Category: Letters

Philippians 1:12

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me, has really served to advance the gospel” (ESV).

Two things made me think of Philippians 1:12 this week. The first came right after I wrote the blog about my experience in Bimini – preaching on Hebrews 13:8. Some readers may recall that I referred to that moment as being the greatest anointing experience of my ministry. And so it was. You must remember however that anointing is by degrees. I doubt not that I had a measure of anointing from my first day at Westminster Chapel till the last. I preached approximately 3,250 sermons at the Chapel. But the kind of anointing I always dreamed of came only once during my twenty-five years at Westminster Chapel. It was when we came to Philippians 1:12 in my series of sermons on Philippians. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. When I sat down after preaching that sermon, I thought to myself: “At last the unction has come. This is it – what I have always wanted”. I was not the only one that felt that way. Everybody felt it. The place was electric. Everyone was talking about it.

Two hours later Graham Paddon, one of our deacons, admitted he was dreading to speak to me. “I have some disappointing news. Your sermon this morning was not recorded. The man who does the tape recordings was sick and forgot to let us know. I am truly sorry”.

Imagine this. Two times in my sixty-three years of preaching I had an undoubted touch of supernatural power. Twice. And neither of them was recorded. Supernatural means “above” what is natural. Something that has no natural explanation. It is what every preacher wants. I have had it twice.

I have thought a lot about this over the years. Why are these two sermons not available? They don’t record sermons in Bimini. But we did at the Chapel. Surely these sermons would bless the church. Why are these sermons not available?

I don’t know. Do you?

That said, one of our other deacons then suggested, “Not to worry; you are preaching in Bromley next week; just repeat that sermon from Philippians 1:12”. Good idea. So I did. And guess what? It did not even come close to the power and authority I had in the pulpit at Westminster that morning when I first preached on Philippians 1:12. Not even close. Explain that.

I have the notes from Philippians 1:12. I used the exact same notes the following week when I preached in Bromley. But what I actually said at Westminster that Sunday morning was not to be found in those notes. I had suddenly departed from my notes that day when I preached it at Westminster. I simply just took off. I have only a vague recollection of what I said.

It reminds me of an occasion when someone asked George Whitefield if he could print the sermon Whitefield had just preached. Whitefield replied: “Yes, as long as you can get in the thunder and lightning”.

The thunder and the lightning. That cannot be put in words. I suspect it is the element of surprise that partly makes the anointing the anointing – that is, if you are there to hear the original sermon preached. Proof of this: read Whitefield’s sermons. They are dull. You would take no notice of them if you did not know they were Whitefield’s. You simply had to be there.

I do wish I could recall what I said that morning when I first preached on Philippians 1:12. I remember this much – perhaps ten per cent of what I actually said: I suddenly found myself touching on the enigmas of life – those things in our past which we continue not to understand. Were we right when did what we did? Were we wrong? The answer is, as it came out in my sermon: it doesn’t matter. What matters is the furtherance of the Gospel! That’s all that matters.

When Paul wrote those words in Philippians he was fully aware that some people’s perception of his wisdom and integrity was at stake. He had gone right against the godly opinions and prophetic utterances that warned him not to go to Jerusalem (see Acts 21:4;10-14). Not a single person believed he should go to Jerusalem. He went anyway. Was he right? Was he wrong? Most people would say the great Apostle Paul absolutely did the right thing. But Luke – who wrote of these prophetic utterances in Acts 21 – didn’t think so! So was Paul right? Was he wrong? It doesn’t matter, says Paul; all these things have fallen out unto the furtherance of the Gospel!

It happens that Philippians 1:12 had been signally used in my life – in April 1956. In the middle of a huge crisis that would lead to my father disapproving of me Philippians 1:12 instantly came to my mind. It was an extremely critical moment. I had no idea what that verse said but I immediately pulled the car over and opened my Bible to find out:

“I would that ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (KJV).

That verse and that moment were to hold me steady for many years. In the light of what had happened in the previous week back in April 1956 it was sufficient to assure me that God was at the bottom of what was going on. But some of the strangest things also occurred. Very strange. It therefore made me question over the years: was I right? Was I wrong? According to Philippians 1:12, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is whether the Gospel is advanced! Not whether you or I was right or wrong in this or that!

