Billy Burns Ministries

Lord, Do It One More Time #3

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

The old adage is so true. Sometimes we aren't able to see the forest because of the trees. In other words, the things (obstacles, challenges, etc.) immediately in front of us can prevent us from seeing the bigger picture (the complete work of God). It is all too easy to look at those "angels" who seemingly aren't being moved by the Holy Spirit and begin to lose hope. Week after week, you pray and prepare, pray and prepare, and then pray and prepare some more and yet what you've prayed for just isn't manifesting. The trees (the unmoved boys and girls) are preventing you from seeing the forest (the underlying work of God).

So, when those times come (and those times can come all too frequently), I find it important to pull back and begin to remind myself of the things that I know to be true. I begin to remind myself about who God is. I meditate upon the integrity of His Word and promises. I encourage myself by remembering that what God has done in the past, He can and will do again ... for those who believe! Soon, the confusion and disillusionment dissipates and disappears.

Allow me in this third and final segment of the Lord, Do It Again One More Time blog series to encourage you. Know that the same Holy Spirit that worked in and through the child mentioned in John G. Lake's Adventures in God is at work in your children and children's ministry. Remember that if the Holy Spirit did it once, He can do it again!

John G. Lake. “I was sitting one day in the home of the DeValeras in Krugersdorp, South Africa, when a man arrived who had ... been following me from place to place, trying to catch up with me. He ... had developed a large cancer. He came into the house and ... in a little while a 6-year-old child who had been sitting near me went across the room, climbed on the man’s knees, put her hands on his face, and prayed. I saw the cancer wither. In half an hour, the thing had disappeared.” John G. Lake, Adventures in God (Tulsa: Harrison House, Inc., 1981), 15,16.

Join me one more time in crying out, "Lord, do it one more time" in my children and children's ministry!

Lord, Do It One More Time #2

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Last week, I shared that if we can read in the Word or in times gone by of God working supernaturally in a certain area then we can have a precidence for asking Him doing it again. We can be confident of the fact that if God has done it before, He can do it again.

The reason for this series of blogs is to show that history records times of God moving supernaturally in and through boys and girls. And, in seeing this, it should cause us to cry out, "Lord, do it again. Send your Spirit to my children's ministry. Pour out your Spirit upon my children so that they can be mightily used of you. Lord, please do it one more time!"

This week, let's look at another time in history of God coming upon children...

Welsh Revival, Evan Roberts, 1904. "While this was a revival of youth, children were so taken up with the things of God that they held their own meetings in homes, barns, yards; many from the age of 10 would exhort, sing and pray with great power. Many young children took part in public meetings as well." Mary Stewart Relfe, Cure of All Ills,(Montgomery: League of Prayer, 1988), 86 "Children began to sing and pray for hours."Wesley Duewel, Revival Fire (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), 165.

Join me. Together let's cry out, "Lord, do it one more time!"

Lord, Do It One More Time #1

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

For the next couple of weeks, I want to share about moves of God from days gone by. The reason for sharing these events is to remind us of the fact that if God has done it before, He can do it again. Seeing the Spirit of God come upon and flow through children throughout history should cause us to cry out, "Lord, do it again. Send your Spirit to my children's ministry. Pour out your Spirit upon my children so that they can be mightily used of you. Lord, please do it one more time!"

Check out these records of God coming upon children...

Cane Ridge Revival, Kentucky, 1801. “Little children, too, were brought visibly into the kingdom of God, like the 7-year-old girl, sitting on her father’s shoulder, who exhorted the crowd for a time and then slumped down in weariness.” Bernard A. Weisberger, They Gathered at the River (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1958), 33.

Maria Woodworth-Etter, St. Louis, Missouri, 1890. “One day, a helpless little girl was brought to me. She could neither talk nor walk. After I prayed for her, I told some of the folks to take her out and let her try to walk…. After a while, they brought her back. She was walking and talking, but they couldn’t understand a word that she said. Praise the Lord. She had the use of her whole body; she was walking and talking in a strange language or tongue. She was filled with the Spirit and was bold as a lion. I stood her on the platform, and she began to walk about and preach. With hands uplifted...she preached to the astonished multitude, showing what great things the Lord had done for her.” Wayne E. Warner, Revival! (Tulsa: Harrison House, Inc., 1978), 55,56

I'll share more stories next week. Until then, join me in crying out for the Lord to one more time send His Holy Spirit so that children's lives will be forever changed!

Overflowingly Filled (Bad Grammar, Great Thought)

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I have mentioned in a couple of recent blogs that among the 3 or 4 books that I am currently reading is a book entitled The Complete Smith Wigglesworth. I am absolutely loving this book and gaining fresh insight in the areas of faith and the Holy Spirit.

Allow me to share a few sentences that I have meditated upon and meditated upon. Hopefully it will be a blessing and challenge to you as well.

"The most important thing, the one thing that counts, is to see that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, filled to overflowing. Anything less than this is displeasing to God. We are commanded by God to be filled with the Spirit, and in the measure you fail of this you are that far short of the plan of God."

