500th Anniversary of Luther's New Testament

Happy Reformation Day!

Photo reflections back from the 500-year Anniversary of the Reformation where a quarter million people flooded the little town of Wittenberg in Germany! 

October 31st is the 505th year anniversary of the Reformation, and it was also just the 500th year anniversary of Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament into the German language.

 

A Little Background

 

We may take the easy access we have to the Bible today a little too much for granted. After all, we can just open an app on our phone, and we can have the Bible right there at our fingertips.

 

However, it was not always so easy for the common person to access the Bible. In fact, the Bible had become shuttered from access during the Medieval Period. The Catholic Church forbade the laity to even own or possess the Bible at the Synod of Toulouse in 1229, on the pain of torture and death, which many indeed ultimately endured. Vernacular translations were also opposed and only the Latin Vulgate was permitted for the Scriptures.

 

Since Latin was already a dead language, it was another barrier used to prohibit access to the Scriptures. As Oxford scholar David Daniell puts it, “It might as well have been in Chinese for all the good it did being kept in Latin! Very, very, few people could read Latin!”

 

Instead of the Scriptures “The Little Hours of Mary” were proffered which promoted the cult of Mary worship, church rituals, and generated money through stipulated donations. 

 

Enter Martin Luther 

 

Martin Luther had endured a long and difficult spiritual journey after entering the monastery in 1505. In fact, he felt further from God after going down the path of the prescribed rituals of the religious system than when he had first become a monk.

 

In all earnestness, Luther had sought to follow all the prescribed rituals dictated by the religious system and constantly confessed his sins as required. For, according to Catholic teaching, each and every sin must be confessed to be forgiven. Luther kept remembering things he’d done even as a small boy, and he came and confessed so much—once spending 17 hours at the confessional—his superior finally blew up at him saying: “Why don’t you go out and commit some real sins and come back when you actually have something to confess!” 

 

He was finally sent away from the monastery—as a way to offer him some distraction and get him out of their hair—and was thus directed to go into study of the Bible as a form of diversion.

 

It should not be assumed that this was normal activity during this time. Reading the Bible was not practiced, neither by those in the priesthood nor the laity. As mentioned previously, the Catholic Church had banned the laity from even owning or in any way having possession of a Bible at the Synod of Toulouse in 1229. Reading the Bible was reserved exclusively for those elite few who were considered theologians established in the hierarchy of the church. Only they were allowed to read and interpret it and had to stay in line with the papacy.

 

Luther was sent to study the Bible merely as a diversion; he had been a law student formerly so he was able to read Latin.

 

While reading the New Testament himself, Luther came upon passage after passage that declared that simple faith in Jesus Christ was all that was necessary for salvation. This was a complete contrast to what he experienced as a monk.

 

As a Catholic monk, he had grown exhausted and alienated from the heavenly kingdom he had sought. The heavy weight of constant rituals foisted upon him in the monastery did not draw him into relationship with the Almighty but instead created animosity in his heart and the peace with God that he so earnestly sought was nowhere in sight.

 

Here, however, in the very pages of the New Testament, he was finding something completely different from the teachings of the religious system: 

 

There was no requirement to confess all your sins to a priest. Rather the New Testament declared “There is one God and one mediator between God and man… Christ Jesus” 1Tim. 2:5

 

Nor did salvation require good works like the Catholic Church commanded, which included: giving donations to the church, venerating relics, confessing to a priest, praying to saints, vigils, holy water… and on and on! 

 

Rather the Word declared: 

 

“For it is by grace you are saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph.2:8-9

 

“Then they asked [Jesus] ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” John 6:28-29

 

The religious system Luther encountered had required rituals and works for salvation as well as to lessen one’s time in purgatory. These things they required however were not found in the teaching of the New Testament. “Purgatory” itself was just another pure invention of Catholicism not found anywhere in Scripture.

 

Simple faith drew Luther into a living and saving relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ.

Luther wrestled with the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Romans about being justified by grace through faith night and day. He finally understood that Christ had paid the price on the cross, for our sins, once for all, and all that is required is to believe upon Jesus!

 

When he finally understood this the Holy Spirit came upon him, and his guilt and sin were lifted off his back! He says he was "born again" as he understood that his sin was washed away by simply believing in Jesus Christ! 

 

After being set free and experiencing the liberty of God’s grace, Luther was of no mind to return to the dead rituals of the religious system. 

Luther Nails the 95 Theses

 

He in time drew up some statements or "Theses" to engage some of the church theologians on the wayward path the church had taken. It bears mentioning that Luther did not challenge other doctrines that were still orthodox within Catholicism, and there were still many orthodox foundations. Luther only wanted to challenge where they drifted from the Scriptures especially in regards to salvation. 

 

However, the Ninety-Five Theses he drew up to challenge the errors the church had embraced, set off a spark that soon fanned into an international flame. 

 

After Luther had nailed his Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, some students took them and copied and widely distributed them, using the recently invented Gutenberg printing press to reproduce them. 

 

A perfect storm soon erupted fueled forth by the truth based on the Living Word of God and the distribution of this document through new technology. Before he knew what was happening, the Reformation had been ignited and Luther was in the middle of a conflagration.

 

To paraphrase Didier Erasmus, the famous theologian from Rotterdam, this confrontation Luther sparked posed a threat to: The religious establishment’s money-making system as well as the dictatorial nature and infallibility of the papacy.

 

When the Pope got wind of the issue, he said he would “have this drunken German burned at the stake within two weeks!” Although many attempts were made to shut down the emerging Reformation, it continued to roll forward.

The Leipzig Debate

 

A debate was proffered which many in the hierarchy believed would slap Luther down. They figured the renowned Catholic theologian Johann Eck would quickly shut down this simple monk Martin Luther quite handily. 

 

However, Luther rose to the occasion at the Leipzig debate, and was equal match for Eck in his knowledge of Scripture and understanding of Christian history. Luther showed that the church had itself strayed and had contradicted its own earlier councils and teachings during its slide away from the truth in the Medieval Era. 

