MTL Ministry Seminars

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 15:50:16 +1030

In this blog I want to fill you in with where we believe God is leading us as an itinerant ministry. Last year on the 17th July, a group of wonderful Christians from Forbes Uniting Church discovered our books and began reading them and passing them around to one another. The book, ‘God’s Heart Cry for Revival’ especially ministered to them, as many years before a number of them had experienced a revival of Jesus Christ occur first hand, and therefore there was a strong desire to see God move again in such ways once again. So when they opened ‘God’s Heart Cry for Revival’ and read the content, they were reignited with passion for more of God.

Maylean, a beautiful Christian woman who lives in Forbes, contacted me and asked me if we would consider ministering there, and of course we obliged. She then set quite a heavy schedule for us with a Friday night Testimony night, in which both Vena and I would deliver a message on how we found God, a Saturday daytime seminar of 6hours, from 10am to 4pm, and then two services on the Sunday, a 7:30am and a 9:30am. The challenge was before us, a seminar would have to be written for the Saturday sessions. Well, I had never written a seminar, but I had written 2 books. I could not resist the challenge, so I took it on. What resulted was a seminar called, ‘The Power and Person of the Holy Spirit.’ Preparing that seminar was an amazing experience, as I discovered so much about the wonderful Counsellor which Jesus sent to lead us into all truth, that it changed my relationship with Him in many ways.

It came to the weekend to travel to Forbes, it took two days of driving, but we loved every minute of it. Serving the Lord comes with joy in all things, even incredibly long car trips. When we got to Forbes we found the most friendly passionate bunch of Christians who just blew us away with their hospitality and blessings. We stayed at Havannah House and two wonderful servants of Christ, Dave and Julie, looked after us. We were so moved by their warmth and we were immediately received as family.

That Friday night we gave our testimonies and were so blown away by the passionate worship of Jesus Christ. They had a fire in their belly to see the Lord glorified in their community and for Jesus to come in revival power. The praise and worship was awesome, as they lifted their arms to the Lord, and gave Him glory. The Saturday seminar came about quickly and the next thing I know I am launching headlong into a six hour seminar, and a total teaching time of nearly four hours. The time seemed to fly, for me anyway, but I noticed that all who attended seemed to be lifted and blessed as the Lord ministered to all of us by His Holy Spirit. So I saw no sign of fatigue in any of those who attended. All in all, the seminar went beyond expectations, and basically everybody who came walked away with a book or two, of which I had on sale that day.

Coming from this experience which God so graciously blessed us with, we had developed a seminar which we could deliver to Churches, and reveal so many wonderful aspects about the Holy Spirit through. Then late last year, Pastor Mark Jurisic, asked Vena and me to come to CityWest Church in Melton, Victoria to deliver that seminar once again to a group of passionate believers, who want more of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. The time became a suitable occasion to launch our latest book, ‘So You Think You Are Baptised with the Holy Spirit?’ So drawing from the content of that book, a second seminar was put together, under the same title. We were scheduled to deliver the seminar mid January 2011, but due to the floods in Victoria, we had to cancel that appointment and re-book it for Saturday 12th February.

God moved powerfully through the delivering of the Word in the CityWest Seminar, and we ended up delivering the first two sessions on the ‘Baptism with the Holy Spirit’ and the second two sessions on ‘The Power and Person of the Holy Spirit.’ Again all those who attended walked out with at least one book, and many with all three of my books. We received nothing but positive and uplifting reports from attendees. Comments like from Amanda at CityWest: "It was so good, it feels like I am now really looking at things from a different perspective. I have never been so affected like the day at your seminar ...feels something wonderful is happening in my life. thx again I will always remember you as the one that changed my life and hopefully the rest of my family." Receiving emails like that really blows me away, and all the glory can only go to the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, for without Him I can do nothing. To listen to these seminars click on the Seminar Podcast Tab.

So in our times of retrospect upon what God has done in our ministry, and the wonderful results we have seen from these seminars, it has become quite clear to us that God is moving us into an itinerant ministry of delivering seminars. In response I have worked 3 seminars, which are pretty well ready to deliver, which are put together complete with ‘Power Point Presentation slideshows’ - for key points, Scriptures and images, these are:

1) The Power and Person of the Holy Spirit
2) The Baptism with the Holy Spirit
1) Prayer – The Most Powerful Act on Earth/God’s Heart Cry for Revival

You can view information on these seminars in the Itinerant Ministry Tab

And six more seminars which I will be developing over the next year. If you request one of the following seminars, they will of course be prioritised and developed sooner. Note: ‘The Powers that Be’ seminar is listed in the itinerant Ministry tab as a available seminar, because it is not far from being ready, however the nature of that seminar has a truck load of research still left to do, of which I am currently in the process of doing. The “Powers that Be” seminar, is probably the most misunderstood and unknown knowledge in the Church today, and since this seminar exposes the powers that are at work on this planet, it makes this seminar, one of the most important that I will give. The following seminars are all being developed at present:
4) The Powers that Be.
5) Eschatology – The Book of Revelation
6) Apologetics – The Reality of God
7) Taking Up Your Cross
8) The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
9) The Kingdom of Heaven

If you would like more information on our seminars, please don’t hesitate to contact us:
Email: rob@mtlministries.com
or phone (08) 83710141

We pray that you may consider having us conduct a seminar in your church or fellowship group, so that we may be able to bring a great blessing to your lives.

