One of the most striking examples of powerful prayer comes from the nation of Scotland and the man John Knox. Many church historians believed Knox prayed with such force and fiery passion that his prayers transformed the entire nation of Scotland. He is considered the father of the Scottish Presbyterian faith.

His prayers are believed to have ignited and sustained the fires of the Reformation and revival in Scotland. What made this man’s prayers so powerful? How did he learn to pray such nation-changing prayers? What can we learn about intercession from this mighty man of prayer?

John Knox was born east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1514 into a merchant family. He was educated at St. Andrews, the distinguished university of Scotland, and was ordained as a Catholic priest around 1540. At this time, Europe was boiling with the conflict of the Reformation. Termed “Protestants” because they protested against the carnal and ungodly practices of the Roman Catholic Church, Knox and others started to speak out against the “mother church” (Catholicism). This enraged the political and religious leadership of England and France.

While Knox was residing at the castle of St. Andrews in 1547, the fortress was seized by French soldiers chartered with shutting down the “Protestants,” who were considered rebels. Knox was taken prisoner and forced to row in the bottom of French ships as a galley slave for two years. He almost died due to the horrible conditions of the galleys. Upon his release in 1549, he left Scotland and traveled in Europe, ending up in Geneva, Switzerland, where he became a student of the Reformer John Calvin. Learning a new form of liturgy and theology, Knox was prepared to go home to lead a religious revival and revolution in his beloved Scotland. It would nearly cost him his life.

For years, Knox preached and led the Protestant reformation in Scotland. The English monarchy tried to kill him many times. His fiery sermons were said to ignite fresh faith and led many Scots to trust in Christ for their salvation. Yet perhaps his greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may have been his prayers and not his preaching.

Knox was a man on fire in prayer. HIs prayers shook hearts and political leaders alike. Mary, Queen of Scots, a lifelong enemy of Knox, is said to have stated, “I fear John Knox’s prayers more than all the assembled armies of Europe.”

Knox was consumed by prayer. He once prayed, “Give me Scotland, Lord, or I die!”

John Knox’s passion for His people to know the glorious riches of Christ brings me to my knees. This is not an arrogant prayer of an inflated ego. This is the cry of a broken heart pleading for the salvation of his countrymen and their deliverance from sin. This was the burning passion of a man willing to die so that Scotland could be transformed by the Word and the Spirit of Jesus.

Knox’s hold on the altar of prayer was strong and continuous. He prayed large, sweeping, transforming prayers, and the Lord answered. The effects of his preaching and prayers are still being felt today in the UK and across the world.

One attribute of Knox that inspired his fellow Scottish preachers was his fearlessness. Others said of him, “He did not fear men, because he feared God. He was a man willing to offend men, because He was not willing to offend God.” What an example for us today.

Here are his words on prayer:

“How the Spirit makes intercession for us. So that without the Spirit of God supporting our infirmities (mightily making intercession for us with unceasing groans, which cannot be expressed with tongue, Rom. 8:26), there is no hope that we can desire anything according to God’s will.”

Prayer and intercession inspired by the Holy Spirit were the fuel and fire of Knox’s reformation and revival work. His prayers likely kept him alive amidst persecution. His intercession moved forward the birthing of a whole new expression of Christian worship. What can we learn from the prayer life of the reformer John Knox?

Prayer is so much greater than getting your needs met by God. The privilege of prayer is so much more than finding comfort in times of stress or storm. Those are important aspects of prayer. But prayer is so much more. Prayer can awaken nations, stop politicians in their tracks, and bring the transforming power of the gospel to lost and sinful masses. The power of prayers made in faith is beyond our human comprehension.

Let’s commit to keeping the altar fires of prayer burning at home, in our closets and in our church. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us. And prayer changes nations.

Lord, change us today. Make us mighty men and women of prayer in the holy example of John Knox. Amen.

—Pastor Tom

The post The Powerful Prayers of John Knox appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

Prayer is essential to seeking the welfare of our city. Prayer walking is one particular form of prayer that can lead to Kingdom impact, divine appointments, and changed lives. Today, I want to explore the power and potential of this exciting form of prayer.

I first came across prayer walking about five years ago when Revive Asheville took place in our town. Although I was quite busy leading the home-makeover aspect of the outreach, I did get to go out with teams one afternoon to pray for our city.

We met for prayer at the tent downtown in front of the courthouse and a few of us headed out onto the streets to pray. We walked down one street asking for God’s Kingdom to come and for Him to bless anyone He put into our path.