 

Eck in response accused Luther of being a Wycliffite and a Hussite. Many had attempted to bring reform before Luther’s era, figures such as John Wycliffe in England, and Jan Hus in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), as well as others like early reformer Peter Waldo in France and the Waldensians, who sought to distribute Bibles and pray for the sick. 

 

The Catholic Church had come out against these earlier reformers and continued to persecute those who attempted reform and translation of the Bible. William Tyndale was a contemporary and friend of Luther’s who was arrested and executed for his faith and work in translating and distributing the Bible in the common English language.

 

Luther declared that he himself was indeed a “Wycliffite and a Hussite” throwing caution to the wind! Luther, normally a mild-mannered person, boldly threw himself in with these earlier reformers, even though the followers of Hus and Wycliff had been ordered to be executed by the Pope, this was thus quite a daring thing to say. The Leipzig debate pretty much backfired and Luther’s popularity only seemed to grow.

 

The Diet of Worms

A Diet—a type of trial—was then set up in hopes of quelling the Reformation. Luther would have to answer before the Holy Roman Emperor—the most powerful and important man in the Western world at that time—Luther, a mere peon in contrast, sweated profusely as he was cross-examined in his presence.

 

He was originally told he would be able to explain and defend his writings and teachings. However, after he arrived in the town of Worms, Germany for the Diet, he found he had been lied to and was only given the opportunity to recant or face the consequences.

 

Before the council, while being questioned and cross-examined, Luther was being pressed hard to recant, but in response he finally retorted: “I cannot and will not recant, my conscience is captive to the Word of God, to go against conscience and the Word, is neither right nor safe, I can do no other, here I stand, so help me God.”

 

Luther threw up his hands into the air in the gesture of a knight and marched out to the applause of the Germans and the hissing sneers of the Spaniards—some of which were dyed-in-the-wool fanatics and enforcers of the Inquisition, torturing dissenters of Catholic strictures.

 

Frederick the Wise, the Elector Prince of Luther’s German region of Saxony, who was on the council judging Luther, saw that he was merely returning to the true roots of the Christian faith and declined to condemn Luther, as did some others in the Diet, but a rump of the Diet still voted to condemn him as a heretic.

 

During the night, however, the Bundeschuh—the sign of the peasants’ revolt—was placarded on the wall of the building where the Diet was taking place. This was a serious threat from the people that if Luther was arrested there in Worms, there would be rioting by the people. This sent the Diet into a panic. To appease the peasants—to whom Luther was becoming a hero—he was allowed to return home to Wittenberg and would be remanded into custody later to face the consequences of being condemned as a notorious heretic.

 

Frederick the Wise knew fanatics and assassins would be waiting for an opportunity to murder Luther on his return home, so he arranged for some of his own knights to hold up and kidnap Luther shortly after he embarked on his return home, so as to secretly take hold of him and hide and protect him.

 

The knights grabbed him shortly after he left the town of Worms, and with much yelling and cussing—purposely making a loud ruckus—they then had different knights ride off in different directions, while having Luther hidden and taken away to an old, abandoned castle, making sure no one followed after them.

Luther Translates the New Testament at the Wartburg

For ten months Luther was hidden away, holed up in the abandoned Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany, where he testifies to experiencing some heavy and serious spiritual warfare. He says the attacks of men, including other priests and the pope railing against him and everything else he had endured, paled in comparison to the onslaught of Satan’s attacks on him while alone in the Wartburg. Isolated and without other things to distract his attention, Luther took on the great task of translating the New Testament into the common German tongue and completed his translation while he was there at the Wartburg.

 

Luther wanted others to see the clear teaching of the New Testament for themselves and see that: The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ alone is the Savior! That Jesus Christ alone is the one Mediator between God and man. That one only need come to Christ in faith for salvation. These simple declarations became foundations of the Reformation and led to later revivals.

 

His publication of the New Testament spread a return of the true roots of the Christian faith throughout Germany and Europe and fanned the flames of the Reformation and spawned numerous revivals later. 

 

Jan Hus’s Prophecy Fulfilled

After the Diet of Worms in 1521, with Luther still at the Wartburg and his popularity seeming to only increase, the time passed and the possibility of safely arresting him was even less viable and was eventually abandoned, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Jan Hus, the Bohemian reformer, from a century before. 

 

Hus had attempted during his time to reform the wayward religious system of his day, and as he was about to be executed and burned at the stake for seeking to bring these reforms, he spoke out and prophesied:

 

“Today you burn me a goose (Hus’s name in Czech meant goose) but in 100 years another [reformer] shall rise, he shall be a swan, him you will not be able to burn nor boil!”

 

Hus was martyred in 1415. It was one hundred years later in the year 1515 when Martin Luther began to study Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, which led to his conversion. This encounter with God and His grace during Luther’s born-again experience set off the chain of events which fomented into the Reformation. 

Luther pictured with a swan

The Holy Spirit had opened Luther’s eyes to the salvation which is given freely through faith in Christ and the justification given by His grace. Try as they might they were not able to kill this swan. In his later years, Luther often had himself pictured in paintings with a swan next to his side, showing that God had fulfilled Hus’s prophecy through him!

 

 

These are some videos we’ve produced are helpful to learn a bit more about Martin Luther:

 

Martin Luther and the Reformation 

 

Martin Luther: Born Again into Amazing Grace 

 

The Priesthood of All Believers 

 

Luther quotes on the need to be filled with the Holy Spirit (short video with notable quotes)

The Reformation Spreads: Playlist of Reform Spreading into other Areas.

Grace World Mission

E-mail: gracewm@flash.net

Website: http://www.graceworldmission.org

YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/graceworldmission

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/graceworldmission

Blog --Grace Notes-- http://gwmgracenotes.blogspot.com

Donate Online-- http://www.graceworldmission.org/contact_us.htm

  

Worship Experiences and God's Mercy

Direct link to YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/MGH8Vpnp_tI

We were on our way to minister with our friends Roger and Roxanne Sachs on the Central Coast of California at a church that has over time, and transitions, become known as Pearl Chapel. 

