Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’
Photos : Teaching “From Ichabod to Kabod” : Lives rocked at thelab
We are going after the supernatural burning presence of the Holy Spirit at Revival Church!
FIRST: Immediately after the Revival Church service tomorrow, Sunday, June 12th, we will have a very short member’s meeting. Members are those who received a giving statement from Revival Church for 2010.
We had several people audit today’s class at theLab, Unoffendable. Lives were radically rocked there, and also at last night’s prayer event at the location of The Bay of the Holy Spirit event in Taylor. Words can’t describe the atmosphere! People felt a heavy presence of angels and the Burning Man Christ Jesus!
We’ll all be going after the supernatural manifestation of God’s glory tomorrow at 6pm at Revival Church. We believe that signs, wonders, miracles and unusual moves of God will follow where the heavy, weighty presence of God is. We meet at THE TABERNACLE: 14205 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088.
I’ll be teaching on moving from a live devoid of God’s presence (Ichabod) to one overwhelmed by the weight of God’s glory (Kabod)!
Last Sunday was remarkable. The fire tunnel resulted in people so influenced by God that they could barely walk! The floors were filled with groaning, crying people. You MUST listen to it, or watch it online. I listened to it as I was driving in the car and got blasted! Just head over to http://media.johnburton.net.
Here are some testimonies from today’s class at theLab:
“Today was a day of life changing power.”
“The whole teaching this morning was life changing. I’m now able to walk away and be totally offense free.”
“God is amazing. I am wrecked by what he is doing. I am totally free. The Lord is freeing me from offense, judgment, wrong mindsets. The Lord is ALL I want!”
“There has been a fire turning in my spirit to have crazy encounters in the Spirit become an everyday experience, and to EXPECT IT!”
God is the fuel behind Facebook’s success
Why is Facebook so successful? Could it be because of God himself?
Now, before you come out of your religious skin, or if the thought of God having any role in the success of something online makes you laugh, read just a little further.
It’s been said that we are living in an ever increasing social culture. Of course, we have social networks like Facebook, social media like YouTube and social shopping through Groupon.
Yep, this culture is social—but, I would propose that we haven’t transitioned into a social people, but rather something huge has happened in this generation that has facilitated the opportunity to visit a common craving that people have had since the very beginning—love.
Facebook is exploding because of people’s desire to be loved. People want to belong, to fit in, to matter—even if they matter to total strangers. Strangers, that is, except in what has become a very real and meaningful world online.
God is love. It was his idea. Love is so prevalent in the mission of God that it actually defines who he is. He isn’t in support of love. He isn’t simply loving. He is love.
And, every person who has ever been born has the same passionate desire—to find that all powerful force. People want to be loved.
We know in Scripture that it’s not good for man to be alone. All of creation was breathed into existence with that reality in mind. God is all about social networking… but his plan goes well beyond a human connection between strangers. There’s much more than sometimes interesting (sometimes ridiculous!) status updates.
The desire is real. The need for acceptance is strong. The hunger for kindness and a caring friend is extreme. And, if we simply believe, simply take a step toward the Lover of our souls, we won’t have to settle for the lesser things.
The sexual revolution was fueled by the mantra, “If it feels good, do it.” Today we can click on whatever or whoever we can find online that provides a momentary fix or a low level connection—a connection with something or someone who just doesn’t have what it takes to satisfy.
Yes, I believe Facebook’s growth is due to the love that God intended for all of us to experience. However, the only way to fall head over heals in very real, experiential and life-changing love is if we meet the one who by his very nature IS love.
That man is Jesus. I’d recommend ‘friending’ him.
God is the fuel behind Facebook’s success
Why is Facebook so successful? Could it be because of God himself?
Now, before you come out of your religious skin, or if the thought of God having any role in the success of something online makes you laugh, read just a little further.
It’s been said that we are living in an ever increasing social culture. Of course, we have social networks like Facebook, social media like YouTube and social shopping through Groupon.
Yep, this culture is social—but, I would propose that we haven’t transitioned into a social people, but rather something huge has happened in this generation that has facilitated the opportunity to visit a common craving that people have had since the very beginning—love.
