Desperate Men are Radical!

The sword made a screeching, scratchy sound as it was drawn across the floor. The one hundred and forty, battle weary, men looked on in silence, wondering what was the meaning of this exhibition? Why had they been called from their posts? There were no sentries on guard, and everyone had been called to this meeting. Why?

Finally, a line had been drawn across the length of the great room. Colonel William Travis stepped across the line that was made by his sword. He turned and looked at the 141 men that were before him and said, "Men, there is a chance that those desiring to do so, could slip through enemy lines tonight and escape to safety. There is also the chance that if some of us will stay here and fight, the rest of the Army fo Texas could regroup and go on to win the war. If you want to remain and give them this chance, just step across the line."

The rest is history. One hundred and thirty-nine men stepped across the line. The one hundred and fortieth man had his bed carried across the line. And yes each of them died in the Alamo on March 6, 1836.

Why did they do it? They were desperate men, desperate to have freedom from tyranny! Their desperation made them radical in their actions. Their actions did keep General Santa Anna and his army of 6,000 to 7,000 men occupied for twelve days. They did kill or mortally wound 1,500 enemy soldiers. They did give the army of Texas time to regroup. Because of their extreme, on April 12, 1836, some thirty-seven days later, General Santa Anna and his army met defeat at the hands of the Army of Texas screaming "Remember the Alamo!"

Let’s take a moment to look at a couple of words. The first is Desperate, which has the following words as synonyms: Extreme, Bold, Excessive, Heroic, Drastic, Frantic, Reckless, Rash. The second word is Radical, which has the following words as synonyms: Revolutionary, Excessive, Extravagant, Extreme, Fanatical, Violent, Nonconformist, Fundamental, Essential.

A desperate person will go to any means necessary to accomplish what has to be done. Paul is on his way to Jerusalem and people are begging him not to go. One even prophesied that if he goes he will end up in prison. However, Paul is a desperate man thus making him radical in his actions. He asked them to stop breaking his heart. He feels he has to go to Jerusalem to preach of the grace of the Lord Jesus. He says to them he is not only willing to be bound but also willing to die for the Gospel. (Acts 20:22-24 & Acts 21:11-13)

There is no reasoning with a man who is desperate. Desperation is extreme, bold and excessive. It leads to drastic measures. It breeds recklessness and frantic actions. Oh yeah, the desperate man will be radical. He will become revolutionary in his thinking. There is no excess with an excessive man! He will not conform but will be extravagant in his course of action fueled by the desperation that resides inside of him.

We are living in a day when the Church world has become complacent in its relationship with Jesus Christ. I am reminded of two of the Churches of Asia found in the Book of Revelations. The Church of Ephesus had left their first love. They weren’t sinning like several of the other Churches that were written to. They had just lost that deep burning love for God they once had. Their relationship had lost it zip. They had become more interested in other things than they were in God. They had begun to take God for granted.

The second Church I am reminded of is the Church of Laodicea. They were a complacent Church. God called them "lukewarm" and said it made Him sick enough to puke. They weren’t hot! They weren’t cold! They thought they had arrived and didn’t need anything else. They were wrapped up in what they had and what they had accomplished and no longer were hungry for more of God.

Both of these Churches are warned by God they are on the verge of rejection from Him. Ephesus is about to have their candlestick removed and Laodicea is about to be spit out. Church of the 21st century it is time we woke up and realized we need to get desperate for more of God. We need to become extremist in our relationship with God. It doesn’t matter what I experienced yesterday, what does God have for me today.

The Psalmist was hungry for God. He asked God to show him His ways, to lead him in His paths. He had a relationship with God. God had moved mightily in his life. Yet there was a hunger in his soul to know more about God. His cry was, Show me your divine ways. Show me how you live! Show me what you consider to be right! Teach me the path that you follow. I have got to know how to please you.

Teach me your truth, lead me to live it. It will bring my salvation. When was the last time I prayed that kind of a prayer? But a man who is desperate and hungry for more of God will cry out, "Show me! Lead me! Teach me!"

Paul wrote to the Phillippian Church that he wanted to know God. I have often by struck by the fact that Paul, who had accomplished so much for God, felt lacking in this area. However it is then I realize that he was a desperate man, reckless and radical. He was a man willing to be extreme in order to have the relationship with God that God wanted him to have.

This evening I received a phone call from a pastor who shared with me that for the past several months, about nine months, the church he pastors have been seeking God and desiring the Spiritual things of God in their lives. During this time, as people have sought God they have been directed by God to make changes in their lives and families. Satellite tv’s have been disconnected. Percentage of giving has been increased in some families. More time has been focused on prayer and Bible reading. These are desperate people and so they are radical.