Roger and I used to hang out with Lonnie Frisbee back in the day, while going to some of those wild meetings Lonnie was doing around Orange County and Palm Springs.

 

Roger has written some books on Lonnie’s legacy as the pioneer evangelist of the Jesus People Revival and the catalytic minister who introduced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into what was Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda at the time, later to be called the Vineyard, and sparking what was coined by Peter Wagner as the Third Wave Revival.

 

Anyways, as we were on our way to minister at their church, we ran into some traffic in LA and got delayed. We got to their place late and then had to get up early the next morning for the service.

 

At the last minute, the worship leader got sick before we were heading out to the service the next morning, so Roger asked: “Hey, can you do the worship as well as preach?”

 

I was a little bleary eyed from lack of sleep and a long drive, but I told him: “You know what? We’ll do it and just do our best to let the Holy Spirit take over—regardless if I am not familiar with the guitar I’ll be playing, and it is last minute, and I am a bit out of it—but we’ll just trust the Holy Spirit.”

 

Sometimes those last-minute things have a way of highlighting our need in the moment, thus allowing the Lord to take over… I was tired but I did my best to just let the Holy Spirit flow regardless of being a little strained and stretched. So, after a little sermonette on Pentecost—since it happened to be Pentecost Sunday—we got into the worship, and we were glad when we discerned the Lord’s presence was with us in it.

 

There were some people in the meeting that day who’d been in the early Vineyard and they said the worship and ministry very much reminded them of those early days back in the day at Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda at the Canyon High School gym, back when the Holy Spirit was just flowing so much during that early season. I was humbled and thankful for those comments, especially since it was back then where I was actually drawn into worship.

 

Well, in the middle of us leading the worship that day, and quite out of nowhere, our son Patrick, being a quite a young boy at that point, jumped up and and came up where we were leading and spontaneously joined with us in the worship leading.

 

It was prophetic confirmation of knowing that the Lord had a purpose and calling for him to do worship later on himself.

 

Patrick also got filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit sometime around this same time period. That spontaneously and just sovereignly happened when we were filming at our friend Dave’s place, further up on the Central Coast. Dave was sharing about how he got filled with the Holy Spirit when we prayed for him while we were ministering in Hawaii (https://youtu.be/cN9jNLKCbVA)

 

Dave was in midstream of sharing together with me, as we recounted the story on camera together. Meanwhile, over on the couch, Patrick was listening, and the Holy Spirit just fell in power on him! He began lifting his hands, weeping, and speaking in tongues! Glory!

 

The Lord’s Mercy and Patience 

 

I took the time to teach Patrick guitar and stuff like that over the years. I gave him words numerous times during his young days that he was going to be called on to do worship at some point. 

 

However, we can all hit those rebellious moments, especially in the teen years and 

he hit that time in his mid-teens when he resisted... 

 

I was trying to teach him about doing worship on the guitar and he just wanted to do riffs and leads. I told him yeah, it is all fun to do that kind of stuff, I like to do it too, but you also need to learn some worship stuff too…but like a typical teenager, he responded: “Well, what if I don’t want to do worship…?!” Sometimes just because the parent is saying it, they can get ornery and resist. 

 

It is important to persevere and hold onto the promises of the Lord even when there are trying seasons. Continuing to pray and persevere is important in these times. I remember Billy and Ruth Graham talking about the perseverance in prayer they needed with some of their own children.

 

Well, lo and behold, the Lord has a way…and pours out and displays mercy…. because Patrick is now leading worship on the guitar every week with his girlfriend Emily, they lead worship together at a house church! They have also become committed in their relationship as well, which we have been rejoicing in!

 

Praise the Lord for His great patience with all of us and all of our fallen human rebelliousness and resistance at times. He tarries patiently with our weaknesses! If not for His mercy and grace none of us could stand! His mercy endures forever!

 

The Lord Draws us Deeper in Unexpected Ways

 

When I first experienced the worship at what was then called Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda that met at Canyon High School Gym, later to be called Anaheim Vineyard, it was quite a shock to me.

 

I came into the gym where people had their hands up in the air everywhere and many were loud and emotional—I didn’t know yet that the Holy Spirit was moving on so many of them during the worship.

 

I didn't grow up going to church. My first response was to literally think that the place was full of emotionally and mentally challenged people. I soon became one of those emotionally and mentally challenged people after I got filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit myself (https://gwmgracenotes.blogspot.com/2020/05/40th-anniversary-of-mothers-day.html).

 

My first experience with worship had been at some youth-oriented meetings at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. I had come there via a wild divine appointment (https://gwmgracenotes.blogspot.com/2013/10/acid-trippers-and-hippie-crash-pads.html).

 

I was hanging out at a summer apartment in Huntington Beach that me and some friends had rented to be closer to the surf. The place became a hippy crash pad filled with surfboards and sleeping bags, filled with everything but food. One day, a dude showed up (people were always coming and going there) and asked if we wanted to go to a concert. A bunch of us piled in the car and he took us all the way across town down into Newport and up into Costa Mesa to what was Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa which was still in the throes of the Jesus People Revival movement.

 

I had previously accepted Christ while accidentally—Godcidentally—listening to a Pentecostal preacher on the radio and accepted Christ into my heart but had never really attended a church.

 

After getting introduced to the fellowship there, I began to attend some of the youth Bible studies at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, as well as other ones connected with it, when I had working transportation. I had traded a surfboard for a car that would not always start. I would have to round up other people to help me “push start” it quite often!

 

The youth-oriented Bible Studies I’d go to when the transportation was working usually just had 2 or 3 short songs before the actual “Bible Study” part got going.