In Christ
Rob and Vena Cartledge

Latest Book: So You Think You Are Baptised With The Holy Spirit? by Rob Cartledge

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:43:35 +1030

As I worked on the book I found myself rewriting it over and over again as my understanding was radically transformed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wanted me to lay hold of the essence of what the true evidence and reason for being baptised with the Holy Spirit really is. In the process of this, the Holy Spirit used the Bible to change my theology. I did not allow my theology to cause me to interpret Scriptures to suit my own opinions or prejudices. A number of times I was awoken in the night or during late night prayer to these reshaping thoughts as the Holy Spirit would unveil Scriptures to me or lead me to men of God of old like Torrey, Finney, Wigglesworth and others, and reveal insights that are not new, but rather have been missed by much of the modern Church.

So You Think You Are Baptised With the Holy Spirit, reveals Scriptural proof to combat the varying theologies held in the Christian Church today like: “When you accept Jesus into your heart and are saved, you are in that moment baptised with the Holy Spirit, it is non-experiential.” Or “The baptism with the Holy Spirit only occurred in the days of the early church and no longer occurs.” Or even “Evidence of being baptised with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.” This last theology may shock many Pentecostal Christians, however God has revealed to me that the powerlessness in the Church today is a direct result of an assumed baptism with the Holy Spirit and an assumed power with God. Just because someone can speak with the gift of tongues, does not necessarily mean that they are walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit baptism promised by Jesus. God does not baptise you with His Holy Spirit so that you can speak in tongues, He baptises you to have power with men in conversion and power with God in prayer. So the evidence that you have had the full baptism of power with the Holy Spirit would be souls entering the Kingdom regularly through personal contact with you and astounding acts of answered prayer from God.

In working with a number of ministers who I filtered this work through, God graciously gave us a work that is quite astounding. So rather than me blog on about the book any longer, I will allow the ministers who have read the book to give you some insight into the content of this book.

What Ministers are saying about “So You Think You Are Baptised With the Holy Spirit?” The following comments are taken from the Foreword of the Book:

The Word of God must always be our point of reference for what we believe. Its inerrancy holds us steady. Although God can and will speak to us through our experiences, how we respond and interpret those experiences must align with what His Word says. Experience (and even interpretation of what Scripture says) can be subjective. Objectivity is found only in truth.

No man, woman, church, denomination or revival, has a monopoly on truth. We have all done some things right, but we have all made errors along the way as well; that is the ”natural” outworking of being a flawed human. But we are also fortunate to be able to operate “supernaturally” by God’s grace.

Self examination is a Biblical principle and we would do well to consistently question the things we have taken for granted and adopted as fact. Not in a cynical fashion, or to be controversial for controversy’s sake. But to genuinely look at why we believe what we believe and be prepared to adjust our thinking where necessary. That is the point of Romans 12:2.

And so, there are times when an established belief is re-examined and uncovered afresh through a servant of God humble enough to hear. Rob Cartledge is such a man. Rob’s desire is to see the body of Christ empowered and enabled and the Kingdom of God established.

Rob has taken a subject matter (or been given it!) that polarises many. It is a controversial thing and all sides take a rigid stand on what they interpret to be true. Rob has hit on something that could well unlock the church for the New Reformation that God is ushering in. Believers at each end of the spectrum (and many in-between} will be challenged by what he says. But hey, who of us isn’t up for a challenge? The Apostle Peter was mortified when God came to him and told him to eat what was prescribed as “unclean.” God is in the business of shaking our foundations to see what stands.

I believe Rob has heard something from the heart of God that will bring balance to what many of us have accepted as inalienable truth. At the same time it will challenge us to be empowered for what God is about to do in our midst. If we are to move in the “greater things” anointing Jesus promises in John 14:12, then there has to be a shift in our thinking and actions.

I pray God will bless you through the pages of this book and that your open-ness to hear God’s “still, small voice” will bring revelation leading to a revolution.
Pastor Mike Webb, Gateway Community Church
Morphett Vale, South Australia. www.gatewaycc.org.au
November 2010

As a pastor of a local Church I am always seeking to align what I see in front of me with what I read of in the Bible. When reading the Book of Acts, I cannot help but be captivated by the power of the Holy Spirit, gripped by the revival He brings and set on fire with the purpose He inspires. I am overwhelmed as I read of how He consumes those He trusts and empowers His chosen vessels for works beyond their natural ability to live out. Thankfully, God’s power didn’t end when the final pages of Scripture closed. Throughout history we see the Holy Spirit continue His work as He pours out His power to mere men who in turn change nations. Is this normal? Is this for all of us? Is this what we are missing?

