results before him. America has religious freedom today, but the religious spirit is not dead. Pray for God’s discernment today, to detect and expose the religious spirit, and for His anointing to walk in the power of His Holy Spirit.
Source: www.secondbaptistrichmond.org/history/hxearame.htm
JUNE 15
FALLING FOR GOD
Ephesians 5:18 “be not drunk with wine,
but be continually filled with the Holy Spirit”
June 15, 1739: On this date, the Journal of John Wesley revealed that he dealt with the strange phenomenon of people fainting and falling out of trees at his meetings, not with condemnation, but by carefully inquiring into each individual experience.
In May of 1996, Scott McDermott, the senior pastor of the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania, received an invitation to attend a meeting of prominent pastors in Orlando, Florida. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns that Christian leaders across the nation had concerning the nature of revival and renewal movements that were currently flourishing in Toronto and Pensecola, Florida, with the hope of generating understanding and unity in the larger Body of Christ. McDermott was very busy at the time and not sure he would attend, but felt convicted by the Spirit that this was important and that he should lend his voice to the discussion. He had wondered about the strange manifestations that he had heard about in Toronto, and honestly questioned whether they could be of God, so he found it interesting that John Arnott, the senior pastor of the Toronto Church would be one of the speakers at these meetings.
His bias going into the meetings was that “Toronto just seemed too extreme, too emotional and too over the edge for my liking. But since the Father’s Blessing was being talked about at every turn, I felt the least I could do was give John Arnott a fair hearing.” When McDermott met Arnott in person he was struck by the fact that the preacher/teacher was nothing like what he expected. “He was far from the emotional ‘work you up into a frenzy’ kind of man,” but was instead quiet, “gentle, soft-spoken and humble. His presentation to the group was very low key and made a lot of sense, but McDermott still had questions about why God would use such unusual manifestations. When Arnott finished speaking, he asked if he could pray for the ministers in attendance. And to McDermott’s amazement, many of the them began to fall and manifest in the Spirit after he prayed for them.
When it was his turn, McDermott was quite nervous feeling that “falling was just not his thing.” When John prayed over him and nothing major happened he was somewhat relieved, but whispered a prayer to God himself saying, “I’m not going to look around; I’m just going to focus on You, Lord.” Just then, John returned and prayed for him again, and the rest was history. McDermott found himself on the floor experiencing a fire from God he had never known before. As John asked for more of the Spirit, McDermott found himself going into visions where he was actively running and dancing right on the floor. He saw himself running the 18 mile road from Jericho to Jerusalem with great joy. His actions caused such a commotion that some wanted to stop what he was doing, but John simply interviewed him on the spot, and the whole crowd was blessed. When in doubt about unusual manifestations don’t jump to conclusions, or condemnations, but follow the example of John Wesley, and inquire about the experiences.
Source: Scott McErmott, “Running God’s Race” in John Arnott’s Experience the Blessing (Ventura, CA: Renew Books, 2000) pp. 13-22.
JUNE 16
“HOLY” MATRIMONY
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 “Two are better than one,
… but a threefold chord is hardly broken”
June 16, 1855: William Booth and Catherine Mumford were joined in marriage forming one of the most powerful unions to ever merge in the Kingdom of God on earth.
What happens when two people are joined in marriage by the Spirit of God? I’m not talking about two professed believers, or two professed Christians of the same denomination. No! I’m talking about a man and a woman who are both totally sold out to God and His purposes before they get married and who are led together by the Spirit of God. A good example of this in our day would be Heidi and Roland Baker, whom God has used to transform the nation of Mozambique by relying on His miraculous power to feed, cloth, shelter and heal more than 100,000 orphans through their Iris Ministries.1
The best example of this in the nineteenth century was probably the union of William and Catherine Booth, who became the co-founders of the Salvation Army. Both of these individuals were so committed to God, and anointed by His Holy Spirit, that when they joined forces in holy matrimony they became an unstoppable power for the kingdom of God. William pursued an untiring vision of social reform that touched every segment of society. It included rescue homes for prostitutes, a farm colony, a poor man’s bank, orphanages, suburban communes, preventative homes for girls, etc. He then published this vision, which was decades ahead of its time, as a blueprint for societal rehabilitation and reconstruction under the title, Darkest England and the Way Out (1890).
Catherine was equally powerful in her work as a reformer. She raised an entire army of women, through her charismatic public speaking, who joined with men to dramatically change the culture of her day. She foresaw the churches destiny as an army bride, that could not be stopped marching under the powerful banner of God’s Holy Spirit. Her favorite text was Song of Songs 6:4, “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah. Comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” Catherine led her troops with zealous faith and energythrough the worst urban districts, encountering the most violent opposition. Despite the prejudices against woman, she published temperance tracts under an assumed named that transformed her society. We have an inheritance from these two, today, that God is waiting to unleash on couples who will say “yes” to Him, in His last great work on this planet. Will you participate in such a partnership?
1 See Heidi and Roland Baker, Always Enough
Source: http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/XO533_Bios-_William_Catherine_Booth.html
JUNE 1
GOD’S WORD TO A WOMAN
Acts 2:17 “your daughters shall prophesy”
June 1, 1310: Marguerite Porete, respected teacher, Catholic mystic, and author of A Mirror for Simple Souls, was burned to death as a heretic in Paris because she claimed to receive direct revelations from God.
After the martyrdom of Marguerite Porete, one would expect that any woman who believed that she was receiving direct revelations from God would be afraid to share such revelations with anyone in church leadership. But, this was not the case, Porete’s death was not in vain for it inspired another woman who would later become a saint. Her name was Catherine of Siena, and she lived from 1347 to 1380. Our best information about her today comes from her biography, La Vita de Santa Caterina da Siena, written by her confessor Raimonda da Capua. Father Raimondo writes that one day when Catherine was lying in her bed, “burdened by many pains,” she called him, in secret, to come to her bedside. She wanted to share with him, “certain things which the Lord had revealed to her.” According to her confessor,
She began, though feverish, to speak in her usual way of God and to tell of the things that had been revealed to her that day. But when I heard such great and unheard of things, I said in my heart …”Do you suppose that all the things she says are true?”
Catherine spoke with remarkable authority during a time when the male hierarchy of the church had no tolerance for such claims, so it is not surprising that her Father confessor was anxious about being the recipient of such revelations. But, what happened next would not only convince Father Raimonda that her revelations were truth from God, it would demonstrate how the Divinity of the One we worship so transcends human gender. As the confessor stood there struggling with doubt, he records that he looked closely into the face of Catherine and saw that “her face was changed in an instant into the face of a bearded man who, gazing at me with staring eyes, gave me a great fright.”
“The face was rather long, of middle age and had a beard that was not long, the color of wheat, and in appearance it displayed such majesty that it thereby revealed itself as the Savior.”
Amazed and in a state of shock Father Raimondo records that he threw up his arms and exclaimed, “Who is this who is gazing at me?” Catherine answered, “He who is.” At this point the face of Christ disappeared and the confessor returned to hearing the revelations of Saint Catherine with renewed faith. God’s revelations are nothing new today, but they are breaking forth in unprecedented power – especially to those who know that He is the “same yesterday, today and forever.”
Source: Harvey Cox, Fire From Heaven (New York: Addison-Wesley Publ., 1995) pp. 204-206.
JUNE 2
HATE IN THE NAME OF GOD
Matthew 7:23 “Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
June 2, 1780: More than 50,000 people rioted in the streets of London in an attempt to overturn the Catholic Relief Act which restored equal rights for Catholics.
For many hundreds of years Protestants and Catholics waged a war of hate in England and Ireland. When a Protestant occupied the English throne laws were passed against Catholics, and they were persecuted. When a Catholic, like “bloody Mary” occupied the throne, the tables were turned and Protestants were persecuted and martyred. By 1780, Protestants had controlled political power for two hundred years, since the reign of Elizabeth I. But, after the Revolutionary War broke out in America, King George III’s ministers thought it would be wise to pass a law restoring rights to Catholics.
After the Catholic Relief Act passed there was one man, a Protestant retired navy lieutenant named Lord George Gordon, who was so filled with hatred for Catholics that he made it his singular goal to see the act repealed. He spent months collecting signatures on a petition in the hope of seeing the law overturned. Then, more than a year after the Act had passed Parliament he rallied more than 50,000 people to march to Parliament to present their petition. However, the march turned ugly and resulted in days of riots where Catholic homes and churches were looted and burned to the ground. Before the riots were over approximately 500 people were killed or critically injured. But, the Catholic Relief Act was not overturned.
Jesus knew that hate is such a powerful motivator that he taught his disciples to love their enemies. We cannot afford the luxury of a hateful thought as human beings, for every drop of hate becomes a powerful poison in our system. Every failure to forgive releases the demonic “tormentors” in our lives according to Jesus (Matthew 18:34). Let me flow today in God’s love, resisting every seed of hate, and forgiving every offense against me. For God’s people cannot be consumed by what is evil, nor will they be quick to attribute evil to others.
Source: Ken Curtis, This Day in Christian History (Christian Publications, 2 005)6-2.