 

This high school gym experience however, at Canyon High School, was at a whole other level! People were so engaged and deeply worshiping the Lord and it just went on for what seemed like forever, it was just mind blowing!

 

After I got filled with the Holy Spirit I began to get drawn into the worship and took an interest in learning to do it as well.

 

I had learned a little guitar earlier on. However, after my parents got divorced, I drifted away from it. My older brother had moved his rock band equipment into the living room after my parents split and was blowing the paint off the walls with his band’s regular practice sessions. Not wanting to go deaf, I bailed out of that scene and lost interest in learning any music stuff and hit the beach to escape destroying my eardrums.

 

However, as I was drawn into the worship in the Canyon High School Gym—those early days of worship there were off the charts, especially when Carl Tuttle was doing it—I got interested in learning some songs and I eventually ended up trading one of my surfboards for a guitar. 

 

That rickety guitar got me going into learning a couple worship songs. I had a long way to go but was getting back into playing. I got thrown into the deep end a little sooner than I expected though.

 

I attended an occasional kinship here and there, and one of them was Ken Fish’s. One night I was in there messing around with someone else’s guitar before the meeting started… Ken came up and said: “Hey, the worship leader can’t make it here tonight, why don’t you do a few songs for us?” I said: “No way,” to which he replied: “Oh, you can give it a try.”

 

Why or how I agreed in the end to do it, I don’t even know, but I was shaking from being so nervous! I did not know what I was doing, and I only knew two songs, it was terribly stressful, and I completely butchered it! However, I knew the Lord was using that awkward moment to draw me into leading worship. God can use all things—even awkward moments where you feel like a fool— for good and for His purposes!

 

I had my own Bible study later where I began doing the worship regularly, as well as leading worship quite regularly with some other friends at a College group at Newport Vineyard.

 

Thank God for his patience and grace to move us forward past hard experiences, as well as rebellious moments. He tarries patiently with our weaknesses.

 

Paul the Apostle reminds us of the unlimited patience of the Lord who tarries with us to move us forward in His grace.

 

“…I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patienceas an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16 

 

A Few Insights

 

I learned some important things along the way. One of them was from Scott Brenner, a worship leader and songwriter, who said: “Sure, it is good to learn a few technical things with the guitar and vocals and all, but the most important thing is learning to let the Holy Spirit lead us as we lead!”

 

Well, I have come to find out that this is an ongoing lifelong process once you are willing to enter into the “School of the Holy Spirit!”

 

While so many get caught up in “what is the latest, coolest worship song, from the popular fellowship at the moment” it’s more important to learn to be led by the Holy Spirit whether you are singing hymns or praise choruses—new or old. What is important is being led by the Holy Spirit and cultivating intimacy with the Lord.

 

“As many as are led by the Holy Spirit these are the children of God.” Romans 8:14

 

Jesus said that the Father seeks those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth. John 4:23

 

So, whether it’s doing worship, speaking, serving, witnessing, praying for someone, or anything else in serving the Lord, one of the most important things is found in Paul’s Capital Epistle to the Romans 8:14: where his high point is “As many as are led by the Spirit these are the children of God!”

 

Learning to be led by the Spirit is not just some fringe Charismatic idea, but it is actually the high point and goal for us all as believers in Jesus Christ. We should be filled with praise and worship when we understand the grace and mercy He gives us through Christ our Savior!

Ministry Update: Spring-Summer 2022

We have been blessed to see the Holy Spirit moving as we’ve been ministering recently as well as experiencing some powerful divine appointments along the way.

 

Recent Ministry

 

As we ministered at Centro Cristiano Esperanza up in Orange County, we experienced a very powerful move of the Holy Spirit as we prayed for people. I had shared a message about reaching into different cultures with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, something that flows from the Great Commission Christ gave to His disciples. It was a blessing to see so many there who were filled and empowered, as well as ministered to deeply, even seeing some who received healing as the Holy Spirit swept across the congregation with awesome waves of power! The Kingdom of God was indeed at hand!

 

We were glad to have our son Patrick and his girlfriend Emily there, as well as our friend Dave E., who happened to be down visiting family in the area from Central California. They all helped us pray for people at the service, which added to helping us see so many of those who were at the service get prayed for and ministered to in a very deep and powerful way, praise God!

 

We were also glad to see the pastor’s granddaughter get touched later. She had been working the audio and couldn’t come down to receive during the ministry time but ended up getting powerfully ministered to later when we went out to get a bite to eat with the pastor after the service. I felt led to pray for her after we ate and she was powerfully ministered to in a deep way with tears streaming down her face as the Holy Spirit filled her. She just recently arrived from Argentina, so we were thankful for that added opportunity to pray for her.

 

We ministered up in the mountains in the town of Mammoth as well. We were up north of there actually, when we had a schedule change and a couple of days opened up, and we felt like we should see about the possibility of ministering there. While we were in the process of praying on it, we were surprised to hear someone mention the same name of the church in Mammoth in a TV show later that evening. That seemingly random moment turned out to be confirmation as the Lord opened the door to minister at the Lighthouse Church in Mammoth as well as stay in the area. We were stoked to share some Holy Ghost Ski Stories ( https://youtu.be/lV17tbOC_v4) as we spoke and then prayed for many of the people there. We had a special moment when things were seemingly winding down at the end of the service…and then we ended up praying for a few more people up in the front, including a lady we had just experienced a divine connection with recently, that group at the end up front all got especially powerfully ministered to by the Holy Spirit in a deep way, the Lord saved the best for last!

 

We also ministered up in the Central Coast of California at the Salinas Vineyard. We had an awesome Holy Ghost outpouring while Mercedes and I ministered with our friend Dave, who we mentioned earlier, and is from the Central Coast! The power of the Lord was present in a glorious way and kept pouring out the power of the Holy Spirit over those in the meeting with healing and freedom being released on so many, long into the evening, including ourselves and the pastors. Praise God, we all got deeply ministered to! We also joined them on an open-air outreach the next day doing a bit of worship on the guitar, as well as connecting with a blessed time of food and fellowship together afterwards.

