The Virulent Host of Demons

Last fall when the full host of demons were released on the nation, I never thought they would be a virulent as they are. I am stunned. They have doubled in their influence: The Homosexual Agenda, Gay Marriage, Islamic influence, religious freedom stifled, free speech constrained and the spirit of death by abortion and suicide embraced. I never imagined how openly aggressive they would be. We are at war with a demon army.

What side are you going to be on? What side is God is on? Or will you say as someone just did... God Bless the Abortionists? The great divide stands before you... you will have to choose.. as for me an my house... I know... Do you??

When the Church and the World do NOT Intersect -- The Church's Unique Factor

If we see the world and Church missions duplicating efforts, it's not because the world is more and more like the church, but that the church is more and more trying to say to the world "ME TOO!!"

I have nothing against churches doing mercy work in the community, feeding the poor, clothing the hungry, visiting the imprisoned... as long at they are doing it FIRST to and FOR those in the fellowship of believers.  The world does this pretty well.  Some under the guise of quasi christian outreach.  Some that is purely government.   Professional mercy providers.  Counseling, Parole, WIC, SNAP, welfare, psychiatry, medicine, education and a hundred government programs who have used your taxes (should have been tithe money) to support those who present themselves as needy.

What then can and should the church be doing that the world (government) cannot or will not do??

The Church's Unique Factor is:

• Offer eternal forgiveness of all sin by Jesus to the world
• Offer a Holy Ghost given destiny by Prophecy
• Tap into the Children's Bread to provide supernatural healing
• Using the Power of God in delivering a person from demonic oppression
• Give hope in the eternal purposes of GOD for people's LIVES
• Save, rescue and restore broken families on the verge of destruction by supernatural means
• Provide instruction in righteousness for Children who might otherwise be lost and worse
• Offer the wisdom of GOD for a person who lacks a word in due season
• Give them insight into the Father's heart for them in his revelation of care for them
• Standing with someone in FAITH in the Creator of all the Universe for HIS WILL for them
• Release of the Miraculous for people who desperately need a miracle
• Help people discern deception when it comes... even from those they trust
• Help people see heaven touching earth and what happens... so they say, "What does this mean?"
• Providing an atmosphere that allows God to manifest over the efforts of any man.
• Hope in a better tomorrow (no end time foolishness) and being ready to take part (Discipling)

In considering this list (and there can be much more) I have left out LOVE.  Not that it's not important, but the Love of God must be manifested in all these or it's not real and no better than the world.  OUR love will never save anyone.  God's Love saves alone.  We cannot love people into the Kingdom of God.  Most of this list NEVER happens in the church service.  It's why we would not be missed if our "Club" no longer met.

IF anyone wants to access any of what GOD has appointed the Church to provide, they must get it there, the world cannot and will not provide what God commissioned the Church to be and do.

Prophetic Fulfillment Before your VERY EYES

Six years ago the prophets were all abuzz saying the day of the big name ministry was over.  No more superstars.  That God was about to shut down or quiet big name ministries.  It has been a turbulent six years.  People have wondered about this. 

It was the summer of 2007.  July 7.  Nashville.  The last significant gathering.  There were going to be other spurts but this was the beginning of the end of the BIG NAMES.   Lakeland flew as Icarus.  Then in collapse by the big name... it all ended.  Has never come back.  Name me one large event that has taken place since.  They don't exist.  There are meetings... here and there.  God moving.. but not like once was.  The big names are gone.

7-7-07  The call in Nashville was to tear down the altars of Baal.  Particularly in the Church.  400 days later on 9/29/2008 the Dow Jones dropped 777 points.  It was the beginning of the end.  Our economy and our culture has drifted badly.  Unrighteousness seems to be on the assent.  It's an illusion.

God has been showing his people the new normal.  No more big names.  Yes, great leaders, but only as support to what God is already doing.  Ask any striving christian leader who have been trying to put on big meetings, big conferences, big names, bringing in big christian bands, big time speakers... how's it going?  It doesn't work any more.  When it did it was an anomaly.  It is getting harder and harder to draw a crowd.   Those who have tried and failed to find a place of ministry as a big time minister are more and more frustrated.  The old ways no longer work.  God is now in charge of the broken system.

God is doing a new thing.  The word of the Lord has come to pass before your very eyes.

Those who are in denial of this new direction will continue to be frustrated trying to be part of something that was a former day norm. 