Whilst reading this book, I found myself grateful for what God has done and continues to do in the Church of today, but it also forced me to wrestle with the reality that there has got to be more than this! It confirmed a nagging suspicion that we are missing a key ingredient to what it actually means to be and function as the Church empowered by Christ. The current state of our Churches and the current temperature of Christianity scream for more and this book uncovers a frightening complacency that is confirmed in our powerless nature.

I am very encouraged to know that there are others who share the same burden and are willing to break the trend and push into God for answers to questions that not many are prepared to ask. One such person is the author of So You Think You Are Baptised With The Holy Spirit, Rob Cartledge. I have shared many breathtaking moments with Rob as we prayed, worshipped and sought Jesus for more. Rob’s heart is not only poured out into this book but comes out in his prayers, his preaching, teaching and his whole nature. The truth is, this message has gripped him and I am better for it. If you are willing to listen to the Spirit of God you will respond to this book in ways that can literally shake your world and I pray that you too will be captured by the call for more and be led to the source of our desperation.

No doubt you have had experiences or encounters with God that have left you in awe. Precious moments that have transformed you, inspired you and caused you to press in harder. But what happened after that? What did you really experience? Was it the Baptism with the Holy Spirit? Was it a fresh anointing? Was it an in-filling? Sadly, what many promote as a legitimate “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” actually ends up being far less than what the Bible describes. We seem to have redefined what God wants to do by reducing it to a spiritual sensation of speaking in tongues, or an elevated emotional high, or even an insignificant moment in the regeneration experience. As a result, we are witnessing a deeply troubling condition that has spread across today’s Church rendering the Body of Christ powerless to effect any lasting change in our towns and nations.

What Rob Cartledge aims to do in So You Think You Are Baptised With The Holy Spirit, is to force us to question this supernatural phenomenon and uncover our alarming deficiency in living our lives through God’s power. In describing what the evidence of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is, Rob calls for a Biblical response and sums it up as, “…having both power with God and man.” I love that! Power with God that would revolutionize our prayer life, enliven our use and application of Scripture and revive our hearts by setting them on fire with passion for our Saviour. And, power with man that would transform us into effective witnesses, compassionate servants, powerful preachers, loving ministers of the gospel and would draw countless millions into a vibrant relationship with Jesus. As Rob unashamedly declares that this “power” has a purpose and it comes from a baptism and saturation of the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Are you sensing that God wants it even more than we do?

Another cause for my excitement about this book is that it pushes the distracting issues to the sidelines and prevents us getting caught up with interpretations and other debatable topics that can so easily divide. Regardless of your denominational upbringing, your theological stance or your personal opinions, once you read this book you cannot help but cry out, “Get a hold of me Holy Spirit! Take possession of me! Baptise me in Your power so that you can use me for Your will.” This heartfelt prayer echoes what R.A. Torrey so wisely taught, “…the Holy Spirit is not merely a divine power that we get hold of and use according to our will, but that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person who gets a hold of us and uses us according to His will.”

Whether or not you believe the Baptism with the Holy Spirit occurred at conversion, or is a secondary work of God, the truth is we are missing something? Something so significant and urgent that unless we step out of what we’ve been conditioned to believe and take a fresh look at the Bible, we will be doomed to repeat our powerless activities, our pointless programs and leave the world unchanged. Seriously, ask yourself, Isn’t the Gospel of Jesus more powerful than what I am seeing? Isn’t God’s power more potent than what I am living? This is too important not to address and unless today’s Christian stops long enough to ask some brave questions, I fear we will give God good reason to pass us by. If we think we are fine and dandy just as we are, why would God trust us with more? This is the key to revival and the desperate call to a Church positioned in a time when God wants to pour out His Holy Spirit to set the Church on fire and set this world ablaze with His transforming presence.

I am so grateful to Rob for once again giving the Body of Christ a book that has the potential to open up the floodgates of Heaven and wake up the sleeping giant called the Church. Like his two previous books, God’s Heart Cry For Revival and Taking Up Your Cross, this new work is a timely message to a Church that is on the cusp of a mighty move of God, that if applied, can propel us into a power that will have monumental impact.

My final word to you is this: Don’t settle for anything less than what God has set you apart for. Don’t be unteachable and immovable. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your current reality is all there is. Allow yourself to be moved by the Holy Spirit because He loves you and cares for you. He wants you to experience His power so that your life can be lived for His glory, useful for His purpose and overwhelmed by His joy. What can possibly compare to that?
Pastor Mark Jurisic, CityWest Church
Melton, Victoria, Australia, www.citywestchurch.com.au
October 2010

Your book has been such a blessing to me. It has stirred me, challenged me, made me think, ruffled my feathers, encouraged me, fuelled my passion and reminded me of my absolute total and unreserved dependence upon the Holy Spirit for ministry. It is clear that the Holy Spirit has guided you, empowered you and led you in both what you have written and the manner in which you have written it. It is readable, logical and powerful in its intention. In a book like this there are matters of disagreement; that is bound to be the case. But where there can be no disagreement is the challenge you have set before us to seek the fullness of the Spirit's blessing upon our lives, not just for personal blessing, but for the salvation of men and women and boys and girls. That is surely God's message for this hour! Once again, thanks for allowing me to have a small part in the pre-production of this book. I hope you are blessed by writing it and that scores of people will read it and the world will be impacted for Jesus because of it.”
Neil Ryan, Senior Pastor
Unley Park Baptist Church, South Australia, www.upbc.org.au
October 2010