Something incredible began to happen as we physically walked the streets and prayed. Suddenly we felt like the intersection between the heart of God for that street and the street itself. Normal things were happening: moms pushing their babies in strollers, bike riders making their way through town, homeless people sitting on benches, and business people hurrying to their next meeting.

As we prayed for all of these people, we could feel God’s love welling up inside of us. We asked Him to bless them, heal them, and lead them into a dynamic relationship with Jesus. I remember the overpowering feeling that the Spirit of God was walking with us down those streets.

An amazing thing happened on that prayer walk. God began to put those people, that street, and our city as a whole into our hearts. The city was no longer a concept, but a real place with real people with real problems. Our prayers were inviting the in-breaking of the Kingdom to come in a very real way.

I remember one incredible story from one of our prayer walks.  Before we went out, we prayed for God to show us who he wanted to touch. Someone saw an African American man with a bag of money in his hands and he was smiling. So we went out on the streets with those thoughts in our minds.

A few minutes later, I saw a young African American man walking towards me coming out from the courthouse. I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to introduce myself. I said to him, “Excuse me, my name is Tom, and my friends and I are praying for people today and wondered if we could pray for you in any way?”

He smiled and said, “Yes, absolutely.”

“What can we pray about for you?” I asked. His name was Eric.

This was his response: “Well, I just came from the courthouse where I won a settlement and now I am going to have a large sum of money. I am happy but nervous at the same time. I haven’t spent money wisely in the past and I want to use this money wisely now. My girlfriend broke up with me because I was always wasting money. We have a little girl together and I want to get back together, so we can be a family and raise our little girl.”

We were stunned.  This was our guy. God is so cool.

I took a moment to share with him the simple gospel that saves our souls. Tears started welling up in his eyes and he said, “I want that.”

Right there in downtown Asheville on a prayer walking day, Eric prayed to receive Christ as His Savior and King. A few of us obeyed the Lord to go out prayer walking in His name, and as a result, God brought a young man to salvation in Jesus. Oh, and Eric got a ton of life-giving prayer, too!

This is the power of prayer walking. Consider praying through your neighborhood or apartment complex this week. Grab a few others and pray through the streets near your house. Pray blessings on every home, and every individual and family. If you meet someone on the street, offer to pray for them right then and there.

It is incredible what God can do with this simple prayer tool. Take a simple step of faith and prayer walk the streets of Asheville near you. Trust me, you and the city will be blessed as you go!

—Pastor Tom

The post Prayer Walking: Praying On Site with Insight appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

The love of God transformed my life. About ten years ago, God began to give me fresh revelation of what the AGAPE (love) of God is truly like. Little by little, He began to show me the power of AGAPE to transform, heal, and bring boldness to any heart. As I learned the unfailing nature of His love for us, it was like the dawning of a brand new day.

Over the past several years, God has taken that revelation of AGAPE deeper, broader, and farther than I ever dreamed. I keep going deeper and higher into His love and find there is no end. His love is higher than the tallest peak and deeper than the deepest ocean. AGAPE is unending. The light of His love keeps getting brighter.

Paul prays for the Ephesians in the scripture above to know the AGAPE of God in all its depth, height, and breadth. This is my prayer for you and me as well.

Many of us believe we already understand God’s love. The children’s song told us this when we were little:

Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me; yes, Jesus loves me; yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so

What I have discovered is that we may hear these words, “Jesus loves me,” but our hearts don’t deeply grasp the truth. Our lives reveal that we don’t really know what this means. We run about striving anxiously as orphans trying to get God to do stuff or trying to make things work out for our good. We don’t know what it means to live in trust and confidence that God truly is a Good, Good Father. We don’t know the rest and abiding of AGAPE.

My own journey in learning about AGAPE has been slow and steady with a few lightning bolts of power along the way. A few things I know for sure: His love is real, it is eternal, and it does not fail.

God’s love is extended to all of us. He will teach us about His love if we will humble ourselves and learn from Him.

I want to invite you to join me on a journey of discovering the love of God through our Foundation Classes at BRVC. I don’t know a lot of things, but I am fully convinced that the main thing God wants for us and through us is love. The two great commandments, Love God and Love Others, are the foundational concepts on which all of Scripture is built. Come learn what AGAPE means with us. Come discover a freedom that only love can provide.

Paul’s promise to the Ephesians is that when they learn the riches of AGAPE they will be filled with all the fullness of God. What a promise! What a gift! God’s fullness overflowing in us and through us to others. I want that reality every day of my life. It is possible through the unfailing AGAPE of God.

May the love of God fill you and bless you today!