The second thing that made me want to write this blog seems so very silly. But it was this. I had not been to Bimini for a good while and I so wanted to go there and do some bonefishing. But the weather forecasts were not good. Besides, January is the worst month in the year for bonefishing; the cold weather scatters the fish. I went anyway. The weather was horrible. I spent an entire eight hours fishing in the rain. You have heard of singing in the rain? I was fishing in the rain. With the aid of my guide I caught one little three pound bonefish. Embarrassing. But I did manage to present the Gospel to him; he prayed to receive Christ. I came to my hotel room soaking wet – including my shoes (and I brought no extra pair). I asked the housekeeper to put my shoes in a dryer, but nothing worked. In the meantime I managed to present the Gospel to her and she prayed to receive the Lord.

As for the bonefishing trip, it was a bit of a disaster. Was I right to go? Was I wrong? It doesn’t matter as long as the Gospel was advanced. It was.

New Year’s Letter 2018

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be shaken” – Psalm 16:8 (ESV).

Dear Friends,

We are so thankful for those of you who pray for us regularly and follow our ministry. I made a vow in 1986 to be a thankful man. God loves gratitude. God hates ingratitude. I have sought to teach gratitude for the last 31years. In the past year the Mayo Clinic issued a statement to the effect that “thankful people live longer”! That said, I am so thankful for each of you.

This has been a wonderful year for us. But I am not over the loss of Dr. Michael Eaton. How kind of God that I could be with him in S Africa just before he died.

For the fifth time, Louise and I will be spending six months with Colin Dye and Kensington Temple in London – from February to August 2018. I will also do a year’s worth of TV programs called “Word and Spirit” – shown on TBN UK.

The highlight of the year – and arguably the greatest achievement of my life – was to stand at the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany – where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses – and preach the Gospel to the world! TBN UK and TBN USA covered the documentary. I pray that 100,000 will be saved through this.

To commemorate Luther’s rediscovery my book Whatever Happened to the Gospel? comes out this month – endorsed by Jack Graham, Bill Johnson, Michael Youssef and John Arnott. How about that – men from various perspectives endorsing this book! My next book – “Popular in Heaven, Famous in Hell” – will come out in August 2018, just in time for my speaking on this theme at The Cove (Billy Graham Training Center) August 20-24. How nice it would be if some of you could come!

Psalm 16:8 has been special to me for many years. My advice: take it literally: set the Lord before you – David did! I myself do this literally every single day. I actually picture the Lord Jesus at my right hand looking directly at me. He is there anyway – looking at you too as if there were no one else in the world! So affirm what is true! It will transform your life. I share more of this in my recent book The Presence of God.

Please pray for us to have greater wisdom, anointing and continued stamina. Pray for TR who handles the books, website and travels with me abroad.

From Louise, TR, Annette, Toby, Timothy, Tyndale, Rex and Melissa,

Deepest thanks and much love.

R T – Philippians 4:6 . . . note: “with thanksgiving”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Witnessing the Solar Eclipse 21^st August 2017

 

It was worth waiting for: two minutes and forty seconds of darkness in the middle of the day. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Nashville, Tennessee is best known as the home of country music. But in recent weeks it became known as the best place to see the first solar eclipse in nearly a century. People came to our area from all over the world – including the United Kingdom, even though the “total” eclipse lasted in Nashville itself just over two minutes. However, there was one small part of Nashville where a cloud cover appeared just seconds prior to the total eclipse, so that it could not be seen. Therefore some were very disappointed. “I was gutted”, a man from Manchester, England said. We had decided to share the event with our son, daughter-in-law and grandsons. Our son TR lives in White House, some thirty miles north of Nashville – the exact spot (say the scientists) that the total solar eclipse would last the longest – something like two minutes and forty-two seconds! Many people came from Nashville to the northern part of middle Tennessee to have the extra seconds.