The future will be even more startling.  Big churches, huge edifices, huge ministries, building programs will fail.  Debt will devour churches.  Shuttered doors.

The devil will cheer and the ungodly will mock as it happens.  What they don't understand it is the Father who is cleansing, driving out moneychangers, scattering doves, tipping over tables.

Meetings and assemblies will meet in a new place.  Mobile. Rented or refurbished.  Re-purposed or in homes.  Or even under the stars.

This is not condemnation.  This is correction.  Essential to bring order and authority back to his Body here on earth.  Some of this will be seen as loss... so did the Cross to the disciples on that day.   

Here's the word, the seed of faith must germinate and emerge to flower once again.  When the long winter ends, seeds of what is to come lie buried and supposed dead just below the surface.  As the rain comes, the dreary days progress the seed begins to swell, send out a root and live emerges. When the SUN shines on it, the seed comes into full bloom.  It shows itself as what it was intended to be.

The apparent death and burial of the passing structure will give new birth... new emergence and new fruitfulness.  It will not be like it ever was. 

Seed time and harvest... ever was... ever will be.

Satan's Invisible Fence

Our neighbors have a new dog.  Rescue dog.  Rambunctious.

To keep her in check they installed an invisible fence.  You know, the kind with wires under the ground that when she gets too close a collar makes a sound and gives her a shock. 

I doesn't take very many shocks before she no longer will transit the flag marked territory within which she avoids pain.  Once in a while a squirrel or bird will appeal and she will run wildly toward the flagged perimeter.  BUT as the sound and shock come..she stops.  The prey escapes. 

What she doesn't know that IF she ran thru and suffered the momentary pain she would be free...

Satan does that.  He takes painful circumstances in your life and uses them to fence you in.  Certainly there are some things we need to know.  Don't stand in the middle of a freeway and don't jump into shark infested waters.  Those warnings come from sense.  It's the ones that are designed to keep you from becoming what God intended for you to become that are the most dangerous.  We hate the idea of pain.  AND satan has a way of making a sound in your ear as you come close to your breakthrough saying... watch out.  Be careful.  Don't go too far.  You know what happened last time. Pain reminders.

This invisible fence in your life will keep you from new relationships, new jobs, starting a business, moving to a new place, taking a stand against evil, speaking out, resisting peer pressure, going deeper in God and many other things you were destined to do that now you are stopped by the flags he puts up and his whispers in your ear.  The greatness you were designed to achieve in your life is buried with you at your death.  IF you had any vision at all about what you were to become... you would run thru that invisible fence, endure the momentary pain and break free.

When I saw the dog, free but bound... I knew this was a word for someone.

Anthropomorphism

an·thro·po·mor·phism  (nthr-p-môrfzm) n.
Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. 

I post this because it is the root of all idol worship and false god creation.  Even Christians can become subject to imputing human emotions and feelings to things, animals and situations.    The one that most concerns me is animals.  They are animals.   Not to be abused, but not created in the image of GOD.  Not endowed with the divine spark.  Not heirs of the Kingdom.  Just animals. Yet people spend inordinate amounts of money, love and time on cats, dogs, horses and birds.  I love animals.  Had a dog who is irreplaceable in my life.  YET.... he was a dog and died.  We do this with our cars, with storms, with things.  It is a false worship paradigm.  We are violating the command regarding graven image... even for ourselves.  IF we are created in the image of God, then we must honor that creation with the nobility it deserves.  The example that is most striking is the level of condemnation given to a Micheal Vick over killings and abusing dogs (which I abhor) vs the Abortion Dr Murdering babies in Philly.  Anthropomorphism is part of the enemies strategy.  Don't fall for it.

Spirit Stirring

There is a demon set to stir you up.  It is designed to distract deceive and discount what the Lord intends for you. 

This demon comes in many forms.  Some is bad news. Some is national news. Some is discouragement. 

Some is from other people.

The voices always stir you up. 

The Lord says, "I am a voice of peace, if you know my voice, I will comfort you.  Build up yourself in the Spirit". 

I know this because the past few days.. I have been stirred... wrongly. 

The Twinkling of an Eye - life ends - Suddenly with the Lord

Thinking about the events of the past week.  So many of those people who died in Boston and Texas were not warned.  Life changed. Ended.  In the twinkling of an eye.

We use this to talk about end times events.  The rapture. 