—Pastor Tom

The post The Heights and Depths of AGAPE appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

We are in San Pedro, Belize. On Tuesday night, our team of missionary ladies was having a SHINE program for young women on the island. They were doing an art program for teen girls designed to speak to their value and uniqueness as daughters of God.

As the only male on our team, I was not a part of this program, so I had some time to be with the Lord. I sat on a dock overlooking the town of San Pedro and started reflecting on our mission work there.

As I sat with the ocean lapping at my feet, I asked God to continue to give me His heart for this island and these precious people. The image of the sun shining over the island spoke to me. I saw light streaming from the sun over a place that has much darkness. It gave me hope for the future. I felt God’s love for Belize and San Pedro in particular.

On the plane ride to Belize, I had a strong urge to pray for the victims of the huge fire that took place just days before we came. Eight families had lost everything they had in the fire. I had no idea how we would meet the families, but I said a quick prayer, “Father, I would love to be able to show AGAPE to one of these families.”

On Friday night, we were worshipping and praying with friends when Eddie, one of the pastors on the island, said to me, “Tom, I feel like we need to worship and pray at the site of the fire.” Everyone present instantly felt like that was from the Holy Spirit. Together we made a plan to worship and pray at the fire site on Sunday night at six o’clock.

Sunday evening came, and we gathered on the very ground where homes once stood. I led some worship with a guitar and we began to pray for God to rebuild the homes and lives of those affected. Then one of the leaders suggested we pray for the Ancona family, two women who were present and worshipping with us. God had answered my prayer!

We laid hands on them and blessed them and prayed for their hearts and lives. Then we asked if we could bless them somehow. They suggested we go to the home of Matilda, a grandma who lost her home of 45 years where she had raised all five of her children. They said she was devastated and losing her faith in God.

At Matilda’s home, we circled around her and sang a worship song and again prayed for blessing, healing, and restoration. In minutes, Matilda went from broken, hurting, and hopeless to smiling, laughing, and talking eagerly with us. We watched God touch her heart before our eyes.

What I learned from this story was the power of presence. Bringing light with us wherever it is needed. Darkness is constantly beating down people in Belize and in Asheville. Satan loves to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus loves to bring life and light more abundantly. It was such an honor to be light for Matilda and her family that night.

Another thought that struck me was how simple it was to play a guitar, sing a worship song, and pray for them. It didn’t take an elaborate plan. We didn’t spend any money. We were just sensitive to the Holy Spirit, obedient to go, and poured out some love.

Simply put, we let our light shine. In the midst of a warm Belizian night, we brought light where it was needed. We brought love, smiles, hugs, music, faith, and prayers to men and women in need of some light and life.

The biggest blessing of all is that all the glory went to the Father. He was the light-giver. We were just candles that brought our flames together to make a brighter light. A family was lifted. A grandmother without hope for the future started laughing and smiling. We all had this small but growing sense that everything was going to be okay. God, the Father, had a bright future for us all.

Light overcomes darkness. This is our call. This is our privilege. This is our mission. Today, let your light shine before men. It doesn’t have to be a big elaborate thing. Do something simple. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Bring some love where it is needed.

As you do it, give all the glory to God. Love is really powerful. Simple acts of love can have a huge impact. Light will overcome darkness. Hearts right near you need a touch from the Father. Reach out.

Let’s go love our city.

—Pastor Tom
San Pedro, Belize
July 9, 2016

The post Light Overcomes Darkness appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

The post God Restores appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

In 1962, Rick Hoyt was born to his parents, Dick and Judy. Due to oxygen deprivation at birth, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. It was evident to his parents that despite his physical difficulties (he could not speak or walk), Rick was bright and wanted to communicate. So the Hoyts began to teach Rick the alphabet and helped him get an interactive computer which allowed him to communicate with others with a tap of his head.

Rick went on to attend public school and even get his bachelors degree from Boston University in Special Education. All of this was possible because his parents saw more in him than the “experts” did. They made Rick’s dream possible and opened doors for him. This is what parents do. But Dick Hoyt did something for his son that is truly extraordinary.

In the spring of 1977, Rick told his dad that he wanted to participate in a five mile run to benefit a lacrosse player who had become paralyzed in an accident. Even though he was not a long distant runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair for the whole race. They finished the race, coming in next to last. But they did it!

That night, Rick said to his father, “Dad, when I’m running it feels like I am not handicapped,” and an idea was born.

Dick and Rick, aptly now named “Team Hoyt,” began to participate in races all over the US. They began to do triathalons, duathalons, and marathons, six of them being the grueling Ironman races. Then in 1992, Team Hoyt biked and ran across America, covering 3735 miles in 45 days.