The weather in White House was perfect. Hardly a cloud in the sky. Louise and I arrived at TR’s place just after 12:oo noon, an hour and a half before the total eclipse would occur. Friends had begun to gather. “It has already started”, TR said to us when we arrived. With special glasses to protect one’s eyes I had my first look at the sun as the moon barely passed into its path. In a half hour the moon had edged its way into one third of the sun. The light began to diminish all around us. The temperature began to drop. After an hour and fifteen minutes the sun looked like the crescent of the moon. The temperature fell from 95 degrees to what seemed a pleasant 85. It had begun to get dark. Then came the total eclipse. Amazing. One did not need the special glasses for this incredible moment. You looked right at the moon-covered sun. You gazed. There was the total eclipse plain as day, although it seemed like night! For these two minutes and forty seconds one saw the rim around the moon that let you know the sun was behind it. Around us was the darkness – not black dark but more like a few minutes after sunset when you can still see around you. It was dark enough that the overhead lamp by TR’s garage came on!

We were connected to an app on a cell phone that monitored the entire event, telling us how many minutes, how many seconds were left. As the total eclipse was about to end the voice said, “Five, four, three, two, one” – when the first ray of the sun reappeared – a beam of light brighter than I had ever seen in my life. I had to turn my head away. Special glasses back on! I will never forget that as long as I live. It was almost like participating in history – seeing this live and not from a TV set.

And then the fun was over. The rest was anticlimactic as the next hour and a half saw the temperature rise again and the light reappearing all around us. With my special glasses I had one last look at the sun as the moon made its exodus.

At least two thoughts came to my mind. The first, having seen that dazzling brilliant sun for a split second after the total eclipse – the first time I have ever looked directly at the sun in the middle of the day, I thought of Paul’s testimony. “At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun” (Acts 26:13). Brighter than the sun at midday? Whatever kind of light are we talking about! The only answer is: the glory of God. Its brightness is greater than the light of the sun. After all, the sun is God’s creation. For the light Paul saw was uncreated light. Even the seraphim needed wings to cover their eyes from the glory of the Lord (Isa.6:2). That is the light, by the way, that will give illumination in Heaven throughout eternity. “The city has no need of sun or moon to shine one it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its light is the Lamb” (Rev.21:23).

Second, I thought of these words: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm19:1). By this eclipse I could not help but think of the glory of God and creation. Seeing this eclipse was almost like participating in the heavens! One saw first-hand this exceedingly rare event. It is Jesus Christ who sustains creation; he “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb.1:3). This eclipse demonstrates how big God is. This glimpse into the heavenlies is but a minute fraction of the universe God has made. As newsmen interviewed people from all over the area, the typical comment was, “I was in a state of awe”. Yes. “Awe” was the most common expression. Some said, “breathtaking”. Another  called it “euphoria”.

According to Paul, the plainness of God’s creation is sufficient to condemn. It leaves people “without excuse” (Rom.1:20). Whereas the phenomenon of a solar eclipse is amazing, to me equally astonishing is how people can view all this – seeing the perfect timing, regularity and predictability of God’s creation – and not also confess there must be a God. To surmise that all this is by “chance” – which is the choice atheists make – is a confirmation of Romans 1:21-23: “Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things”.

These things said, natural revelation is sufficient to condemn but insufficient to save. We need the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to be saved (2 Cor.4:4-6).

RT Kendall

 

 

 

 

Physical Exercise

“For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” – 2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV).

“For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” – 2 Timothy 4:8 (ESV).

Shortly after our retirement from Westminster Chapel in 2002, the late John Paul Jackson gave me a prophetic word out of the blue. Sitting at the dinner table with my family, he looked at me and said, “R. T., you will live to a ripe old age, but if you don’t get into physical shape you won’t be around to enjoy it”.

I had known John Paul for over ten years, having been introduced to him by Mike Bickel in 1991. His previous words to me had been so accurate that his sudden warning to me about physical exercise sobered me. My friend and publisher Steve Strang had just shared with me a routine for exercising each morning and also urged me to get a trainer. Therefore with this surprising word from John Paul I began to think that God was giving me a wake-up call regarding my own health! Our son T. R. was present and immediately got me a book pertaining to a healthy diet.