Yet, the fact is, that little 8 year old boy was in the twinkling of an eye, changed. 

We don't think this is how it will be.  Most of us see ourselves lying somewhere and stepping from time into eternity... gradually.  Family around us.

That's not how these people went.  They were in the body in this second and in the twinkling of an eye... suddenly... with the Lord.

Yesterday I had an accident with a power tool. I'm OK.  Yet... it happened so quickly that it reminded me of how the sudden life's end can be.  

We should be careful how we live for in a moment we do not suspect.. Jesus is there before us. 

That keeps up vigilant.. not for the clouds parting, but for our own departing.

In a twinkling...

Where are the REAL Prophets of GOD?

Last week when all hell broke loose, most national prophets were very busy tickling the ears of the American Church with fluffy messages about how awesome we all are.

Fire against darkness

I have not said too much prophetically about the Boston Bombings. I know more than I am saying. I have let a few tid bits go out. There are more than you see. They were supposed to be cover for the boys. They left them to fend for themselves and left the area.. probably the country. To come back another day. There was supposed to be an extraction... but it never happened. Keep vigilant. Laws won't stop evil.. only Good. It works every time; turn the light on in a dark room and the light wins, darkness has to flee. That's what it will take here. The truth of Jesus will overcome, but only if the Light Shines.... that would be YOU and ME according to Jesus. They must not have had any christian witness in their lives. Or the Christian witness was anemic.. lukewarm, putrid. You are the ONLY light the world will ever see. The secular humanist flood now requires a standard to be lifted up. YOU are that standard. Rise up and be counted. Fire BRINGS LIGHT... be that

David Taylor: Russian Attack on America is Coming

Prophetic minister David E Taylor says the Lord showed him the future of America. He is the founder and leader of Joshua Media Ministries International.
Back in 1990 he had two dreams in which he saw America being attacked by Russia. The war led to a great Christian revival in America. A video clip of his message is shown below.
David Taylor first saw the future of America in a dream he received twelve years before the attack on the World Trade Towers in New York City, which happened on September 11, 2001. He saw George W. Bush would become President of the United States and the war would begin during his term. He saw the war would begin with terrorist attacks against America’s financial center. Mr. Taylor made the following statements in an interview on Sid Roth’s television program, “It’s Supernatural.”

“The Lord showed me that President Bush’s son would be President when the beginning of this war happened. There was war being plotted even at that time from Russia.”

“The Lord said to me, ‘The war will not start full-fledged. Russia will not just attack America with missiles. The attack will start with terrorists bombing the financial centers of America. That will be the beginning of the war.’”

“Any strategic warrior knows that you cannot come up against a strong nation if you don’t hit the seat of it’s strength. If you not that out and weaken it then you can attack.”

“The Lord began to show me that finances, the economic system, is the seat of America’s strength. It is money. In this dream I saw the financial centers, the trade center, and I saw other parts of the financial center being attacked by terrorists.”

For twelve years leading up to the attack on the World Trade Towers, David Taylor sounded the warning everywhere he went.

“I have been telling America for 12 years you are not untouchable. There is so much pride and arrogance in America. She thinks that because she is one of the superpowers and is one of the richest nations that she is untouchable.”

“In America when everybody thinks there’s going to be a war they say, “Let’s pray.” So everyone prays but there is no change. They still allow homosexuals to kiss on television, lesbians to get married, homosexuals to get married, and they continue killing children who God wants to raise up as deliverers.”

Then the day before the World Trade Towers were attacked, David Taylor was in New York for a crusade. That night the Lord told him to drive into the city twice that day warning the people of what was about to happen.

“Before 9/11 happened, I was up there two hours outside of New York City doing a crusade. The Lord began to show me that it was about to happen, the things I had seen in my dream. He said, ‘Go to New York.’”

“So I drove all the way to New York city, two hours, and this was before the crusade. And I drove around the trade centers in New York and began to tell the people that were with me and some of the people that were in New York that the terrorists are going to bomb this place. Then when it was time for our crusade we went back. Then after the crusade the Lord said, “Go back up there”. So I went back up there after the crusade that same night and drove around the trade centers. This was on the night before 9/11 and all the way into the morning of 9/11. Then the Lord said, ‘Now it is time to get out of here. Leave.’”

“So I left and when I got back two hours later it was on the news in my hotel that the trade centers had just been bombed.”

David Taylor also had a second dream regarding a Russian attack on America.