What a challenge. I am to be filled with the Spirit of God. And, not just filled, but filled to overflowing. This challenge is stirring my spirit. Filled. Over-filled. Splashing-filled. Can't-contain-it-all-over-filled. There-is-no-end-in-sight-filled. Not a yesterday over-filled, but a TODAY over-filled.

Just a quick warning. Being overflowingly (I know that "overflowingly" isn't a word. There just isn't another word to convey this thought!) filled can get messy. It will spill over on those around you causing them to become born again, set free, healed, encouraged, joyful, ...

Will you join me? Will you accept the challenge given by Wigglesworth? Let's be OVERFLOWINGLY FILLED with the Spirit of God for this day and all of the challenges and opportunities that are before us for this day and then expect today to be a supernatural day. After all, TODAY is His day. TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost!

Stretch 2,3,4. Stretch again 2,3,4!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am reading a book on my iPad entitled The Complete Smith Wigglesworth. I am absolutely loving this book. I find myself highlighting so many truths found in Wigglesworth's teachings.

Rather than share a lengthy thought this week, allow me to share a quote from the book. If meditated upon, it could be the launching pad for some powerful ministry in the days to come.

"The Holy Ghost wants to get you ready for stretching yourself out to God and believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Isn't that a powerful quote? Wigglesworth was telling us that supernatural ministry is a direct result of a spirit that is enlarged and stretched by the Holy Ghost. This enhanced spirit is merely a byproduct of praying in the Holy Ghost. (Jude 20)

If you want to flow in the supernatural, pull away from the crowd and begin to daily stretch and enlarge your spirit by praying in other tongues. Soon, you'll be like Peter in Acts 3 and be able to walk into any ministry situation and say, "Such as I have give I thee" and see the natural give way to the supernatural!

2012 - The Year of NO Excuses!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

This weekend's services were powerful as we taught "Why Sit We Here 'Til We Die". It was one of those types of weekends where the Holy Spirit spoke not only to the individual children but also the direction of our children's ministry. Using 2 Kings 6 as the foundation for the teaching, we saw that these lepers knew that if they continued to sit where they were and continued doing what they were doing, they would continue to receive the same results that they were presently experiencing. They recognized the importance of getting up from where they were and beginning to do something!

The final object lesson of the message dealt with eliminating all of our excuses. Excuses cause us to keep on doing what we are doing.

Some boys and girls might try to say:
1. “But, God, I was only a child.” God will answer back, “But what about my using a little boy named David to kill Goliath? He offered no excuse for his age!”
2. “But, God, I didn't know what to say or do.” God will answer back, “But I spoke to a little boy named Samuel and told him what to tell the prophet Eli. I spoke to him. I could have spoken to you.”
3. “But, God, I was too busy.” God will answer back, “But I used a young slave girl who was very, very busy with all of her duties to speak to Namaan. Her actions caused Namaan to go to a man of God named Elijah and receive his healing from leprosy.”
4. “But, God, I don’t have much to give.” God will answer back, “I used a lunch from one little boy to feed over 5,000 people. One boy’s lunch was what I needed to help many, many people.”

From this, we can see that our children are NOT too young. They CAN hear God’s voice. They ARE sensitive to God-given ministry opportunities. They DO have what is needed to flow with the Holy Ghost. There is absolutely NO excuse why our children and our children’s ministry can’t be SUPERNATURAL!

In wrapping up the service, I heard in my spirit the phrase, “2012, the year of NO excuses”. This will be my mantra this year. NO EXCUSES! Throughout the year, service after service, I will declare this, teach this, and expect this. In our services I will give the children opportunity to testify about what happened after they eliminated their excuses and began flow with the Holy Ghost.

Will you join me? If TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost (and it is), then let’s facilitate His working through our children. Then, to quote T.D. Jakes, “Get ready, get ready, get ready!”

Your Report Card is Ready!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Believe it or not, when I would bring home my report card during my elementary years in school, almost invariably the teacher would write a comment in reference to my conduct. Without exception, the comments would refer to my excessive talking during class. I seemingly just couldn't help it. I could always find something funny in any situation and I would comment to my peers about what I had noticed. Consequently, each report card would notify my parents that "Billy talks too much."

As we begin this new year, I want to give a brief notice on your "report card". You are not talking enough! It is not a misprint. You are NOT talking enough. Let me become more emphatic. You are NOT TALKING ENOUGH!

The psalmist David had some insight about the importance of talking. He wrote, "I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (Psalms 91:2) In other words, David just didn't think about the greatness of God. He recognized the necessity of vocalizing what he knew to be true.

I hate the space confines found in writing this blog. There is so much that I would love to share about talking (after all, my elementary teachers thought that I was quite good at talking). Let me briefly share the importance of speaking ALOUD.
1. HEAVEN will hear your voice and begin to take action.
2. YOU will hear your voice and be encouraged.
3. HELL will hear your voice, take notice, and flee.

