Alaska

Lisa and I went to Alaska last week for camp meeting. It's not like we drove there or anything. The flights alone took close to seven hours--just flight time. I had only been at the Anchorage airport once before, by mistake. On a flight to Seoul, Korea, about three years ago, one of the first-class passengers had a bit too much to drink, got belligerent, and we had to detour to Alaska so the police could take care of him.

Alaska is big. I mean really big. I you were to overlay the state in the middle of the lower 48, the top of it would be in Chicago, the bottom in the tip of southern Texas, the peninsula strip where Juneau is reach close to Florida, and the Aleutian Islands in the East reach all the way to California. Everyone packs a gun there and most a rifle to boot, even church members, even church pastors. There are more private little planes registered than private cars.

We enjoyed our visit very much. Even though I spoke nine times--nine times!--we had the chance to ride a boat and see one of the hundreds of glaciers, check out a gorgeous mountain pass, visit the national park for Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America (over 20,000 ft high), and even be given a private fly-over the camp region, including lakes, mountains, and or course, another glacier.

God blessed enormously there. This is the sixth and last camp meeting this summer, but the only one where all the presentations were on the Holy Spirit. Maybe we can go back someday, but with more time. This really is God's country--the myriads of wild animals often seen, the lakes, the mountains, the scarcity of people. A great place to contemplate and think.

I'm headed to fulfill a commitment in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday. When made last year, I was sure I'd be done writing this current book. But it is not so, and no trip can come at a most inconvenient time. I only have chapter one done, and four days to write the rest :-(

If that actually happens, it'll be hard for me to think of a more amazing miracle in my life in many years.

Thank you for praying.

The Power Is in the Word

About a month ago I reported on the struggle to write this new book--the second book, I called it--on prophetic interpretation to give away on opening night of the NET prophecy meetings. My deadline to finish the book was last week. Well, I have yet to write it. All this time has been spent on research and note-taking. Between travel, NET administration, and lack of a clear pathway where to go with this work, my plans have not turned out as hoped.

Why is this so important now? Because I have not found a book like it in the market. Most of the books dealing with prophetic interpretation are, understandably, scholarly books. But this is a book for regular folks interested in prophecy. Other books deal with the broader issue of revelation and inspiration. Then, others tackle the problem of literalistic interpretation leading so many sincere Christians to believe the nation of Israel today is in fulfillment of prophecy, that a secret rapture will precede seven years of tribulation under the world rulership of the Antichrist, when 144,000 Jews will end up trying to evangelize the world. This Dispensationalist model of interpretation is simply a cancer in Christian circles, the biggest impediment to understanding the truth of what the Bible really says about the end.

We have been raised by God as a prophetic movement at the time of the end--that is, since 1844--to give the world "the entire counsel of God." God has given this church the entire picture, without which so many sincere souls remain deceived, lured by Babylon in the guise of orthodox Christianity. Satan has managed a multi-prong, clever approach at this most crucial time in the history of human beings. Through Enlightenment ideas he has eroded faith in Scripture via critical--faithless--approaches to Scripture. Through evolution-based scientific explanations he has destroyed faith in God and made irrelevant the Sabbath of the Lord. Through Post-modern social attitudes the Bible is now viewed as a quaint book for a minority in the world insistent in tradition. The ONLY counter to this onslaught of clever deceptions lulling men and women to slow perdition is the wake-up truth of Jesus Christ as revealed in His Word! Nothing else will be able to open people's eyes to see things as they really are.

But to make matters worse, who studies the Bible anymore? Even our own members seem to be reading it less and less, and those outside our faith who still look into it do so through the glasses of Dispentationalism, thus end up just as confused as those who hardly know a word from the Word. People inside and outside of Christianity are still interested in Bible prophecy. A number of them will come to hear a lecture on Armageddon or the Antichrist. But they don't know how to read Scripture.

This is why this book needs to be written. But there are so many ways to go about it. And that's where I lack clarity, wisdom, and insight. We often hear that a writer's block is cured by writing, regardless of how good it is or where the writing takes you. Perhaps that helps in some type of writing, but not every type. I need a vision from God, perhaps not literally, but nevertheless just as real, of the steps to pursue. After so many weeks, I believe I'm closer to discovering what it is that has been elusive to this point. But the reality is that I'm out of time. In two days, I'll be speaking numerous times in Alaska, and mere days after I return, I have another commitment overseas. And after that, the schedule is full again, and the publisher wouldn't have enough time to produce it for the NET meetings. The way I figure it, my last chance to finish this will be the week before the overseas trip. So, one week left! What is that to organize the writing, write each chapter, and get feedback from readers to avoid the most glaring misses?!