JUNE 3
THE FIRST FORT KNOX
Acts 5:19 “Judge for yourself rather it is
right for us to serve God rather than man”
June 3, 1559: On this date John Knox entered St. Andrews Castle to preach facing drawn spears, swords and canons under the threat of death.
In the year 1559 John Knox returned home to his beloved Scotland to fulfill a prophecy he had made years before. Though driven away by persecution for his strong Protestant preaching, Knox prophesied that he would return to St. Andrews Castle to preach the Word of God again. As he approached the castle he was joined by hundreds of Protestant nobles on horse back who were determined to lend their support to their hero in any way that they could. But, Knox made it clear that it was the conviction of God’s Spirit alone that drove him to the confrontation that awaited him. Archbishop Hamilton had heard of the reformer’s coming and had prepared with an army of guards and soldiers who were prepared to arrest or execute Knox at the Archbishop’s command.
As Knox neared the intimidating sight he made it clear that if he had not been stopped by wicked kings, murderous queens, barbaric executioners, expulsions, armies, torments and galleys, he was not about to be stopped now. He walked straight up to the castle entrance where he was immediately met by the Archbishop and his troops. Hamilton assured him that if he continued forward he would be met by canon fire that would end his life. However, as Knox assured him that it was not a heretical Archbishop, but God, who would determine his fate, Hamilton saw the determined nobles behind and failed to fulfill his threat. Knox proceeded to the pulpit and preached such a powerful and anointed sermon that the Catholic clergy who had gathered to condemn him were literally mesmerized.
Knox not only finished his entire sermon without incident, but preached for three more days as well, culminating his messages by burning Catholic images before their eyes, as the astonished priests sat motionless. When the ruler of the region heard what had happened she was so outraged that she summoned her entire army and accompanied them to arrest Knox. Unfortunately, for her, by the time she arrived more than three thousand armed nobles had gathered to protect Knox. She and her army were quickly dismissed and forced to retreat, and all the Catholic churches in the region closed their doors. All this, because one faithful reformer was not afraid to risk his life for the kingdom of God. What are you risking for His kingdom today?
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 300-301.
JUNE 4
BIRTH OF A PENTECOSTAL PIONEER
Acts 8:16 “the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them”
June 4, 1873: This was the birth date of Charles Fox Parham, the mentor of William Seymour, and considered by many to be the founder of the modern Pentecostal Faith.
The theology of modern day Pentecostalism was formulated by Charles Fox Parham who was born on this day. His life started very slow and with much difficulty. He was chronically ill most of the time and found himself confined to bed for months at a time. During his sickly childhood he had an encounter with God which convinced him that he was called to the ministry. So at an early age he began to read and study the Bible extensively. However, when he was thirteen years old, he was plunged into a terrible crisis by the death of his mother. Yet, during this time of turmoil and trauma Parham met Brother Lippard who was a leader in a Congregational House Church. Through this relationship, Parham was “born again,” taking his experience with God to a new level.
Remembering his pre-conversion call to the ministry, he entered a Methodist-formed school called Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. But, as he progressed in his studies, he decided that he could minister for God as a physician just as well as a pastor, so he switched the emphasis of his studies. However, he had no sooner made this change when he was struck down with a severe case of rheumatic fever. While he was once again confined to bed, he returned to a diligent study of the Scriptures, concerning the healing ministry of Jesus. He became convinced that Jesus wanted to heal him, and wanted him to return to his focus on ministry. So he switched back to theology and was immediately healed enough so that he could get out of bed, but he was still quite crippled and had to use crutches. God then convicted him that he was to drop out of school and forsake formal education. When he did this, he was completely healed.
This decision set the stage for Parham to leave the Methodist Church and to become an independent holiness preacher. In 1898 he settled in Topeka, Kansas and founded the Bethel Bible School and Healing Home. It was here that he taught the importance of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and emphasized speaking in tongues as the one and only Bible proof of this baptism (a doctrine still taught in many Pentecostal churches). It was in this school that William Seymour would be convinced of Parham’s doctrines and would go on to teach them before the fire fell on Azusa Street. Does the Azusa revival prove that all of Parham’s doctrines were correct? No more than the Protestant Reformation proves that all of Luther’s doctrines were correct. But, like Luther, Parham had a powerful relationship with our Lord, and we owe a great debt of gratitude for his faithfulness to God.
Source: Vinson Synan, The Century of the Holy Spirit (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001) pp. 42-43.
JUNE 5
Heretic or Hero
Revelation 12:11 “and they loved not their lives unto death.”
June 5, 1415: On this date, after five miserable months in prison, John Hus was promised a public hearing to determine whether he was a heretic or not.
It was a time of great confusion and despair in the Catholic Church. Corruption had reached an all time high and three different men were claiming to be Pope and excommunicating each other. On top of this, Godly men such as John Hus were being arrested and accused of heresy for simply trying to preach the plain teachings of Scripture. The Council of Constance had been appointed to pursue and convict such heretics and was made up of powerful, but also very corruptible, churchmen. As Hus rotted in prison, he prayed for a defender to come to his aid. King Sigismund who had seemed to be such a protector, came to the cell where Hus was being held.
It was at this point that chaos broke loose because Pope John the XXIII was deposed and forced to flee. His Council of Judges that had specifically been assigned to the Hus case fled with him, and the key to Hus’ cell was left with Sigismund who had the opportunity to release Hus. But, instead he showed his true colors and had Hus transferred under heavy guard at night to a cell in the Castle Gottlieben on the Rhine River. A new Council of Judges were appointed to deal with Hus who were equally corrupt as the previous council. Hus was treated in even a more inhuman manner than he had been during his previous incarceration. But, as protests increased, the new Council promised that Hus would be given a public hearing on this date. However, when the day arrived, the Council reneged on its promise and met first without even allowing Hus to be present as they accused him of various heresies. Then they dragged him before the tribunal in a state where he was so weak, filthy, and smelling rank from the dungeon’s dampness that he was barely able to defend himself – yet he would still not recant of the Bible truths he had so boldly proclaimed.
So he was returned to his cell, and further betrayed by Sigismund who now insisted that Hus was to be executed for his heresies. A month later, on July 6, Hus appeared before the cruel Council one last time to be mocked and ridiculed by those who wished to see him dead. His condemnation and sentence was pronounced when he again refused to recant and he was then stripped, humiliated and tortured before he was burned at the stake by his accusers – even as his last words were to forgive them. How much we owe to men like Hus, as we celebrate the Good News of the Protestant Gospel today, knowing that all our sins have been forgiven – past, present and future – in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 102-109.
JUNE 6
YMCA YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Ecclesiastes “Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth”
June 6, 1844: Sir George Williams and eleven other men strongly interested in social reform founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in London.
In 1844, George Williams was a twenty-three year old tradesman working in London who was concerned about the lack of healthy activities for young men working in big cities. Taverns, brothels, and gambling halls were the most popular hang-outs, but there was almost nothing for young men who were interested in spiritual growth or healthy self-improvement. So Williams and eleven other young men, ten of whom were part of his same trade, founded the YMCA. Originally, this organization placed a great emphasis on spiritual development, which included programs for Bible study and making Christian disciples.
The YMCA also made it its mission to encourage ecumenical love, respect and unity. The original YMCA motto was taken from Jesus’ great prayer in John 17:21, “That they all may be one.” In 1855, at a meeting in Paris, the YMCA became an international organization, encouraging global unity and holistic development of the entire person –mental – physical – spiritual – social and emotional growth. Today, the organization has grown to more than forty-five million strong (much faster growth than any church has experienced). But, like so many great organizations that began with a strong Christian mission, it has become largely secular.
Even in its more secular era the YMCA has done immeasurable good. It has provided shelter and inexpensive housing for millions of individuals needing lodging. It has produced sports activities for millions of others, and was the place where James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. For years members swam in the nude in YMCA pools, to avoid having fibers get into the early unsophisticated filters, but when women and children were allowed to join, this practice stopped. The YMCA also played a sponsoring role for the Boy Scouts organization. Its amazing how much good has come from the vision of one man. What vision has God placed in your heart?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMCA
JUNE 7
A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON
Hebrews 12:27 “what can be shaken will be shaken”
June 7, 1996: On this date the Brownesville Assembly of God featured a video entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” promoting manifestations connected with spiritual inebriation.
Having recently returned from Rodney Howard-Browne’s Tampa church, called the River, I am still recovering from the powerful anointing of the Spirit that moved through the meetings leaving many of us spiritually inebriated. This is nothing new for Browne’s ministry, for it was under his leadership that “Holy Laughter” first came to Toronto, and the Pensacola Revival in Brownsville, Florida saw a host of powerful manifestations of the Spirit. One example of these manifestations involved a pastor and his wife who became so drunk in the Spirit that they could not remember where they were from. This struck the leaders of the revival as so humorous that they made a video of the event entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” The video features an interview with the couple where the wife is so drunk in the Spirit that she can’t remember where the couple is from. So the pastor husband interrupts to clarify the confusion, only to be so overcome by the Spirit himself, that he can’t remember where they are from.
