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April 9, 2012 3:42 pm

For centuries, the Jewish people eagerly awaited the appearance of a promised king.  A powerful leader who would rescue them from their oppressors.  But Isaiah was given a vision that was much different from what anyone expected.

The prophet Isaiah revealed that the Savior of the world, the coming Messiah and King, would not be what people had imagined.  Instead of crushing foreign armies, the Messiah would be “pierced for our transgressions … crushed for our iniquities … by his wounds we [would be] healed.”  (Isaiah 53:5)

This confused a lot of religious people at the time.  It was difficult to understand a savior who would have to suffer.  But seven hundred years after Isaiah predicted his arrival, the Messiah came.  Jesus, the Son of God, wasn’t sent to destroy armies or kingdoms, but to destroy sin and death.

Just like the prophet said, Jesus was pierced, crushed, wounded and eventually left to die upon a horrible wooden cross.  What no one realized was that Jesus was paying our debt.  He was taking the punishment that we all deserve for rebelling and sinning against God. Jesus was saving the world.  With His death, Jesus took away the threat of sin and judgment for those that put their faith in Him.  And when Jesus rose from the dead three days after being buried, He destroyed even death itself.  

What wonderful news for us!  The ancients believed that Jesus would come to rescue only one little nation.  But God revealed through the prophet Isaiah how much bigger His plan was.  The Messiah came to save the whole world.

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March 8, 2012 12:03 pm

I’d like to share with a trend  that we are seeing in the United States, and really across the globe – both inside and outside of the Alpha course ministry! We are thrilled to witness the mobilization of churches and Christ followers to reach out the lost in new and meaningful ways.

Some readers know that the Alpha course is actually much more than a course. The Alpha ministry is encouraging the local church to come back to the teachings of Jesus! To “GO” in obedience to the Great Commission. It’s interesting that the Scriptures say that our battle is, “not against flesh and blood” but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realm. These forces cause the spiritual blindness that affect every area of society. It affects people’s morals, government, commerce, it affects the media – really every area in our lives is impacted.

And so, if the spiritual forces can be shifted, the Kingdom of Heaven can start to break out! Just imagine! The Kingdom of God impacting every area of society! There would be another spiritual awakening across our country!

Jesus gave us the “Go model” for Christ followers. In Luke chapter 9, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples and said to them – “Go out, heal the sick, cast out demons, say the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Then, just in case we didn’t get the model right, in Luke chapter 10 he sent out 70 disciples with the exact same instructions! When they come back triumphant, Jesus says a very interesting statement.

In verse 18 Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Something happened in the heavenly realm, in the spiritual realm, when Christ followers went out and made disciples! When they went out, in total obedience to Jesus’instructions, there was a shift in the heavenly realm.

The really big news is that that God has provided an answer. A solution, a strategy, if you like, to see his kingdom come – the local church. Ephesians 3:10 says that now God’s intent is that through the local church, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known throughout the heavenly realms. The early disciples, they went, it was a go model. And they turned the world upside down!

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February 9, 2012 10:02 pm

God and Tim Tebow

Notwithstanding the loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday January 14th, the success and increased fame of Tim Tebow has been extraordinary in the last few months. In fact, the 9,420 tweets per second Sunday night during the playoff game with the Pittsburg Steelers game time, broke the record for twitter!! The playoff was watched by 45 million viewers and during the game there were 3 million Google searches on John 3:16!

As more and more come to hear of the phenomenal and unusual success of Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, the big question on many peoples’ lips is, ‘Is this God?’

For those who haven’t heard, Tim Tebow, the quarterback for the Broncos led his team to a remarkable six wins in a row in the NFL as well as a surprise win over the Steelers in a playoff match. Six wins in a row may not seem that impressive but the nature of the wins surely is. Starting the season as the second string QB, Tebow has broken several records by coming from behind in the 4th quarter (3 in overtime). The other thing that makes the wins unusual is that Tebow is, unashamedly, a Christ follower and he often gets down on one knee on the pitch, ‘to offer a prayer of thanks to Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior’ (this act has started an international craze called ‘Tebowing’ and millions visit the web site to see people all around the world copying Tebows action!). In after match interviews on national TV he will start by thanking Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior before also thanking his team mates for the success. Continue reading 'Is it God?'»

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January 11, 2012 11:34 pm

How do we turn our heart passion and into action and see God’s kingdom come?

