The Forgotten Prophet

I have been seeking to understand the glaring dichotomy I see between truth and error in our generation, and I remembered a recent book release about the Holy Spirit. This book was put along side and compared to another book release years ago about the same person. So I decided to once again look into the ministry of a preacher I had the privilege to sit under years ago before the hype.

I spent a good deal of time in affluent California in my early years in the Lord. When I was preaching in Pasadena at a small charismatic church, and overseeing a handful of half way houses for released inmates on drug charges, a dear brother in the Lord showed up at one of my midweek meetings. He was from Simi Valley, and said he felt led to come and find me and take to his church where a man was preaching truth (then as now, this was rare). So I got into his car and we drove to the church (I've never had a car, fyi). The preachers name was Francis Chan.

I listened to a message by Brother Francis today, and was deeply moved by the Holy Spirit. You can hear the pleading of God through Him to his congregation (this is much more profound when you have seen and been on that area for any length of time).

His book "The forgotten God" was compared to another book recently about the Holy Spirit, and I wanted to draw our attention to a prophetic voice I never considered prophetic until recently. Theological differences mean absolutely nothing when I listen to this oracular speaking from one of the riches places in the world, and the utter love demonstrated by God through His servant.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=18991

Would that our generation of young believers heed the prophets God has sent to this generation... Even if they aren't glitzy and vogue.

May the Lord reveal His truth via the Spirit of truth.

EDIT: What triggered this revisiting of Francis was when the other book was released, I "randomly" stumbled on a copy of 'The Forgotten God' in a thrift store for a dollar in Northern Utah, where any religious literature besides LDS literature is non existent in stores of any kind, especially thrift stores.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=21712

Hi Eschaible,

I was blessed by his sermon during the start of the pandemic. The sermons title was 'The Final Message to America' and he was talking about carrying the cross and to follow Jesus. Thank you for reminding me of that message. I really need to take up my cross daily and it's not easy because of my flesh and in need of prayers. I'm going to check out the link you posted.

Thanks and God bless,

Hi dear brother Evan,

I listened to both messages today that you linked above. Thank you for sharing!

What is the title of the other book?

Forgotten God is the one, but what is the newer release that you are speaking of?

Very few preachers these days have an intimacy with the Father that you can hear, and it moves you to tears. Brother Francis, in this sermon on prayer (it was the bare link I posted before), moved me to tears already this morning with this statement.

It still baffles me that our younger generation is not flocking to hear from this messenger. He doesn't use fancy terminology, he isn't flashy, he just loves Jesus. His message is a humble call to forsake religion and all of it's trappings and walk with Jesus.

Anyway, here is the message. If you already listened to it before, I would recommend a second listen.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=21712

EDIT: After finishing that and having to cover up the fact I was crying at work... I realized that our brother summed up almost a decade of the Lords dealings with me in one statement. That brethren, is prophetic proclamation, when God speaks through a piece of dust that has no right to be a vessel, except the mercy and grace of God.

Brother Caleb,
Regarding the other book, I'm sure a quick perusal through the forum threads would give you an idea (it's a brand new book). I don't even want to read it, I've heard enough of that authors preaching to know it's just words, and the pages might have the right things and be a blessing to someone, but the reality of God just isn't there, and I don't have any desire to let that sort of hyper charismatic religion gain a foot hold in my life again, especially since that's all people are flocking to these days.

Brother, I love Francis Chan!
Thanks for sharing!

Evan,

Thank you for your reply and I apologize for being so confused.

When I read this:

This book was put along side and compared to another book release years ago about the same person.

I initially thought you meant that the same person (Chan) had released another book recently now, and that you were comparing the two. I looked up "Until Unity" and wondered if that was the one, but then realized that was not just released, so that's why I asked if there was a new book by him that I was not aware of.

But now I realize that you were comparing a recent book, by a different author, with the "Forgotten God" book by Francis on the same topic (the Holy Spirit) that he wrote years ago.

It is great that you are being deeply ministered to afresh by brother Francis, and it is also understandable that you are deeply grieved by the new book recently released by an author that you do not respect (if their words are void of the unction of the Spirit).

As for who the author is that recently released a book that you are not a fan of, I agree with you, that is not the focus of your post, and I completely respect that.