As we begin this new year, let's become talkers. Begin to boldly declare out loud the realities imparted by the Holy Ghost. In fact, to start with, beginning today, why don't you begin to daily (and many times throughout the day) declare aloud "TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost". Come on. It won't hurt you. In fact, it will help you. TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost. Now, a little louder. TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost. Now, a little bolder. TODAY IS THE DAY OF THE HOLY GHOST. In doing so, you will begin to become more and more sensitive to His presence, voice, and actions!

One more thought as we begin 2012. I have written on your "report card" that you have become an excessive talker. So, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk and then do some more talking. Get ready. As you put into practice what I have written on your "report card", you and your ministry will never ever be the same again!

Extravagant Faith in an Extravagant God

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Like you, I'm seeking for direction and the will of God for this upcoming year. While I am thankful for what was accomplished in 2011, I sense a challenge by the Holy Ghost to believe God for bigger things and greater accomplishments. There is much to be done and this much to be done will require extravagant believing and boldness on my part.

As you spend time with God, remember this. God isn't frightened by your boldness and extravagant faith. In fact, we need to remember that God is limited by the opposite ... fear and small mindedness. Our timidity and peanut-sized dreaming will lock us into perimeters dictated by our enemy. I wish that I could shout this from the housetop ... God is pleased when we by faith believe and confess large things! Why? Because He is an extravagant God! I can call Him extravagant because one of His names is El Shaddai (the God who is more than enough).

I don't want the upcoming year to be 365 uneventful days. You can start preparing for the nursing home lifestyle if you’d like, but I choose to have God-sized dreams and extravagant faith for a supernatural, Holy Ghost empowered year. I declare today and will continue to boldly proclaim throughout 2012 that there are mountains that I will climb, a generation that I will impact. I declare that Billy Burns Ministries will declare “TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost” around the world and see it manifest.

Join me. Become a present day Joshua and Caleb as we look at 2012. Like Caleb I want to say, "Let us go up at once and occupy it; for we are well able to overcome it. (Numbers 13:30, ESV). Without fear of what others think, I want to have such confidence in my God and be able to declare for 2012, "If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it to us.” (Numbers14:8). There are greater harvests to reap, huge dreams waiting to become realities. In doing so, those with this uncompromising, different spirit will reap the same promise given in Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it."

Come on ... let's be extravagant together and allow the dreams placed within our hearts by the Holy Ghost become a reality!!!

Merry Christmas from the Burns Family!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Let me introduce the Burns family ...

Our 4-year-old grandson, Joey, is standing in front of Jason's beautiful wife, Elisabeth

Our oldest son, Jason, is holding our 19-month-old grandson, Gavin

I don't know of anyone I'd rather stand beside than my beautiful wife Vickie

Standing to our right and completing the Burns' household are our sons Michael and Aaron.

Vickie and I pray that this is a blessed, Christ-filled Christmas season

and that the upcoming year will be a testimony of the goodness of our God.

The Blood, The Word, The Name

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

A couple of Sundays ago, we opened our home to our entire staff of children's ministry staff for a come and go open house Christmas party. It was so much fun. We had so many of our volunteer staff and their families with us that it was wall-to-wall people. And, to make things even more exciting, some of the families brought trays of finger foods and others brought plates of desserts. We had tables and counters covered with food. Great friends, unbelievable food ... it was heaven on earth.

Towards the end of the evening, one of our staff was playing songs from the iTunes on my computer. Within a few minutes, he began to play songs from one of my all-time favorite musicians, Andraé Crouch, and soon one of my all-time favorite songs, Andraé's The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power. Upon hearing the song, I commented to some of our staff how that song contains a message that seems to be lost in today's Christian music. The church has lost sight of the power found in the blood of Jesus. As a child growing up in church, we sang song after song that talked about Jesus' blood. We sang songs like There's Power in the Blood and Oh, the Blood of Jesus and Victory in Jesus and There is a Fountain Filled with Blood and I See a Crimson Stream of Blood. Now, I double dare you list more than two or three songs that are sung in today's services that mention Jesus' blood. Even better, I challenge you to try to remember when you've heard a message that challenges believers to remind Satan about the believer's victory brought through the blood that flowed at Calvary.

In planning next year's ministry, I've been stirred for some time to resurrect a series that I wrote possibly ten years ago entitled "The Blood, The Word, The Name: Weapons to Keep Satan in His Place". Hearing that song at the party served as a reminder and confirmation to cement this teaching in our boys and girls spirits. I mention these weapons occasionally, but haven't given a thorough teaching on these weapons in quite some time.

As we approach a new year, would you consider joining with me and let's teach our children about the power found in these weapons? I would venture that many if not all of your children have no revelation of the weapons that causes Satan and his imps to shake with indescribable fear. Let's equip this generation to be the generation that will keep Satan in his place which is under our feet!

The Importance of Being Filled with the Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

My lifestyle at times can get way too hectic and I have to be creative in finding opportunities to read. Thankfully, my iPad is with me 90% of my day and often gives me the ability to read a portion of a downloaded book whenever a brief time of solitude presents itself. I am often able to read a few pages while I am waiting on an appointment or away from the office and have a few minutes of "me" time when there are no phone calls or people to interact with.