As we kick off this New Year 2012, I hope you don’t mind if I challenge myself and challenge you as well with a very important question.  Where is our heart for those people who don’t know Jesus Christ?  Where is our heart for those people who are lost, those people who are suffering, and those people who have no hope? The Bible says without Christ, without hope. Where’s our heart towards these people?

 Really, we have to look at the heart of God, to His heart for the lost, who sent his precious Son to earth. Jesus Christ means Savior and Jesus came to save us, didn’t he? In fact, the heart of the early church was driven by a passion and a love for Jesus Christ; driven by a desperate desire to let other people know about Jesus and about his kingdom.

Look in Acts 1 and 2 and you see those disciples; they were terrified; we heard about fear early on. They were discouraged. They were locked in their upper room. The Holy Spirit comes in Pentecost in Acts 2, and they were empowered and transformed to do extraordinary things. The bible also records later in the book of Acts that those 120–just ponder on this for a minute– 120 disciples turned the world upside down. How did they do it? Let’s read forward in Acts 3 and Acts 4.

Acts 3 gives the DNA of the early church. Peter and John are going into the temple. They go in there and there’s a cripple who’s been a cripple for 40 years.  Peter reaches out in the name of Jesus Christ,” I speak to you for healing.” Peter grabs him by the hands, lifts him up, and power fills the man beginning with his ankles – the man is completely healed after 40 years as a cripple. Can you imagine that?

This healing turns a city upside down. Pete and John are dragged before the religious leaders, and the religious leaders basically say to them, “Look, unless you stop speaking about this person of Jesus Christ, you’re going to finish up like he was on the cross. You’re going to be killed, martyred.” And they responded to the religious leaders with this fantastic quote. I love these words in Acts 4:20. Peter and John turn round to the religious leaders and say, “How can we not speak about what we have seen and heard?” Basically they’re saying, “kill us if you want,” and of course, most of them were killed. As you know, they were martyred. “Kill us if you want, but how can we not speak of what we’ve seen and heard?”  Something inside of them was so passionate that they were willing to lay their lives down.

So the question is, what was it that the disciples saw and heard? We know that they saw Jesus; they walked with Jesus on earth. They saw how he lived. They saw his example; they saw the kingdom of God coming through Jesus and transformation. They saw Jesus die on the cross.  But they also saw him rise again. They saw that this life did not end; there was more to come. And of course they heard all that Jesus had spoken about when he was here. Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God, coming in transformation, but he also spoke about what was to come. He spoke about heaven—and, I’m going to say the word now—he spoke about hell. He spoke a lot about hell.

Now we’ve got to a place in our society where we don’t want to hear about hell. Have you noticed that coming into culture? We don’t want to hear about hell. The question is, is it true? Is there a hell? Truth is that only 19 percent of Christians have a biblical worldview.  That is so unfortunate because a biblical worldview will fundamentally change how we go about our lives. Because if we as Christ followers,  know the end of the story, and other people don’t, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve got an obligation to tell them about it. Not out of guilt, because God doesn’t want us acting like that, but out of a passion from our hearts. What happened in Acts 1 and 2? The Holy Spirit came.

And what does the Holy Spirit do? He pours the love of God into our hearts. So I suggest that we’ve got to get back to the basics. We’ve got to get back to the core DNA of the Gospel, where we see life how it is, the reality of life. The message of the Gospel is just as urgent today as it was in the early church. I can’t get over the fact that there were so few of them – only 120 men!  

In Acts 4, it says that the religious people looked at Peter and John and they were astonished because these two men were uneducated, ordinary people. But they’d been with Jesus. Isn’t that great? They hadn’t been to seminary. (Nothing against seminaries.)  They didn’t have a lot of letters after their name.  They were like you and me.  That takes all our excuses away!   We can’t say that outreach is  all right for the pastor, he can do it. Or that a more trained person can do it. Billy Graham can do it. No, no, no!  These men, they were like you and me. And they turned the world upside down.

We are at a critical time in this great nation of America. A critical time! The great news is that’s God’s got an answer.  He’s got an answer – Jesus Christ and it’s Him crucified, and it’s up to the local church to spread this message. (Ephesians 3 and 10) God’s intent is that right now, through the local church, you and me, right where He’s planted us, the Kingdom of Heaven can break out. 

