dennis j adams

Today was really a special day for me.  I spent plenty of time in prayer and seeking Him!  I prayed for so many and the lost souls of this earth.  It was so refreshing.  I sensed a deep call to prayer throughout the day.  The uniqueness of this prayer time was what the Lord spoke into my spirit during prayer.  During the many names that I prayed for and the many issues of burdens that I brought to Him.  These words were few but so profound and comforting.  This is what the Lord spoke to me over and over as I made my requests and supplications to Him with thanksgiving: “I understand.”  This was so deep and beyond the understanding of my own mind and soul.  He said: “I understand.”

Peace

Dennis

Preaching is what people do when they want to strongly exhort. prophesy or reprove other people. Preaching is also defined as ‘the public proclamation of Christianity to the non-Christian world’. Preaching can be multifarious! It seem to me that we do a whole lot of preaching to each other who are saved and not enough to the non-Christian world. The enemy of our walk with God has confused so many by making “superstar” preachers (who I think should stay in Hollywood)! I have heard great preaching in my day! Sermons that would curl and did curl the devils toes. These sermons did not come from some known “superstar” but from the heart of individuals who understood the heart of God to reach souls. They understood the warfare that begins in prayer before the sermon is even designed on paper. They understood the anointing that came upon them as they began to declare the oracles of God to unsaved ears. It is not in length nor of talent but in the understanding that the Word of God is preached to bring souls to the decision of accepting Christ.

For myself I have been speaking for about 33 years. I really do not know if I even understand the “art” of preaching. One thing I do understand is that no matter how God does it, it is Him who breaks the yoke through preaching. I remember once that I felt that I had really found my niche in communicating the Gospel of Christ. I invited a seasoned preacher who I respected immensely to preach at the church I was pastoring in San Lorenzo, CA. The speaker came to the platform after I spent time introducing and sowing accolades ( Gets me sick to think that is what I thought was right) and in five minutes of speaking (preaching) the message was over. I sat in my chair thinking: It took five minutes to say what normally would have taken me an hour! I learned that day that content can be delivered as the Holy Spirit gives opportunity. What is the understanding of preaching. Paul stated this:

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, ” (Romans 1:16, AMP)

In this verse I have soaked my spirit-man. Hoping that one day I can say in five minutes what it takes an hour normally for me. You can buy books to show you how to stand when you preach ( I must confess, that I never read one but I have paged through them!) You can buy other sermons and build of them. You can memorize so you can deliver with the greatest of eloquence ( That is cool, I think). But I still believe that finding a prayer closet and asking God to anoint you with power, to flow through you in power and to help you quench the thirsting of Jesus is the way to get your sermon. Studying is what God wants but we need to be anointed also.

So what is preaching? I really can only tell you that I am still learning to preach! What I have learned so far is that God has chosen it to communicate to the lost. By the way board room preaching is messed up and not anointed!

Peace

Dennis

All scriptures contained in this blog are of the The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Through prayer and many nicks on my shins for failing God, I have come to the most important conclusion: I cannot walk worthy of my calling without His Holy Spirit leading me at all times. If I am going to live in the Spirit I must walk in the Spirit. If I am going to walk in the Spirit then I must live in the Spirit. I must surrender all that I am to Him and hope that He will have mercy on my prideful and unworthy soul. Coming into His presence in prayer knowing that I have failed Him in some way, always gives me the uneasy feeling of that I have been thinking above what I ought to think! I owe Him so much for what He has done for me! Not just for me but for this world of sin and despair. He could have started all over again and who would have argued? Adam and Eve? The devil, himself? The angels? The heavens? No, not even amongst the One True Godhead! He is so just and loves us so much that He has given us chance after chance to repent and ask for forgiveness. I have decided to make forgiveness the focal point of my ministry! I want to forgive and I want to be forgiven. I want to see mankind in heaven! This is a tall order! But my prayer is that I would see the God miracles in this San Francisco/Monterey Bay Area! I have no rhyme nor reason why God called me to do what I do, but I must walk worthy of that calling! So I invite the Holy Spirit, again, to walk by my side and keep me from being ignorant about God’s will!

I saw the movie “Coal Miners daughters” today. One line stuck in my spirit: I may be ignorant but I am not stupid (This is a paraphrase so I do not use the word that segregates a certain community of people). I laughed at this!

Then I saw this in my spirit: I do not want to be ignorant of God nor do I want to be stupid in my ways serving Him!

Peace

Dennis

I thought I would post this picture of Sierra Rose’ first Christmas Picture with Santa Claus.  This is the first Christmas that she will remember!  You have to love that expression on her face.  I think the Santa’s expression is also impressionable!