Last night a seven-year-old girl was in the altar seeking God to give her the Holy Ghost. She was touched in a mighty way by God during that time. This afternoon her father came home and she was engaged in a conversation with her mother. As the father joined in she began to ask him questions like, "Daddy why don’t we do different things?" (These things included dancing, wearing make-up, smoking and many other things.) His reply to each of the things she mentioned was, "We don’t feel that Jesus likes those things." To this she replied, "Why do we watch movies where they do all of these things that you say Jesus doesn’t like?"

The pastor told me that the father had called him and said he had just gotten rid of more than twelve hundred movies because when he asked himself what was being portrayed in each of them it was something that Jesus would not be happy with! He had already disconnected his satellite tv several months ago. I am talking about desperate men being radical! Going to the extreme! Becoming reckless in their desire to have a greater relationship with God.

What would happen if we fell on our faces before God and asked Him to show us what stood between Him and us? What would happen if we asked God to show us what had interfered with our first love? I am talking about being desperate! Desperate men are radical! What would happen if we asked God to show us how to become on fire for Him? What would God have us to do? Where would this take us in our relationship with Him?

Are we to the point of desperation? Are we willing to become radical for Jesus? Are we willing to change our lives to the point of making sacrifices that hurt and cost? Are we willing to become different?

Desperate men walk to the beat of a different drum. It was a man desperate for liberty from tyranny that stood in the meeting house one day and cried, "If this be tyranny make the best of it! Give me liberty or give me death!"

It was a man who walked to a different drum beat that stood and said if you want to serve the gods of your fathers in Egypt you go ahead, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord! Desperate men are radical . . . give me more of God!

Remember, it’s just a thought!

40 Days to Focused Life Summit Benton, AR Summary

40 Days to Focused Life Summit
Benton, AR
April 18 - May 21-23, 2010

Seeking to be Released into the Spirit of Apostolic Revival!

On April 18th Apostolic Tabernacle and TEAM Ministry launched 40 Days to Focused Life Summit. Actually it was 33 days because the launch had to be put off a week because of death in the Church family.

God met in a special way that evening as the Church made commitments to pray a committed number of minutes a day. They focused on praying for a spirit of unity in the Church, for God to do a supernatural and spiritual work in their lives, to renew their first love for the Word of God and for lost souls. They committed to fast a committed number of days each week. This included fasting food and also the media (radio, video, internet, tv, etc.) They committed to reading the Book of Acts through during this time and asking God to us the vision of the Early Church. They committed to a financial commitment to help with extra expenses.

Pastor Jay Emerson and Youth Pastor Jared Doran began teaching prepared lessons to the Adults and Youth. These lessons covered Healing for the Church, Spiritual Warfare, Created for Wholeness and The Apostolic Church. These lessons were designed to help bring into Focus what God desires for our lives and what He has put at our disposal to accomplish it.

On May 2, Don Doran came and taught the lesson Created for Wholeness. God created us in His image, complete. Sin has broken and destroyed our lives. God wants to bring us back to that completeness He designed for us. The power of God fell and many lives were touched that night as God began to heal broken hearts.

On May 16, Don Doran again came and preached Forgiveness is Not an Option! It is impossible to have a relationship with Jesus Christ without forgiving others. It is impossible to feel good about ourselves and not carry condemnation and shame if we have an unforgiving spirit. Again, God began to deal with our hearts as we asked Him to reveal the unforgiveness in our lives.

On May 21, Tim Doran, pastor of Osceola UPC, preached a powerful message on being full of the Spirit. God began to fill lives and miracles and wonders began to take place. In that service one received the baptism of the Holy Ghost after seeking it for ten years. Another was healed of kidney failure. There is no way to tell how many hearts and lives were healed.

May 22, Jared Doran, Youth Pastor of Apostolic Tabernacle of Benton, preached on Jesus Christ being our refreshing. We will go through desert places but can be refreshed by Jesus Christ. Again, many were on their faces before God seeking that refreshment.

May 23 AM, Don Doran, evangelist from Conway, Arkansas preached on God is on a Leash! The only limit that God knows is the one we put on Him. He can do anything we want or ask, if we take the leash off and let God go! Don challenged the Church to get a "New Revelation of God’s Love for Them!" God, again, began to minister to hearts as people began to release God to do the work they needed done in their lives.