I also recalled a conversation with Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones many years ago. Whereas I had taken the King James translation, “bodily exercise profiteth little”, to minimize the importance of physical exercise, Dr. Lloyd-Jones insisted that Paul was not showing disdain for physical training but only saying that godliness is more important. In fact Dr. Lloyd-Jones felt that Paul was actually encouraging physical exercise as long as we remember that godliness is more important.

I began using Steve’s suggestions by exercising every morning. I call it “Stronger with Strang”. I lost ten pounds by careful eating. I avoid things such as sugar, white flour and anything containing high fructose syrup. Rightly or wrongly, I weigh myself every morning. John Stott told me he weighed himself every morning. If my weight is up, I cut down eating that day; if it is down, I might have a pizza that day! I have a trainer who comes to our house once or twice a week, depending when we are not on the road. I lift weights, do push-ups and try to walk at least a mile in twenty minutes on the treadmill. I only wish I had started this forty years before, but perhaps this word will encourage others who have waited too long to take their health seriously.

Jesus said that by worrying we cannot add “a single hour” to our span of life (Matt.6:27 – ESV). I take this also to mean we cannot add a single hour to how long we live by exercising. But surely we can improve the quality of our lives by taking care of our bodies. After all, the physical body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.6:19). Any one who is over weight but loses weight will tell you they immediately feel better by doing this. They will also tell you they feel better when they exercise sensibly and regularly.

I attended a service when the preacher’s subject was “Fat Christians”. I thought, “Oh good. I know a lot of people who should be here today”. But his sermon was about Christians who are over-fed with truth but do not witness to the lost. It was a good sermon, but not many preachers are willing to tackle the issue of over weight Christians today. Flabby, pot-bellied, unhealthy servants of Christ are not exactly a great testimony to the world.

I am 82 as I write these lines. There is no doubt in my mind that I am able to travel as I do – literally all over the world – because I took John Paul’s word seriously. I hate to think what I would be like had I had not listened to that timely word.

I am a Word and Spirit man. This includes bringing in logos and rhema – both of which translate “word” – into my teaching and preaching. These Greek words can be used interchangeably so we must not press the distinction too far. That said, the Word in this particular article pertains to a balanced understanding of 2 Timothy 4:8. The Spirit refers to the prophetic – as in John Paul’s rhema word to me.

We must be open to both.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) and Wittenberg 2017

I have just had an amazing week in Wittenberg, Germany. Accepting a wonderful invitation by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN UK and TBN USA), I was accompanied by Leon Schoeman, Director of TBN UK, and filmmaker Luke Bradford. I was given an opportunity of a lifetime – a thrill and privilege beyond any offered to me: to preach the Gospel where Martin Luther once stood.

The purpose of this trip was to make a film that will be shown all over the world on October 31^st 2017 – to commemorate the 500^th anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31^st 1517. It was the moment that ended up turning Germany and Europe upside down. The film will be partly a documentary but mostly preaching the Gospel that Luther rediscovered. It seemed to me that the best way we could honor Martin Luther was to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That said, this film shows beautiful scenes not only of the landscape and town of Wittenberg today but also of the lovely surroundings of Wartburg Castle where Luther translated the New Testament into German in 1521-1522.

The filming did not come easily. Whereas 200,000 tourists are expected to come to Wittenberg on the anniversary day of the Ninety-five Theses, we still had to work past hundreds of tourists already coming to Wittenberg who wanted to take pictures of the famous Door. In order to succeed in our mission we got up right after dawn and I managed to preach a few minutes as the sun arose before the crowds moved in. We were also given permission for me to speak in the pulpit inside the Castle Church. Luther preached in this church hundreds of times. Whereas the Eucharist had been the center of worship for centuries, Luther’s unfolding of the Gospel, especially as in Romans and Galatians, made preaching popular. People came from all over Germany just to hear the Bible explained to them – an unprecedented phenomenon at the time. The people did not have Bibles in those days nor did they understand the Gospel.

Wartburg Castle is where Luther spent ten months translating the New Testament into German. People bought copies as fast as they could be printed. The irony of today is, we all have Bibles but we don’t read them! Nor do we, sadly, understand the Gospel. Let us all make a commitment to read our Bibles and witness another reformation. This is partly why I have written a book to be published shortly, Whatever Happened to the Gospel?