I recently downloaded a book that I would encourage you to purchase. The Complete Smith Wigglesworth is a collection of his sermons and writings. This is the man who said that he would never get out of bed in the morning without having communion with God in the Spirit. Consequently, through this communion Wigglesworth lived a Book of Acts life and saw the Holy Spirit demonstrate His presence and power in amazing ways.

In reading this book, I came across a statement made by Wigglesworth that is so, so powerful. You may want to remind yourself of this statement by writing it on index cards and placing it around your home and workplace. Here's the quote:

"It is impossible to overestimate the importance of being filled with the Spirit."

Rather than expound on this statement, I'll ask that you spend time with the Holy Spirit. He is far more capable of causing this statement to explode in your spirit. His revelation will cause you to be forever changed.

Selah

Planning for a Supernatural Children's Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Can you believe that 2011 is almost history? Wasn't it just yesterday that we were saying goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011?

I've spent some time lately looking back at the last 11 months of this year and analyzing what has transpired in our children's ministry, looking at the goals that were established at the beginning of the year and where we stand today on those goals. Hopefully you too have or will be doing this soon. I have examined the subjects/themes that were taught, the different areas in which we've challenged the children, and the social/relational development of our children. Have we met all of the goals for this past year? Honestly? Nope. Thankfully, my ministry here isn't over. I still have 2012 to work on the areas where we didn't quite make it.

As I start looking at 2012, allow me to share with you some thoughts on how to prepare for the upcoming year ...

* REFRESH. Find a time that you can get alone, away from the hustle of the everyday gamut of unending interruptions and distractions. A respite from the bustle is essential to escape the multitude of voices beckoning for your attention. It might be a morning away from the office and taking a walk along the shoreline of the beach or finding a bench at a local park. I find that in this "be still and know that I am God" time that I begin to sense a refreshing and His voice becomes undeniably clear.

* DEFINE. In this time of solitude, God will begin to speak by His Holy Spirit. Rest assured of the fact that God has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11) that He wants to convey by His Spirit (John 16:13). As His plans unfold, there will come clear definition for where you will lead the ministry. There might be a prompting to focus on specific areas of ministry (worship, giving, hearing the voice of God, etc.) in your teaching. There might come direction for a specific area in which the children should be challenged to provide finances (a water well in Africa, Bibles for an unreached people group, etc.). Through prayer, define and gain direction for where you want to be at the end of 2012 with your children and staff.

* CHALLENGE. Years ago, Robert Schuller preached a message that greatly influenced me. The sermon focused upon allowing the size of my God to set the size of my dream. The dream that God has for you and your ministry is gigantic. This will require you to step out by faith and take gigantic steps to pursue after that dream. Accept the challenge. With God ALL things are possible.

* ESTABLISH. Seal the deal by writing down your God-given dream (vision). (Habakkuk 2:2). This will keep you on track. Throughout the year it will also be a reminder when the going gets rough (and it does from time to time) to keep on keeping on because you have a resolution that you aren't pursuing your plans. You have heard from God!

The purpose for this week's blog is to challenge you to not just float haphazardly through 2012 and allow another year to just happen. Let's start now planning for a year that will bring God's Kingdom much fruit and cause much damage to the camp of the enemy.

Tidbits

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

This week, I want to deviate from the regular blog subject matter and share random thoughts and ideas ...

* I'm currently reading a book entitled "Pentecost Lost" written by Patricia Holland. It is both a great read and a must read. You can obtain a copy by going to www.patriciaholland.org/pentecost-lost

* Blogs that I consistently read and follow ...

1. Relevent Children's Ministry (www.relevantchildrensministry.blogspot.com)

2. Patricia Holland (www.patriciaholland.org/blog)

3. Leader2Leader (www.jimwideman.blogspot.com)

* We recently had Ronnie Caldwell come to minister to the children of our church through the weekend services, our christian school through our annual spiritual emphasis week, and our community through our Halloween Family FunFest outreach. The kids and families absolutely loved him. You might want to contact Ronnie to minister at your church in the upcoming year. (www.pkmi.org)

*An interesting prop that I recently discovered that has become a valuable ministry tool - the Mega Mouth puppet. (www.neatoshop.com/product/Mega-Mouth-Hand-Puppet)

*People that I LOVE to follow on Twitter...

1. Reinhard Bonnke - ReinhardBonnke

2. Perry Noble - perrynoble

3. Karl Bastian -kidologist

4. T F Tenney - TFTenney

5. Willie George - Willie_George

6. Dale Hudson - dalehudsoncm

*Favorite iPhone Games - Words with Friends, Hanging with Friends, Drop7

Was this my most "spiritual" blog entry? Probably not. Was it a practical blog entry? A great big YEP! Be blessed. See you next week!!!

Let's Not Apologize!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

This past weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the church in South Texas that I attended when I was growing up. Throughout the service, my mind was flooded with memories. To be honest, I had trouble paying attention to the guest speaker that Sunday. My mind was constantly thinking about different things that happened at the Christian Center in my childhood and youth. I could almost visibly see my pastor, Brother B.B. Hankins, flowing in the anointing and working together with the Holy Spirit.