Facebook is exploding because of people’s desire to be loved. People want to belong, to fit in, to matter—even if they matter to total strangers. Strangers, that is, except in what has become a very real and meaningful world online.
God is love. It was his idea. Love is so prevalent in the mission of God that it actually defines who he is. He isn’t in support of love. He isn’t simply loving. He is love.
And, every person who has ever been born has the same passionate desire—to find that all powerful force. People want to be loved.
We know in Scripture that it’s not good for man to be alone. All of creation was breathed into existence with that reality in mind. God is all about social networking… but his plan goes well beyond a human connection between strangers. There’s much more than sometimes interesting (sometimes ridiculous!) status updates.
The desire is real. The need for acceptance is strong. The hunger for kindness and a caring friend is extreme. And, if we simply believe, simply take a step toward the Lover of our souls, we won’t have to settle for the lesser things.
The sexual revolution was fueled by the mantra, “If it feels good, do it.” Today we can click on whatever or whoever we can find online that provides a momentary fix or a low level connection—a connection with something or someone who just doesn’t have what it takes to satisfy.
Yes, I believe Facebook’s growth is due to the love that God intended for all of us to experience. However, the only way to fall head over heals in very real, experiential and life-changing love is if we meet the one who by his very nature IS love.
That man is Jesus.
Last Chance : Bring Your Blanket Tonight
We’re about at the ‘last chance’ to register for Michele Perry! Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events and REGISTER TODAY. (It’s required AND it’s FREE!)
She’s flying in on Saturday and is incredibly excited about being with us at Revival Church on Sunday evening! Invite EVERYBODY you know—pastors, intercessors and every hungry person out there!
You can watch Michele take about her encounter with Heaven and other amazing stories on Sid Roth’s program HERE.
TONIGHT AT REVIVAL CHURCH
Last week’s “Bring Your Blanket to Church” event was so sweet that we’re doing it again TONIGHT!
We’ll be on our face, pacing, soaking and enjoying the depths of God’s presence tonight starting at 6pm.
So, yes, by all means, bring your blanket AND your passion for Jesus tonight at 6pm!
The danger of a ‘wait and see’ approach toward revival
FIRST—Tonight at Revival Church we’re gathering together with people hungry for a move of God in Detroit. If you aren’t pursuing revival corporately tonight, by all means come on out and contend with us!
ALSO—Be sure to REGISTER for the upcoming Michele Perry event at Revival Church! www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events
I sometimes wonder if we truly understand the severity of the crisis we are experiencing
in the church. Rick Joyner reports that today only 5% of people who make a decision for Christ actually end up in church.
Billy Graham’s on stats reveal that only 2% of people who make a decision for Christ at his crusades end up in church.
We are in the midst of a crisis that every day is resulting in people who were incorrectly secure in their position in Christ dying and entering into Hell. Does this mean that everybody that doesn’t ‘go to church’ is out of relationship with Christ? No, but it is at least an indicator of a possible problem.
The church is a corporate entity. We love, serve, worship, pray and contend together on a very regular basis. In Acts we see that they were in the temple daily and in prayer and other activities corporately. To remove oneself from that fundamental New Testament structure is at least an indicator of several potential issues.
I’m teaching part two of “The Spirit of Pilate in the Church” tonight at Revival Church. We are seeing a serious problem of affirmation of the people who have rejoiced at the arrival of Jesus in their lives (Palm Sunday) but who have refused the cross as the answer (Good Friday). When there was hope of personal gain (Hosanna) the people gathered, but when there was risk of personal loss (the cross) the people scattered.
The big show, the rejoicing and worship of the Palm Sunday crowd must be interpreted carefully. Churches are growing through the affirmation of the Palm Sunday believer, when, in fact, those people may not have embraced the cross of Christ.
THE PROBLEM
Churches that are birthed and developed from the Palm Sunday style crowd are making a tragic mistake. The emphasis is on what the church can offer the people. On Palm Sunday that’s what happened. They were yelling, “Hosanna!” which means, “save us” or “deliver now.”