There have been times where I too have wept listening to a message, and so I can appreciate your sentiments regarding the stirring of the Spirit that you are experiencing even now and I rejoice with you the Lord's grace and mercy in this moment.

Amen Brother Caleb.

I work with a guy who once told me his wife said he speaks in riddles, maybe that's why I understand him, I tend to do that as well.

But yes, God's true vessels are always the least expected and the ones that are off somewhere humbly serving Him. It's alarming we live in a day and age that flocks to the people everything thinks will be the ones the Holy Spirit has sperated and sent, most alarmingly because the very same people are the ones telling everyone that...

We can all to often read right past Steven in the book of acts. God used his waiting of tables to save souls, and through Stevens martyrdom for waiting tables, we see that Paul was there watching... I don't think God put that in the book on accident. I don't think Paul ever forgot what he witnessed that day, and it was used in his conversion.

So in one sense, the most profound truths in scripture were given to us as a result of Steven working as a bus boy.

Mike,
Amen brother.

Hi again brother Evan,

When you said this it really caught my attention too:

I've never had a car, fyi

Can you tell me more about that? Do you have a driver's license? Or do you have a physical limitation that causes you to not be able to drive?

What is the reason that you have never had a car?

Does your wife have her drivers license and does she have a car?

Or, perhaps there is an overtly spiritual reason that you do not have a car?

Whatever the case, it caught my attention.

It actually reminded me of something that happened years ago in my faith journey.

Way back in the early 2000's I sensed the Lord was calling me to do away with my corrective lenses (glasses and contact lenses). I reasoned that if God wanted to me to have perfect vision, he could have created me with better eyesight, or he could heal my poor eyesight, which I had been fervently praying for, to no avail.

My conviction ran so deep that for a season, I stopped driving (having flushed my contact lenses down the sink), and I began riding my bicycle to work, and my wife had to drive (me and our children) all of the time that we needed to go anywhere. This went on for months.

It was a very difficult period of time for my wife as she watched me "wrestle with God" by faith on this matter.

I even went so far as to go into a DMV office and announce to the whole office (and other customers waiting in the lobby) that I was believing God to heal my poor eyesight, and to be able to pass an eye exam without corrective lenses, so that my drivers license could be changed, and all the glory go to God right then and there in that DMV office.

But alas, when I took the test, the letters were still all blurry and I failed the test.

It was extremely humbling and embarrassing. I wept.

I did not blame God, I blamed my lack of faith.

Oh what a journey!

Eventually, my wife encouraged me to get lasik surgery, using HSA money that had been set aside to pay for medical bills.

After much more seeking God, and with a desire to lay down my life for my wife, I agreed to get the surgery, and it was quite honestly like a miracle, delivered in a very different way than I ever anticipated. After recovery, I was able to have perfect vision, and was able to drive again.

The Lord taught me so much about himself during that season. How his ways are not our ways and how much higher his thoughts are than my thoughts. That experience also showed me what an amazing wife I have to stick with me through my rollercoaster faith journey. It was painful for her because she too is a woman of faith, but the Spirit was not speaking to her the same words that I was hearing (about me going on without corrective lenses).

Anyway, I realize that I have fully digressed from the intent of your post brother, but when you mentioned that you have never had a car, it triggered my memory of those dealings with the Lord that I had years ago regarding my eyesight, and how it affected my ability to drive at the time.

Caleb,

Nothing as interesting as your story dear brother. Paperwork issues that turned into financial issues, that turned into ordered circumstances and an unavoidable lesson in humility. No one in my house drives at the moment, until circumstances are ordered again to provide for that to be a reality.

With that said, God has always provided in His faithfulness. It may be a life that doesn't make sense to some people, but I have learned from the Lord the depths of my own pride in ways I never would have before (getting groceries with an all terrain wagon for example). It's actually quite amazing to see how faithful God is and how the faith He gives laughs at impossibilities.

I haven't shared that before because I know how it sounds; but I hope the Lord will use it for His glory.

EDIT: I didn't see this before, another thread somehow trended right to this topic as well... But for entirely different reasons.

That is the first time I shared that specific testimony on a public forum too, but like you, I hope the Lord will use it for His glory.

Thank you for sharing so candidly brother, the practical dealings of God toward us with regards to matters of faith are truly precious and absolutely magnify his faithfulness, I could not agree with you more!

I have learned from the Lord the depths of my own pride in ways I never would have before

Well said, same here!