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!

Have You Considered Your Miracle?

Have you ever been going along enjoying life? I am talking about everything just going great. The kids are all doing well, no problems there. The boss seems to think you are the greatest, no problems there. The car is running perfect, in fact getting the best gas mileage it has ever gotten, no problems there. Your mother in law even acts like she likes you, no problems there.
Then suddenly, out of no where, troubles come pouring in! The kids are in trouble with the teacher, problems there! The teacher is in trouble with the principal, problems there! The boss isn’t happy with anything you try to do, problems there! Even if you stood on your head they wouldn’t be happy, problems there! The car no longer is your friend, problems there! Your mother in law has decided you are just as bad as she said you were before you married your spouse, problems there!
The sun has gone behind more than a cloud. It has totally disappeared and the bright sun shine is gone. In its place is a dark dismal gloomy day! Have you ever had this happen to you? Do you know what I am talking about?
Most folks started nodding their heads in agreement at the start of the second paragraph. That doesn’t mean that they are pessimist. It doesn’t mean that they are always looking at the doom and gloom. It does mean they are living life. This is the way that life is. One minute you are going along thinking life couldn’t get any better. The next you are going along and thinking life couldn’t get any worse. That is life!
A while back, I was involved in an “on-line” discussion. Now this was a Christian discussion so the blood was only flowing as high as the “horse’s stirrups,” it hadn’t gotten as high as the bridles yet. One participant said, with great emphasis, “I am screaming READ MARK 6, READ MARK 6!!”
Well instantly I am interested in what Mark chapter 6 has to say about our discussion. I reach over to my trusty mouse and take it in my delicate little hand. I click, and then I click again. I wiggle it and click again. Then I type a few strokes on the keyboard and wallah! I am reading from Mark 6 on my Bible. (I love computers!)
Now try as I might I never did figure out what Mark chapter 6 had to do with what we were talking about in the discussion. After reading it a couple of times I realized that the discusser must have made a typo. I also realized, at the same time, that God had probably allowed it to happen because He had something to say to me from Mark chapter 6.
The disciples have been ministering. Jesus had taken them with Him as He went from town to town. They had observed Him as He had ministered. Then Jesus had sent them into the surrounding area in groups of two.
Their efforts and works were blessed. Devils were cast out. They anointed the sick with oil and they recovered. They preached a message of repentance that resounded all of the way to the king’s house. Their missionary tour has been blessed.
Yet when they returned the disciples are very weary. Life hasn’t been treating them all that well. The pressure has been great. In fact, the emphasis of their report to Jesus is the death of John the Baptist.
Seemingly, just in the nick of time, Jesus steps on the scene and tells them it is time to take a vacation. In fact, let’s make it a little cruise. He tells them to get in the ship and they go to a desert place. It was just Jesus and His disciples.
Well, that was the way the travel agent told them it would be. You know, take this trip and get away from all of the pressure. Just enjoy life at a faraway place. So off they go and when they got there, they were met by the crowds. In fact, they were met by large crowds that wanted their attention.
Instead of resting and being able to refresh themselves, they must again work. Rather than a time of relaxation it became many hours of serving. Instead of having a time alone with the Master they had to share that time with a multitude of people.
Jesus begins to teach those who have come to learn from Him. The day passes and the crowd grows. The disciples realize the people need to eat. It is also at this time they realized the local McD’s isn’t going to work. In fact, there is not a place close enough for the people to find food.
It is interesting as you read this passage the disciples realize the lateness of the day and the fact they do not have any food with them is a big problem. They actually tell Jesus to send the people away so they can find food.
We need to realize that Jesus has set the scene for a miracle. He says to His disciples, “Why don’t you feed them?”
Not totally “with it” the disciples ask Jesus, “Do you want us to go get food for everyone?” They aren’t following His thought pattern at this time.
Jesus then asks “How much food do you have? Go ask the people.”
Too often we see our problem as a road block. We view it as the end of the line. We are ready to bail out, to jump off. We are seeing a train wreck about to happen. Yet at the same time God is seeing it as an opportunity for a miracle!
We see the multitude that needs to be fed. We recognize the need and are very concerned that it be met. Then we are ready to give up on the situation right then. In our opinion it can’t get any worse. Jesus sees the need and recognizes the multitude needs to be fed and in his opinion things are just perfect, it is a miracle setting.
They inquire of the people and come up with five loaves and two fish which they present to Jesus. He takes them, breaks them in pieces and feeds a multitude of people. What an incredible miracle. It is a miracle that many times we brush over because of the familiarity of the story. From nothing he feeds a multitude of people. Five thousand men and maybe two or three times that amount of women and children. Jesus feeds them, friend this is truly a miracle of colossal proportions.
It doesn’t matter the magnitude of our situation, He can meet the need. It doesn’t matter if there seems no way to take care of it. He can take care of it and bless others while He is doing so.
The next part of this story I want us to pay close attention to. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to gloss over things in the Bible that I have read or heard told a lot. Let’s consider a few things here.
The Bible tells us that Jesus constrained His disciples to get in the ship and told them to go to the other side of the lake to Bethsaida. He was going to get rid of the crowd. After getting rid of the crowd, Jesus went to the mountain to pray.
The word constrained in the Bible means to compel. In our vernacular it means to require. In fact, every translation that I read this passage in says that Jesus “made” them get in the boat to go to Bethsaida. He put them in a place where they would encounter a situation that would be an opportunity for another miracle. He left them to deal with that opportunity on their own, enabling them to recognize their need for Him.
Jesus then goes to the mountain to pray. When the dark time came He saw them on the sea. This is the part that really caught my attention. The Bible says that Jesus saw them in the midst of the sea toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them.
They were in a situation. It is about three o’clock in the morning. They are very tired. They have been through some great difficulties in the past weeks. They had a very strenuous day of ministering to a multitude of people. Now they have been on the water for some time working in a very adverse situation. Things were not going their way at all.
I find myself in these types of situations. I feel I have carried a heavy load for a long time. I have spent time giving of myself. Even still, I am struggling with all my might and seemingly I am going nowhere.
It is in this scene that Jesus shows up. He comes walking to them out of their storm. Walking on what they are struggling with. It was a miracle right before their eyes. He is in total control of the whole situation. A miracle in the midst of a storm, and they almost missed it!
Jesus would have walked on by if they hadn’t called Him. Someone told me one time, “God is a gentleman, and He doesn’t force Himself on anyone with out an invitation.”
How many times have I allowed Jesus to walk past in the midst of the storm? I get so busy! I get so involved! I fail to look around for Him to help me. I am toiling! I am giving it everything that I have got! I am putting my all into it! What I really need to do is look for my miracle. It is passing me by walking on my storm.
When Jesus enters the boat the disciples are amazed. They could not believe what had just happened. As we would say, “Their minds were completely blown!”
The Bible tells us the reason for their astonishment. I really think this is something that we need to pay close attention to. The reason for their astonishment was they did not consider the miracle of the loaves and fish. They had been blind to what had really happened. They failed to understand what Jesus was showing them. He was saying, “No matter where you are and no matter what the situation, I will meet the need.”
Have we considered our miracle? Do we understand that God can and will meet every need that we have in our lives? Do we forget the miracles of the past? Do we remember what God did yesterday or last month? He we considered our miracle?
We need to recognize that God allows us to be in a situation where He can show His power. Not too much further down the road he is going to allow us, or even put us, to be in a situation where we will need to remember our miracle in order to get out of the situation.
I pray that when I am in my next storm, which I know will come, to remember my miracle. I pray that I will remember that God has allowed me to be there because he has confidence in me, confidence that I will go to the other side. The last verses of the story tell us the disciples saw some of the greatest miracles of their lives when they reached the other shore.