I found reading So You Think You are Baptised With the Holy Spirit very challenging and edifying at the same time. This book made me look at the reality of my walk and where I am with the Lord. It is a great read, and if studied, will bring change to your life and the Power of Jesus Christ will become a force in you to fulfill His will. Good going Rob.
Pastor Greg Phillips, Australian Coordinator
Bethesda Ministries International, www.bmi.org.au
November 2010

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COMMENTS (3)
well done mate :)
Pastor Mike Webb
Gateway Community Church
Morphett Vale, South Australia. www.gatewaycc.org.au

Greetings Rob,

In no way is this meant to sound like a sycophantic support letter... but my heart does warm greatly to the topics of many of the books that you are foreshadowing. What you are doing has been one of several influences on my life, used by our God to draw me deeper into relationship with Him, and to challenge my beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. Thank you for your part. When your book about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes out in January, please let me know how I can purchase a copy.

Thank you. Please continue seeking God as you are. Grace,
Mike Kemp
Whyalla
South Australia

Hi Rob ,

Ruffled feathers one Pastor said ... I concur this is not an everyone lived happily ever after fairy story! Put me down for 2 books please as i have a friend who is my Bible Buddy and i know we will both benefit from it

Kind Regards
Dave

Cutting Edge Sermons Currently Being Preached

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:22:11 +1030

In this blog I hope to make you aware of a number of sermon series which are currently being preached which are cutting edge and vitally important for Christians living in these days. The good thing about these sermons is that they are all free on the net, available for download and podcast.

1) The first Series I believe you should be aware of is one called “Critical Issues Facing the Church” by my dear friend and pastor, Rev. Neil Ryan.

Link: http://www.upbc.org.au/host/taxonomy/term/215

In this series Pastor Neil Ryan tackles very real and threatening issues that the church is facing and is stunting her effectiveness. In this brilliantly researched and delivered series, Neil Ryan wrestles with the cultural issues of Pragmatism, Traditionalism, Atheism, Consumerism and Pluralism as well as Ethical Issues such as Morality, Justice, Suffering, Personal Rights and Environment. He also focuses on Church Issues such as Prayer, Bible, Money, Mission and Discipleship. Take the time to have a listen to Pastor Neil Ryan’s insight into these issues and I guarantee you that you will be strengthened in your faith and ready to face the challenges this life throws at you.

1) The second sermon series I believe that we should make sure that we follow and stay in touch with is “I Surrender, Prepare the Way” by my brother and great friend, Pastor Mark Jurisic.

Link: http://citywestchurch.com.au/media-library/isurrender-preparing-the-way/

“When men get a hold of God and God gets a hold of men, He can do more for them in five minutes than they can do for themselves in a million years. When God’s people get right and sinners get saved, it means better people, better homes, better churches, better communities, better everything” – Vance Havner “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” – Acts 3:19-20 (esv) There is so much holding back today’s Church. In an era where it is desperate we rise above our “church-as-usual” mentalities, the Church is being awakened to what it will cost for revival to come. Michael Catt in his book “The Power of Surrender” adds, “Every week great numbers of God’s people gather and act like nothing is wrong. Increasingly comfortable with today’s immoral culture, we are sin-sick, but are we sick of sin? Entertaining ourselves to death, we listen to pundits instead of prophets. We bend our ear toward the government when we need to bend our knee to the Lord.” This sermon series calls all Christians to the desperate need for our surrender to God’s revived agenda.

1) The third sermon series’ I would recommend are all the podcast sermons delivered by Pastor Joe Schimmel of Blessed Hope Chapel in California.

Link: http://www.blessedhopechapel.org/podcast.html

I believe that Joe Schimmel is a world leading minister with one of the most in touch, powerful ministries that I have ever heard. Please check out his websites, and discover just how connected this man is to our holy God.

Blessed Hope Chapel: http://www.blessedhopechapel.org/index.html
GoodFight Ministries: http://www.goodfight.org/

Check out his resources at Goodfight ministries. Purchase his videos expose’ called They Sold Their Soul for Rock’n’Roll as well as Hollywood’s War on God. These videos have radically changed the way I look at the worldly entertainment industry.

1) Also I am currently doing 2 sermon series simultaneously, one is called Uncovering Religion and the other is called, Truth, Judgement and Eternity.

Link: http://www.mtlministries.com/_/Sermon_Podcasts/Sermon_Podcasts.html

Uncovering Religion
We live in a day where the world is saturated with contradictory faiths and beliefs. Can they all be right? Are they all wrong? As Christians, it is imperative that we understand something of what these religions teach and believe, so that we can accurately discern right from wrong. In this series I have already covered the religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Baha’i, Sikhism and even the world best selling book ‘The Secret.’ I intend to cover over 100 other religions, faiths, philosophies and mindsets including Confucianism, Humanism, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Christadelphians, Hedonism, Mysticism, Mythology, The Occult, Paganism, Freemasonry, The New Age, Christian Science, Scientology, The Jesus Seminar, Judaism, Catholicism, Theosophy and many many others.