I may be known as a Calvinist, but Luther is my hero. One difference between Luther and John Calvin is that if you were going to go on a long holiday, you’d rather go with Luther! Luther was fun, crude, never boring and full of life. The three of us determined to have fun on this trip – and not take ourselves too seriously. I think we succeeded to some degree. Do pray for the production of this film. Pray most of all that many thousands will come to know Jesus Christ through this telecast next October 31^st.

New Year’s Letter 2017

Dear Friends,

“Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: ‘Who am I, O Lord God, that you have brought me this far?’” – 1 Chronicles 17:16.

I have chosen this Scripture for my 2017 New Year’s Letter for two reasons. First, it is exactly the way I feel as I grow older. I was gripped by this verse just before Thanksgiving Day when my Bible Reading (Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s) included this passage. You have no idea how unworthy I feel and how amazed I am that God has brought us “this far”. I can never forget that I come from the hills of Kentucky when our state was second from the bottom in educational standards. Hence our saying in those days, “Thank God for Arkansas”. Not only that; for the first ten years of our marriage – though always in ministry – I worked as a salesman, mostly selling vacuum cleaners door to door.

My closest friends on both sides of the Atlantic are cautioning me to “slow down”. I am asking: is this warning from the Lord? I don’t know. I am almost overwhelmed that at my age (81) we get more invitations from all over the world than I can fill. Please pray for my wisdom in this connection. I find it so hard to say No.

Who am I that the Lord has brought us this far?

Our third grandson arrived a few weeks ago – continuing the TR pattern. We have Tobias Robert (Toby), Timothy Robert and now Tyndale Robert (whom we call Ty). They live about forty minutes from us. TR travels with me a lot these days, although Louise will be joining me in London from February to July.

Pastor Colin Dye of London’s Kensington Temple has kindly invited us back to be on his staff for the fourth year in a row. We dearly love Colin and Amanda and all the members of KT. I plan to preach on the Life of Elisha. My final Sunday night preaching series at Westminster Chapel was on Elijah (now a book – These are the Days of Elijah). I will also be teaching at the International Bible Institute of London (IBIOL) as well as teaching selected themes from our School of Theology series on Friday nights beginning April 21^st).

Melissa works for a hospital in Nashville, doing what she was trained to do (with her Master’s degree in psychology). Rex continues to be blessed in his real estate business. They live some thirty minutes from us.

This year we have finally brought R T Kendall Ministries Inc. officially from Florida to Tennessee. We thank God for our Board Members there who served Louise, T.R. and me faithfully for some fourteen years – Richard Oates, Randy Wall and Charles Carrin. We welcome new Tennessee Board Members: Roger Perry (accountant), Joshua Hankins (attorney) and Ricky Skaggs (country singer recording artist).

When asked how people can pray for us, my reply is: for our continued good health, stamina and all the anointing we can be trusted with!

Perhaps the most surprising development of 2017 is that TBN UK have invited me to speak on a regular basis – on any subject I choose. It is a 30 minute program which they call “Word and Spirit”. It reaches all over the UK, Africa and Europe four times every week!

The second reason I chose the aforementioned Scripture pertains to the verses following 1 Chronicles 17:16. It was when David graciously came to terms with the disappointment that he could not build the temple. David accepted this and thanked God for how good God had already been to him. So I ask: will I have to accept that not all I have hoped for will come to pass in my lifetime? David accepted his disappointment with dignity; if I must – by not seeing all I have hoped for, will I be so gracious? I certainly hope so. So many unfulfilled wishes – and prophetic words from good people – remain unfulfilled. Time will tell.

God bless you all. Thank you for your prayers. Louise, T R, Annette, Toby, Timothy, Ty, Rex and Melissa join me in sending our sincere love.

R T – Psalm 84:11

PS – John Newton (1725-1807) wrote a hymn nearly every week when he was vicar of Olney that came from the verse he would preach on. One week he decided to preach on 1 Chronicles 17:16. Being gripped by the words “this far” (“hitherto” – KJV), he wrote “Amazing Grace”. Verse three of his most famous hymn includes these words:

“Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home”.