 

We experienced a powerful time of visitation as we ministered after that in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at Iglesia Arbol de Vida! We shared about how the Pentecostal Movement came to Europe, which was something we learned about through a divine detour while on a mission trip in Europe some years back. We had a powerful move of the Holy Spirit that day which turned a moment of divine visitation when the Holy Spirit unexpectedly poured over all of us, and we ended up all being refreshed as we found ourselves overwhelmed by God’s presence and just receiving! It was also great to get to see and catch up with our old pastor friends out there, as well as other friends in the area, and getting to enjoy a few activities in the region along the way.

 

We experienced a blessed time of the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in power as well as filling, empowering, and healing many who were there as we ministered at Iglesia Zoe up in La Puente! We shared about some of our past mission trips and learning to pay attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit, which is something Paul exhorts us to aspire to and is an ongoing growing and learning process for all believers. We were glad to have our son Patrick and his girlfriend Emily help us pray for those in the congregation which helps spread the blessing and gives more people an opportunity to receive. We also enjoyed some fellowship with the pastors who are old friends while grabbing a bite to eat after the service.

 

We were also blessed to do a number of small group home meetings with some friends along the coast, where we got the opportunity to lead worship, as well as have some intimate ministry times praying for one another. One of the blessings of home meetings is that there is way less of a focus on a typical traditional church schedule, and it also opens up the opportunity for “the priesthood of all believers” to come more alive and function, like John Wimber used to say: “We all get to play.” We all did and were blessed and refreshed with a unique time of fellowship and ministry to one another.

 

Speaking of worship, we were blessed to record a new podcast episode with our friend Cheryl on The Art of Worship. We had the opportunity to share some songs I’ve written and recorded, which includes one that is a worship piece that was inspired by reflecting on the Lord’s glory while enjoying God’s creation while out on the sea and taking some time out in the mountains (“Break Over Me” on spotify.com/bryanmarleaux and on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bryan-marleaux/907765533).

 

Divine Appointments 

 

Speaking of time on the snow, we had a divine appointment after a little time on the snow together with some friends in the local mountains. We went out for a bite afterwards and Mercedes and myself ended up talking to a Hispanic waitress. We then continued the discussion after dinner and found she had something of a religious background but never really heard the Gospel shared clearly to her before. She responded with an open hungry heart as we explained the Gospel to her and then opened her heart to Christ as we prayed with her there that evening! Hallelujah!

 

We had another divine appointment with another Hispanic woman as well who we were sharing with while out in the Inland Empire area for a family event. Mercedes had a word of knowledge for her which greatly blessed her. She said that we had reignited the flames of her faith after we finished praying for her, praise the Lord!

 

We also had some other divine appointments in Central California while up in Salinas. One was when we ended up praying together with our friend Dave for a lady in a pizza restaurant who got visibly touched by the power of the Holy Spirit when we ministered to her, hallelujah! 

 

We had also been talking with Dave when he mentioned a little town he’d stayed at while out on the road. We actually ended up in the same town while Mercedes and I were traveling out to Colorado a little later on. In the morning we were packing up to leave our motel when we ended up talking with some of the housekeepers which turned into a divine appointment! We led one of the Hispanic housekeepers to the Lord and her friend ended up rededicating her life to Christ, all this while we were on the road traveling to go minister…hallelujah…the Lord can have some surprises in store when we pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s leading even when we were still a bit hazy from just waking up!

 

We had another divine appointment when we met a guy from India who used to be Hindu but has come to Christ and is stepping out to serve the Lord and evangelize. We talked with and prayed for him while we were visiting Biola University, which is Mercedes’ alma mater. Being on campus there also sparked some memories, one being of how I’d pick her up while driving home from Fuller Seminary, since we only had one car she would have to wait in the dreary commuter lounge—seems they fixed it up after she graduated—same thing with Fuller—they fixed up the place after I graduated! We put over 300,000 miles on our little Honda Civic while we were both in school as well as driving around ministering all over the place. We went through those schools mentioned above as well as UHK: “The University of Hard Knocks” which had some important lessons coming out of it, as well as entering “The School of the Holy Spirit”; however, this particular school continues on as an ongoing blessed learning process!

 

Media Ministry 

 

In a recent blog posting and video, we share how the Lord can turn trials around and can even use them for good sometimes. We told the story of St. Patrick and the way the Lord has worked through Celtic Christian believers throughout history. Talking about the real Patrick—who was not Catholic nor Irish but a Christian missionary to Ireland—can often open the door to share the Gospel with others, much like the early apostles, who sometimes found open doors with those who were seekers at the synagogues, as seen in the Book of Acts. There are many people today who may have somewhat of a religious background, but may not know nor have heard the actual Gospel shared with them. They can be open sometimes when they hear the Gospel shared and explained clearly to them. If you want to check out the real St. Patrick’s story, a person who grew up with a religious background but didn’t yet come to Christ until later, here’s the link:https://youtu.be/puQ-sT0K2dU.

 

We greatly appreciate all your prayers and support!

Blessings!

Bryan and Mercedes Marleaux

Patrick of Ireland and Redemptive History

One of the divine mysteries of the Kingdom of God is how the Lord can take negative things and in His unique redemptive way turn them around and use them for good.  

 The cross is the ultimate example of how the enemy sought to destroy the Son of God, and yet from this horrible trial of the crucifixion, we see Kingdom Victory emerge as God brings redemption to those who believe on Christ through it.

 

The story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis is another example. He ultimately ends up in prison sometime after being sold off by his brothers who betrayed him. However, he is prepared in that trying situation to be a redemptive leader who actually ends up rescuing his brothers—the emerging nation of Israel—when he is brought up into a place of leadership in Egypt after the Lord lifts him out of his humbling situation.