“When I was in college, I had another dream, a visitation from the Lord, and he said, ‘I have come to show you what is going to happen in America and you are to prophesy this and tell this to the officials and I will also open the door for you to tell this to the President.’”

“I had this dream and in this dream there were two major leaders. The Lord opened the dream up with the scene of me watching television. On television these two major powers shook hands and said, “We are at peace.” But I knew like Darth Vader and Luke Sky-walker they are never friends.”

They shook hands but the moment they said we are friends and we have peace among each other another leader walked on the scene on the television screen and said, ‘I have a lot of power now.’”

“It was like a lot of power had been entrusted to another nation. It was Russia. And immediately after that happened, as soon as they said there would be peace, a war hit America. Before the war hit America I saw the plan and they plan to go under the sea to attack America.”

“What Americans don’t understand is they think this is about Osama bin Laden and the terrorists. No, they are getting distracted. The real monster behind this attack is Russia. I can say that boldly because I know they are planning to attack America. Russia is planning an attack against America. What is going to happen is when this war hits America it is going to bring revival to America.”

“I cannot tell you when the Russian invasion of America will happen because the Lord has not given me a date on that. All I can say to America is that she needs to get ready. In the middle of this war the greatest revival is going to break out because whenever darkness hits the glory of the light arises.”

I believe part of David Taylor’s dream was fulfilled on March 26 2012 when we saw two major world leaders on television, President Obama from the United States and outgoing Russian President Dimitri Medvedev. In the following video, President Obama thought his microphone was turned off when he made the following comment to Medvedev regarding the Russian’s concerns about the NATO missile defense program in eastern Europe, “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.”
President Medvedev then replied, “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir, and I stand with you.”
Vladimir is incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin, replacing Medvedev. So in this video clip, which was broadcasted on television networks all over the world, the leaders of two major world powers created the illusion that there is peace between these two powerful nations. Then the third world leader, Vladimir Putin, is put in the position of having a lot more power because President Obama made it clear he is on their side, willing to do what they want. This is what David Taylor saw happening 22 years before it happened.

RUSSIAN SOLDIERS ARE ALREADY HERE
David Taylor saw the war starting immediately after these world leaders shook hands. If you watch closely you will see them shaking hands near the end of the clip. It has now been a little over one year since President Obama and President Medvedev shook hands. Obviously, we have not yet seen bombs dropping on America. However, bombing is the final phase of the war.
David Taylor’s timing appears to be accurate because covert operations started almost immediately after the hand shaking. Russian troops arrived in Colorado in May, 2012 and have been showing up all across America ever since. These reports were eventually confirmed by our own military as identified in my article, “Russian Troops Identified at Asheville Mall in North Carolina.”
The Obama administration is well aware of the presence of Russian soldiers training on American soil. So far the only explanation given is they are training for counter-terrorist operations. That explanation makes no sense because we don’t need the Russian army to train in America to help us fight terrorism. We already have a powerful military, national guard, and well-equipped Homeland Security. There must be another explanation.
The following video clip shows David Taylor sharing his prophetic dreams with Sid Roth. This interview was conducted in 2002 so that explains why both of them appear a lot younger than they look now.

MY COMMENTS
When I first heard David Taylor’s message, I immediately started thinking about packing up my family and moving to another continent far away. However, then I came back to reality and realized I could never do anything like that unless I knew God was telling me to go. Surely the Lord will need laborers to be here to help bring in the harvest. Like Queen Esther in the Bible, perhaps we were born at this time and in this country for such a time as this.
In summary, David Taylor’s dreams were correct so far regarding all of the following events:

1. George W. Bush was elected President.
2. Terrorist attacks on America’s financial center started during President Bush’s term.
3. He specifically saw the World Trade Towers in New York City being attacked and was actually there the morning of the attack praying over the area and warning local citizens.
4. Two leaders of major world powers shook hands on television and gave the appearance that there was peace between them. At the same time, their actions gave the third world leader much more power.