Truth, Judgment and Eternity
What you hold as true, is it really Truth? Will what you believe get you through on Judgment day? Are you keeping to the pattern of sound teaching held out in Scripture? (2Timothy 1:13) In this series, Truth, Judgment and Eternity, I intend to deliver messages that check the solidness of our Christian Foundation so as to guard the good deposit that was entrusted to us as Christ’s Ambassadors on this earth. (2Timothy 1:4)

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The Old Cross and the New by A.W. Tozer

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:49:56 +1030

Lately I have been reading a book called The Best of A.W. Tozer. The person who compiled this book, drew from what he believed is some of the best writings of A.W. Tozer. If any of you have read much Tozer, you will immediately think, “What a task to select the best from such a brilliant and insightful man of God.” In reading this book I was absolutely blown away by how Tozer, who died in 1963, saw the dilemma that the Church in this modern world was having and about to have all the more. Not only that, but he made some incredibly potent observations that have the power to correct, realign and reform the Church which is struggling to be effective in this 21st Century.
This chapter was drawn from A.W. Tozer’s book called Man, The Dwelling Place of God. Read these words and please forward this blog on to your Christian friends and pastors. These words are powerful and of the Spirit of God, written prophetically for this time.
“THE OLD CROSS AND THE NEW”
ALL UNANNOUNCED AND MOSTLY UNDETECTED there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental.
From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique-a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.
The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually.
The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.
The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner anal jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrillseeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.
The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross.
The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more.
The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.
That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.
We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.
God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him.
What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die.
Having done this let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.
To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to God's approval.
Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.
COMMENTS (1)

Thanks Rob, that was an awesome blog mate. It really confirmed somethings in me and made me remember where we've gone wrong in our churches today. May God open our eyes and ears to see and hear what will bring lasting change and transformed lives.

Mark Jurisic www.citywestchurch.com.au

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Avatar and the Coming One World Religion By: Joe Schimmel

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:29:38 +1030

Related Audio Resource: Avatar and the Coming Delusion
Overall, the movie is strewn with ritualistic magic, communion with spirits, shamanism, and blatant idolatry as it conditions the audience to believe these pagan occult lies. In addition, the audience is led to sympathize with the Avatar and even ends up pulling for him as he is initiated into pagan rituals. Even the lead scientist becomes a pagan in the end, proclaiming that she is "with Eywa, she's real," and goes to be with her upon her death.
While James Cameron’s fictitious depiction of nature religion lends itself well to the new age lie that Native American religions were life affirming and harmless, Mel Gibson’s portrayal of Mayan priests, beholden to blood thirsty deities that demanded the blood of their sacrificial victims, was far closer to the truth. Cameron’s sugar coating and romanticizing of savages and ancient nature worship depicted in Avatar flies in the face of the facts found in ancient codexes and archeological finds that reveal that the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas, all engaged in mass human sacrifice, including taking the lives of innocent children to appease their demon gods.
Given James Cameron’s track record of attacking Christianity, and specifically Christ’s resurrection in the roundly discredited documentary, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, it should not be surprising that he would write and direct a $300 million dollar propaganda piece that promotes the worship of nature and spirits.
Clearly, Hollywood has had a steady hand in turning America away from her conservative Christian roots to new age occult beliefs and practices. Pantheism appeals to the Hollywood crowd because it teaches that we are all God and that we need not be concerned about being obedient or accountable to a personal God who created the universe. However, it is not only Christ-rejecting directors who are seeking to get the world to embrace the worship of the earth under the guise of their imaginary Mother Earth Goddess; it is also the leader of the global warming movement himself, Al Gore.

In his book, Earth in the Balance, Gore suggests that we return to the worship of nature and upholds various nature worshipping sects and Native American religions as a model:
“This pan religious perspective may prove especially important where our global civilization's responsibility for the earth is concerned…Native American religions, for instance, offer a rich tapestry of ideas about our relationship to the earth…All things are connected like the blood that unites us all.” (Al Gore, Earth in the Balance - Ecology and the Human Spirit, 1992, p. 258-259)
Seeking a new age synthesis that combines various occult traditions, Gore favorably quotes the Hindu teaching, “The Earth is our mother, and we are all her children," (Ibid. p. 161). Incredibly, Gore further claims that we should seek new insights from goddess worshippers of the past and blames Christianity for its near elimination:
"The spiritual sense of our place in nature…can be traced to the origins of human civilization. A growing number of anthropologists and archeo-mythologists…argue that the prevailing ideology of belief in prehistoric Europe and much of the world was based on the worship of a single earth goddess, who was assumed to be the fountain of all life and who radiated harmony among all living things…The last vestige of organized goddess worship was eliminated by Christianity…[I]t seems obvious that a better understanding of a religious heritage preceding our own by so many thousands of years could offer us new insights…" (Ibid, p. 260)
Gore goes on to declare that we need to find a new nature-based religion and quotes New Age theologian, Teilhard de Chardin, in support of the “new faith” of the future:
"This point was made by the Catholic theologian, Teilhard de Chardin, when he said, ‘The fate of mankind, as well as of religion, depends upon the emergence of a new faith in the future.’ Armed with such a faith, we might find it possible to re-sanctify the earth." (Ibid, p. 263)
With leading Hollywood directors and Washington political figures leading the way, America is quickly returning to the paganism that shrouded the world in spiritual darkness for millennia. May God help us heed the warning of the apostle Paul, found in Holy Scripture, who warned that the worship of nature in ancient times was the result of turning from the worship of the one true God who created nature in the first place:
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25)