Both husband and wife continue under such spiritual inebriation that they are totally disoriented and appear to speak in a manner that is completely irrational. The video continues, focusing on the physical manifestations of two sisters, Alison and Elizabeth Ward. As they attended the Brownsville Revival they became more and more moved by the testimonies and manifestations of others until they too began to manifest. Elizabeth describes her experience in these words, “After watching people being touched by God, my spirit got hungry and I began to shake. The shaking went on for about three days … I couldn’t eat and I would shake in my sleep. My family had to feed me through a straw. My whole body was convulsing for three days.”
Such descriptions seem scary to some, and so extreme to others that they are assumed to be from the enemy, but one of the most mature pastor’s I know, Bill Johnson, who pastors the Bethel church in Redding, California has described a similar experience in his own life, when his hunger for God, led him to shake in the Spirit for three days, resulting in a life transforming anointing. I am not for pursuing manifestations for the sake of mani-festations, or even focusing on manifestations. But, we should be careful not to dismiss or condemn them, simply because they seem strange to us. I have found that the fruit of manifestations, generally reveal their source, and that God often uses strange manifestations to heal and empower people in ways that lead to major breakthrough in their lives. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Source: “Honey, Where Are We From?” In Times Like These (Brownsville Assembly of God – June 7 & 8, 1996 Videotape).
JUNE 8
ONLY BELIEVE
John 3:36 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”
June 8, 1859: On this date Smith Wigglesworth was born to John and Martha Wigglesworth in the small village of Menston, Yorkshire, England.
When Smith Wigglesworth was born it was already a very historic year. William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) had distanced himself from organized religion, the Church in Wales was praying for revival, and the Third Great Awakening was building powerful momentum in America. Yet, who would have thought that a baby born to two dirt poor parents who weren’t even Christians – would become one of the greatest voices for God in his generation. Though deprived of a normal education, because he had to help the family make a living by working in the fields pulling turnips at the age of six, Smith would talk to God about simple things. For example, he would ask God to help him find a nest of birds, and almost instantly he would be told where to look.
His grandmother was an old-time Wesleyan who believed in the power of God, encouraging Smith along these same lines. She faithfully took her grandson to her Holy Roller church where Smith saw people praising and worshipping God by clapping hands, dancing, and crying out about the power of Christ’s shed blood. When he was only eight he had an experience in one of these services where he came to understand and accept what Jesus had really done for him through His death and resurrection. Smith would later describe this experience in these words.
“I saw that God wants us so badly that He has made the condition as simple as He possibly could – ONLY BELIEVE!”
Smith grew up to be a champion of simple faith. Through his simple faith he saw God heal every form of disease, he saw God cast out every form of demonic spirit, and he was even used by God to resurrect the dead. It is not about education or training – it is about simple faith in the radical grace of Jesus Christ and His shed blood. We are either under His grace or we are under the law. If we put ourselves under the law we give the enemy permission to judge us and condemn us – and we in turn have a judgmental spirit towards others. Today is the day to make sure we are fully covered by His blood and radical grace – and like Smith Wigglesworth to live in simple faith.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 197-199.
JUNE 9
THE PENTECOSTAL PHENOMENON
Acts 1:8 “the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and you shall receive power”
June 9, 1958: On this date, Henry P. Van Dusen, the President of Union
Theological Seminary in New York, shocked the religious world with an article in Life Magazine announcing the third major force in Christendom.
America began as a Protestant nation. There was a real struggle over the issue of religious freedom in the colonies, but as these colonies ultimately united into one country numerous forms of the Protestant faith were legally recognized and tolerated. When a major immigration of Catholics moved into the United States during the last half of the nineteenth century, religious tensions increased, involving powerful prejudices and significant violence.
But, finally religious freedom and tolerance won out again, changing America from a Protestant nation to a Christian nation. However, there was to emerge in America a third major movement within Christianity that would surprise and amaze both Protestants and Catholics. This Charismatic movement was birthed in the Azusa Street Revival and would continue to grow with unprecedented speed until the President of Union Theological Seminary would announce its presence in a powerfully prophetic article in Life Magazine.
On this date, in 1958, Henry P Van Dusen stunned the religious world with an article entitled, “The Third Force in Christendom.” Showing remarkable insight, he predicted that Pentecostalism was destined to change the face of Christianity throughout the remainder of the twentieth century. Little did Van Dusen know, when he made this bold prediction, that classic forms of Pentecostalism were about to break out within both the traditional Protestant and Catholic camps. Just two years after his article, Episcopalian Priest Dennis Bennett would be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues in a manner that would send shock waves through his denomination and ultimately open a door to Charismatic renewal within the Episcopalian movement. Less than a decade after Van Dusen’s article, the Catholic church would experience a similar phenomenon that would lead to charismatic renewal among its ranks.
Just previous to Van Dusen’s article, a little known American Pentecostal evangelist named Tommy Hicks, traveled to Argentina, without invitation and at his own expense, because he felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to preach the “full gospel” in Buenos Aires. Without advertising or any sponsorship, except from God, he proceeded to conduct the greatest single evangelistic crusade in the history of the Christian Church, up to that point. In just fifty-two days, he preached to more than two million people who attended his meetings. The final service, held in a huge football stadium, had over 200,000 in attendance, itself. And so it was that Van Dusen’s prophetic words would explode around the world in the last half of the twentieth century. When God lights a fire, no one can put it out!
Source: Henry P Van Dusen, “The third Force in Christendom” Life (June 9, 1958) pp. 113-124.
JUNE 10
GOD’S ICONOCLIST
Proverbs 28:1 “The righteous have the boldness of a lion”
June 10, 1559: On this date, John Knox preached a fiery sermon at Saint Andrews Castle before the Lords of the Church, defying the Regent Mary, where he had valuable images and works of art destroyed as idols.
John Knox had a boldness about him that transcended that of every other famous reformer, even Luther. Of all the best known Protestant reformers, Knox was the only one who actually allowed and participated in the destruction of valuable images and works of art that he considered to be idols. Knox was a man of courage like few other prominent preachers who have ever lived. He was the target of murderous queens, angry archbishops, armies and executioners – but he never backed down or refused to speak his mind. During the first week of June in 1559 Knox set his sights on the Castle of St. Andrews, as he preached from one church to the next across Scotland, he was determined to finish his tour in this famous edifice from which he had been banned.
News of his approach led the Regent Mary to threaten him with arrest and imprisonment if he dared to defy her order. As Knox began his entry on to the castle grounds he quickly encountered Archbishop Hamilton and one hundred spears pointed at him by the soldiers under his command. Behind them were 12 cannons that were aimed at him if his supporters dared to put up resistance in an effort to have him preach. But, Knox had never been intimidated before, and he was determined, not to retreat in this stand off. So with Protestant Nobles at his back, and the regents army in his face, he stood before the archbishop and declared, “As for the fear of danger that may come to me, let no man be solicitous, for my life is in the custody of Him whose glory I seek. I desire the hand nor weapon of no man to defend me.”
His courageous words caused the archbishop to weaken in his resolve as he saw a growing crowd of barbaric Scottish Protestants gathering to hear their hero, Knox, and to give their lives in his defense. Incredibly, the archbishop called off his spearmen and other soldiers, and Knox marched into the castle to begin several days of sermons that would thrill his countrymen and fill the Regent and Archbishop with rage. He culminated his preaching on June 10 with a sermon that called for the literal destruction of valuable images and works of art considered precious to the church, right in his presence. The Catholic clergy in attendance were so stunned by this bold action that they sat in total silence, like statues, almost hypnotized by the powerful words that flowed from the mouth of Knox. Knox set fire to the “idols” and burned them before their eyes. By the time Knox finished his preaching, all of the Catholic churches in the region had been dismantled. “The righteous have the boldness of a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).
JUNE 11
THE TRIPLE A REVIVALIST
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 11, 1970: On this date, Asa Alonzo Allen, one of the most powerful and controversial revivalist’s of his day, died alone in a San Francisco hotel room.
As a young man, A. A. Allen was a party animal. He was known for his singing, dancing, drinking and smoking. He was the triple A life of the party before he became a triple A lover of God. But, even after he was converted responding to a message on the all-powerful blood of Christ he struggled with some of his addictions. Because of this, his ministry received a lot of opposition from those who considered his methods to be highly controversial and who could not tolerate a preacher who struggled with smoking and drinking. Yet, in spite of this opposition, Allen became an effective revivalist in the Assembly of God organization. He believed in the miracle power of Jesus, but when he was first exposed to the radical faith of the “Voice of Healing” movement, he ridiculed it as extreme.
Ironically, he would grow in his understanding of deliverance and faith healing until his ministry became one of the most sensational spectacles of every kind of sickness being healed and every kind of oppression of the enemy being lifted. People were drunk in the Spirit, as the magnified presence and glory of God descended on his meetings. Yet, as is often the case, God used Allen to perform mighty healings, even as his own physical health continued to degenerate. Like John Wimber, who was used by God to heal thousands, but died at a relatively young age because God did not choose to heal him, Allen suffered a similar fate. He acquired a severe arthritis that caused him such debilitating pain, that it progressively got worse, he could hardly function.