When they would do a triathalon, Dick would pull Rick with a bungee cord tied to a life vest attached to a small boat, then ride with him in a two-seat bicycle, and then finish by pushing him in his wheelchair the rest of the way.

The 2009 Boston Marathon was officially Team Hoyt’s 1000th race together. When Rick was asked what one thing would he give his father if he could, he replied, “The thing I would most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.” What does this amazing story speak to us today?

It is an amazing testimony of the power of a dad. Dads matter. They put their strength and experience to work to help their kids do more than they ever dreamed possible. Great dads put the needs and the dreams of their kids above their own. Good fathers see potential and opportunity for their kids when others only see the obstacles.

Our heavenly Father sees us this way. He knows the plans He has for us (Jer. 29:11-12). He sees the potential in us far beyond what natural eyes can see. And He sacrifices, even giving His own Son to pay the price for our sin, to see us find peace, freedom, and joy. Our God is a good, good Father.

Take a moment with me today to say, “Thank you,” to a special dad in your life. Thank them for being a faithful provider, for going the extra mile, and for believing in us when others did not.

Our dads aren’t perfect. They stumble and sometimes fail us. But dads truly matter in this world. Study the statistics of what happens in kids lives when they never know the love and support of a good father. It’s tragic. There’s an answer to these problems: good fathers.

Rick Hoyt is a special dad. His example screams to me and other dads: “Go the extra mile. Help your kids dream. Sacrifice and give your life away for those you love the most.”

Thank you, God, for our dads. They truly matter. Thank you for being a perfect, loving Father to all of us. We love you and we are grateful.

The post Dads Matter appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

–

The post Seeking the Peace of Asheville appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

–

The new work of spreading the gospel was moving forward. Paul, the missionary with a call to the Gentiles, was traveling, preaching and teaching as the good news spread to new cities and towns. It was an exciting and challenging time in the early history of the church.

In this passage from Acts, Luke writes that Paul and his team were pursuing guidance from the Lord as to where they were to go next. Full of passion and commitment to go and make disciples, they were eager to move forward and reach more people.

Then we reach this fascinating passage. Paul and his companions were “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the Word in the province of Asia.” I wonder how the Holy Spirit spoke this direction to the apostles.

They must have encountered closed doors of some kind. Even clearer, they must have felt that there was no peace or rest in going to Asia. The Holy Spirit made it clear to them that Asia was not their next step in their missionary efforts.  There is a powerful lesson here.

One of the greatest tasks of the Holy Spirit is to guide us. He guides us into all truth (John 16), and He guides us in our efforts to do His work in the earth. This is critical for us to grasp as we seek to bear fruit in the kingdom.

Jesus told us how he went about His work. Here are His words. “So Jesus explained, I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.” John 5:19-20

This is one of the amazing works of the Holy Spirit. He shows us everything the Father is doing. Conversely, He will show us what the Father is not doing. This is what Paul and Luke discovered. He showed them that the Father was not calling them to Asia.

Next they tried to enter Bithynia, “but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them.” The Spirit was actively, dynamically guiding them in their work. How exciting to know that the Spirit so present and eager to help us discern the Father’s perfect plans!

Then Paul has a dream: another dynamic message of guidance from the Holy Spirit. He sees a man from Macedonia “standing and begging, saying ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

How clear the Holy Spirit speaks! No doubt there was someone in Macedonia praying for help in their gospel work. The Holy Spirit actively guided and encouraged these early missionaries to go where the Father had specific work for them to do. And the gospel spread with great fruit.

What can we learn from today’s passage? Trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Take time to listen to His voice. Wait on His clear direction as you do God’s work. Pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to be present and active in guiding you.

I find this aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work so comforting and joyful. I don’t have to know everything. I don’t have to figure out every detail. He knows what the Father wants me to do next.

My job is to worship, pray, seek and ask. The Holy Spirit’s job is to guide me. The life of Jesus will bring the fruit. So come Holy Spirit. Show us what the Father is doing.

Sounds like a great plan to me!

Pastor Tom

The post Dynamic Holy Spirit Guidance appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

 I love this story of Jesus’ baptism by John at the Jordan River. I have been to the place where traditionally it is believed this event actually occurred. The river is not very wide there, probably the size of the Swannanoa River that runs near my house. I can still picture the place.

As Jesus submits Himself to John to be baptized, God, the Father, does two very important things:  He sends the Holy Spirit to rest on Jesus, and He proclaims to all who will hear, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.

The apostle John uses an interesting phrase to describe how the Spirit came upon Jesus. He says it came “like a dove and rested on Jesus.”  There is only one time in the gospels where Jesus speaks of a dove.