Related Audio Resource: Avatar and the Coming Delusion
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Hiding in Plain Sight: The One-World System

Mon, 4 Oct 2010 21:12:28 +1030

Written by Heidi Swander of Olive Tree Ministries

“On April 2, 2009, the work of July 4, 1776 was nullified at the meeting of the G-20 in London.” So begins an article written by author and commentator Dick Morris on April 7, 2009, titled, “European Socialism to Run Our Financial System.” According to Morris, a communiqué from the meeting “essentially announces a global economic union with uniform regulations and by-laws for all nations, including the United States.” Please note: This took place last year.
This new financial state-of-being was confirmed in a statement made by Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, in a speech he made to the Council on Foreign Relations earlier this year. He said, “For the good and appropriate functioning of global finance it is extremely important that we, in this new ownership of global governance, have — particularly on both sides of the Atlantic — the implementation of the same rules in the same fashion.”
 Do not miss this. Do not tune me out. This is vital information. The global, one-world economy is being discussed by a top-level world banker as a done deal. And notice that this statement is made in the context of global governance. Sometimes when we hear words in the news like “economic,” “G-20,” “Council on Foreign Relations,” we tune it out thinking, “That’s way over my head,” or “This isn’t relevant to my life.” We couldn’t be more wrong.
The Apostle John wrote of a one-world economy in his letter to the seven churches in Revelation. The one-world economy is one facet of the antichrist’s short-lived world dictatorship. According to President Jean-Claude Trichet, this particular facet is in place. Were you aware of this?

During his speech, President Trichet said the central bankers are presently in “an intense phase of discussion” about how to implement what the G-20 already resolved last year. I’m sure they are! Can you imagine a group of men — elitists though they may be — trying to determine the direction in which to take the whole world economically? A daunting task.
One necessary subject of this discussion must be currency. Does the world use one currency? A basket of currencies? No currency; only credit?
Morrison Bonpasse, president of the Single Global Currency Association (SGCA), says, “It is now time to seriously pursue the goal of a Single Global Currency as managed by a Global Central Bank within a Global Monetary Union.”
Carl Teichrib, in his masterful article, “One World, One Money: The Quest for a Single Global Currency,” (an essential read) asks, “What would a Global Central Bank look like?” And then he responds, “The closest comparison we can make today is The Bank for International Settlements, an impermeable institution based in Basil, Switzerland.”
When Brannon Howse filled in on radio for Jan [Markell] on July 10, he spent an hour explaining this financial behemoth in Basil, Switzerland called The Bank of International Settlements (BIS). [Listen] The BIS is the central banker’s bank. It loans to other central banks around the world. (Each country has its own central bank. An example is the European Central Bank. America’s “central bank” is the fallacious Federal Reserve.)

Brannon went on to explain that according to historian Carroll Quigley, in his book Tragedy and Hope, the BIS was actually the apex of a proposed structure that would “create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole.” (I can’t recommend this hour with Brannon Howse highly enough. Get a paper and pen — better, sit at your computer. Take notes.)
Check it out: “Able to dominate the political system of each country . . .” What would you call that kind of power? I’d call it a one-world government. Interestingly, Teichrib quotes from a 2003 lecture by Columbia University Professor of Economics Robert Mundell titled, “The International Monetary System and the Case for a World Currency,” [PDF] in which Mundell states, “A global single currency could not be achieved without a global government.”
And so the two are intertwined. A one-world government requires a global single currency. A global single currency (and the correlating one-world economy) cannot be achieved without a one-world government. And, according to Dick Morris and President Jean-Claude Trichet, we have a one-world economy. (The icing on the cake is that the one-world religion is moving full-steam ahead. Jan and Carl Teichrib discussed this on her show on July 31st, hour 1. [Listen]

In his indispensable book, Grave Influence (if you haven’t yet read it, you must!), Brannon quotes further from Dick Morris’ 2009 article: “The Europeans have been trying to get their hands on our financial system for decades. It is essential to them that they rein in free enterprise so that their socialist heaven will not be polluted by vices such as the profit motive.”
And then Brannon, himself, continues, “The developments in Europe represent what I believe is the revived Roman Empire predicted in Daniel 2:41-43 . . . We are now watching the fulfillment of Scripture as Europe increases and America decreases.”
So, you tell me: Is this relevant to your life? You bet it is! I realize that it’s not exactly as you hear it in the news every day. You may hear many of these terms, but it’s all presented in such a way that one yawns in boredom. However, as Brannon mentioned on Jan’s program, this is not a conspiracy. It’s in process right out in the open for anyone to see and know who will simply read and listen with discernment and a Bible in one hand. The entire one-world system is being constructed right under our noses. We must sit up and pay attention!
What does this mean for us, practically speaking? I think Jesus said it best: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). Amen!