His personal physician tried to prescribe every possible medication to relieve and control his pain, but these drugs were addictive in themselves, and Allen became increasingly dependent again, on alcohol to grant him the only respite from his pain that he could stand. Finally, on a lonely night in the Jack Tar hotel, Allen reached out to a friend by phone before he passed out from excessive alcohol use. When the friend tried to come to his aid in the early morning of June 11, 1970 Allen could not be revived and his amazing life of Holy Spirit ministry came to a sad and early end, at the age of 59. Why does God allow His servants to die in such a tragic manner? Why did God allow John the Baptist to be beheaded – or the disciples of Jesus to be martyred. His ways, are bigger than ours, we will never fully understand them, but what we do know is that His power today is just as available to us as it was to A. A. Allen – who turned his world upside down.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 400-408.
JUNE 12
TRANCE-FORMATION
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 12, 1996: On this date, Binny Hinn described on international TV (TBN), how Maria Woodworth-Etter entered into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
Speaking as a trained historian, we are taught that all supernatural explanations must be excluded when we attempt to write our accounts of historical events. Such rules dismiss the possibility of a virgin birth, that Jesus could be both God and man, or that He rose from the grave on the third day as He said He would. When we talk about more recent history, where eyewitness accounts may still be relevant, once again we are told that super-natural explanations are not an option. This historical, academic bias, is particularly troublesome to those of us who have moved in charismatic circles for decades and seen numerous miracles first hand as well as various other supernatural manifestations. Therefore, I was not offended when Binny Hinn announced on Paul Crouch’s TBN Network show “Praise the Lord,” that Maria Woodworth-Etter the great nineteenth century faith healer and evangelist, had gone into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
There are numerous documented cases of Etter going into trances, even while she was making public presentations. No one disputes the fact that these trances would often last for more than an hour. People would be converted and healed even while the evangelist was in these trances. Hinn’s claim that the Lord showed him one of these trances lasted for twenty-four hours, is not the longest trance attributed to Etter and her manifestations from God. Kenneth Hagin, basing his claims on first hand information declared that in at least one case Woodworth-Etter went into a trance that lasted for three full days, without interruption. He describes the event in these words.
She was in her 70’s, preaching in a tent which was full, when right in the middle of her sermon, with her hand uplifted to illustrate a point and her mouth open, the power of God came on her. She froze in that position and stood like a statue for three days and three nights. Think about that: All her body had to be under the control of the Holy Spirit of God. She had no bodily functions; for three days and nights she stood there. According to the newspaper account, it was estimated that more than 150,000 people came by to see her in that three-day period.
It is more difficult for modern historians to dismiss eye-witness accounts and newspaper stories, but somehow they manage, because rules are rules.
Sources: Benny Hinn, Praise The Lord (June 12, 1996); Kenneth hagin, Why Do People Fall Under the Power? (Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1981) pp. 4-5.
JUNE 13
LUTHER THE MATCHMAKER
Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one”
June 13, 1525: On this date Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, married Katherine von Bora, a fiesty nun he had liberated.
The broad-reaching range of reforms, that Luther oversaw while he led the Protestant Reformation, are truly mind-boggling. Not only did he trumpet justification by faith, Sola Scriptura, and the priesthood of all believers, but he attacked indulgences and every form of papal corruption, he redefined the sacraments, and liberated priests and nuns from their vows of celibacy. In fact, Luther actually took an active role in finding husbands for nuns who cast off their Habits and joined the Protestant Reformation. The most striking example of this occurred in Wittenberg, where Luther received a letter from a nun named Katherine von Bora. She had already been dis-contented with the operations of the church before she read Luther’s writings, but once she got her hands on the reformer’s works, she found the courage to seek to escape from the convent along with eleven other nuns who wished to follow her. And although it was a capital crime, punishable by death, to facilitate such a rescue – Luther felt it was his duty to help these women, and marry them off to priests who had left the church where possible.
During this time convents were tightly secured so it was no easy task to free a nun – much less twelve at a time. But, Luther devised a clever plan that worked to perfection. Luther knew the father of one of the twelve nuns who delivered smoked salmon to the convent on a weekly basis. He had been doing this a long time so he was trusted by the church authorities and not subjected to searches when he entered and left the convent premises. So on the appointed day, he delivered twelve barrels of fish to the convent, and when he drove away each barrel contained an escaping nun. Once they were liberated from the convent three of the twelve nuns returned to live with their families, and the other nine were delivered to Luther’s doorstep. He found husbands for eight of the nine, but Katherine herself proved to be quite a challenge. She was a fiery red-head with a long nose, a high forehead, a powerful chin, and a sharp and witty tongue. She had been forced to join the convent by parents who didn’t want her at home, so she had no family to live with.
Luther got her a job as a housekeeper, and even found a man who wanted to marry her, but his parents refused the union because she was a runaway nun. By this time Luther himself had become a good friend to Katherine, but was shocked when she suggested they might make a good couple. Luther protested that he could be martyred at any time, but ultimately the union occurred in spite of the fact, that neither claimed to be romantically attracted to the other. As the reformer put it, “I am not madly in love, but I cherish her.” He also saw that his union, on this date, pleased his father who wished to further the family name, and infuriated the pope – a factor that Luther also cherished. Here was a man who was oh so human, but how God used him in such a marvelous way – and He wants to do the same with us today!
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 160-162.
JUNE 14
ESTABLISHED RELIGION
2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness, but …”
June 14, 1715: Reverend Robert Norden took an oath of allegiance in a Prince George County court, which allowed him to become the first pastor of a Baptist Church in Virginia.
America was supposed to be a haven from religious warfare. It was supposed to be the end of the “state church.” But, in the colony of Virginia religious control and the established state church was just as strong as what could be found in Mother England. The state church was patterned after the Church of England. Parents were obligated to have their infants baptized by a minister of the state church. Residents were required to support the church through taxation. This included maintaining church buildings, furnishing minister’s salaries and their parsonages. Attendance at worship services was required and those who failed to comply were subjected to heavy fines.
Baptists, with their strong emphasis on evangelism and baptism by im-mersion, were not welcome. They were subjected to violent abuse and prolonged persecution, all in the name of God. Even in America, it became clear that the church could not be trusted with too much political power and control. Required religion is never the product of the Holy Spirit, it is rather the product of the religious spirit. The religious spirit is the enemies’ substitute for the Holy Spirit. It employs force, fear, control, criticism and condemnation in place of the fruits of the Spirit. It has a form of godliness, but denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
Robert Norden, was the first Baptist to break through the steel curtain of the state church in America, but many fought the religious spirit with less fortunate results before him. America has religious freedom today, but the religious spirit is not dead. Pray for God’s discernment today, to detect and expose the religious spirit, and for His anointing to walk in the power of His Holy Spirit.
Source: www.secondbaptistrichmond.org/history/hxearame.htm
JUNE 15
FALLING FOR GOD
Ephesians 5:18 “be not drunk with wine,
but be continually filled with the Holy Spirit”
June 15, 1739: On this date, the Journal of John Wesley revealed that he dealt with the strange phenomenon of people fainting and falling out of trees at his meetings, not with condemnation, but by carefully inquiring into each individual experience.
In May of 1996, Scott McDermott, the senior pastor of the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania, received an invitation to attend a meeting of prominent pastors in Orlando, Florida. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns that Christian leaders across the nation had concerning the nature of revival and renewal movements that were currently flourishing in Toronto and Pensecola, Florida, with the hope of generating understanding and unity in the larger Body of Christ. McDermott was very busy at the time and not sure he would attend, but felt convicted by the Spirit that this was important and that he should lend his voice to the discussion. He had wondered about the strange manifestations that he had heard about in Toronto, and honestly questioned whether they could be of God, so he found it interesting that John Arnott, the senior pastor of the Toronto Church would be one of the speakers at these meetings.
His bias going into the meetings was that “Toronto just seemed too extreme, too emotional and too over the edge for my liking. But since the Father’s Blessing was being talked about at every turn, I felt the least I could do was give John Arnott a fair hearing.” When McDermott met Arnott in person he was struck by the fact that the preacher/teacher was nothing like what he expected. “He was far from the emotional ‘work you up into a frenzy’ kind of man,” but was instead quiet, “gentle, soft-spoken and humble. His presentation to the group was very low key and made a lot of sense, but McDermott still had questions about why God would use such unusual manifestations. When Arnott finished speaking, he asked if he could pray for the ministers in attendance. And to McDermott’s amazement, many of the them began to fall and manifest in the Spirit after he prayed for them.
When it was his turn, McDermott was quite nervous feeling that “falling was just not his thing.” When John prayed over him and nothing major happened he was somewhat relieved, but whispered a prayer to God himself saying, “I’m not going to look around; I’m just going to focus on You, Lord.” Just then, John returned and prayed for him again, and the rest was history. McDermott found himself on the floor experiencing a fire from God he had never known before. As John asked for more of the Spirit, McDermott found himself going into visions where he was actively running and dancing right on the floor. He saw himself running the 18 mile road from Jericho to Jerusalem with great joy. His actions caused such a commotion that some wanted to stop what he was doing, but John simply interviewed him on the spot, and the whole crowd was blessed. When in doubt about unusual manifestations don’t jump to conclusions, or condemnations, but follow the example of John Wesley, and inquire about the experiences.