July 13, 2016

Dear friends:

As some of you will know, I write an open letter to my friends and followers twice a year: on New Year’s Day and my birthday. Today I am 81. I often think of the funny line: “If I knew I would have lived this long I would have taken better care of myself!”. But it’s true in my case. And yet God graciously gave me a wake-up call shortly after we retired – when I was 67. The late John Paul Jackson (I still grieve with tears when I try to cope with his death) said to me out of the blue one evening: “R. T., you will live to a ripe old age, but if you don’t get in shape physically you won’t be around to enjoy it”. I took him seriously. I began the next day with exercises Steve Strang taught me; T.R. bought me a book called The Abs Diet which I pretty much followed (and still do); I began walking on the treadmill a mile a day in twenty minutes; I have a trainer who comes to me once or twice a week (making me lift weights). I used to think that the word in the KJV, “Bodily exercise profiteth little” was a put-down of exercising. It was my mentor Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones who said this was not a put-down on physical exercise but it meant that by comparison godliness is more important. Modern versions are helpful: “Physical training is of some value” (NIV); “bodily training is of some value” (ESV). I never dreamed at the age of 81 I would be traveling the world as I do. I give God all the praise for this.

We just finished our third six-month period with Kensington Temple, London. Pastor Colin Dye has given London back to us. He has kindly asked us to return next year. It is fun but also hard work. In addition to preaching at KT and teaching at the International Bible Institute Of London Colin suggested we revive our old School of Theology series on Fridays which I did for many years at Westminster Chapel. When in London Louise and I love walking the streets, this being something one seldom does in America. Over half of our adult life was spent in the UK. It is like being back home. So many doors have opened to us as a result. The greatest surprise was from TBN UK. I never dreamed this would happen but I have been given a weekly slot – actually appearing on TV four times a week in the UK, all over Africa and Europe. The new UK director Leon Schoeman calls the program WORD AND SPIRIT, a name he believe spells out my ministry.

Louise enjoys good health with me. But she travels less with me in the USA as she prefers to be with the grandsons, so T. R. mostly will accompany me all over America plus places like Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and India.

My book Pigeon Religion came out in April of this year. It seeks to show the difference between the authentic (the dove) and counterfeit (the pigeon) Holy Spirit. Many have told me they think it is my best book! My book on the Midnight Cry (which the publisher chose to call Is Your Heart Ready for the Midnight Cry?) comes out November 1^st . I am now writing a book on the presence of God, something that Pastor Grant Brewster of Bainbridge Island, Washington has been asking me to do for over ten years. It will probably be called In His Presence.

People ask me all the time, “What is God doing in the world today?” My reply: “Not a lot” (in my opinion). There are exceptions. God is using Alpha in the UK, He is using people like Rolland and Heidi Baker in Mozambique (where I visited in June). But by and large the most apt description of the church today, speaking generally, is: asleep. This includes high profile leaders who espouse everything from open theism to hyper-grace, annihilationism to universalism. This is what my book on the Midnight Cry is partly about. I would like my forthcoming book to be a mini wake-up call before the Big One comes – when it will be too late for the foolish virgins to enjoy the next great move of God, as Jesus put it in Matthew 25:1-13.

May I insert this question: which to you is more important – getting more of God or getting more from God? Please think about that. It is to me a litmus test as to where one is in his or her spiritual relationship with God. Sadly the number is increasing in those who only want more from God, that is, how to get Him to do things for us – versus getting more of Him – that we might know Him and His ways (Exod.33:13; Phil.3:10). Please think about this. Do you see the difference?

You and I know that the world situation is worsening with every passing day. A year ago we would not have thought it could be this bad. I can tell you, it will be even worse a year from now. The only hope – in my view: the Midnight Cry. Please read this book Are You Ready for the Midnight Cry? when it comes out and pray for its wide distribution.

Thank you for your prayers for a greater anointing of the Holy Spirit on me – and for my continued good health, clear thinking, stamina and mobility – and the same for all our family. Grandchild number three is coming in October.