Also during that service I reflected on the wit and wisdom of Brother Hankins. Among the dozens of "Hankinsisms" that I remembered that Sunday, I could picture him telling the teenagers of the church that when they were asked the question, "Do you speak in other tongues?" to answer with the question, "Do you mean that you don't?" In other words, he was telling us to not apologize for what should be the norm in the life of the believer.

I thought about that bit of wisdom quite a bit yesterday as Vickie and I flew back to South Florida and how it applied to our ministry to children. In many Pentecostal/Charismatic children's ministries, leaders and workers act as though they are embarrassed by what should be a normal, every service occurrence. Many have apologetically made the normal to be abnormal when it relates to children being filled with the Holy Spirit and praying aloud in their heavenly prayer language. What was considered to be the norm at the founding of the Church has become something that we are apparently embarrassed by.

Come on children's ministry leaders! Let's quit apologizing for being a Spirit-filled, tongue-talking Church. If today is the day of the Holy Ghost (and it is), then let's demonstrate it! Let's boldly and consistently encourage our children and staff to unapologetically demonstrate that we are a New Testament Church that flows with the Holy Ghost by praying ALOUD in your services in a heavenly language. Let's stand in front of our children's church congregations and Sunday school classes and mid-week Bible clubs and declare like the Apostle Peter "For this promise is for you and your children" (Acts 2:39) and then demonstrate that this is a normal, every day way of life by encouraging the children and staff to pray ALOUD in their heavenly prayer language.

Let me wrap up this entry by challenging the readers in the 60+ nations that are reading today's blog to be a present-day B.B. Hankins. When asked the question about your children's ministry, "Do you speak in other tongues?" your answer should be the question, "Do you mean that you don't?" Let's boldly be a Holy Ghost children's ministry!

A Free Gift For You!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:25:00 +0000

I shared in the October 17th blog an overview of our Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky weekend. In the October Billy Burns Ministries Ignite Connection newsletter I provided a link for a download of the entire service. I'd love for your children to enjoy what is one of our children's ministries favorite weekends. So, as a gift to you for following this blog, download the service outline and have a fun break from your regular type of ministry.

http://www.billyburnsministries.com/downloads/W&W.pdf

The Command

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

While reading through Acts 1 last weekend, I could sense the urgency in Jesus' time with His followers. Look at this ...

And, being assembled together with them, commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,
but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he,
ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water;
but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence. Acts 1:4-5

Did you notice that He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father? Jesus didn't suggest that if it was convenient or if they might be able to rearrange their schedules to hang around Jerusalem for a few extra days. The urgency shows that this directive wasn't something that He said as a passing statement that might be considered questionable or be easily misunderstood. Why? Because Jesus knew that the furtherance of the Kingdom depended upon His followers being endued with power (verse 8). Jesus knew that no "when the Holy Ghost is come upon you" would equal no "Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

The reason for this week's blog entry is quite simple. Have you shared this same urgency with your children? Have you shared the command that your children not leave your "upper room" (a.k.a. your children's church auditorium or Sunday school classroom or midweek Bible club) until they have received the promise of the Father? Perhaps your lack of urgency might be the reason that there is no Jerusalems and Judaeas and ....

Let's follow Jesus' example and, in doing so, we will see children leaving your upper room and begin to turn their worlds upside down. (Acts 17:6)

It's Time For a Check-Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Just a passing question for you .... outside of a church setting, when was the last time that the Holy Spirit (the Parakletos ... the One who has been assigned to walk alongside of you, abide within you, lead and guide you, empower you, equip you) heard you direct a conversation towards Him?

Though this is a short blog entry, it is quite powerful. Your answer to the question will provide a rock-solid explanation for what is or isn't happening in your personal life and children's ministry.

Selah!

Praying in the Spirit - The Secret of Intimacy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

After spending four weeks teaching on "The Helper", we had a "fun" break and enjoyed a Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky weekend. (You can read about this weekend in last week's blog.) Then, this weekend we completed a two part series entitled "Why I Pray in Other Tongues". It was refreshing to remind our children about six important reasons for connecting to God through our heavenly language.

Let me share with you one reason that I didn't share with the children. In fact, I just saw this reason for the first time a couple of weeks ago as I was reading 1 Corinthians 14:2.

"For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." (King James Version)

Like you, I've read this verse so many, many times. But this time, I read it from a translation that shed a whole new light.

"If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him." (The Message)

This translation opened my eyes to the reality that praying in and by the Spirit goes beyond praying mysteries and secrets. As I read this translation, I could see that by praying in other tongues I am shutting the door to others (both human and spirits) for a time of "sharing intimacies just between you and him" by communicating words that are intended only for His ears and receiving His words to my spirit that shouldn't be heard by others. Can you see that? By praying in the Spirit the inner most longings of my spirit can connect with the inner most passion of His Spirit!

If you want to have a greater intimacy with God, learn the joy of praying in the Spirit!

Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

If you've worked in children's ministry for any length of time, then you know the importance of variety. In other words, it is vital to throw in crazy, fun weekends into your schedule from time to time. So, after completing our four week "The Helper" series, we changed things up by having a fun, game-oriented service called "Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky." In addition to the kids coming to church dressed wacky (dyed hair, strange clothes, etc.), they loved being in a service that dealt with interesting, strange world records authenticated by the Guinness Book of World Records (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) and then seeing that record correspond to some strange fact found in the Bible.

For example, look at this fact found in Guinness: "The most fingers and toes at birth are 14 fingers (7 on each hand) and 20 toes (10 on each foot) and belonged to a Akshat Saxena (India). The record was confirmed by doctors in India on 20 March 2010. The Bible parallel: The Bible tells of a time that King David's troops battled a tribe of giants at Gath. One of the giants had 12 fingers and 12 toes. (2 Samuel 21:20-21)

The Wild and Wacky service had me introducing the topic such as: Our new wacky fact category concerns having extra fingers and extra toes. According to the Guinness Book of World Records there was a person born in India that didn't have the normal amount of fingers and toes. Take a guess at how many that he had. Then, I would ask around the room and select the two children that guessed the closest to the actual answer. After revealing the correct answer, I then shared about giants at Gath with the 12 fingers and 12 toes. We then brought the two children onto our platform to play a game that tied in to that wild fact. In "Removing the Digits", we placed several card board blocks onto a table (empty 2 liter bottles would be a good alternative). For 90 seconds, each child would use a Nerf arrow gun to try to knock down as many blocks as possible (removing the extra digits). The child with the most knocked-down blocks won the prize for the game.

Another category was the oldest mother to give birth to a child. Guinness: The oldest mother is Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara (Spain, b. 5 January 1940), who gave birth by cesarean section to twin boys, Christian and Pau, aged 66 years 358 days at the Sant Pau hospital, Barcelona, Spain on 29 December 2005. Bible: Sarah giving birth to Isaac at the age of 90. The game: The winning two children (those coming closest to the actual age) each chose a friend to help them play this game. One child put on a 3XL jogging outfit. Their friend was to place as many half-inflated balloons into the jogging suit as possible in 45 seconds. In this game both teams played at the same time. At the end of the 45 seconds, we stopped and commented about the possibility of Sarah looking "inflated" at the end of her pregnancy. Then, we used a dart to pop the balloons found inside of the jogging suits and had the children to help us count. The team with the most popped balloons won the prize for the game.

Rather than telling you every detail about every category, I'll just share 3 more categories and allow you (and the Holy Spirit) to create your own memorable day.
* World's Oldest Person
* World's Longest Hair
* World's Tallest Person

One more thought. Is a Wild and Wacky weekend spiritual? You betcha! The underlying theme of the service is that the Bible isn't a boring, snooze-causing book! And services like Wild and Wacky will cause boys and girls to fall in love with the Book like you and I have!!!

Is Wild and Wacky an every week event? Nope. In fact, the following week we began a two week series on Why I Pray in Other Tongues. The off week was refreshing for the staff, exciting for the kids, and provided another reason for the kids to say, "I love going to church!"

Try it. You’ll thank me over and over again!

How Real Is the Holy Spirit to You?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

I know that this blog entry is being read in some 60+ nations and its readership is composed of children's ministry leaders and workers who desire to see the signs and wonders of the Spirit in their lives and services. Although I have never met the greatest majority of the blog's readers, I know that I know that I have just described you. I am sure of the fact that you wouldn't be reading this blog entry if you didn't have a strong passion for seeing the Holy Spirit show up in your services, right?

If you have attended any of our Ignite the Supernatural conferences you have heard me make the statement that the Holy Spirit will never be real through you until He is real to you. In other words, the people who will see the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in their children and children's services are the ones who know the Holy Spirit.

Can I perhaps over simplify how that you can determine if you really know the Holy Spirit? Here it is ... all wrapped up in one simple question. How often do you find yourself conversing with and talking to the Person named the Holy Spirit? If He has been assigned to abide or live within you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (and He has - John 14:16-17), then there should be conversation! Sadly, the only conversations for some reading this blog are done at the beginning and ending of a church service. To those individuals, I will emphatically declare that you won't see the Holy Spirit demonstrate His presence. But, for those who dialogue with this Person throughout the day, the realness and consciousness of His abiding presence as demonstrated in your consistent, ongoing fellowship will soon see His realness demonstrated in your life and ministry.

Here it is even simpler ... those who walk and talk will open the door for the seen scene. The arena of visibly seeing the Holy Spirit will come to those who start their day with a "Good morning Holy Spirit" and then dialogue with Him throughout the remainder of the day. In doing so, He will become real to you and then real through you.

One last question … just how real is He to you? This realness factor can change if you’ll close this blog, turn off your computer, and begin a conversation with Him. Let the realness begin N-O-W!

