Book Review: Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

I read this book as soon as I finished Francis McNutt's Deliverance from Evil Spirits (see the previous book review). This book came as a surprise to me. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. If truth be told, I went into it a bit critical and skeptical. I'm just not one to subscribe to all these manifesting spiritual things. But the way the book was written, you know that Don Basham was really experiencing this. For what reason he was 'chosen' to deal with this phenomenon events is another story (though he wrote the details of how he called into this ministry. But by him coming from a completely conservative background to be thrown in the midst of manifestations of evil, is quite bizarre and had me thinking a lot. The book was well written on this subject and I learned a lot.

The "censored quarter of Christ's ministry," in Basham's estimation, is the part involving evil spirits or demons. He claims that one-quarter of Christ's ministry was devoted to deliverance ministry, yet the Christian church - during his day and even today - often chooses to ignore it totally or partially (or avoid this topic altogether). Basham has spent years counseling people with chronic problems and addictions. But throughout the course of his work, he was amazed to discover that exercising authority over demons could achieve in an instant what months of personal counseling often failed to do (not that he discounted the counselling ministry. Not all sickness and problems caused by demons but mostly are, said the author. We must be careful, of course). And so deliverance became not a fearful thing to him, but a thing of hope and reassurance. Don believes that "the ministry he now understands means more than (just) deliverance 'from' evil, it means deliver 'into' health and well-being." With real-life stories and vast experiences, the writer hooked me into reading this book to the end. Very good!

This book is now updated (this one is the first published version) and had a new title, "A Pastor's Reluctant Encounters with the Power of Darkness." I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about this subject.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Economy is Upside Down: The Woman's Faith is Big but Her Part is Small

[Based on Mark 4:24-34]

A chronic menstrual disorder. A perpetual issue of blood. Such a condition would be difficult for any woman of any area. But for a Jewess, nothing could be worse. No part of her life was left unaffected.

Sexually… she could not touch her husband.

Maternally… she could not bear children.

Domestically… anything she touched was considered unclean. No washing dishes. No sweeping floors.

Spiritually… she was not allowed to enter the temple.

She was physically exhausted and socially ostracized.

She had sought help “under the care of many doctors”…

She was bruised reed. She awoke daily in a body that no one wanted. She is down to her last prayer. And on the day we encounter her, she’s about to pray it.

By the time she gets to Jesus, he is surrounded by people. He’s on his way to help the daughter of Jairus, the most important man in the community. What are the odds that he will interrupt an urgent mission with a high official to help the likes of her? Very few. But what are the odds that she will survive if she doesn’t take a chance? Fewer still. So she takes a chance.

“If I can just touch his clothes,” she thinks, “I will be healed.”

Risky decision. To touch him, she will have to touch the people. If one of them recognizes her… But what choice does she have? She has no money, no clout, no friends, no solutions. All she has is a crazy hunch that Jesus can help and a high hope that he will… There was no guarantee, of course. She hoped he’d respond… she longed for it… but she didn’t know if he would. All she knew was that he was good. That’s faith.

Faith is not the belief God will do what you want.
Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.

“Blessed are the dirt-poor, nothing-to-give, trapped-in-a-corner, destitute, diseased,” Jesus said, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:6, Max’s translation).

God’s economy is upside down (or rightside up and ours is upside down!) God says that the more hopeless your circumstance, the more likely your salvation. The greater you cares, the more genuine your prayers. The darker the room, the greater the need for light.

A healthy lady never would have appreciated the power of a touch of the hem of his robe. But this woman was sick… and when her dilemma met his dedication, a miracle occurred. Her part in the healing was very small. All she did was extend her arm through the crowd.

“If only I can touch him”…

Healing begins when we do something.

Healing begins when we reach out.

Healing starts when we take a step.

[Taken from He still Moves Stones (1993) by Max Lucado]

                                                THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Teaches the People First, Dinner Later (A Reflection on Mark 6:30-34)

After Jesus sends out the twelves disciples for a mission, “the apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they had done and taught” (Mark 6:30, GNB). The disciples must be excited but tired, and so they wanted to have a refreshing rest, away from the crowd. Jesus told them, “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest for a while” (Mark 6:31). “We” said Jesus. Jesus in his humanity also felt the need for a rest. They worked very very hard, don’t you think? God’s calling is not for us to sit back, relax and hoping for the best, right? We must “go” (Matthew 28:19) and work hard, then, only then we’re deserve to rest.

But “many people, however, saw them leave and knew at once who they were; so they went from all the towns and ran ahead by land and arrived at the place ahead of Jesus and his disciples. When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:33-34). Jesus heart was yearned for the spiritual needs of the crowd flocking to him. Jesus was “moved with compassion” (NKJV). It is a feeling of strong-deep emotion acted with positive action. It is a costly, self-giving compassion. Why? Because Jesus saw them as a starving flock of sheep without a shepherd. They were like orphans with no one to care for them. They were leaderless. This is why, I convince, Jesus wasn’t annoyed but showed compassion.