Source: Scott McErmott, “Running God’s Race” in John Arnott’s Experience the Blessing (Ventura, CA: Renew Books, 2000) pp. 13-22.
JUNE 16
“HOLY” MATRIMONY
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 “Two are better than one,
… but a threefold chord is hardly broken”
June 16, 1855: William Booth and Catherine Mumford were joined in marriage forming one of the most powerful unions to ever merge in the Kingdom of God on earth.
What happens when two people are joined in marriage by the Spirit of God? I’m not talking about two professed believers, or two professed Christians of the same denomination. No! I’m talking about a man and a woman who are both totally sold out to God and His purposes before they get married and who are led together by the Spirit of God. A good example of this in our day would be Heidi and Roland Baker, whom God has used to transform the nation of Mozambique by relying on His miraculous power to feed, cloth, shelter and heal more than 100,000 orphans through their Iris Ministries.1
The best example of this in the nineteenth century was probably the union of William and Catherine Booth, who became the co-founders of the Salvation Army. Both of these individuals were so committed to God, and anointed by His Holy Spirit, that when they joined forces in holy matrimony they became an unstoppable power for the kingdom of God. William pursued an untiring vision of social reform that touched every segment of society. It included rescue homes for prostitutes, a farm colony, a poor man’s bank, orphanages, suburban communes, preventative homes for girls, etc. He then published this vision, which was decades ahead of its time, as a blueprint for societal rehabilitation and reconstruction under the title, Darkest England and the Way Out (1890).
Catherine was equally powerful in her work as a reformer. She raised an entire army of women, through her charismatic public speaking, who joined with men to dramatically change the culture of her day. She foresaw the churches destiny as an army bride, that could not be stopped marching under the powerful banner of God’s Holy Spirit. Her favorite text was Song of Songs 6:4, “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah. Comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” Catherine led her troops with zealous faith and energythrough the worst urban districts, encountering the most violent opposition. Despite the prejudices against woman, she published temperance tracts under an assumed named that transformed her society. We have an inheritance from these two, today, that God is waiting to unleash on couples who will say “yes” to Him, in His last great work on this planet. Will you participate in such a partnership?
1 See Heidi and Roland Baker, Always Enough
Source: http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/XO533_Bios-_William_Catherine_Booth.html
JUNE 1
GOD’S WORD TO A WOMAN
Acts 2:17 “your daughters shall prophesy”
June 1, 1310: Marguerite Porete, respected teacher, Catholic mystic, and author of A Mirror for Simple Souls, was burned to death as a heretic in Paris because she claimed to receive direct revelations from God.
After the martyrdom of Marguerite Porete, one would expect that any woman who believed that she was receiving direct revelations from God would be afraid to share such revelations with anyone in church leadership. But, this was not the case, Porete’s death was not in vain for it inspired another woman who would later become a saint. Her name was Catherine of Siena, and she lived from 1347 to 1380. Our best information about her today comes from her biography, La Vita de Santa Caterina da Siena, written by her confessor Raimonda da Capua. Father Raimondo writes that one day when Catherine was lying in her bed, “burdened by many pains,” she called him, in secret, to come to her bedside. She wanted to share with him, “certain things which the Lord had revealed to her.” According to her confessor,
She began, though feverish, to speak in her usual way of God and to tell of the things that had been revealed to her that day. But when I heard such great and unheard of things, I said in my heart …”Do you suppose that all the things she says are true?”
Catherine spoke with remarkable authority during a time when the male hierarchy of the church had no tolerance for such claims, so it is not surprising that her Father confessor was anxious about being the recipient of such revelations. But, what happened next would not only convince Father Raimonda that her revelations were truth from God, it would demonstrate how the Divinity of the One we worship so transcends human gender. As the confessor stood there struggling with doubt, he records that he looked closely into the face of Catherine and saw that “her face was changed in an instant into the face of a bearded man who, gazing at me with staring eyes, gave me a great fright.”
“The face was rather long, of middle age and had a beard that was not long, the color of wheat, and in appearance it displayed such majesty that it thereby revealed itself as the Savior.”
Amazed and in a state of shock Father Raimondo records that he threw up his arms and exclaimed, “Who is this who is gazing at me?” Catherine answered, “He who is.” At this point the face of Christ disappeared and the confessor returned to hearing the revelations of Saint Catherine with renewed faith. God’s revelations are nothing new today, but they are breaking forth in unprecedented power – especially to those who know that He is the “same yesterday, today and forever.”
Source: Harvey Cox, Fire From Heaven (New York: Addison-Wesley Publ., 1995) pp. 204-206.
JUNE 2
HATE IN THE NAME OF GOD
Matthew 7:23 “Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
June 2, 1780: More than 50,000 people rioted in the streets of London in an attempt to overturn the Catholic Relief Act which restored equal rights for Catholics.
For many hundreds of years Protestants and Catholics waged a war of hate in England and Ireland. When a Protestant occupied the English throne laws were passed against Catholics, and they were persecuted. When a Catholic, like “bloody Mary” occupied the throne, the tables were turned and Protestants were persecuted and martyred. By 1780, Protestants had controlled political power for two hundred years, since the reign of Elizabeth I. But, after the Revolutionary War broke out in America, King George III’s ministers thought it would be wise to pass a law restoring rights to Catholics.
After the Catholic Relief Act passed there was one man, a Protestant retired navy lieutenant named Lord George Gordon, who was so filled with hatred for Catholics that he made it his singular goal to see the act repealed. He spent months collecting signatures on a petition in the hope of seeing the law overturned. Then, more than a year after the Act had passed Parliament he rallied more than 50,000 people to march to Parliament to present their petition. However, the march turned ugly and resulted in days of riots where Catholic homes and churches were looted and burned to the ground. Before the riots were over approximately 500 people were killed or critically injured. But, the Catholic Relief Act was not overturned.
Jesus knew that hate is such a powerful motivator that he taught his disciples to love their enemies. We cannot afford the luxury of a hateful thought as human beings, for every drop of hate becomes a powerful poison in our system. Every failure to forgive releases the demonic “tormentors” in our lives according to Jesus (Matthew 18:34). Let me flow today in God’s love, resisting every seed of hate, and forgiving every offense against me. For God’s people cannot be consumed by what is evil, nor will they be quick to attribute evil to others.
Source: Ken Curtis, This Day in Christian History (Christian Publications, 2 005)6-2.
JUNE 3
THE FIRST FORT KNOX
Acts 5:19 “Judge for yourself rather it is
right for us to serve God rather than man”
June 3, 1559: On this date John Knox entered St. Andrews Castle to preach facing drawn spears, swords and canons under the threat of death.
In the year 1559 John Knox returned home to his beloved Scotland to fulfill a prophecy he had made years before. Though driven away by persecution for his strong Protestant preaching, Knox prophesied that he would return to St. Andrews Castle to preach the Word of God again. As he approached the castle he was joined by hundreds of Protestant nobles on horse back who were determined to lend their support to their hero in any way that they could. But, Knox made it clear that it was the conviction of God’s Spirit alone that drove him to the confrontation that awaited him. Archbishop Hamilton had heard of the reformer’s coming and had prepared with an army of guards and soldiers who were prepared to arrest or execute Knox at the Archbishop’s command.
As Knox neared the intimidating sight he made it clear that if he had not been stopped by wicked kings, murderous queens, barbaric executioners, expulsions, armies, torments and galleys, he was not about to be stopped now. He walked straight up to the castle entrance where he was immediately met by the Archbishop and his troops. Hamilton assured him that if he continued forward he would be met by canon fire that would end his life. However, as Knox assured him that it was not a heretical Archbishop, but God, who would determine his fate, Hamilton saw the determined nobles behind and failed to fulfill his threat. Knox proceeded to the pulpit and preached such a powerful and anointed sermon that the Catholic clergy who had gathered to condemn him were literally mesmerized.
Knox not only finished his entire sermon without incident, but preached for three more days as well, culminating his messages by burning Catholic images before their eyes, as the astonished priests sat motionless. When the ruler of the region heard what had happened she was so outraged that she summoned her entire army and accompanied them to arrest Knox. Unfortunately, for her, by the time she arrived more than three thousand armed nobles had gathered to protect Knox. She and her army were quickly dismissed and forced to retreat, and all the Catholic churches in the region closed their doors. All this, because one faithful reformer was not afraid to risk his life for the kingdom of God. What are you risking for His kingdom today?
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 300-301.
JUNE 4
BIRTH OF A PENTECOSTAL PIONEER
Acts 8:16 “the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them”
June 4, 1873: This was the birth date of Charles Fox Parham, the mentor of William Seymour, and considered by many to be the founder of the modern Pentecostal Faith.