Certification of Delivery

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:30:00 +0000

We recently concluded a series of lessons entitled The Helper which tells of the sending of the Holy Spirit. The four lessons were:

* I Won't Leave You Helpless
* Let Me Introduce the Helper
* Jesus Promised, God Delivered, the Helper Came
* The Helper & You

In this blog entry, I want to share an object lesson from our third lesson. Hopefully you can use this in your ministry.

"The Helper Came"
Props: Bible, Envelope, Certified Mail Slip
Slides: Optical Illusion (easily found on the internet), Acts 2:4

I’m sure that you’ve all seen optical illusions before. (Show slides of optical illusion.) While looking at this picture, you are seeing a picture and quite possibly the person sitting beside you that is looking at the same picture sees something entirely different. This can cause quite a bit of confusion.

When our heavenly Father was sending the Helper, He wanted to insure that there was no confusion. He wanted each and every person receiving the Holy Spirit to know that they know that they know that the Holy Spirit had been sent as promised.

So, when this gift was sent from heaven, God eliminated all confusion by providing a proof of delivery. Just like certain types of mail sent by our United States Postal Service require an evidence of the envelope or package arriving (show envelope with attached Certified Mail slip), heaven made it so evident of the arrival of this Helper by a proof of delivery found in today's Bible verse.

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began
to speak different languages.” Acts 2:4 (New Century Version)

Did you see the evidence or the proof of delivery? Our verse says that when the Holy Spirit arrived, each of the 120 people began to speak in a heavenly language. How do we know that this was the proof of delivery? Because we see it again and again when we read Acts 10 and Acts 19. They all began to show the arrival and indwelling of the Helper as they prayed in another tongue.

Let's Get Radical #4

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Here is a brief overview of the final three lessons in our Let's Get Radical teaching series.

Week #4 Radical Love, Radical Expression
God's radical love towards us is undeniable. The Psalmist David tells that He daily loads us with benefits. (Psalms 68:19) While it is impossible to count all of his benefits, David begins to list some of the radical things that God has done in telling that God has forgiven all of his sin, healed all of his diseases, ransomed his soul from hell, surrounded him with His loving-kindness and tender mercies, filled his life with good things, and renewed his youth like the eagle's. (Psalms 103:1-5) Considering the numerous acts of God's love towards him, it is no wonder that David pushed aside Michal's rebuke for his radical demonstration of praise. (2 Samuel 6) Radical love demands and brings forth radical expression!

Week #5 Once You Know It, Show It
God's Word tells us that radical praise is a part of our DNA. Psalms 8:2 tells us that even babies have the ability to worship God! This praise is on the inside waiting for an opportunity to be expressed. After all that He has done for us, how can we keep this praise on the inside? How can we be like the nine who continued on their way after receiving Jesus's awesome healing power? (Luke 17)

Here's the exciting part of demonstrating our praise. It doesn't have to be boring and repetitious. Throughout the year, I love to buy candy for my wife Vickie. There are boxes of candy that are filled with the same type of chocolate candy and other boxes of chocolate candies that contain an assortment of types. I love the assorted boxes because you never quite know what you are about to eat. I have read that David loved the assorted kind of demonstrations of praise. I have yet to study this to verify it for a fact, but I have read that the Book of Psalms uses 58 different Hebrew words to describe radical praise and worship including words that tells to bow before God, spin like a top before God, jump up and down, lift up hands unto God, etc. Radical demonstrations of love and gratitude can be and should be exciting!!!

Week #6 We Can’t Go Back
While I love to study history, I sure don’t want to live in the olden days. It might be enchanting to read about the days of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but please, please, please keep me living in 2011. I don’t want to go back to the days before air conditioning and electric lights and cars and …. you get the picture! What might have been acceptable at one time in history just isn’t good enough for today.

We now know the truth. Our radical God has done and continues to do many radical things to and for us. Because of this, we can’t go back to the way that it used to be. Let’s be like David and say, “In GOD's presence I'll dance all I want! … Oh yes, I'll dance to GOD's glory more recklessly even than this. And as far as I'm concerned . . . I'll gladly look like a fool …” (2 Samuel 6, The Message Bible). Let’s get radical before our radical God!

Let's Get Radical #3

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Here is a brief overview of the next two lessons in our Let's Get Radical teaching series.

Week #2 We are Made in His Image
Jesus told us that we when we saw Him, we were actually seeing what God is like. Jesus was being a copycat of His Father. The Jesus that walked on the earth and did awesome, radical things was copying or being like His awesome, radical Father.

“Jesus answered, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.””

John 14:9 (New Century Version)

The Scriptures teach us that we too are to be imitators of God.

“Follow God's example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.” Ephesians 5:1 (The Living Bible)

How is this possible? How can we be radical like God? It's quite simple. We were made in His image and likeness.

“Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness.” Genesis 1:26 (New Century Version)

If God is radical, then we too can be radical!

Week #3 God is Radical in His Love to Us
Counting is one of the first things that we learn in preschool. First we start counting by using our fingers and then we might even start counting on our toes to get into the bigger numbers. Our counting and measuring never stops. Whether we recognize it or not, we are constantly counting throughout the day. We count and measure our days by knowing the time of day (when we look at a clock) and the number of days into the week or year (when we look at a calendar). We count and measure our height, the amount of food that we eat (our calories), the amount that we weigh, etc.