With so many people craving their needs and desires to be met it’s quite easy to attempt to satisfy those demands. What results, however, is a culture of diminished focus on the cross, and a body of believers who aren’t schooled in the call to pour out, to minister and to give and serve with no demand for anything in return.
Simply, it results in a lazy church.
DETROIT
When I started traveling to Detroit to minister, and God was exploding in power in the services, I began to experience a strong and urgent concern constantly with me.
There are a lot of hungry, desperate people here in Detroit. The opportunity for revival is huge in this region.
However, the concern that has only intensified within me is this: Many are taking a wait and see approach. They are hungry, but they simply move from Sunday to Sunday and special event to special event hoping that God pours out that day.
On the surface that sounds great. People are hungry and want God to move. However, if we’re not careful we’ll easily embrace the Palm Sunday strategy.
We can’t simply express our desire for “Hosanna”, for saving, for deliverance and then kick back and wait for it to arrive.
In Acts 1, the disciples had a similar mindset. They asked Jesus when he was going to establish his Kingdom. They wanted Jesus to kick back into action an do the work. Jesus then said something that changed the face of history. He told them that he was leaving, and they must now do the work themselves! They were to initiate revival, to expand the Kingdom. They had a lot of serious work to do!
They transitioned from disciples to apostles (sent ones) on that day.
This is what the entire church of Detroit (and the nation, and the world) must do! It’s our responsibility to initiate and facilitate revival, the establishment of the Kingdom. It’s our job to heal and deliver. We also have a lot of serious work to do!
We CANNOT take a ‘wait and see’ approach!
If you are in the church in the Detroit region, ask yourself, “What am I doing strategically and intentionally every day and every week to initiate revival and to advance the Kingdom?”
We need everybody zealously contending individually and corporately. The churches should be packed Sunday morning, Sunday evening and many nights through the week!
The church needs every believer in position as the 24/7 church is being restored.
Let’s not just ‘hope’ and wait… but, let’s aggressively release revival in this city. Let’s do the work necessary.
As Bill Johnson says, “Nothing in the Kingdom comes outside of declaration.”
If you don’t have a service TONIGHT to attend, don’t miss the chance to contend in the presence of God with us at Revival Church! www.detroitrevivalchurch.com
Do you go to church? Read this.
FIRST—Have you registered for the RADIANT WORSHIP event THIS SUNDAY? Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events and register TODAY!
ALSO—Get the quickest updates delivered to your phone by subscribing to our TEXT ALERTS. Simply text the word REVIVAL to 41411 OR subscribe online at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/subscribe.
After wrestling with the emotions that invaded my life after my Dad’s death on Good Friday, and dealing with the extreme shortness of time for all of us to fulfill our missions on the Earth, and also considering the reality of eternity, I’m finding myself freshly challenged.
(By the way, check out a new site under development in honor of my Dad at 
www.johnburton.net/bobburton.)
I was scheduled to minister on Good Friday at my friend’s church in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada on this topic that’s stirred me more since my own Dad went home that very day. The topic? The church and the cross.
That seems to be a likely subject matter to minister on the day set aside to remember the death of our Lord Jesus. However, the message is different than what you might expect. It’s a message of concern for the church. A message that calls for deep personal analysis. It’s a message that clearly reveals the necessity for radical reformation in the church.
Matthew 21:8-11 (ESV) 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
hōsanna—“save us”
The masses, upwards of 1/2 million people, were crying out for a better life. They were desperate for salvation. They cried out to their only hope, SAVE US!
So far, so good! We have the same cry resounding now in our nation and around the world. Desperate people are seeking relief, peace, abundant life.
We know that Jesus offers all of that and much more! I’m a huge believer in the grace of God, in extreme joy, in freedom. It’s a significant mark of my ministry. My mission statement is, “Making it easy for people to thoroughly enjoy God.”
It’s very good to seek the blessing of God. We are commanded to be blessed—to be a blessing! Life in Jesus should be phenomenal!
THE PROBLEM
Jesus heard the prayers, the requests, the cries of the people on what has become to be known as Palm Sunday. He was very much intent on “saving them.” He was in agreement with their need to cry “Hosanna.”