Peace

Dennis

More than anything else we must never forget Jesus, the Son of God.  Born of a virgin, Mary.  He came from God not from a human!  He entered into our time as the Incarnate God! He came because He loves us and wishes that all men be saved.

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace. ” (Isaiah 9:6, AMP)

Merry Christmas to all and a great big Happy Birthday Jesus!

Peace

Dennis

The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Once on his feet the one begging at the Beautiful Gate walked for the first time into the temple with Peter and John.  He was now clean and prepared to enter into the fullness of the Lord.  He could partake in temple worship.  He was in presence of his first miracle.  Notice, that he came to his feet and walked with them, but as they entered the temple he went from walking to leaping to praising!  I like that progression.  Walking toward you miracle, believing for it!  Leaping into your miracle, receiving it! Praising the Miracle Giver, the One who brought the provision of it!

“Then he took hold of the man’s right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong and steady, And leaping forth he stood and began to walk, and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking about and praising God, And they recognized him as the man who usually sat [begging] for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement (bewilderment, consternation) over what had occurred to him. ” (Acts 3:7-10, AMP)

Everyone that saw this were amazed.  So amazed that they did not recognize him at first.   When you leave survival mode to blessed mode there is a change to your continence, a change to your approach and a change to your attitude.  Then when they realized it was him! They witnessed the breakthrough!  They were concerned not only with the miracle, but to the one it had happened to.   You see there are so many people who think that something wonderful could never happen to  someone else who may be stuck in survival mode.  But when the anointed walk by or pass by: miracles can happen if those holding the anointing will stop and obey!  Even if the shadow of the anointed touches the person a breakthrough will come! Get in the middle of what God is doing or at least get in the shadow of the anointed.  God wants to bless He does not want to have a mess!

There is a man starting his day just as usual and along come the anointing, God blesses and his life is changed forever.  My prayer is that you have the anointing come by! If you are the anointed, then I pray you stop and obey, because God wants to bless!

Peace

Dennis

All scripture used in this blog are The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Just imagine for a moment what it must have been like: to be crippled and carried your whole life! Not being able to breakout of survival mode. So many of the church today are crippled and need to be carried. They continue to live in that lower mode instead of walking in the position given to them by the action done at Calvary by Christ, Jesus.

“But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, ” (2 Corinthians 2:14, AMP)

Here, he is looking into those eyes of authority when he hears words that made no sense to him. Words that normally would have been accepted as cruel or damaging, like acid poured on an open wound. But these words were different, the command in the voice, the certainty of the authority. His body reached up as he was lifted to his feet. What warmth is this that he feels for the first time in his memorable life? What strength he feels as he senses movement in his lower extremities. Movement, feelings, finally independence! Dreams that may have been buried for years now become realities and impossibilities become possible. These emotions now have taken control of a crippled man from birth. Why? Because he decided to listen to the impossible and believe the unbelievable. How often do we hear that voice, that command, that directive but we evade somehow the possibilities as though it was a passing thought or uncomfortable moment in our lives. Just think if we would have reached up and accepted the command, the authoritative statement, which would have brought restoration beyond false decoration in our lives. So many hear but do not respond. So many are living in the survival mode and they are just an action of obedience way from being blest. How about the widow women in 1 Kings 17?

“So he did according to the word of the Lord; he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook. After a while the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came to him: Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her, Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. And she said, As the Lord your God lives, I have not a loaf baked but only a handful of meal in the jar and a little oil in the bottle. See, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it—and die. Elijah said to her, Fear not; go and do as you have said. But make me a little cake of [it] first and bring it to me, and afterward prepare some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: The jar of meal shall not waste away or the bottle of oil fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth. She did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. ” (1 Kings 17:5-15, AMP)

She was prepared to die. She was following her instinctive reservoir of womanhood. Preparing a meal for herself and her son, the last meal! Yes, the prophet comes by and states the impossible: Make me some first, then for you and your son. How can this be? Can this prophet mean this? There was a certainty in his voice, as though he had witnessed the same himself! A familiarity of results that he himself experienced in the near past. Yes, God brought Him from the dried up brook to a widow women who had also dried up! But God was going to bless them both out of the impossible! Listen, God wants to provide out of the impossible for those that love Him! To be continued…

Peace

Dennis

All scriptures used in this blog are The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

With an almost intruding glare he must have looked into the eyes of both disciples. Shifting back and forth with his eyes as one would watch prey for their very next move.  What could this man mean “Look at us”? Could he not see that I am the one that is needing assistance at this very moment.  There must have been a sense of deep security in the man’s heart though, as he obeyed the voice of Peter.  Then as though it came from around a dark corner, from a place of darkness and void a statement that would change the life of this man forever.