As brilliant and educated as we might become, there are some things that are so immeasurable that the numbers can't be tabulated or counted. The Bible tells us that God heaps His love and His blessings on us each and every day.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits.”
Psalm 68:19

Did you get that? He LOADS His blessings upon us. Try as we may, we cannot measure the radical display of the radical love shown by our radical heavenly Father. It is impossible. Why? Because our God is constantly thinking about us. (Jeremiah 29:11) There’s not a second that goes by throughout the day that He isn't looking over you. What an awesome, radical God!!!

Let's Get Radical #2

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Don't you love it when you have the opportunity to actually see that the children are comprehending and responding to your teaching and ministry? I know from experience that there are times when you want to go and hold a mirror in front of a child's face in order to see if there might be any exhalation fog on the mirror that would indicate that there is actually any life in the child. But, thank God, there are the times when you can see the children are alive and applying and responding to what is being taught.

I shared last week about one of those times. Before going into our Super Sloppy Double Dare service, Vickie led the children in a time of praise and worship. Lo and behold, we saw the children across our auditorium applying our Let's Get Radical teaching from the previous 6 services by being radical in the demonstration of their love for Jesus. There was no need for the mirror fog test. I saw it with my own eyes!

As promised last week, let me begin to give a brief synopsis of the lessons in our Let's Get Radical teaching series. This week, I'll share an overview for the first lesson.

Week #1 God is a Radical God
From Genesis 1:1 on, we see that the Scriptures describe a God who never does anything half way. Creation alone shows the extravagance and magnitude of our God. First, we used a large quantity of Powerpoint slides showing the beauty displayed in the vast array of God's creation. Each and every part of God's creation is wildly unique. Examine the numerous types of fish with each type of fish having its own distinctive beauty. Consider the birds and animals, each with its own exclusive features. Look at the majestic beauty of God's handiwork found at the Grand Canyon or Niagra Falls or Mount Kilimanjaro or the tropical rain forests. It is impossible to find enough words that adequately tells of the wonders of His work.

Secondly, we shared an illustration using a breakfast item, Malt-O-Meal. I don’t know if you have ever eaten Malt-O-Meal, but once you put a big blob of it in a bowl, you are looking a food that looks bland and doesn’t have a lot of taste. Only one word comes to mind, blah. God is no Malt-O-Meal God who does things that are bland and lackluster.

Not only does creation display a radical God, we can see that His works show His greatness and grandeur.

“LORD my God, you have done many miracles. Your plans for us are many.
If I tried to tell them all, there would be too many to count.”
Psalm 40:5 (New Century Version)

Need I say any more? He is a radical, radical, radical God!!!

Next week, I'll share a brief overview of lessons two and three.

Let's Get Radical #1

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Burns Ministries) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:30:00 +0000

What a weekend! After completing a series of lessons on a particular subject, I love to plan a weekend that is a fun, off-beat type service to provide the much needed variety necessary for a well-rounded children's ministry. And so this weekend, we scheduled a Super Sloppy Double Dare weekend. Perhaps you have had a service like this. After a time of praise and worship, we showed a 30 minute DVD (the animated stories in the Focus on the Family Adventures in Odyssey series are tremendous www.whitsend.org) and then we began the Double Dare by asking the children questions about the story. The next 45 minutes showed why this service is one of the children's favorite services as they attempted to answer the questions or take physical challenges that included gross, messy games using raw egg, shaving cream, etc. (For more information about our Super Sloppy Double Dare, please write me at billy@billyburnsministries.com.)

While I loved seeing the children being excited about Double Dare, the aspect of this weekend's services that thrilled me beyond words was to witness the children being passionate in their time of praise and worship. I opened up this blog by mentioning that we had just completed a series of lessons. The series was a six week teaching titled Let's Get Radical which showed that we serve a radical God who desires a radical group of people who will love Him with radical praise. In our last two lessons, we showed that the psalmist David utilized 58 different Hebrew words to describe his way of demonstrating his love for God including Hebrew words telling of David spinning around, dancing, bowing, leaping, bowing, etc. Sadly, David's passion has been hidden due to the limitations imposed by our Bible translators lumping these beautiful expressions of worship into single words like "praise" and "bless" and "worship". It was so beautiful to see that the teaching hadn't been forgotten. I was thrilled to see the children entering into a new arena of worship as they passionately demonstrated their love to God during our praise and worship.

Let me close out this blog entry by giving the titles of the lessons in our six week series. Space limitations in a single blog entry won't allow me to elaborate in length about the lessons and so I will take the next few weeks to give a brief overview of the Let's Get Radical teachings.

#1 - God is a Radical God

#2 - We are Made in His Image

#3 - God is Radical in His Love to Us

#4 - Radical Love, Radical Expression

#5 - Once You Know It, Show It!

#6 - We Can't Go Back

Until next week .... remember that today is the day of the Holy Ghost!