*****

Heidi Swander is personal assistant and contributor to Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries. Jan founded Olive Tree Ministries in 1982. She has written 8 books and produced a dozen DVDs. She also writes for many periodicals and Web sites. She has had her own radio program for nine years. It is now heard around the world.

Related Posts:
• Global Warming And The New World Order
• Bowing Down to “Mother Earth”
• The Zeitgeist Deception-Part 2
• The Zeitgeist Deception-Part 1
• An Open Letter to Pastor Rick Warren

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THE REVIVER EZINE by Pastor Mark Jurisic

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:16:42 +0930

Posted by: Pastor Mark on July 21, 2010 on the CityWest Website

After many hours of work and after years of dreaming, “The Reviver” e-zine is officially launched today. Rob Cartledge had a deep desire years earlier to publish an on-line magazine (e-zine) that would be a voice of revival and a call to radical holiness to God’s people around the world. After speaking with me about it many months ago this captured my heart and I just needed to be a part of it and joined Rob in seeing this become a reality. Well, here it is, the first edition of “The Reviver” and I must say, we are thrilled with the outcome.

In it you will find articles from Rob, myself and Daniel Lyne about holiness, revival and prayer. Also included are books published through Ministers To the Lord Ministries and other great resources. I am sure that if you subscribe to this free e-zine you will be blessed in a mighty way. We aim to publish the e-zine every 2 months and hope to see it spread across our nation and beyond. I believe the heart and purpose behind this project reflects a current need in our churches and one that seeks to unite hearts with a common heart cry for revival. Simply put, we want to see The Reviver contribute to revive your soul, your church and your nation!

We would love to read your feedback and if you have any suggestions to make it better we will seriously consider it as we want this to grow and be refined. Any submissions of comments, articles, stories of interest etc. will also be considered and determined by the editor.

What is exciting about The Reviver is the potential to connect like-minded Christians across our nation and the world. The principles of revival call for a united effort and the more people we have praying for it the greater the hope to see a mighty move of the Holy Spirit.

TO SUBSCRIBE TO ‘THE REVIVER’ PLEASE VISIT OUR SUBSCRIPTION PAGE AND FILL IN YOUR DETAILS. Alternatively you can access these details on this website by going to “The Reviver” tab above, our CityEast Church’s website or CityWest direct.

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La Australia del Espiritu Santo - Southland of the Holy Spirit

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:55:44 +0930

I’m sure many of you have heard the words spoken over this great land of Australia by its earliest discoverer, the portuguese navigator Pedro Ferdinandez de Quiros who gave this country its name. I will let Col Stringers Book, ‘Discovering Australia’s Christian Heritage’ tell you of this incredible man of God who spoke the incredible words in the above image, over this land in1606.

“It may seem strange to include a Portuguese navigator amongst notable Australian Christians. However; this remarkable man should not go unnoticed, and his life and deeds are worthy of tribute. For it is to this man that we owe the very name of our country, and it is to this man’s ‘vision splendid’ that many look with longing for a hope and a future - a land dedicated to the Holy Spirit. This man was Pedro Fernandez de Quiros.” (de Looper M)

“In 1606 de Quiros became the first explorer to lay claim to Australia, but he was also a man with a heart for God. Between the 14th and 15th centuries the Spaniards began sending expeditions into the South Pacific as they were convinced there existed a great land ‘terra australis.’

“De Quiros gave this continent its name ‘La Australia del Espiritu Santo’ or literally ‘Southland of the Holy Spirit.’ A rule applies in Scripture which is now called the law of first reference. Whenever we find a word used in a certain way, it is assumed the same meaning continue on without change. In Hebrew, names not only indicate character but often also the destiny of those granted that name. What does this suggest for the destiny of Australia? No other nation has ever been blessed with the name ‘Land of the Holy Spirit!’

“De Quiros began to believe that he had been singled out by God as the vessel through whom the inhabitants of ‘terra australis’ would be received into the Church, and that terra australis would be Australia del Espiritu Santo - a land dedicated to the Holy Spirit.