Peter stated:  “But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in [the use of] the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk! ” (Acts 3:6, AMP)

The moment of change! The instance of a new future.  He is commanded to walk! Peter was stating that what he had to give could not be spent nor held in a pouch.  The jingle of coins would not bring comfort this day! It was the need for change, and not pocket change! Change that can only come from an anointing! Change that would last for eternity, not till the next day.  The effect of those words would forever be imprinted in the pages of His Glory!  Pages written before the earth was formed and the heavens saw created light.

Walk, how can I walk. This survival mode has been with me so long!  My daily carriers will come and get me at the end, I just know it!  I need money to eat and money to have for boarding.  What is this man doing, why, why, he is reaching out to me: lifting me up to my feet, my feet and legs have not been useful that I can remember!

“Then he took hold of the man’s right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong and steady, ” (Acts 3:7, AMP)

Often times we stop but do we obey? Does faith resemble the impossible or does it resemble what could be done?  Peter knew that it could only be Jesus! Both Peter and John had business that day. They could have winked an eye and stated ‘we will pray for you and thanks for the glance, the intense stare you gave’. But no, they knew it had to be Jesus that causes such an abrupt statement! He reached and picked him up!  How many times has the business of the moment held back the miracle of the hour?

I must mention here about the widow women who had her last two pennies and put them in the offering horn! (Mark 12:42-44).  She changed her life by putting all that she had in the offering! Not to mention the widow women who was gathering for her last meal (1 kings 17:10). She made a change that day from survival to blest by simply obeying the directive of the prophet!  To be continued…

Peace

Dennis

All scriptures used in this blog are The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Here he was at the Gate Beautiful (Acts 3:2) nestling in survival mode. Certainly thinking this is just another day. Just got to get through it, tomorrow will come and without a doubt, I will be here again, waiting and nestling in my “mode”. That sounds so familiar doesn’t? Who knows how many people walked by that day! How many noticed and how many he noticed. As matter of fact we have no way of telling without speculating and adding to the numbers as we so often do. We do not even know the mood he was in nor how much he had already collected that day. What we do know is that he was surviving with the help of those who carried him to the gate each day! Along comes Peter and John: Two freshly empowered men of God! (Who probably had no idea that God was going to use them there). Peter who had denied Christ, and John the one Jesus loved! Quite a pair wouldn’t you say? The man at the Featureless (Oops, I mean Beautiful) Gate had no idea who these two men were. They were just two men going to do the “religious” thing (him not knowing that every religious bone had been burned out of them by the Holy Spirit). He asked them for some help, financial help! Just to add we always consider financial help to be the “joy”. Isn’t that odd? Peter fixes his eyes on him! He sees him through the eyes of Christ! He sees a man who can have a breakthrough! A real spiritual breakthrough! From survival to blessed!

Peter states:

“And Peter directed his gaze intently at him, and so did John, and said, Look at us! And [the man] paid attention to them, expecting that he was going to get something from them. But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you: in [the use of] the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk! ” (Acts 3:4-6, AMP)

Take a look at being blest. Take a look at us and see just what the Lord can do! There is a different step when someone has moved from survival mode to blessed mode! He paid attention and I am sure with great detail! I wonder just how many times we pass by someone who needs to be told to look at us. On the other hand how many times have we aloud the blessing to pass us by! To be continued….

Peace

Dennis

All scriptures used in this blog are The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

It is really easy to get stuck in survival mode! It can be addicting emotionally also! Relying on others and waiting impatiently for something positive to happen.  Knowing along that deep within the corridors of your heart there is a thought, a near revelation, that something could be better.   Stop! Look around and see that so many people in the world are there.  But what is worse so many are in church worshiping God with a survivors approach.  Worshiping from a platform of fear and doubt.  Asking for something they have construed which will work for them if they can just get a little!  Oh well, I guess they see God on the dashboard of the car and believe that He really rides along there.  Here is good example to start this short but pertinent subject of moving from viewing God as a fellow survivor to seeing Him as He is, the King of Kings and the One who blesses your very being.

The man at the Gate Beautiful!

“[When] a certain man crippled from his birth was being carried along, who was laid each day at that gate of the temple [which is] called Beautiful, so that he might beg for charitable gifts from those who entered the temple. ” (Acts 3:2, AMP)

Yes, at the Gate Beautiful in survivor mode.  Now I am not going to write you a sermon here (which I could do) but what I am doing is sharing my thoughts, so get on board here.  He was sitting in survival mode, at the door to the inner courts and coming from Solomon’s Porch.  Going from wisdom to blessing and getting stuck there in survival mode.  To be continued….

All scriptures used in the blog are The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.