Wes' Blog - heartsablaze.net

Jesus will Return

Wes — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:36:08 +0000

According to the Apostle Paul one of the most comforting messages we can bring to the believer is the message of the return of Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 4:18 he says“therefore comfort one another with these words”. The words he is speaking of are the words in verses 14-17. The words in these four verses are packed with detail and insight into what it will be like the day Jesus comes back to the earth. As Christians we are to know these details and proclaim them to ‘bring comfort to one another’ and to ‘make straight the way of the Lord’ (Is 40).

Let’s take a look at these verses:

Verse 14: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus”. Notice Paul is prefacing the fact that believers in heaven will come with Jesus when He returns with the truth and reality of the resurrection of Jesus. Paul says that the day the Lord Jesus returns all the people that have died up until that time and are in heaven will come with Him. They will come with Jesus and be given a physical, resurrected body in the same way Jesus was raised with a physical resurrected body.

Verse 15: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep (physically dead)“. I love this verse. Paul says specifically ‘by the word of the Lord‘ that there will be people (believers and unbelievers) alive on the earth when Jesus physically comes. Beloved there will be a day, a real day, of a real week, of a real month, of a real year when Jesus the Son of God, fully God and fully man, comes again to make known the knowledge of God on the earth. Time will record this Day and we will celebrate this Day for the rest of our lives. Paul continues that we who are alive on the earth on this Day will not ‘precede’ those who have died. Precede them in what? Let’s go on to the next verse to find out…

Verse 16: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first“. On that day the Lord Himself, the Jewish Man who once died and came to life again, will come from the sky and every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30). This Man is going to ‘descend’ from heaven…from the sky (Acts 1:11). He will come with a ’shout’ and the sound of a ‘trumpet’. Jesus will come with ‘His mighty angels and in flaming fire’ (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). What a day! This next statement is what Paul was referring to when he said that “we who are alive and remain will by no means precede those who are asleep”. He says the dead in Christ will rise ‘first’. The first ones to get a glorified, resurrected body on this Day are the ones who have died in Christ. They will be raised to life in the same manner that Jesus was risen to life in His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:35-50). This is no small event. How many people are we talking about? Think of all the people that are in heaven and all the people that will be in heaven before He comes back. This could mean billions of people! Beloved…are you hearing me? Are you hearing what the Apostle Paul is saying? On this Day the dead in Christ are going to be raised to life again with real bodies! This is beyond intense. This is one of clearest displays of the power of God in human history. He openly displays His power over death!

Verse 17: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we se shall always be with the Lord.” As if this Day could not get any more dramatic…it does. Paul starts this verse with the word ‘then’. I wander how much time is between the last part of verse 16 and this ‘then’? The dead in Christ (billions of people) just came to life again and then Paul says ‘then’. I wander if God will allow these billions of people to show off their resurrection before moving on to the next scene?! The drama continues…these billions of people that were just raised to life AND the billions of believers who are still alive on the earth are ‘caught up’ into the clouds of the sky. We see a picture of this in Acts 1:9 when Jesus was taken up into the sky after His resurrection: “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” What happens to Jesus in this ‘taken up’ is clear foreshadowing of the Day when billions will be ‘taken up’. This is what has come to be known as the rapture. But remember, before the rapture is the descent of the Lord Himself from heaven with a shout and the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ raised from the dead.

Beloved this is a Day we are to long for, hope for and prepare for. The Day that we meet Him face to face. The Day He comes to vindicate His saints and be glorified in them.

May He prepare us for His return.

Wes

Spiritual Maturity…God’s Opinion:

Wes — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:10:14 +0000

This is the last week of the Luke18 Summer Leadership Program (SLP). We’ve had 60 student leaders and campus ministries here at IHOP-KC for the SLP since June 16th. It’s been a powerful month and also very encouraging as we’ve witnessed the Lord empower these future leaders to go back onto their campuses and rally the saints to fasting and prayer for a mighty breakthrough of heaven on their respective student body and faculty. We’re believing for every campus in America to be crying out to God for revival by 2012 (Luke 18:7-8).

We’re finishing this last week of the SLP with a focus on the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7). It’s critical that the church has a godly mindset with how we view greatness, impact and success. Oh that our idea of greatness would be aligned with God’s idea of greatness. This is what Jesus teaches in these three beautiful chapters (Mt 5-7). There’s only one prescription of entering into the realm of greatness in God’s sight. There is no other way. It’s found in the place of brokenness before God, being humble at heart…not with words only but in the spirit of our actions and the consistency of our lifestyle. It’s found in the pursuit of God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. We enter into greatness in God’s sight when we love righteousness and hate wickedness…we hunger for it and thirst for it…we hunger and thirst to love what God loves and hate what He hates. As we learn to be merciful as He is merciful we are on the path to greatness in God’s sight.