Jesus’ model was a GO model.  How many people know that? He sent the disciples OUT, didn’t He? So you look in Luke 9, He said to 12, and He said “GO. To the highways and the byways, said the Kingdom of Heaven is near; cast out demons, Go.”

Jesus said “GO.”  Where is your heart for the lost?  Let’s not be terrified, but be emboldened by what we know about the risen Savior!  Like Peter and John let us proclaim “How can we not speak about what we have seen and heard?”  Let’s turn our world upside down.

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December 6, 2011 3:16 pm

I’m thrilled that we are in the midst of the Christmas season! One of my favorite parts of the Christmas story is when the angel says to the shepherd, “I bring you good news of great joy!” When the angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to the shepherds, they were terrified—until the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, for I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Those beautiful words summarize what the Gospel is all about.  Jesus, the Lord, the Messiah had come to save the world.  Isn’t that fantastic?  As the bearer of such wonderful news, the angel was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host.  I can just imagine them singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those He favors.”

We never get tired of hearing or telling that story, do we?  I know I don’t!  But we need to look at what the story means for us today.  It’s God’s intent that we continue to pass this good news on to those who haven’t yet heard.  With God’s love in us, we can keep reaching out to the lost.  We’re called to be lights in the world for those in darkness.

I’m so excited about what God is going to do this year. I have a lot going on in the new year at Alpha USA.  One of the things I’m very excited about is the future of this blog!  In January we are going to move the blog to a new, expanded platform.  In 2012 I am looking forward to writing and speaking more Continue reading 'I bring you GOOD NEWS!'»

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November 11, 2011 9:50 am

 Kingdom Principle 5  Understand it’s a process and don’t be discouraged. (Luke 10:10,11)

“Fishermen” can be disappointed at times, and Jesus warned us that there will be times when people reject us and the good news we’re trying to share with them.  Also, sometimes people we think are close to Christ seem to turn away, which can be very discouraging.

I have lead more than 50 Alpha courses and I usually find them the most encouraging and the most discouraging events in my life!  They’re encouraging because of the joy of seeing people come to faith in Christ, but they’re discouraging because of the people who promised to come but didn’t turn up.

When Jesus told his disciples to brush the dust off their feet when they were rejected, I think it was, in part, an instruction to hand all disappointment and discouragement to God. (John 14:27, Phillipians 4:6)  Disappointment and discouragement will, if we let them, undermine our faith in Christ and our effectiveness as Christ followers. 

Kingdom Principle 6  His kindness leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) 

One of the most effective ways of sharing the Gospel with the lost is to offer practical help to people, especially during periods of felt need (e.g. a bereavement, sickness, financial loss).  Christ followers in the early centuries showed the power of the Gospel when they stayed in plague-ridden cities to take care of the sick after everyone else had fled.  They were letting their light shine before men. (Matthew 5:16 Continue reading 'Don’t be Discouraged! Kingdom Principles to Encourage You!'»

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September 27, 2011 1:37 pm

Kingdom Principle 4 – Understand the spiritual battle and spiritual blindness.

(Luke 23:34, Ephesians  6:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4)

Scripture is very clear that the whole world is under the control of the evil one, (1 John 5:19), that the devil is scheming to kill, rob and destroy humankind (2 Cor 2:11, John 10:10), and that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12)   

In particular, Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they can’t see the truth of the Gospel.  We can’t defeat Satan with our intellect or by man’s wisdom, but only by living in and applying the principles of the Kingdom of God as found in Scripture.  Jesus and the first disciples showed us how to do this. 

I recommend three key principles to help ensure we overcome the spiritual blindness that Satan has put over people’s eyes:

1. We need to walk as closely to Christ as we can, fixing our eyes on Him and putting on the full armor of God. (Heb 12:2, Eph 6:13-18)
2. We need to be intentional about obeying the command, ‘Go’ as described in the Great Commission.  We are the light of the world (Matt 5:14), and light drives out darkness in the heavenly realms. (Luke 10:18) (See section on Courage).  This includes being present with people, i.e. a friend of sinners. (Matt 11:19)
3. We need to make prayer our first priority.  In particular, to make sure every relationship and contact is covered in prayer.