 

Trials and tribulations are never enjoyable and shouldn’t be made light of; however, there can be redemption for them in God’s Kingdom, and this can breathe hope when we are having to endure difficult times.

 

Patrick of Ireland

 

Known popularly as St. Patrick, the historic missionary to Ireland also had to endure a unique and difficult situation. However, it ended up being used redemptively and became a time of important missionary training for him.

 

Patrick was taken prisoner to Ireland after being captured during a raid in Roman Britain by barbarians when he was in his later teens. 

 

While a slave—unfortunately, this fallen world’s long hard history is riddled with such oppression and Patrick points out that thousands of Britons were captured and enslaved—he was forced and immersed into learning about the culture, language and society of Ireland.

 

After some time in that land, forlorn and alone and being forced to take care of pigs, he called out to God and experienced a conversion to Christ. Though he had been raised in a Celtic Christian home, he did not come into his own saving relationship with Christ until this.

 

Sometime after his conversion, he was given a vision of how to escape, and was shown a ship sitting just off shore further down the coast. He hiked his way to it and was granted  passage if he’d take care of the dogs on board. He returned to Roman Britain and was welcomed as one who’d come back from the dead.

 

Sometime later on, he had another vision which would lead him back to the Emerald Isle as a missionary. Through this vision, the Lord called him to return as a minister of the Gospel. He heard the voice of the Irish calling him: “Come back oh holy youth and walk amongst us once more…” After some time of preparation he did return, this time as a missionary.

 

He had been prepared and trained through his earlier captivity, much like the account of Joseph we read in the Old Testament. His previous immersion amongst Ireland’s people, language, and culture, even though it was a severe trial, had actually prepared him to reach into that unique culture and effectively communicate the Gospel to that people group. 

 

The Lord took the evil imposed on him and turned it around and brought redemption out of it and used it for good. 

 

Patrick became a powerfully used historic evangelist to Ireland, leading many to Christ through signs and wonders, and starting many little churches. This, however, does not mean it was all easy going: he faced many trials, difficulties and persecutions, but the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit prevailed and his difficult earlier trials were redeemed! However, he never forgot his fallen sinful roots and the merciful redemption he received, and wrote in his confession during his latter years: “I am Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful, and utterly despised by many…”. His words seem to echo Paul’s, as he himself wrote in his later epistles: “I am the worst of sinners…” (1 Tim 1:15)  Even though Paul was used powerfully by God, he never forgot that it is by sheer grace and mercy he was saved, and all the glory goes to the Lord!

 

 More Celtic Examples 

 

Patrick helped establish the Celtic Church in Ireland, which was instrumental in reaching out to other people groups, and it is important to note that Patrick was not Roman Catholic. 

"Patrick and Columcille [the missionary later inspired by him] were both Celtic believers and had no direct ties to the Roman Church"  says Ruth Tucker, who has a PhD in History, in her missionary history tome From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. She shared on this subject at Fuller Theological Seminary when I was a student there and was an impressive speaker.

It was many centuries later when Roman Catholicism was imposed on the Emerald  Island. It was actually the Pope and the King of England—Ole Blighty always seeking to rule over its northern neighbors back then—who conspired together to impose Catholicism on Ireland as a way to hold sway over the land and its people. Ireland’s original Christian roots are thus not Roman Catholic but rather of the Celtic Christian faith.

 

Celtic Christians were distinct from Roman Catholicism and were at times actually at odds with them:  Celtic Missionaries didn't pay heed to the parish system in Catholicism and were seen by them as loose canons going wherever they pleased to evangelize. Celtic Christians, furthermore, believed in justification by faith through grace, regularly studied the Scriptures, and ministers were not forced to be celibate but were free to marry or not, depending on their own choice; they were missionary-minded and focused, and sought to evangelize and minister the Gospel. This is in contrast to Catholicism, which developed an unbiblical  system of penance and works for salvation, and would sometimes convert via the sword along with politically imposing their will on other people groups.

 

Celtic Christians and the

Conversion of the Scandinavians

 

Vikings later began to raid the shores of Ireland and the British Isles, and Celtic Christians, as well as monks and ministers, were often taken captive back to Scandinavia.

 

This oppressive situation was also turned around redemptively as the Celtic believers in turn began witnessing to, and evangelizing their captors, and converting the Scandinavians to Christianity even while being held captive by them, much in the same way that early believers in the Roman Empire, including slaves and other low people of society, often witnessed and won over their captors and more distinguished hearers, demonstrating the verse "...the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength" (1 Cor. 1:25).   Meaning, as Paul says, the Lord often uses the weak things of the world to paradoxically carry out his purposes.

 

Since the Scandinavians saw no political threat from these Celtic Christians, as they would from the Roman Catholic Church whose forced conversions often coincided with taking over lands, the Scandinavians were open to the Gospel message from the Celtic believers and many were converted this way, as historian Ruth Tucker notes as well.

 

Viking King Converted

 

A Viking king set about raiding the Celtic regions. He heard there was a fortune teller of some kind on one of the Scilly islands off the coast of the British Isles. He set out to find this fortune teller and find out about his future.

 

However, the so-called fortune teller was actually a prophetic Christian minister of Celtic stock who was off the coast of Cornwall. 

 

Olaf Tryggvason received a prophecy upon his visit which told him he would be wounded in battle, carried back to his ship on his shield by his soldiers, and then would call out to God and turn to Christ, and take the Gospel back to Norway.

 

After it all turned out just as it had been foretold to him, Tryggvason once again visited the prophet, who then baptized and sent him back to Norway to share the Gospel.

 

He was a Viking warrior who may not have ridded himself of all his warrior ways right off to our modern, more advanced liking, but it was a different more violent age with countries that fought savagely with one another back then—oh yeah, nothing’s changed and we are not more advanced, that stuff still goes on today, doesn’t it, even at this very moment—nevertheless, he helped stem idolatry and furthered the spread of Christianity back home.