The theology of modern day Pentecostalism was formulated by Charles Fox Parham who was born on this day. His life started very slow and with much difficulty. He was chronically ill most of the time and found himself confined to bed for months at a time. During his sickly childhood he had an encounter with God which convinced him that he was called to the ministry. So at an early age he began to read and study the Bible extensively. However, when he was thirteen years old, he was plunged into a terrible crisis by the death of his mother. Yet, during this time of turmoil and trauma Parham met Brother Lippard who was a leader in a Congregational House Church. Through this relationship, Parham was “born again,” taking his experience with God to a new level.
Remembering his pre-conversion call to the ministry, he entered a Methodist-formed school called Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. But, as he progressed in his studies, he decided that he could minister for God as a physician just as well as a pastor, so he switched the emphasis of his studies. However, he had no sooner made this change when he was struck down with a severe case of rheumatic fever. While he was once again confined to bed, he returned to a diligent study of the Scriptures, concerning the healing ministry of Jesus. He became convinced that Jesus wanted to heal him, and wanted him to return to his focus on ministry. So he switched back to theology and was immediately healed enough so that he could get out of bed, but he was still quite crippled and had to use crutches. God then convicted him that he was to drop out of school and forsake formal education. When he did this, he was completely healed.
This decision set the stage for Parham to leave the Methodist Church and to become an independent holiness preacher. In 1898 he settled in Topeka, Kansas and founded the Bethel Bible School and Healing Home. It was here that he taught the importance of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and emphasized speaking in tongues as the one and only Bible proof of this baptism (a doctrine still taught in many Pentecostal churches). It was in this school that William Seymour would be convinced of Parham’s doctrines and would go on to teach them before the fire fell on Azusa Street. Does the Azusa revival prove that all of Parham’s doctrines were correct? No more than the Protestant Reformation proves that all of Luther’s doctrines were correct. But, like Luther, Parham had a powerful relationship with our Lord, and we owe a great debt of gratitude for his faithfulness to God.
Source: Vinson Synan, The Century of the Holy Spirit (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001) pp. 42-43.
JUNE 5
Heretic or Hero
Revelation 12:11 “and they loved not their lives unto death.”
June 5, 1415: On this date, after five miserable months in prison, John Hus was promised a public hearing to determine whether he was a heretic or not.
It was a time of great confusion and despair in the Catholic Church. Corruption had reached an all time high and three different men were claiming to be Pope and excommunicating each other. On top of this, Godly men such as John Hus were being arrested and accused of heresy for simply trying to preach the plain teachings of Scripture. The Council of Constance had been appointed to pursue and convict such heretics and was made up of powerful, but also very corruptible, churchmen. As Hus rotted in prison, he prayed for a defender to come to his aid. King Sigismund who had seemed to be such a protector, came to the cell where Hus was being held.
It was at this point that chaos broke loose because Pope John the XXIII was deposed and forced to flee. His Council of Judges that had specifically been assigned to the Hus case fled with him, and the key to Hus’ cell was left with Sigismund who had the opportunity to release Hus. But, instead he showed his true colors and had Hus transferred under heavy guard at night to a cell in the Castle Gottlieben on the Rhine River. A new Council of Judges were appointed to deal with Hus who were equally corrupt as the previous council. Hus was treated in even a more inhuman manner than he had been during his previous incarceration. But, as protests increased, the new Council promised that Hus would be given a public hearing on this date. However, when the day arrived, the Council reneged on its promise and met first without even allowing Hus to be present as they accused him of various heresies. Then they dragged him before the tribunal in a state where he was so weak, filthy, and smelling rank from the dungeon’s dampness that he was barely able to defend himself – yet he would still not recant of the Bible truths he had so boldly proclaimed.
So he was returned to his cell, and further betrayed by Sigismund who now insisted that Hus was to be executed for his heresies. A month later, on July 6, Hus appeared before the cruel Council one last time to be mocked and ridiculed by those who wished to see him dead. His condemnation and sentence was pronounced when he again refused to recant and he was then stripped, humiliated and tortured before he was burned at the stake by his accusers – even as his last words were to forgive them. How much we owe to men like Hus, as we celebrate the Good News of the Protestant Gospel today, knowing that all our sins have been forgiven – past, present and future – in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 102-109.
JUNE 6
YMCA YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Ecclesiastes “Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth”
June 6, 1844: Sir George Williams and eleven other men strongly interested in social reform founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in London.
In 1844, George Williams was a twenty-three year old tradesman working in London who was concerned about the lack of healthy activities for young men working in big cities. Taverns, brothels, and gambling halls were the most popular hang-outs, but there was almost nothing for young men who were interested in spiritual growth or healthy self-improvement. So Williams and eleven other young men, ten of whom were part of his same trade, founded the YMCA. Originally, this organization placed a great emphasis on spiritual development, which included programs for Bible study and making Christian disciples.
The YMCA also made it its mission to encourage ecumenical love, respect and unity. The original YMCA motto was taken from Jesus’ great prayer in John 17:21, “That they all may be one.” In 1855, at a meeting in Paris, the YMCA became an international organization, encouraging global unity and holistic development of the entire person –mental – physical – spiritual – social and emotional growth. Today, the organization has grown to more than forty-five million strong (much faster growth than any church has experienced). But, like so many great organizations that began with a strong Christian mission, it has become largely secular.
Even in its more secular era the YMCA has done immeasurable good. It has provided shelter and inexpensive housing for millions of individuals needing lodging. It has produced sports activities for millions of others, and was the place where James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. For years members swam in the nude in YMCA pools, to avoid having fibers get into the early unsophisticated filters, but when women and children were allowed to join, this practice stopped. The YMCA also played a sponsoring role for the Boy Scouts organization. Its amazing how much good has come from the vision of one man. What vision has God placed in your heart?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMCA
JUNE 7
A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON
Hebrews 12:27 “what can be shaken will be shaken”
June 7, 1996: On this date the Brownesville Assembly of God featured a video entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” promoting manifestations connected with spiritual inebriation.
Having recently returned from Rodney Howard-Browne’s Tampa church, called the River, I am still recovering from the powerful anointing of the Spirit that moved through the meetings leaving many of us spiritually inebriated. This is nothing new for Browne’s ministry, for it was under his leadership that “Holy Laughter” first came to Toronto, and the Pensacola Revival in Brownsville, Florida saw a host of powerful manifestations of the Spirit. One example of these manifestations involved a pastor and his wife who became so drunk in the Spirit that they could not remember where they were from. This struck the leaders of the revival as so humorous that they made a video of the event entitled, “Honey, Where are We From?” The video features an interview with the couple where the wife is so drunk in the Spirit that she can’t remember where the couple is from. So the pastor husband interrupts to clarify the confusion, only to be so overcome by the Spirit himself, that he can’t remember where they are from.
Both husband and wife continue under such spiritual inebriation that they are totally disoriented and appear to speak in a manner that is completely irrational. The video continues, focusing on the physical manifestations of two sisters, Alison and Elizabeth Ward. As they attended the Brownsville Revival they became more and more moved by the testimonies and manifestations of others until they too began to manifest. Elizabeth describes her experience in these words, “After watching people being touched by God, my spirit got hungry and I began to shake. The shaking went on for about three days … I couldn’t eat and I would shake in my sleep. My family had to feed me through a straw. My whole body was convulsing for three days.”
Such descriptions seem scary to some, and so extreme to others that they are assumed to be from the enemy, but one of the most mature pastor’s I know, Bill Johnson, who pastors the Bethel church in Redding, California has described a similar experience in his own life, when his hunger for God, led him to shake in the Spirit for three days, resulting in a life transforming anointing. I am not for pursuing manifestations for the sake of mani-festations, or even focusing on manifestations. But, we should be careful not to dismiss or condemn them, simply because they seem strange to us. I have found that the fruit of manifestations, generally reveal their source, and that God often uses strange manifestations to heal and empower people in ways that lead to major breakthrough in their lives. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Source: “Honey, Where Are We From?” In Times Like These (Brownsville Assembly of God – June 7 & 8, 1996 Videotape).
JUNE 8
ONLY BELIEVE
John 3:36 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”
June 8, 1859: On this date Smith Wigglesworth was born to John and Martha Wigglesworth in the small village of Menston, Yorkshire, England.
When Smith Wigglesworth was born it was already a very historic year. William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) had distanced himself from organized religion, the Church in Wales was praying for revival, and the Third Great Awakening was building powerful momentum in America. Yet, who would have thought that a baby born to two dirt poor parents who weren’t even Christians – would become one of the greatest voices for God in his generation. Though deprived of a normal education, because he had to help the family make a living by working in the fields pulling turnips at the age of six, Smith would talk to God about simple things. For example, he would ask God to help him find a nest of birds, and almost instantly he would be told where to look.
His grandmother was an old-time Wesleyan who believed in the power of God, encouraging Smith along these same lines. She faithfully took her grandson to her Holy Roller church where Smith saw people praising and worshipping God by clapping hands, dancing, and crying out about the power of Christ’s shed blood. When he was only eight he had an experience in one of these services where he came to understand and accept what Jesus had really done for him through His death and resurrection. Smith would later describe this experience in these words.
“I saw that God wants us so badly that He has made the condition as simple as He possibly could – ONLY BELIEVE!”