God bless you all. From Louise, T. R., Annette, Toby, Timothy, Rex and Melissa,

Warmest love, deepest thanks and appreciation.

RT – John 5:44

New Years Letter 2016

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” – Habakkuk 3:2.

My deepest ambition for 2016 is to help make the God of the Bible famous. He is famous in a sense, it is true; He is the most hated person on the planet. When the Beatles made the claim in the 1960s that they were “more popular than Jesus” they were no doubt correct. When the Midnight Cry comes things will change. Not that all humankind will adore the true God. But they will certainly know about Him. Coming ahead is the combination of unprecedented wrath from God joined by amazing mercy. The fear of the Lord is going to return to the church and also to the world.

As we welcome the New Year in, I think that I am possibly the most sobered of any time in recent years. Generally, the situation in the entire world has never looked so dire. The outlook has never been so bleak. But should this surprise us? If we are in the very last days – as I have been claiming for a long time, nothing should surprise us.

Particularly, this has been a sobering year for me. Two very close friends have been taken to Heaven. First, John Paul Jackson, and, second, Dr. Billy T. Ball. The death of Billy is no surprise; he was 88. The death of John Paul at 65 is something I am still struggling to come to terms with. What is interesting to me is that these two men had in common an unusual prophetic gift. But from two angles. John Paul based a lot of his prophecies on what I would call the rhema word, Billy Ball was entirely a logos word man. Many of their prophecies coalesced but both agreed on the premise that the Midnight Cry of Matthew 25:6 precedes the actual Second Coming of Jesus by a period of time during which the church is awakened which in turn will precipitate a revival that spreads around the entire world.

But there were two other things John Paul and Billy Ball had in common: they each believed they would be major figures on the national, if not world, scene in the last days. Depending how you define “major”, I would have thought that both of these men died feeling unfulfilled. They were used of God in their day, yes, but not to the extent they hoped for.

I am having to come to terms with how good, honorable and respectable men could get it so wrong when it came to their own expectations. And yet the great Jonathan Edwards sincerely thought that what he was witnessing in his day was precisely what we now call “last day ministries”.

I am on record for believing that the Midnight Cry – not the Second Coming – will take place while I am alive. We will certainly see!

I will have two books coming out in 2016: Pigeon Religion – which purports to show the counterfeit vis-à-vis the genuine Holy Spirit; and The Midnight Cry – my interpretation of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt.25:1-13).

I am extremely grateful to God for good health and stamina. 2015 has by far been the busiest and most challenging year of my life. 2016 will likely be equal to this, such beginning with a ministry for the third year in a row at Kensington Temple, London (late January to early July). But I have promised Louise I will cut down a lot.

God bless you all. I would be so honored if you would put us on your prayer list. Will you? Louise, TR, Annette, Toby and Timothy and Melissa and Rex join me in wishing you a wonderful year to come.

“In wrath remember mercy”.

Warmest greetings.

R T Psalm 84:11*

* For some reason I began using a new verse alongside my name, having used Romans 8:28 for so long.

 

How Much do You Read your Bible?

This is the most important Blog I have written in many years. I pray with all my heart that this will be read and spread to ordinary Christians all over the world. I cannot come close in emphasizing how important this particular Blog is.

A melancholy fact: most Christians do not have a Bible reading plan. Most Christians do not read their Bibles regularly. Some Christians do not read their Bibles very much at all. And…some church leaders do not read their Bibles. I happen to know more than I care to reveal – how many famous Christians and leaders have not read the Bible through at all!

I am aiming this Blog at ordinary Christians. My followers are not clergymen or church leaders but laymen – ordinary Christians.

Mrs. Martyn Lloyd-Jones made a gripping observation about C. S. Lewis’ book Screwtape Letters, a brilliant satire that includes among other things how the devil tempts new Christians. She lamented that one huge thing Lewis left out – that should have been put in – was how the devil wants to keep people from reading their Bibles. I do agree; it would have been so helpful had Lewis put that in.

I am convinced that the devil will do anything to keep people from reading their Bibles.

Has the devil succeeded with you? How much do you read your Bible?