“Sailing into the waters of the South Pacific and sighting land (islands to the north east of Australia) de Quiros took possession in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the proclamation, "Let the heavens, the earth, the waters with all their creatures and all Those here present witness that I Captain Pedro de Quiros … in the name of Jesus Christ … hoist this emblem of the Holy Cross on which His (Jesus Christ) person was crucified and whereon He gave His life for the ransom and remedy of all the human race … on this day of Pentecost, 14th may 1606 … I, take possession of all this part of the south, as far as the pole, in the name of Jesus …which from now on shall be called the southern Land of the Holy Ghost … and this always and forever … and to the end that all natives, in all the said lands, the holy and sacred evangel may be preached zealously and openly." (pp22-25, Col Stringer, Discovering Australia's Christian heritage, Col Stringer Ministries Inc, PO Box 3554 Robina Town Center, Qld 4230)
Wow!!
I am sure most of you realise the implications of these words that have been spoken over this great country. During the 20th Century, this country was punned ‘The Lucky Country.’ Do we Christians really believe that the blessings we experience in this country comes from luck? Absolutely not, God has honoured the godly Christian heritage of this countries forefathers. We live in a nation with the most blessed name on the planet, no other nation or country has been called a land of the Holy Spirit. I personally believe that this country has been given this name as a prophetic anointing to be awakened and fulfilled prior to the return of Christ.
I believe that in these coming days, the Church in Australia will receive an impacting and potent visit by the Holy Spirit that will bring about a wave of repentance within the Australian Body of Christ that will be unprecedented in its scope and magnitude. Never in the history of Australia will such a breaking have occurred. The outcome will be a holy, spotless, unblemished Bride of Christ prepared gloriously for her coming Groom. From this place of holiness and awakening, the anointing of the De Quiros proclamation will settle upon the Church, and this Great Southland will experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will ebb and flow in the hearts of every Australian. We will surely fulfil this prophecy by De Quiros and be a land of the Holy Spirit and the sacred evangel (Bible) will be preached openly everywhere. Then a move will occur that will change the course of the History of the Earth. God will openly manifest His presence and a great fire of revival will spread across the Pacific and burn up the countries of the world. This will be the complete and total fulfilment of the famous prophecy in Joel 2:28, “And Afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.” This Scripture clearly tells us that all flesh will experience this outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The world has never experienced all flesh being impacted by the presence of God. We have had revivals that have been community-wide, or even city-wide and sometimes spreading across countries by anointed evangelists, but never worldwide with all mankind being affected at once. Prior to the return of Christ, however, this Scripture will be fulfilled and completed, and as I have said before, this last great and awesome move of God will be mankind’s last great chance to repent. If men experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and still reject the Lord, then the end of all things will come. Jesus did say, “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8 This is a significant question, and it is one question that causes me to wake each day and seek His face.
I pray that this blog has a deep affect on you, one that will cause you to continue to burn for Christ in prayer for this major move of the Holy Ghost. We, here in Australia, are not here by chance. God has strategically placed us here in this country for a purpose, and what grander purpose could there be but to prepare the way for the second coming of the Lord, by lifting up to the throne of God the prayers that will shake this nation, and not only that, but pray the prayers that will fulfil prophecy. That is why I believe that the prayer warriors in Australia who intercede for this country and stand in the gap, are the Daniels of this Land. These times that we are living in are urgent times, and this blog is an urgent appeal to all of us to continue to stay passionate for the things of God, and prioritise correctly the things that matter most to Him. This coming worldwide revival will see a harvest of souls beyond anyones wildest and most optimistic estimates. Only heaven will be able to record the converts that will come to Him during this time. Believe for this saints, this is and has always been the destiny of the Church of the Risen Christ.

With all the Blessings of Christ
Rob Cartledge

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COMMENTS (3)
28 June 2010
O Rob, mate, that blog impacted me greatly. It once again emphasises what I've known for a long time...IT IS OUR TURN!!! But this coming revival will not be limited to Australia's borders but will spread globally to impact millions. I am honoured to be in this country and feel that prophetic declaration beating in my heart as I long to see its fulfilment. We must pray this through and be specific when asking God for revival. There is too much generalisation in our praying today and we are not praying with power. As when light is focussed it produces a laser that can cut through metal, so too when our prayers take on a united focus we will see greater impact. Thanks my dear friend for doing this blog I am greatly encouraged.

God Bless ya!
Mark CityWest Church Melton, Victoria, Australia

28 June 2010
Hi Rob ,
The power of your message opens my eyes to the reality that many accept a "convenient christian faith" ........ we sometimes custom make our beliefs to ensure we are not pushed beyond our comfort zone .... I am guilty of this my friend but have started to change my thinking since absorbing your last 2 blogs and after reading 1 of the 2 books you kindly provided.

I am beginning to see certain flaws in my desire for Christ which i did not realise were there until I looked more deeply into your words and dragged out the truth kicking and screaming. I am very grateful that God driven people like you exist Rob and that the power of Christ within drives me to observe your words no matter how confronting they may be.

To be honest I've never looked at my faith in the ways you have suggested and although I do not concur with everything you have said see the power of deduction thru my christian background is very enlightening. I love my lord and am not totally lost in the wilderness as my faith is strong thru prayer and contemplation every day but i accept my direction in part is off track mainly thru ignorance, so thanks for helping to put me back on the right track ..... starting book 2 tommorrow !
Kind Regards
David Ellis

3 August 2010
Hi Rob and Vena,

Reading this made me realise how blessed we are to live in this country as we are the only country with such a holy name. Also I noticed the date and did some research on Australian exploration. The first documented and undisputed European sighting of Australia was in February 1606 and which was only a few months before Quiros named our country in May 1606. I think its amazing that that name was given so early in Australia's European and Christian History.

I, myself would like to see Australia as starting block for a revival of the world as the scripture says 'I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh'.

Thanks for the blog
James