Smith grew up to be a champion of simple faith. Through his simple faith he saw God heal every form of disease, he saw God cast out every form of demonic spirit, and he was even used by God to resurrect the dead. It is not about education or training – it is about simple faith in the radical grace of Jesus Christ and His shed blood. We are either under His grace or we are under the law. If we put ourselves under the law we give the enemy permission to judge us and condemn us – and we in turn have a judgmental spirit towards others. Today is the day to make sure we are fully covered by His blood and radical grace – and like Smith Wigglesworth to live in simple faith.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 197-199.
JUNE 9
THE PENTECOSTAL PHENOMENON
Acts 1:8 “the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and you shall receive power”
June 9, 1958: On this date, Henry P. Van Dusen, the President of Union
Theological Seminary in New York, shocked the religious world with an article in Life Magazine announcing the third major force in Christendom.
America began as a Protestant nation. There was a real struggle over the issue of religious freedom in the colonies, but as these colonies ultimately united into one country numerous forms of the Protestant faith were legally recognized and tolerated. When a major immigration of Catholics moved into the United States during the last half of the nineteenth century, religious tensions increased, involving powerful prejudices and significant violence.
But, finally religious freedom and tolerance won out again, changing America from a Protestant nation to a Christian nation. However, there was to emerge in America a third major movement within Christianity that would surprise and amaze both Protestants and Catholics. This Charismatic movement was birthed in the Azusa Street Revival and would continue to grow with unprecedented speed until the President of Union Theological Seminary would announce its presence in a powerfully prophetic article in Life Magazine.
On this date, in 1958, Henry P Van Dusen stunned the religious world with an article entitled, “The Third Force in Christendom.” Showing remarkable insight, he predicted that Pentecostalism was destined to change the face of Christianity throughout the remainder of the twentieth century. Little did Van Dusen know, when he made this bold prediction, that classic forms of Pentecostalism were about to break out within both the traditional Protestant and Catholic camps. Just two years after his article, Episcopalian Priest Dennis Bennett would be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues in a manner that would send shock waves through his denomination and ultimately open a door to Charismatic renewal within the Episcopalian movement. Less than a decade after Van Dusen’s article, the Catholic church would experience a similar phenomenon that would lead to charismatic renewal among its ranks.
Just previous to Van Dusen’s article, a little known American Pentecostal evangelist named Tommy Hicks, traveled to Argentina, without invitation and at his own expense, because he felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to preach the “full gospel” in Buenos Aires. Without advertising or any sponsorship, except from God, he proceeded to conduct the greatest single evangelistic crusade in the history of the Christian Church, up to that point. In just fifty-two days, he preached to more than two million people who attended his meetings. The final service, held in a huge football stadium, had over 200,000 in attendance, itself. And so it was that Van Dusen’s prophetic words would explode around the world in the last half of the twentieth century. When God lights a fire, no one can put it out!
Source: Henry P Van Dusen, “The third Force in Christendom” Life (June 9, 1958) pp. 113-124.
JUNE 10
GOD’S ICONOCLIST
Proverbs 28:1 “The righteous have the boldness of a lion”
June 10, 1559: On this date, John Knox preached a fiery sermon at Saint Andrews Castle before the Lords of the Church, defying the Regent Mary, where he had valuable images and works of art destroyed as idols.
John Knox had a boldness about him that transcended that of every other famous reformer, even Luther. Of all the best known Protestant reformers, Knox was the only one who actually allowed and participated in the destruction of valuable images and works of art that he considered to be idols. Knox was a man of courage like few other prominent preachers who have ever lived. He was the target of murderous queens, angry archbishops, armies and executioners – but he never backed down or refused to speak his mind. During the first week of June in 1559 Knox set his sights on the Castle of St. Andrews, as he preached from one church to the next across Scotland, he was determined to finish his tour in this famous edifice from which he had been banned.
News of his approach led the Regent Mary to threaten him with arrest and imprisonment if he dared to defy her order. As Knox began his entry on to the castle grounds he quickly encountered Archbishop Hamilton and one hundred spears pointed at him by the soldiers under his command. Behind them were 12 cannons that were aimed at him if his supporters dared to put up resistance in an effort to have him preach. But, Knox had never been intimidated before, and he was determined, not to retreat in this stand off. So with Protestant Nobles at his back, and the regents army in his face, he stood before the archbishop and declared, “As for the fear of danger that may come to me, let no man be solicitous, for my life is in the custody of Him whose glory I seek. I desire the hand nor weapon of no man to defend me.”
His courageous words caused the archbishop to weaken in his resolve as he saw a growing crowd of barbaric Scottish Protestants gathering to hear their hero, Knox, and to give their lives in his defense. Incredibly, the archbishop called off his spearmen and other soldiers, and Knox marched into the castle to begin several days of sermons that would thrill his countrymen and fill the Regent and Archbishop with rage. He culminated his preaching on June 10 with a sermon that called for the literal destruction of valuable images and works of art considered precious to the church, right in his presence. The Catholic clergy in attendance were so stunned by this bold action that they sat in total silence, like statues, almost hypnotized by the powerful words that flowed from the mouth of Knox. Knox set fire to the “idols” and burned them before their eyes. By the time Knox finished his preaching, all of the Catholic churches in the region had been dismantled. “The righteous have the boldness of a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).
JUNE 11
THE TRIPLE A REVIVALIST
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 11, 1970: On this date, Asa Alonzo Allen, one of the most powerful and controversial revivalist’s of his day, died alone in a San Francisco hotel room.
As a young man, A. A. Allen was a party animal. He was known for his singing, dancing, drinking and smoking. He was the triple A life of the party before he became a triple A lover of God. But, even after he was converted responding to a message on the all-powerful blood of Christ he struggled with some of his addictions. Because of this, his ministry received a lot of opposition from those who considered his methods to be highly controversial and who could not tolerate a preacher who struggled with smoking and drinking. Yet, in spite of this opposition, Allen became an effective revivalist in the Assembly of God organization. He believed in the miracle power of Jesus, but when he was first exposed to the radical faith of the “Voice of Healing” movement, he ridiculed it as extreme.
Ironically, he would grow in his understanding of deliverance and faith healing until his ministry became one of the most sensational spectacles of every kind of sickness being healed and every kind of oppression of the enemy being lifted. People were drunk in the Spirit, as the magnified presence and glory of God descended on his meetings. Yet, as is often the case, God used Allen to perform mighty healings, even as his own physical health continued to degenerate. Like John Wimber, who was used by God to heal thousands, but died at a relatively young age because God did not choose to heal him, Allen suffered a similar fate. He acquired a severe arthritis that caused him such debilitating pain, that it progressively got worse, he could hardly function.
His personal physician tried to prescribe every possible medication to relieve and control his pain, but these drugs were addictive in themselves, and Allen became increasingly dependent again, on alcohol to grant him the only respite from his pain that he could stand. Finally, on a lonely night in the Jack Tar hotel, Allen reached out to a friend by phone before he passed out from excessive alcohol use. When the friend tried to come to his aid in the early morning of June 11, 1970 Allen could not be revived and his amazing life of Holy Spirit ministry came to a sad and early end, at the age of 59. Why does God allow His servants to die in such a tragic manner? Why did God allow John the Baptist to be beheaded – or the disciples of Jesus to be martyred. His ways, are bigger than ours, we will never fully understand them, but what we do know is that His power today is just as available to us as it was to A. A. Allen – who turned his world upside down.
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996) pp. 400-408.
JUNE 12
TRANCE-FORMATION
Mark 16:17 “These signs shall follow those who believe”
June 12, 1996: On this date, Binny Hinn described on international TV (TBN), how Maria Woodworth-Etter entered into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
Speaking as a trained historian, we are taught that all supernatural explanations must be excluded when we attempt to write our accounts of historical events. Such rules dismiss the possibility of a virgin birth, that Jesus could be both God and man, or that He rose from the grave on the third day as He said He would. When we talk about more recent history, where eyewitness accounts may still be relevant, once again we are told that super-natural explanations are not an option. This historical, academic bias, is particularly troublesome to those of us who have moved in charismatic circles for decades and seen numerous miracles first hand as well as various other supernatural manifestations. Therefore, I was not offended when Binny Hinn announced on Paul Crouch’s TBN Network show “Praise the Lord,” that Maria Woodworth-Etter the great nineteenth century faith healer and evangelist, had gone into a twenty-four hour trance right while she was preaching.
There are numerous documented cases of Etter going into trances, even while she was making public presentations. No one disputes the fact that these trances would often last for more than an hour. People would be converted and healed even while the evangelist was in these trances. Hinn’s claim that the Lord showed him one of these trances lasted for twenty-four hours, is not the longest trance attributed to Etter and her manifestations from God. Kenneth Hagin, basing his claims on first hand information declared that in at least one case Woodworth-Etter went into a trance that lasted for three full days, without interruption. He describes the event in these words.
She was in her 70’s, preaching in a tent which was full, when right in the middle of her sermon, with her hand uplifted to illustrate a point and her mouth open, the power of God came on her. She froze in that position and stood like a statue for three days and three nights. Think about that: All her body had to be under the control of the Holy Spirit of God. She had no bodily functions; for three days and nights she stood there. According to the newspaper account, it was estimated that more than 150,000 people came by to see her in that three-day period.