Beloved we need a transformation in our thinking as we think of what a true godly man or woman looks like. Let’s not so easily think that if we ‘arrive’ in the eyes of man that God must approve. In the book of James he states that it’s a man or woman who has control over his/her tongue that makes a mature person of God. Note that he doesn’t make mention of any ministry accomplishments that makes a person mature. He says it’s the fruit of self-control by the power of Spirit on the inside that makes a man mature in God’s sight as they control the words that proceed from their mouth. The sow in the Spirit and not in the flesh with their mouths. This is maturity, true spiritual success in the view of God.

As we embrace the lifestyle found in Mt 5-7 we find that our inner-man is filled with might, godly might. In our weakness He increases His strength. This way is unpopular, it’s hard and difficult but leads us to fountains of life on the inside and greatness in God’s sight.

Consider it.

Wes

The Front in Bradenton, FL

Wes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:58:38 +0000

I had a quick ministry trip to speak at a young adult conference near Tampa over the last couple of days. The host ministry was an independent young adult ministry called The Front in Bradenton, FL which is just outside of Tampa. They have unity with some 42 different ministries in the Tampa area. I soberly say that this was one of the most enjoyable trips that I have been on in the last several years as far as a ministry trip. The saints were honorable, hungry, diligent and found in the place of fasting and prayer for some years now. I was so encouraged. The Lord met us and we had great times of teaching and impartation but what struck me most by the trip was the authenticity of the people involved with this ministry. They are for real. They love Jesus well and serve people with excellence. Before I left they gathered around me and I received some of the most refreshing prayer and prophetic ministry that I have received in a long time. If you’re ever in the Tampa area stop in a check them out.

God bless The Front. May they increase in wisdom and love for Jesus.

Amen.

Wes

Luke18 Summer Leadership Program (SLP)

Wes — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:27:51 +0000

We just finished our first week of the Luke18 SLP with about 60 college students and various campus ministry leaders. They are here at IHOP-KC for one month to spend time in the Prayer Room, get equipped in the Word on themes of prayer, intimacy and the end times and also be trained to go back to their campus and plant a corporate prayer meeting (prayer furnace) to cry out for revival. We have students and leaders from all over the US and about 5 countries as well. The students are hungry, focused and zealous for a move of God on their campus. It’s been encouraging to see such focus in their eyes as they set their gaze upon Christ.

It’s critical that we see a genuine move of the Spirit of God sweep across our universities in this land. These education systems are producing the leaders (teachers, lawyers, politicians, nurses, etc.) of tomorrow that will some day be influencing our children. Whatever is taught (values, philosophy, morals) at the university level in any given nation is where that nation will be in due time.

God help us. Send revival to every single college campus in America! May the fear of the Lord go forth equipping students and professors alike in the knowledge of God.

Pray for the campus in your region. To learn more about planting a Luke18 prayer furnace on your campus visit the Luke18 website.

Be blessed,

Wes

Speaking to God

Wes — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:23:08 +0000

What a profound gift we have as Believers in Christ Jesus. We have the privilege and invitation to speak real words from our mouths to God and He hears and acts. This is unbelievable! The impact (or lack of) that this reality will have upon us is completely dependent upon the knowledge and understanding of who God is to us. If we have low views of God the revelation of prayer will not affect our lives in the way that the Lord would have it. As the Church we must elevate our knowledge and understanding of God to the rightful place it ought to be. Where we walk in the fear of His name and holy awe and wonder fill our hearts as we think upon Him. It is in this place that the privilege and invitation of prayer will have it’s proper place in our lives.

The high and lofty God of time, of power, of creation, listens…He hears…He acts upon the words that His saints bring before Him! We come before Him in confidence and in awe that He gives us a voice to shift history as we pray according to His heart.

I encourage you to once again consider who it is we come to in the place of worship and prayer. Let the knowledge of God be exalted in our hearts and minds and exhilarate us in the place of prayer.

Be blessed.