Signs of the Believer in Osceola, Arkansas

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;" Mark 16:17 KJV
On March 19, 2010, in a little northeast Arkansas town called Osceola, the signs of the believers were manifest. It was a Friday night that was filled with great anticipation. For the past forty days the United Pentecostal Church of Osceola had been praying and fasting. They had been reading the Book of Acts and asking God to do a supernatural and spiritual work in their lives. They were desiring to be released into the Spirit of Apostolic Revival. Their prayer was, "God we want the Spirit of the Early Church! We want what they had!" Now, for the next few hours they were determined to worship God with all they had and let God do His part.
The Osceola City Center had been rented to accommodate the expected crowd. Several slipped into a racquetball court that had been designated as a prayer room and began to seek God for the service that night. Little did those prayer warriors know God’s attention had already been captured by their desire.
The service started with a great Spirit of Praise and from the start people were caught up in the Spirit of Worship. A gentleman, seated toward the front, stepped out from his seat and began to walk back and forth praising God. It was just a few moments later that the Worship leader stopped everything!
Pastor Tim Doran, of Osceola, was leading the Praise and Worship. He came over to Anthony Brown, the worshiper, and said, "You have cancer, don’t you?" Anthony said, "Yes sir I do."
Pastor Tim said, "The Doctors said it is bad and don’t give you any hope, is that right?" Anthony said, "Yes sir, that is true!"
Pastor Tim said, "When we were in the prayer room, God saw how you worshiped Him in spite of your illness and pain. He told me to tell you that He is going to heal you of cancer!" As he said this Pastor Tim reached out to lay hands on the sick man and jerked his hand back and said, "I don’t even have to touch you! God has already healed you. In Jesus Name be made whole!"
During the twelve and some half weeks that have passed since that time, Anthony Brown has reported that he is getting stronger each and every day. On Sunday, June 6, 2010 he came to Pastor Tim Doran, who is now Anthony’s pastor, and told him that he needed prayer for his feet. One of the symptoms of the cancer was that his feet would itch so bad that he would actually scratch the skin off trying to get relief. Pastor Tim prayed for him and the itching is completely gone!
On Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Anthony Brown went to see his doctor for his scheduled cancer checkup. After the test and examinations were complete his doctor came in and sat down with Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer taking four insulin shots per day has a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand. In fact I am going to go get another doctor to look at this."
He left and returned with another doctor who went over the reports and looked at Anthony and said, "I don’t understand how a man with pancreatic cancer who takes four insulin shots a day can have a blood sugar reading of 80? I just don’t understand!"
The first doctor pulled out his cell phone. He showed Anthony and the other doctor a picture that he had taken of Anthony earlier. There were sores from the cancer all over Anthony’s body. His figure looked sickly and gaunt. The doctor looked at the healthy looking energetic figure before him and said, "This is not the same man, I just don’t understand!"
Anthony told the amazed doctors, "I understand exactly what is going on. Jesus Christ has worked a miracle of healing in my body. He has healed me of cancer!"
Both doctors shook their heads in amazement and said, "It is a miracle, we can’t argue with that!"
These signs shall follow the believer. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! However, sometimes God gets so excited about healing a worshiping believer that He doesn’t even wait for the laying on of hands!

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!