In the modern church it has become quite acceptable to appeal to the Palm Sunday masses with promises of excellent programs, wonderful teaching and an edifying and comfortable environment of worship. For many, Palm Sunday is the goal. People crave an exciting atmosphere full of committed and desperate people.
The problem? Jesus knew that 1/2 million worshipers in a Sunday worship ‘service’ was not the goal. There was no way their desire for freedom and salvation could be realized without another radical element. The cross.
On Good Friday the 1/2 million group diminished to only 2. It couldn’t even be considered a cell group.
The call to the cross was not what the masses wanted. Their demands were unmet. They rebelled against Jesus because they weren’t willing to embrace the cross.
If people are “Palm Sunday Christians” we have a very serious problem. Without the cross, we cannot be Christians at all. There are many who have been appeased and affirmed in their participation with other worshipers… all while they may not be saved at all! Without the cross, the masses on Palm Sunday were absolutely hopeless. The same is true today.
THE ANALYSIS
I’m wrecked. How often do people choose their church based on how good the children’s program is, or how friendly the pastor is or what the church can do for them and their family? How often do churches actually maximize this “Palm Sunday” scenario by offering everything the people are looking for?
It’s time the cross returns to the church, and the church returns to the cross. It’s time to raise the bar. It’s time to leave our demands behind and take up our cross and die—daily.
The revival and refreshing and abundant life that our cities and nation needs can’t come through big ideas, amazing programs or by meeting the needs of the people—as great as all of this sounds.
Revival comes through a death and resurrection. It’s through a baptism. It will arrive through zealous people who leave their desires behind and serve with passion. It will come through gutsy leaders who are willing to leave the large crowd behind and lead the few to the stinging, painful, demanding cross of Christ.
You see, it’s that cross that will turn us from death to life, from fear to faith, from apathy to revival that will rock this planet.
CONCLUSION
Time is short. We’re all almost done here on the Earth. We have to see reformation come if we hope to see abundant life flood our churches.
Let’s leave our Palm Sunday dreams behind, dismiss our plans for the huge crowds and lead whoever is willing to the cross.
Leaders, that means much will be at risk. Our salaries, our positions, our freedom of time. We may have to get a second job. We may make a lot of enemies. People will talk. People will leave. But, if we do it, many, many, many will be saved.
Others, this means that much will be required. You may not get to choose the ‘perfect church’. Your children may not have the best programs. It may be a challenge to respond to the extreme call. Your time may be treaded upon as the call to ministry increases. But, believe me, it will be worth it.
We must set a precedent for the next generation. We have to embrace God’s desire to bring reformation and restoration to his beloved church.
What do you think?
Amy’s Newest Book- The Inscription
Having each faced personal loss, a group of strangers gathers at a cemetery for support. The bestowment of several miraculous gifts brings resolution, and a mysterious inscription holds the ultimate key to healing.
Amy’s newest book, The Inscription, is AVAILABLE TO ORDER!
Visit www.theinscription.com for more info.
This is Amy’s first work of fiction, and it’s sure to impact you powerfully.
From the book:
I smiled as the breathless beauty of my surroundings pierced my heart and, for just a second, pushed aside some of the heaviness. I sighed as the temporary reprieve ended and once again, my soul floundered against an onslaught of hopelessness.
After careful maneuvering, I finally reached my destination. I turned off the van’s engine and gingerly plucked a colorful package from the passenger’s seat. I sat silently, fingering the velvety ribbon that encircled the wrapped box. A tear slipped down my cheek, then another; before long, I was weeping.
"Amy writes a beautiful story of grief and, more importantly,
of the hope found through sharing the journey."
Kerry Mand, Former President of Pikes Peak Share
“The Inscription is a heartfelt and poignant story about the unbreakable bonds of friendship formed during times of sorrow.
A must read for any grieving soul!”
Angie Winton, Group Facilitator of Detroit Metro Share
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AMY BURTON and her husband, John, are accomplished authors and public speakers. Amy serves as an instructor at a pregnancy center in Detroit. She and John founded Revolution House of Prayer in 2001 and currently lead Revival Church. They live in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan with their three boys.
ORDER TODAY at www.theinscription.com.