 

Retrospective 

 

The Holy Spirit was the power furthering the Gospel’s spread through history regardless of the imperfections at times of the people and of difficult faith-testing situations. If God didn’t use imperfect people, he’d have no one to use. Sinners saved by grace is the redemptive thread weaving through the historic narrative of Christ’s redemption throughout time. Though saved, the yet-abiding human weaknesses are overshadowed by the redemption and power that flows from on high to those that open their hearts to Jesus. 

Indeed, he IS ABLE to redeem difficult and trying situations and this can give us hope when we endure trials.

 

The Apostle Paul, who endured plenty of trials himself, says in Romans 15:13: 

“I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete joy and peace because of your faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.”

 

———

More of our Resources on the Celtic Christian Legacy:

 

• The Real St Patrick: Get the real story versus the fables that have only obscured his legacy. 

• Celtic Cry: A video we made with an original song and music I wrote. The video includes scenes and surf through Ireland. 

• Columcille - Missionary to Iona: Story of the Irish missionary who was inspired by Patrick and went to reach the Picts in Scotland. 

• Celtic Christian Legacy and Treasures: Some valuable history of early Celtic Christians as well as important Christian artifacts from that era in Ireland. 

• The Conversion of the Vikings: The story of how these once-feared Norsemen came to belief and faith in Christ. 

 

• A Visit to Lindisfarne: Also known as Holy Island, Lindisfarne is associated with early Celtic Christianity. It is considered one of the first places the Vikings raided and from which they took captives. These kidnapped Celtic Christians ended up helping reach the Vikings with the Gospel. 

• Driving Through The Irish Countryside: From being followed by a cloud to finding surf in Ireland’s most remote stretch of coast.

 

*The Legacy of the True Historical Patrick by Richard Bennet, who is a former Catholic priest. Commentary and notes on the theft of Patrick’s historic legacy by the Catholic Church.

 

Divine Appointment On The Road

We have been blessed to experience some powerful divine appointments that the Lord has brought our way over the years, sometimes in unusual and unexpected places. One in recent times especially stands out:

 

We were driving through Utah looking for a place to stay late at night when we pulled up to a motel and the Lord gave me a word: “This is not the place.” I was a bit surprised and a little frustrated because I was tired and wanted to get off the road. 

 

However, it is important to discern that the Lord may have something more than we understand in store, so we continued driving on and came to a place that felt like it was the right place to stop at, which was about an hour later.

 

The next morning as we were about to leave, I was in the hallway and figured that the Lord probably had some reason for us being there…but still didn’t know what it was. 

 

Then, as I walked along the hallway, I saw one of the motel service maids in the corridor and the Holy Spirit quickened my heart. I looked at her and felt led to ask: “Do you need prayer?” 

 

I was quite surprised when she threw her hands in the air and yelled “Hallelujah!” 

 

“Yes, I do!” she exclaimed, and in fact, she went on to explain that she was a born-again believer in Christ, and had been praying that God would send a fellow believer to pray for her. She went on to explain that there were hardly any Christians or Christian churches in this area of Utah at all, but instead just plenty of the deception that thrives out there.

 

She had us come into one of the guest rooms and Mercedes and I laid hands on her and she experienced a powerful move of God, being filled with the Holy Spirit and also experiencing healing and deliverance. She was actually knocked to the ground and came up completely refreshed, renewed, and revived. She stood up and composed herself with a smile that was from ear to ear!

 

We have also been blessed to lead some people to Christ in this same area, and minister to many others who exist as believers, in the middle of what is a spiritual desert. We felt as though the Lord has had us on an unusual mission many times out there, making raids into a dark land with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the power of His Holy Spirit.

 

We are blessed and amazed when we find ourselves extending the Kingdom of God,  sometimes in unusual and unexpected places, bringing living water to those who are in desperate need and are thirsty and hungry for Christ’s presence! We appreciate your prayers and thank you for considering us in your giving of support as well.

 

Our old friend Harald Bredesen, who was one of the fathers of the Charismatic Renewal, and one who was also led by the Holy Spirit into many important divine appointments himself, had a rather nice endorsement of our ministry:

 

Of all the ministries I’ve worked with, there is none that I have the greatest confidence in the purity of the motivation and the fact that it was the Holy Spirit who gave birth to it than Grace World Mission, led by its founders, Bryan and Mercedes Marleaux...I’ve seen the sacrifice; I’ve seen the zeal; I’ve seen the Spirit-ledness…and I am so happy to be a part of it—I hope you will be and will support it... I’m sure He’ll bless you for it.

 

We greatly appreciate all your prayers and support!

God bless!

Bryan and Mercedes Marleaux

Merry Christmas

YouTube video: Joy to the World Instrumental 

and Brief Message

Direct link: https://youtu.be/C6Hm6IqPsJI

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 

One of the things you notice in the Christmas narrative is that every time an angel appears the first message is: “Do not be afraid.” 

We often do have many things in life that can make us afraid; however, Jesus said He has a type of peace for us “that passes all understanding.” Having that peace permeate into our inner being often comes with an understanding of the rest of the angelic message. 

The coming of Christ is Good News: For the Savior, Jesus Christ the Messiah, sent from Heaven, will take on and pay for our sin. Thus, those who receive and believe upon Him, no longer need to carry the weight of guilt and shame from our fallen condition. Christ came to ransom us from sin, once for all. 

 

Human beings are constantly searching for some way to have peace, looking in so many empty places. Christ, however, says that He will give us this peace, peace that passes all understanding. The apostle Paul in the Book of Romans Chapter 5 says that we now have peace with God, having been justified by His grace through faith. 

 

Having believed and received eternal life, the Lord seeks to continue working into our innermost being “a peace that passes all understanding.” Paul goes on to say this happens as we let the Holy Spirit fill us even to overflowing (Romans 15:13). 

The Holy Spirit is the true Spirit of Christmas as we see in the Christmas narrative. By letting the Holy Spirit fill us to overflowing, remembering that peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, we can have that peace “that passes all understanding” even in the midst of this crazy fallen world and all its problems. 