For some time now I've wanted an I-Pod to listen to Scripture while running in the mornings, something I used to do with Bible cassettes years ago. My tech-savvy kids convinced me to simply get an I-Phone instead, and I'd have everything there already. So, this past Father's Day we did that. What a blessing to my soul has again been the listening of God's Word! It stimulates my thinking, it helps me understand God Himself, it answers existential and/or biblical questions I've had for years, it builds my confidence in an all wise and loving and powerful God. This is the God of the Universe and the God who knows me--even me--by name.

All I desire is for people to give themselves a chance to understand the God of the Bible. The rest will take care of itself. Would you join me praying for this?

Thank you. I know He will do it.

"The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,

After Your manner with those who love Your name."

Psalm 119:130-132

Update and Needs

It's July already. Less than 90 days before opening night! Where are we according to plan?

1. We're resolving the advertising issues. We've taken weeks now to sort this out. The blimp we're planning to use over Nashville presented some logistic and financial issues, but I believe they are finally getting worked out.
2. The guidelines for Archaeology are ready. Something that should have been ready months ago turned out to be a nightmare. The DVDs took months longer to produce than we had planned, and the guidelines for home use had to follow. I believe we have those ready now.
3. 612 churches have signed up. The signing of additional churches after the Creation-Evolution series has been slow coming. My hope is to get at least 1,000 churches by opening night.
4. Several camp meetings have been covered. I've been to Ontario, Kentucky-Tenn, Pennsylvania, and earlier this week returned from the Wisconsin and Arizona camp meetings. I only have Alaska left for this summer. My hope is that a few more churches will join the NET.
5. Prophecy book writing is stalled. Unfortunately, this has been the reality, for a number of reasons. This needs to change radically.
6. Broadcasting will be via Hope Church Channel. Our expectation was to broadcast the NET on Hope Channel and even on 3ABN. However, different decisions were made by both broadcasters which we could not influence. We pray the Lord will still work through these plans.
7. A renewed communication focus began. As of today, I believe the Reach NAD News newsletter coming from Bernie Delafield's office, will dedicate more focused updates on NET 2011. This goes to the entire NAD field.

We need urgent prayer for the following:

1. Spanish Translation. We've been working for months on this, and have finally found a good interpreter (they're not easy to find, especially to do simultaneous translation) able to do it. However, this was not part of our original budget and it will mean a considerable expense we can't cover at this time. We must resolve this issue in the next few days--which means find the finances to pay for it.
2. The Prophecy Book. To be honest, there has been a great controversy between good and evil over this in my life. I need the direct intervention of the Spirit, mostly in my heart. I need the Lord to perform heart surgery in me, and I believe the rest--the writing--will follow. I'm running out of time.
3. More Churches. With such an excellent opportunity to engage in soul winning this fall, it is sad to note so many churches still unsigned. Pray that the Spirit of God may stir the hearts of pastors and church leaders everywhere to sign on to the NET series and see people come to Jesus.
4. Youth Mobilization for Outreach. Later this month (22-24), the Jesus in Jeans Youth Rally will take place in Nashville to mobilize youth for peer outreach. Let's pray that our young people may be powerfully by the Spirit to reach out to others, and that many of them may make decisions for Christ.
5. Better Use of Holy Spirit Book. I have met people all over the country who've found Adventism's Greatest Need a blessing to them. The Lord led me to write this for personal revival and church renewal. Oh, how much we need this! My prayer is that many more can take advantage of this resource, especially as they meet in groups.
6. Guidelines for Creation-Evolution. This is the equivalent of what was done for archaeology. Again, the development of this resource is taking an inordinate amount of time. Pray this may be expedited so members may use the resource in their homes.
7. More Faithful Prayer Warriors. We live in crucial times, with so many people who could turn their faces towards the Lord Jesus. We desperately need more "knee laborers" to press before the Lord His very own agenda.

Please join me in praying for these issues. They weigh heavily on my soul. And pray especially for me. My spiritual health has been on the wane lately, and I need an urgent intervention of the Spirit in my life.

"And He was saying to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'"

Luke 10:2