This Blog was inspired by a recent trauma I had in Bimini, Bahamas. Perhaps trauma is too strong a word. But what happened was this. I took a brief vacation to do some bonefishing – my only vacation for 2015. When I turned to read my Bible, lo and behold, I had not packed my Bible or diary (which includes my prayer list)! I was sobered. I never leave home without my Bible, but somehow I let that happen. The thought of not getting to read my Bible for three or four days was almost horrifying. I thought: what do people do who don’t have their Bibles?

Then I remembered something I heard only a few days ago when I was in Singapore. That there is a church where people are not encouraged to read their Bibles – at home or at church – but only wait for God to give a “revelation”. Like a vision. Or rhema word of knowledge. That’s it. The thought of reading the Bible or hearing an expository sermon does not come on to their radar screen! I was flabbergasted when I heard that.

Do listen to me dear reader. Once we give up the conviction that the Bible is the only infallible Word of God, we open ourselves to a strange world out there that may include the Holy Spirit but also if not equally the realm of the demonic. Do not be surprised: Satan “masquerades” as an angel of light (2 Cor.11:14). The devil will work overtime to keeping Christians from reading the Bible. He would love you to close it and just wait on God.

Whereas the Bible was not given to replace the miraculous or even revelation, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to say, but “to correct abuses”, too many people don’t know their Bibles well enough to know what the Word of God says. And what the abuses might be. The Bible is the Final and Ultimate Revelation of Truth; no vision, word of knowledge or insight will ever – ever – contradict what the Bible has said. The first test of any vision or prophetic word is to run it by Scripture. If it is not upheld by the infallible Word of God, reject it – no matter how much you may respect the person who gives you a word.

I am grateful in particular for two things in my life. First, my parents taught me to read my Bible daily. This is what they did. The thought of not reading at least a chapter a day in the Bible was out of the question. Second, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones – my chief mentor – introduced me to Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading plan many years ago. As a consequence I think I can say I have read the entire Bible through some forty times and the New Testament eighty times. A Bible Reading Plan “keeps you in the Word”, Dr. Lloyd-Jones used to say to me.

Many preachers only consult their Bibles when they need a sermon. I persuaded a very close friend – a high profile prophetically gifted man – to start reading his Bible. Two years ago he began a plan and read the Bible through for the first time in his life! He could not thank me enough. He was (amazingly) amazed over how much it meant to him!

Why had he not been doing this sooner? You tell me.

How much do you read your Bible?

I urge you to go on line and find a One Year Bible Reading Plan, one that will help you to read the Bible through in a year. I urge you to begin today in this plan and never, never, never, never stop it.

The very thought that the devil does not want you to do this should galvanize every true Christian to want to fall on their knees – to pray more and read the Bible more.

Here’s the thing. Read the Bible – logos, Holy Scripture – and you will be thrilled to discover how often God gives you a rhema word. A rhema word basically means the unfolding of God’s secret will, when He speaks directly to you. God does this. But I can predict: chase after a rhema word all the time and you will probably receive nothing from God; chase after Holy Scripture and He will give you rhema words whenever you need such.

I have said little in this Blog about personal prayer time. Please see my book Did You Think to Pray? In it I stress time with God. Children spell love T I M E. How much time do you spend in prayer? I recommend thirty minutes a day for every layman; sixty minutes a day (minimum) for every church leader. The average church leader in Britain and the USA spends four minutes a day in quiet time. And you wonder why the church is powerless?

Please read your Bible through this year. The Bible is the Holy Spirit’s greatest product. He wrote it (2 Tim.3:15; 2 Peter 1:21). If you want to get on good terms with the Holy Spirit, then read His Word!

One can go through Seminary (preparing for the ministry) nowadays and never get to know their Bibles. They read about the Bible. Many young people going into the ministry have not read their Bibles through and then they read only about the Bible without the foggiest idea what the Bible says.

One very, very famous Christian said that if he had his life to live over he would spend more time reading the Bible than reading books about the Bible.

It is my heart-felt cry to God that many people will read this Blog and take it seriously. You will never be sorry. Also, you will never be the same again.

 

RT