Praise God, the Lord gives us Good News of great joy and an everlasting peace! 

Merry Christmas and may God’s richest blessings be with you in the New Year! 

Bryan, Mercedes and Patrick Marleaux www.graceworldmission.org

Ministry Update: Fall/Winter 2021

Praise God! Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life and that more abundantly.” John 10:10. We are thankful for the life eternal and abundant Christ has given us and that He gives us opportunity to share it with others.

 

We have been ministering down in the Southern border region recently, where we preached at a meeting at Iglesia Antioquia which is a church where we have old friends and one that we have been connected to for many years. In fact, in the past we spent 7 years there teaching and preaching and helping out on a monthly basis. We preached on how Christ has paid the full price for our sins on the cross, as well as the righteousness that He credits to us by faith along with the grace we are given in Christ. As we prayed over the congregation the power of the Holy Spirit filled and renewed those we prayed for, giving a deeper revelation and understanding of Christ’s sacrifice for us. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit brings a deepening of the revelation of the cross, and it is always refreshing when His presence moves among us.

 

We got to share some Holy Ghost Stories as well as some Revival History and perform some Worship and Revival Songs together on The Art of Worship podcast with Cheryl Deborah Thomas on the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network in OC, which appears on numerous platforms, channels, and formats. It was a blessed time of sharing together on a couple of different programs with Mercedes, Cheryl, and myself, as we spoke and sang. 

 

As we approached the 504^th anniversary of the Reformation at the end of October, we also shared on a Zoom prayer meeting, telling about Martin Luther and how the grace of Christ touched his life in such a deep way that it eventually reverberated out through Europe and then to other nations. This year is also the 410^th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. We share about the connection between the Reformation and the King James publication in our latest video and blog which you can check out here: https://youtu.be/SVny9ov569E

 

We have also shared at Calvary Chapel in San Clemente a couple of times recently on the work and power of the Holy Spirit, in and for evangelism, and the need for the Holy Spirit to empower us to reach people with the Gospel, something the Jesus People Revival was all about. We prayed for the group of people there at the end of one of the meetings. The Lord gave me a word as we were praying for people and the Holy Spirit then fell in power as I shared it! A young woman got touched powerfully and began crying as I shared the word and the Spirit filled her and then others started getting touched and filled with the Holy Spirit, in the end everyone there got touched and ministered to, hallelujah!!

 

Outreaches 

 

We also joined up with that particular young lady who got touched at CCSC and we prayed for, going out on the weekend to do an outreach at the beach in South OC. We shared the Gospel and planted seeds with many others, as well as prayed for different people on the beach. This included a Hispanic woman who we had a divine appointment with who was deeply touched when we prayed for her right there on the beach and who then wrote us a very nice note afterwards sharing how deeply ministered to she was! We also ministered to a young Marine. I was able to share with him and also counsel and pray for him to help him move forward in his walk with God.

 

In fact, we have been participating in some other outreaches along the Coast in different areas recently as well. 

 

One of the other outreaches was down in San Diego, where we had a divine appointment with a woman we met and prayed for who got ministered to powerfully, as well as running into an old friend. We joined together and prayed for these guys and ministered to them, which included our son Patrick who was at the outreach too with a friend. The Holy Spirit swept in and fell in power, knocking a number of those we were praying with to the ground, and deeply and powerfully impacted them with Christ’s love, power, and glory, hallelujah!

 

We shared about Lonnie Frisbee and the Jesus People Revival at an outreach at Pirate’s Cove in Corona Del Mar, telling about the large baptisms that used to take place there. Lonnie was used to lead others not only water baptism, but also the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We also shared and prayed for numerous people there who we met and who were impacted by the Holy Spirit when we ministered to them!

 

More Divine Appointments…

 

We also had a divine appointment with a Hispanic lady at a coffee shop. The Lord gave me a word for her about her needing prayer when I talked with her. 

 

She asked us to wait a few minutes until she was done working to pray for her. In the meantime, a lot of spiritual warfare started happening when the manager, out of the blue, started acting rude and hostile to us. We knew it was spiritual warfare and just ignored it. We waited until she was finished, and then and then began to pray for her with some friends, who we have been ministering together with at their house church,and the Lord touched her very, very powerfully. She was a believer going through many trials and the Lord ministered to her deeply, with many tears coming down as the Holy Spirit filled her up! Glory Hallelujah!!

The Lord has been leading us into many other divine appointments as well. 

 

We went up the Northern Coast of the Pacific for a family wedding where Mercedes’ nephew was getting married. On the way up, we stopped to camp along the coast, where we encountered some hippie guys who lived there at the camp, and we ended up spending some time sharing the Gospel with them and planting the seeds of the Kingdom of God in their hearts. 

 

It is important to note that a significant part of the evangelistic process is planting seeds. A person who we led to the Lord recently had someone else sowing the seeds of the Kingdom in their life, which we got to harvest in leading them to Christ. As Jesus said: ‘One sows the seed, and another reaps the harvest…’ John 4:37.

 

We also had some divine appointments at the wedding. I met a well-known Christian author who I connected with and prayed for, and he began sharing some of his own private Holy Spirit encounter stories with me when he found out I was Spirt-filled, which led him to open up to me (he is not publicly known as Charismatic but has been having some Charismatic experiences). We also prayed for one of the cooks there at the wedding as well as witnessing to some other people we met while having a few adventures along the way!

 

We also had a Holy Ghost rendezvous on the way home with our old friend Dave from up north. We met together up north while we were traveling and experienced some refreshing waves of living water as we shared and prayed together. 

We have also been ministering in some small group settings where we have experienced the Lord ministering powerfully in healing and mercy by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

 

We thank you so much for your prayers and support which helps keep us out there ministering the Kingdom of God and the love of Christ to others. 

Blessings to you!

Bryan and Mercedes Marleaux