Wes

Onething Castle Rock, CO

Wes — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:30:43 +0000

This past weekend, I know…it’s Thursday and last weekend is a long time ago but give me a break I’m just now having time sit down and breathe for a second. Anyway, we took the Onething Conference to Colorado just south of Denver last Friday-Sunday. We blew it up! Cory Asbury and Luke Wood tag-teamed the worship sets and Corey Russell and myself tag-teamed the preaching. We had just under a 1,000 in attendance which was all our facility would hold so it was good and packed out. The Lord revealed Himself in mighty ways throughout the weekend. The preaching was clear on the Knowledge and Splendor of God, the 2nd coming of Jesus, and the Joel 1 & 2 call to the place of prayer and fasting. There was such hunger in the hearts of those who attended. The ministry times at the end of each session were packed every time with many in tears making holy vows unto the Lord. Praise God…He’s so kind to us.

On Saturday afternoon I led a meeting of about 100 leaders from the region and I was so encouraged to see their zeal for the Person of Christ to burn in the hearts of young adults throughout Colorado. We had a strong presence there with our Luke18 Project team as well. There seems to be a clear buzz on several campuses in the region. The Church is really crying out to God for the breaking in of power on the gospel.

Pray for those who attended made a shift in their hearts and lifestyles to embrace the love of Jesus.

Be blessed today.

Wes

My usual morning…

Wes — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:57:42 +0000

My wake-up call nearly every morning comes not from my alarm clock but our 18-month old son, Owen Daniel. He’s like clockwork. Every morning between 730-830AM he awakes and begins his morning war-cry to be rescued from his crib. I then wake up… lie there for a second… and then stumble down to his room to get the little guy. I LOVE this part of my day. I love walking into his room and watching his expression of joy as he sees his daddy there to rescue him and get him his morning sippy-cup of milk

We then venture down the stairs to eat some breakfast as we both watch our favorite morning cartoon… Handy Manny. Great cartoon! A little while later mom and Maci make it down and we begin our morning play time till around Noon. This consists of playing indoor hoops, pushing trucks around on the hardwood, or seeing how far we can throw certain things (this one I believe is his favorite). I work from 1PM-12AM so my mornings are family time.

I love my family.

Wes

6AM comes early…

Wes — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:16:00 +0000

For some reason the last few days Our lil’ man (Owen) has decided he’s going to wake up at 6AM. This isn’t good. Especially that I work 2nd shift and don’t get home till midnight nearly every night. I’m hoping it’s because of the trip we just came home from and his schedule is a bit thrown off. I’m nervous. His sleeping schedule has been sweet for a while now…going down usually around 7PM and sleeping until 8-830AM. We’ll see.

Pray.

Wes

A voice came from heaven…

Wes — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:04:33 +0000

Go with me for a second: in Luke 3:22 as Jesus is baptized the Spirit of God descends upon Him in bodily form and then the voice of the Father is audibly heard from the heavens. The Genesis 1, Creator God that spoke half a sentence and created the known universe thunders a sentence of affection, affirmation, and courage straight into the inner-man of His Son, Jesus. Can you imagine what this thunderous declaration must have done to the heart and soul of this Man? Wow! Imagine the confidence that must have welled up in His spirit, the clarity of mind of who He was and who His Father was. Imagine the zeal to follow, to obey, to do His will…all of this from a declaration of truth about who He was in the sight of the Father. Oh that we too would be confident in who the Father calls us as we too our children of God! (1 John 3:1)

Notice this is just before Jesus is led into the wilderness (Luke 4) to be tested by Satan. During this testing Jesus will be vulnerable, weak and tested in His humanity in a way that He has never been tested up till this time. The Father knowing this time ahead for His Son prophesies to Him declaring clearly who He is and they way He feels about Him. I can imagine Jesus feasting on this account for the 40 days of fasting and testing in the wilderness. He was unshakable, unwavering, and unwilling to turn against the heart of His Father in heaven.

May we too arrive at such a testimony as we receive the love of God and ground our identity not in what we do but who we are in the sight of God.

Amen.

Be blessed,

Wes

Maci Grace Martin

Wes — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:20:12 +0000

This coming Sunday Maci will be six weeks old. She’s up to 8 pounds. Not bad for only weighing 6.7 pounds when she as born. These last six weeks have been a trip. Owen is 18 months old…now you can understand the ‘trip’ a bit better. I’ve mostly been busy with handling that little guy as mom cares for and nurses Maci. God bless my wife for when I got to work in the afternoons she mothers them both until Owen goes down around 7PM. My wife is a trooper, amazing, gifted and doing an AMAZING job of loving and caring for our kids.
Owen is beginning to warm up to Maci. We didn’t know what was gonna happen those first few weeks. He wasn’t too excited that there was a new kid in the house to share mom and dad’s attention. He would curiously ease up to her to take a look seeming to be the loving big brother and then WHAM!…attempt a karate chop. Thus far Maci has made it and she’s even beginning to win her brother’s heart.

Be blessed,

Wes