Continue reading 'Overcoming Spiritual Blindness'»

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September 8, 2011 3:09 pm

You have been placed on this Earth by God for such a time as this and in the place that God wants you. (Acts 17:26) It is no coincidence which family you are in, the place where you work and the friends and neighbors you have.  God ordained it in his providence and sovereignty.  And He wants you to blossom where you’re planted. Starting with Jerusalem, which is where you are now, start praying and reaching out to those around you–family, friends, work colleagues, neighbors and those you meet on the road.

And remember, God is in the business of leading whole families to faith in Christ. (Acts 16:31)  Pray, act and expect to see family members coming to faith in Christ.

And, whenever you’re travelling, ask God for opportunities to witness for Him.  It doesn’t always happen, but on a recent trip to Atlanta, I had the opportunity to witness and pray with a Muslim guy called Naser on the way out and a Jewish lady called Jen on the way back to Chicago. Even though I was tired, I was encouraged and rejuvenated by these opportunities, and I believe both Naser and Jen had a touch from God. Continue reading 'Kingdom Principles – Pray, Act and Expect'»

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August 9, 2011 2:34 pm

In 1865, William Booth had a vision from God in which he saw a raging sea with masses of perishing souls in the water.  Then he saw a huge rock with a platform rising out of the water, and some of the people were being saved from the raging sea.  However, what broke his heart was that so few people who had been saved out of the raging waters had any concern for those who were still perishing!  From this vision, Booth started the Salvation Army!  It’s so easy to just hear the message, then do nothing about it.  By taking action we show our love for Jesus!

I love the film, Schindler’s List.  In particular, the ending is very powerful when Schindler realizes after the war he could have done more.  He could have saved more Jews from the gas chambers!  Will there be a time, I wonder, when this age has come to an end and we realize we could have done more to evangelize the lost.  I don’t want anyone to be able to say to me on Judgment Day, “Gerard, why didn’t you tell me?”

Over the next few days, I want to give  eight Kingdom of God principles that help us to take appropriate action to show God how much we love him by obeying the Great Commission.

Kingdom Principle 1  Anyone can witness for Christ, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 1:8, Acts 4:13)

Possibly the greatest need in the Church today is that Christ followers be regularly filled with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is very clear in Scripture that we can’t do the Great Commission in our strength (don’t leave Jerusalem until He, the Holy Spirit comes!).  The Holy Spirit will empower us to be witnesses for Christ.  He will reveal Jesus to us, guide, council, comfort, teach and fellowship with us as we journey through life.  Scripture teaches that we can be regularly filled with the Holy Spirit.  We need to be hungry for more of God (ask God to make you hungry) and open to everything He wants to pour into your life.  And then simply ask God to fill you with His Spirit.

Learn to listen and be obedient to the voice of the Spirit within you.  I often miss opportunities, but a few years ago I was flying back from Denver and I felt the Lord tell me to ask one of the stewardesses on the plane, “What miracle are you asking God for in your life?”  I felt uncomfortable with this task but I also didn’t want to miss another opportunity the Lord was giving me to reach out to someone.  Continue reading 'Let’s Take Some Action!'»

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July 8, 2011 12:36 am

Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and His return to Earth

In my last blog I mentioned that for most Christ followers, Scripture itself provides unequivocal evidence that Jesus Christ is going to return to Earth in power and glory.  However, not everyone believes Scripture and today I want to provide another aspect of evidence which points to Jesus Christ coming back to Earth.

Firstly, Scripture records that over five hundred people saw Jesus Christ in his resurrected body over a six week period, after his death on the cross.  From being a grief stricken and terrified group of people they turned the world upside down, not with violence but by loving God and people enough to lay their lives down (often by crucifixion and other forms of torture).  Many historic manuscripts record the actions of the Christ followers in the first three centuries AD, and the witness of their lives was so powerful that the Roman emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity around 313AD (after former emperors had been trying to wipe Christianity out with sometimes brutal persecution!).  

These martyrs were not claiming that their deaths would earn them access into heaven (this comes only through faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for the sins of the world), instead, they gave their lives because the message of eternal salvation through Christ, to any who believe in Him, was so important it was worth dying for.  Over the last two thousand years millions of Christ followers have been martyred (and it’s still going on today), because of their faith in Christ!

Is it reasonable for men, women and children to so love that they would lay their lives down for a cause that is untrue?  Some might suggest that they have been and are deluded and yet many of these people have been Continue reading 'Jesus Christ is Returning to Earth: Hard Evidence'»