As He was sending out His disciples, He says to them in Matt. 10:16, “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and as harmless (or innocent) as doves.”  This is a clear picture for us.

Jesus didn’t say to be as bold as an eagle or as swift as a hawk. He referred to the gentle nature of a dove. I imagine He was thinking about the Spirit descending upon Him at the Jordan River on that day. There’s a key for us here.

The Spirit has similar qualities of a dove. The dove speaks of purity, meekness, and innocence. It speaks of gentleness and compassion. Jesus is saying that as we go out to do His work, we are to do that work in a particular way–the gentle, meek, pure nature of the dove.

Jesus modeled these qualities as He went about His work here on earth.

Isaiah speaks of Jesus in this way in Isaiah 42:1-3

“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.

God put His Spirit on Jesus.  He went about bringing justice to the nations, but He did that work in a gentle, humble way. He didn’t break a bruised reed. He wouldn’t put out a flickering candle. These are the qualities of the dove.

By the Spirit, Jesus had the Father’s power to bring justice, but also the Father’s loving character as He did it. We need the same dynamic in our own lives.

The disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on high.” Jesus wanted them to have power AND to be filled with the dove-like influence of the Spirit.

We need power too, but we also need to wield that power in a manner that reflects the Father’s loving heart. The Spirit wants to do this for us. He not only gives us anointing for ministry, He also works every day to conform us into Jesus’ nature and character.

This is the Spirit’s role: giving us power to do the Father’s work, while giving us the servant-hearted nature of Jesus as we do it.

As we spend this month learning about the Person of the Holy Spirit, let’s surrender to His transforming and empowering work in our hearts. Yes, we need His power, but just as importantly, we need Him to work those dove-like qualities into our lives.

Come Holy Spirit. Have your way among us.

Pastor Tom

The post The Spirit Like a Dove appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.

Paul wrote in Romans 8 that the whole world groans in eager anticipation for the revealing of the sons of God. The world yearns to see a living picture of love lived out in a tangible, visible group of real people. I believe that God Himself and all of creation long to see the same thing.

How can the world see such a picture of love lived out? Through us.

The primary means for such a revelation of visible love is the community of the church of Jesus Christ. We are that picture. We are God’s end-time plan to reveal the Father.

Sadly, we often do not look like the love Jesus lived and taught. Our selfishness, our divisions, our foolishness and our pride are often what the world sees. This must stop. God wants to show the world His loving and gracious nature through us.

One of the most exciting things for me personally is to think about the possibility of building an authentic, tangible community of true AGAPE. It is what drives me forward every single day. I believe it is possibly the greatest contribution we could make in our lifetime. It thrills me to think of revealing the unfailing love of God through an AGAPE-filled community of believers.

The scripture above speaks of the powerful witness of the early church community. They shared all that they had. They were unified. Psalm 100 says that God commands blessing on believers who live in unity. That blessing was upon the early church and that blessing went out to their cities and villages like when a big rock is dropped into water. Waves of water flow outward from the center.

How does this work? It begins by knowing God. Individuals begin to know the God of creation intimately. The life of Jesus begins to flow into the branches of individuals and that life begins to flow into families and then communities. The life flows outward from the center, which is God Himself.

One reality of the church is that we cannot share anything with the outside world that we are not experiencing ourselves inside our local community. This is where it gets exciting. God wants us to experience His life in our community. He wants us to experience His power in the relational ebb and flow of our community. Then we get to share that life with the hurting and hungering people around us. The life flows outward.

Are you experiencing the overflow of life from Jesus today? Have you felt Jesus moving and healing and blessing you through others recently?

I was a part of a small group recently that brought me tons of life. I met with a small group of men weekly at 6:30 am to go through some simple scriptures together and share a meal. Every week, we saw life poured out from the Father. Each time we met, the Holy Spirit had specific ways He wanted to pour out life among us. It was absolutely beautiful and refreshing.

I encourage everyone in our growing fellowship to seek out community. Find ways to gather in smaller groups regularly to seek Jesus. Pursue intimacy with God and others on a continual basis. There is life in community.

The result will be a living picture of Jesus growing and expanding among us. Our lives will be changed. Our families will be changed. Our city will be changed. Waves of blessing will flow outward. The world will see Jesus and His beautiful kingdom.

How pleasant and fitting when brethren dwell together in unity. There God has commanded His blessing. Thank you Jesus for living Christ-filled community!

Pastor Tom

The post God’s Power in Community appeared first on Blue Ridge Vineyard Church.