May 23 PM, God preached! Don Doran was scheduled to preach but, during a song about how much God loves me and you, God poured out His Spirit in a powerful way. People were slain in the Spirit! Others just began to weep in the sweet presence of the Holy Ghost. After a while a Brother came to the front and began to tell of a vision that God had just given him which reassured this Brother that God really did love him. He said he had been going through a desert and unable to cry for a couple of years. He had wondered at times where God was. God had just revealed He was there all the time, loving him and he wept! A Sister got up next and said God had revealed his love to her too. Taking her to times when He had been there caring and loving! Oh what a time we had that night.

I can talk about this but thought you might be better blessed with testimonies of some who were there and what they felt.

I feel like I have been in a cracked, dry desert place...flooded by cool refreshing rain! God is SO good! It blessed me immensely to be a part of these services. I regret having to work on Friday evening. Witnessing God touch my three guys was amazing. -VK

God healed me in many ways mainly my heart. Throughout the weeks prior I had been dealing with feelings of depression, inadequacy and some others mainly because of my lack of employment. I had applied for a job that I had thought was going to work out to be something really good for me. Upon finding out that they had filled the job I began to have some issues with self degradation.On the Thursday before summit Jared asked if I had finished reading acts and, of course, I had not. He then preceded with the words "read it and be encouraged. Your faith is low right now and u need strength" or at least it was something along those lines. For the next 18-24 hrs I began where I had stopped (Acts8) and read it through, almost unable to put it down. By Friday night I was focused again on God, however my faith was still very, very low. The pivotal moment didn't come in praise and worship nor did it even come in what we would consider the technical "alter call" it came when Bro. Tim went around praying healing into peoples hearts and lives. He came to me looked me square in the eye and said " do you have a job yet?" and I said no. At that moment he placed his hand on my head and prayed encouragement, healing, and faith into my life when he spoke the words "let it happen this week" I believed him, not because of the faith I had in the man but because I had never said a word to him about the issues with which I was dealing thus his knowledge of said issues had to have been divinely given him. I basically said all of that to say this. I had revelation this weekend of Gods love for me. What did it mean to me? Everything. Had I not gotten what I got, had I not felt what I did, I'm convinced my life would have spun out of control. I just had to learn to UNLEASH God in my life and let Him do what He does best...everything. - DK

This past week I applied for the Math and Science School in Hot Springs. I wasn't sure whether or not it was God's will for me to go. Friday I asked God to help me make the decision if I'm accepted and when Bro. Tim Doran prayed for me he told me "To go after my dreams, God will make a way" it was so amazing how God used him to speak to me.This is just one way. My heart was also healed and I let go of many things.Thank You! The Summit was incredible. - CS.

The Summit changed my life in a way that I have been hoping and praying for. Due to my busy schedule, I usually do not attend many extra services. On Wednesday night before that Friday Bro. Jared was sharing what Bro. Don and he had been discussing on the patio. He said that God was going to heal the broken hearted and heal the sick. I have had such a longing to see some old time miracles I told myself I am not going to miss this! I am so glad I pushed my old self aside and went to church! Not only did my husband receive the Holy Ghost after ten years of praying but, I have been praying for a change in our church for a long time. I have been praying that God restore that first love in me. I have also been praying that the church get a burden and love for lost souls. - KB.

I feel like God renewed . . . refreshed , , , restored . . . re-energized . . . re-vitalized . . . reestablished me. I appreciated all God did. - DE.

Wow, what can I say? It just shows what can happen when you FOCUS on a move of God! God healed broken hearts and did some physical healing at this Summit! My mom was healed of a kidney disease that has had her down physically and spiritually. She had immediate results! Bro Tim Doran said he noticed immediate color in her cheeks. She had so much energy right away, it was amazing! She said there was evidence by the next day that she felt her kidneys were healed! God is so Awesome, He knows exactly what we need when we need it!It really showed in the ministry of Bro Tim, Bro Jared, and Bro Don Doran that we had FOCUSED and they had FOCUSED on a move of God! I'm so excited to see what God is going to do for Apostolic Tabernacle of Benton, AR!-MD.

Bro. Doran on Friday night God really did some Amazing things in my life but the one thing that really blew my mind was I got an answer for something I have been praying about for many years. I had prayed and prayed and asked God to give me an answer and I started to think it would never come but God gave it to me on Friday night. I will never forget that service it really has change my life forever. I'm so excited about what God has done and is doing! God bless, AD.

God blesses when we Focus our lives on Him desiring a to be released into the Spirit of Apostolic Revival! Thank you for all your prayers and intercession. There were many from TEAM Ministry Group on Face Book who contacted us to say the were praying and fasting with us for these services. Many texts came in saying they were praying while we were ministering. You will never know the strength and boldness that allows to minister in the Holy Ghost. God Bless and TEAM!