It is more difficult for modern historians to dismiss eye-witness accounts and newspaper stories, but somehow they manage, because rules are rules.
Sources: Benny Hinn, Praise The Lord (June 12, 1996); Kenneth hagin, Why Do People Fall Under the Power? (Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1981) pp. 4-5.
JUNE 13
LUTHER THE MATCHMAKER
Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one”
June 13, 1525: On this date Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, married Katherine von Bora, a fiesty nun he had liberated.
The broad-reaching range of reforms, that Luther oversaw while he led the Protestant Reformation, are truly mind-boggling. Not only did he trumpet justification by faith, Sola Scriptura, and the priesthood of all believers, but he attacked indulgences and every form of papal corruption, he redefined the sacraments, and liberated priests and nuns from their vows of celibacy. In fact, Luther actually took an active role in finding husbands for nuns who cast off their Habits and joined the Protestant Reformation. The most striking example of this occurred in Wittenberg, where Luther received a letter from a nun named Katherine von Bora. She had already been dis-contented with the operations of the church before she read Luther’s writings, but once she got her hands on the reformer’s works, she found the courage to seek to escape from the convent along with eleven other nuns who wished to follow her. And although it was a capital crime, punishable by death, to facilitate such a rescue – Luther felt it was his duty to help these women, and marry them off to priests who had left the church where possible.
During this time convents were tightly secured so it was no easy task to free a nun – much less twelve at a time. But, Luther devised a clever plan that worked to perfection. Luther knew the father of one of the twelve nuns who delivered smoked salmon to the convent on a weekly basis. He had been doing this a long time so he was trusted by the church authorities and not subjected to searches when he entered and left the convent premises. So on the appointed day, he delivered twelve barrels of fish to the convent, and when he drove away each barrel contained an escaping nun. Once they were liberated from the convent three of the twelve nuns returned to live with their families, and the other nine were delivered to Luther’s doorstep. He found husbands for eight of the nine, but Katherine herself proved to be quite a challenge. She was a fiery red-head with a long nose, a high forehead, a powerful chin, and a sharp and witty tongue. She had been forced to join the convent by parents who didn’t want her at home, so she had no family to live with.
Luther got her a job as a housekeeper, and even found a man who wanted to marry her, but his parents refused the union because she was a runaway nun. By this time Luther himself had become a good friend to Katherine, but was shocked when she suggested they might make a good couple. Luther protested that he could be martyred at any time, but ultimately the union occurred in spite of the fact, that neither claimed to be romantically attracted to the other. As the reformer put it, “I am not madly in love, but I cherish her.” He also saw that his union, on this date, pleased his father who wished to further the family name, and infuriated the pope – a factor that Luther also cherished. Here was a man who was oh so human, but how God used him in such a marvelous way – and He wants to do the same with us today!
Source: Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals II (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003) pp. 160-162.
JUNE 14
ESTABLISHED RELIGION
2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness, but …”
June 14, 1715: Reverend Robert Norden took an oath of allegiance in a Prince George County court, which allowed him to become the first pastor of a Baptist Church in Virginia.
America was supposed to be a haven from religious warfare. It was supposed to be the end of the “state church.” But, in the colony of Virginia religious control and the established state church was just as strong as what could be found in Mother England. The state church was patterned after the Church of England. Parents were obligated to have their infants baptized by a minister of the state church. Residents were required to support the church through taxation. This included maintaining church buildings, furnishing minister’s salaries and their parsonages. Attendance at worship services was required and those who failed to comply were subjected to heavy fines.
Baptists, with their strong emphasis on evangelism and baptism by im-mersion, were not welcome. They were subjected to violent abuse and prolonged persecution, all in the name of God. Even in America, it became clear that the church could not be trusted with too much political power and control. Required religion is never the product of the Holy Spirit, it is rather the product of the religious spirit. The religious spirit is the enemies’ substitute for the Holy Spirit. It employs force, fear, control, criticism and condemnation in place of the fruits of the Spirit. It has a form of godliness, but denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
Robert Norden, was the first Baptist to break through the steel curtain of the state church in America, but many fought the religious spirit with less fortunate results before him. America has religious freedom today, but the religious spirit is not dead. Pray for God’s discernment today, to detect and expose the religious spirit, and for His anointing to walk in the power of His Holy Spirit.
Source: www.secondbaptistrichmond.org/history/hxearame.htm
JUNE 15
FALLING FOR GOD
Ephesians 5:18 “be not drunk with wine,
but be continually filled with the Holy Spirit”
June 15, 1739: On this date, the Journal of John Wesley revealed that he dealt with the strange phenomenon of people fainting and falling out of trees at his meetings, not with condemnation, but by carefully inquiring into each individual experience.
In May of 1996, Scott McDermott, the senior pastor of the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania, received an invitation to attend a meeting of prominent pastors in Orlando, Florida. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns that Christian leaders across the nation had concerning the nature of revival and renewal movements that were currently flourishing in Toronto and Pensecola, Florida, with the hope of generating understanding and unity in the larger Body of Christ. McDermott was very busy at the time and not sure he would attend, but felt convicted by the Spirit that this was important and that he should lend his voice to the discussion. He had wondered about the strange manifestations that he had heard about in Toronto, and honestly questioned whether they could be of God, so he found it interesting that John Arnott, the senior pastor of the Toronto Church would be one of the speakers at these meetings.
His bias going into the meetings was that “Toronto just seemed too extreme, too emotional and too over the edge for my liking. But since the Father’s Blessing was being talked about at every turn, I felt the least I could do was give John Arnott a fair hearing.” When McDermott met Arnott in person he was struck by the fact that the preacher/teacher was nothing like what he expected. “He was far from the emotional ‘work you up into a frenzy’ kind of man,” but was instead quiet, “gentle, soft-spoken and humble. His presentation to the group was very low key and made a lot of sense, but McDermott still had questions about why God would use such unusual manifestations. When Arnott finished speaking, he asked if he could pray for the ministers in attendance. And to McDermott’s amazement, many of the them began to fall and manifest in the Spirit after he prayed for them.
When it was his turn, McDermott was quite nervous feeling that “falling was just not his thing.” When John prayed over him and nothing major happened he was somewhat relieved, but whispered a prayer to God himself saying, “I’m not going to look around; I’m just going to focus on You, Lord.” Just then, John returned and prayed for him again, and the rest was history. McDermott found himself on the floor experiencing a fire from God he had never known before. As John asked for more of the Spirit, McDermott found himself going into visions where he was actively running and dancing right on the floor. He saw himself running the 18 mile road from Jericho to Jerusalem with great joy. His actions caused such a commotion that some wanted to stop what he was doing, but John simply interviewed him on the spot, and the whole crowd was blessed. When in doubt about unusual manifestations don’t jump to conclusions, or condemnations, but follow the example of John Wesley, and inquire about the experiences.
Source: Scott McErmott, “Running God’s Race” in John Arnott’s Experience the Blessing (Ventura, CA: Renew Books, 2000) pp. 13-22.
JUNE 16
“HOLY” MATRIMONY
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 “Two are better than one,
… but a threefold chord is hardly broken”
June 16, 1855: William Booth and Catherine Mumford were joined in marriage forming one of the most powerful unions to ever merge in the Kingdom of God on earth.
What happens when two people are joined in marriage by the Spirit of God? I’m not talking about two professed believers, or two professed Christians of the same denomination. No! I’m talking about a man and a woman who are both totally sold out to God and His purposes before they get married and who are led together by the Spirit of God. A good example of this in our day would be Heidi and Roland Baker, whom God has used to transform the nation of Mozambique by relying on His miraculous power to feed, cloth, shelter and heal more than 100,000 orphans through their Iris Ministries.1
The best example of this in the nineteenth century was probably the union of William and Catherine Booth, who became the co-founders of the Salvation Army. Both of these individuals were so committed to God, and anointed by His Holy Spirit, that when they joined forces in holy matrimony they became an unstoppable power for the kingdom of God. William pursued an untiring vision of social reform that touched every segment of society. It included rescue homes for prostitutes, a farm colony, a poor man’s bank, orphanages, suburban communes, preventative homes for girls, etc. He then published this vision, which was decades ahead of its time, as a blueprint for societal rehabilitation and reconstruction under the title, Darkest England and the Way Out (1890).
Catherine was equally powerful in her work as a reformer. She raised an entire army of women, through her charismatic public speaking, who joined with men to dramatically change the culture of her day. She foresaw the churches destiny as an army bride, that could not be stopped marching under the powerful banner of God’s Holy Spirit. Her favorite text was Song of Songs 6:4, “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah. Comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” Catherine led her troops with zealous faith and energythrough the worst urban districts, encountering the most violent opposition. Despite the prejudices against woman, she published temperance tracts under an assumed named that transformed her society. We have an inheritance from these two, today, that God is waiting to unleash on couples who will say “yes” to Him, in His last great work on this planet. Will you participate in such a partnership?
1 See Heidi and Roland Baker, Always Enough
Source: http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/XO533_Bios-_William_Catherine_Booth.html