There were a lot of religious teachers during Jesus time, but why they were still leaderless? Same as today, the people are “like sheep without a shepherd.” When I read this, I’m thinking of how many young people that I know of went to this and that event, jumping and singing, having fun and ‘empowered’ by almost hysterical prayers, come back home empty and their hearts and minds still hallow. There is something missing – God’s Word. Someone missing – Lord of the Word – in their lives. When the supposed teachers should feed the flock, they care more about church attendance, personal spiritual growth and success, defending the faith with all might and power, emphasising on musical worship, teaches church history and doctrines, and even doing social work – everything – everything (secondary) but feeding the people with God’s Word (primary). Where are the teachers who supposed to teach people the Word of God?

For a shepherd, a teacher, a leader the main thing is God’s Word. When I asked most people, which book of the Bible are you all studying now, they blurred. When I told a story of Jesus (basic) and asked do you remember reading this, I get silent treatment. When I read this one church mission statement: “Untuk mempersiapkan jemaat dengan Firman TUHAN” (To equip the church with God’s Word), I was so excited until I heard the preacher talked about his endless journey of accomplishments and successes. Teachers, if you read this, we need you to feed us with God’s Word. Sheep without a shepherd, and so the first thing Jesus does was “he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34). Not complaining and whining about having no rest (or salary) but seeing people as God’s answer to our revival prayer. Not irritated by them but having a deep compassion with action like Jesus. Not feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish first but feeding the people with God’s Word first. Jesus teaches the people first.

Let continue Mark 6:35-44 in another article.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Hole in our Gospel (Free Books Inside!)

“The kingdom of God is in the midst of you”
(Jesus in Luke 17:21ESV)

Richard Stearns, president of World Vision U.S., write in his book The Hole in our Gospel (Thomas Nelson, 2009, 2010):

This book asks the question, What if? What if each of us decided with renewed commitment to truly embrace the good news, the whole gospel, and demonstrate it through our lives – not even in big ways, but in small ones? What if we each said to God, “Use me; I want to change the world”? There are now two billion people on earth who claim to be Christian. That’s almost one in three. Have we changed the world? Certainly, but our critics would be quick to point out that the changes have not always been good. So have we changed the world the way God intended? Have we been effective ambassadors for the good news that we call the “gospel”? The Lord’s Prayer, repeated in churches the world over, contains the phrase “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Do we believe what we pray?

The whole of gospel is a vision for ushering in God’s kingdom – now, not in some future time, and here, on earth, not in some distant heaven. What if two billion people embraced this vision of God transforming our world – through them? Imagine it. Indeed, what if even two thousand people took their faith to the next level – what might God do? Two thousand years ago, the world was changed forever by just twelve.

It can happen again.

The Hole in Our Gospel is the compelling true story of a corporate CEO who set aside worldly success for something far more significant, and discovered the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to change his own life. Richard Stearns uses his journey to demonstrate how the gospel – the whole gospel – was always meant to be a world-changing social revolution, a revolution that begins with us. Truly when Jesus says, “the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. 

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September 2012 FREE Book

I’m giving away ONLY 3 copies of The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns. You are welcome to get a copy for yourself. Do these 2 things:

1. Comment below “Rich, give me one copy___(Your name). I want to renewed my commitment to truly embrace the good news, the whole gospel, and demonstrate it through my life – not even in big ways, but in small ones."
2. E-mail me at Motivates4life@hotmail.com or send message to my Facebook your real name, phone no. and your postal address. Thank you.

Did you See how Poor some People can Be?

A great story to share:

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the purpose of showing his son how poor some people are. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return trip, the father asked his son,

“How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor some people can be?” the father asked.
“Oh, yeah,” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, but they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then the son added,

“Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”

…………………………………..

Mother Teresa once writes, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat... even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone to call their own.” Among all kind of poverty such as social, environmental, educational, economic, health etc.; Spiritual poverty is the most disastrous of all. It affects our whole immortal soul. Spiritual poverty in God’s eye is not measured by how much material wealth we have or by our good health and level of educational background. It is measured by our understanding of the Word (for those who have access to God’s Word) and ways of God. It is by our growing knowledge of God’s love through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior that we can be truly rich toward heaven.

Come and join THE TRIP OF LIFE to see how ‘poor’ we are today. Take a deep look, observe, contemplate your life… When the Father asked, 

“So what did you learn from THE  TRIP?”

May our answer would be, “I saw how spiritually poor I am and how much I need of You, O Father in Heaven, because I’m truly convinced of my sins, my many guilt and helplessness to save myself.”

With that the Father will surely answer your brokenness with gladness and joy in His heart, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3ESV)

“Thanks, Father, for showing me how much I need You in my life.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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Note: God is not only concern about our spiritual life; He cares about our needs. Ask (Pray) for what you needs (not wants) and it will be given to you (Matthew 7:7). The Bible also urges us to remember the needy and the poor by helping or serving them to show God’s love in a practical ways… God bless you. [For Biblical foundations on caring for and serving the poor; click HERE]