Even with all of those things fulfilled, it is still hard to believe America could be destroyed by a Russian attack. Americans have enjoyed peace and security unparalleled by any other nation in history. Most of us have never known anything else. That is a wonderful thing but it also makes it hard for us to imagine ever losing it with a devastating war on our own land. This is called a normalcy bias. We tend to reject anything that is abnormal from what we have known. However, given the accuracy of David Taylor’s prophetic dreams so far we would be wise to take heed and prepare ourselves for the part which is still yet to come.
The warning of a Russian invasion of America has been confirmed by other words received from other prophetic ministers including Henry Gruver, David Wilkerson, Dumitru Duduman, and Mike Shreve. A host of other prophetic ministers have seen fire coming to America including Pastor TD Hale, who said it looked like bombs had dropped everywhere all across America.
One encouraging part about David Taylor’s prophetic word is the revelation that “in the middle of this war the greatest revival is going to break out.” Those who are spiritually ready for what is coming can be part of the army of believers who help to bring in this great harvest. Everything we have endured until now could be to prepare us for the great harvest season ahead of us.
I also was interested in the comment about “whenever darkness hits the glory of the light arises.” Pastor TD Hale saw the same thing. In my article “TD Hale’s 4th Prophetic Dream: Rain of Fire Coming to America” he described what he saw happening immediately after he saw a rain of fire going across America.

“Then all of a sudden as I was suspended in the air I could see these beams of light quickly coming up out of the flood waters. Like at the speed of light they were quickly going up into the air. There were millions it looked like. Then at that moment I was taken higher above the earth and I could see the round earth and all over the earth I started seeing those lights shooting up all over the world. Then I came back down to the earth as if I was back at the beginning of this dream. Then I heard a voice say, ‘The shifting has begun.’”

Pastor TD Hale did not provide an interpretation of the meaning of the beams of light so I did not understand what they were. Then I heard a testimony from another prophetic minister, Ken Peters, who had a detailed dream about the end times. He also saw countless beams of light going up all around the world. He explained he was seeing a great revival all over the earth as the light of God was shining through the lives of His people. I believe all of these ministers are seeing the same thing.
After the attack on 9/11, I personally saw a big increase in church attendance at my local church. I also heard similar reports coming from other churches across the nation. However, it was a short lived phenomenon. After only about six weeks, people concluded the problem was under control and returned to their lives as if they no longer needed God. They wanted God to be there for them when they needed Him, but they had no interest in being available for God when He needed them. This shows the weak spiritual condition of many Americans. I believe if America had truly repented after 9/11 we could have avoided the far worse things that are now coming.
In Revelation 2:7, Jesus said “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” While many people mock and scoff at these warnings calling them a bunch of gloom and doom, my hope is others will have ears to hear so they can begin to prepare their hearts and their homes for what is coming. For those who know the Lord and are walking in close fellowship with Him, there is nothing to fear because God always takes care of His people.

Author: James Bailey

James Bailey writes blog articles about current events and how they relate to the truth of the scriptures. His vision is to broadcast the good news of Jesus Christ through blog sites and other media.

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Rick Joyner: The Remedy For Sin

We have been discussing sin and the carnal nature from which disciples are getting free. However, we cannot get free by our own strength from these things. It takes our will to want to get free in order to please the Lord and be delivered from what is bringing so much death upon the world. However, we need God's grace and His power to live free of these things.

The life of discipleship is not one of constantly focusing on sin and our mistakes. However, true, Biblical discipleship does start there. Without the consciousness of sin, we do not know our need for the redemption of the Cross. It is the consciousness of sin, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, which drives us to the only remedy for our sin – the Cross. The deeper and clearer this is to us, the stronger our life will be in Christ.

The Cross of Jesus

As we are told in James 3:2, "We all stumble in many ways." So we will occasionally need to cast ourselves again at the feet of the Cross of Jesus for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Repentance begins with remorse for our sin, but then once we have been to the Cross for forgiveness, there is nothing else we need to do, no penance that we need to do, or even continued remorse for the remission of our sins.

The Cross of Jesus is enough. For us to think that we then need to do something more is a basic affront to the Cross of Jesus. When we feel that we have to pay part of the price, we are basically saying that this sin is too much for God to bear, and therefore we need to pay for it ourselves.

After the remorse has caused us to repent, we need to move on. We will not be delivered from our sinful nature by focusing on our sins, but as we are told in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

We get changed by beholding the glory of the Lord, not by beholding our sins. When we sin, we must not embrace the delusion that we did not sin, but acknowledge it, go to the Cross, then bury that "body of death" and do not resurrect it. We are made righteous by abiding in Christ, who is our righteousness, not by constantly focusing on and fighting sin.

However, for a time there will be a focus on and fighting of sin. Every new Believer goes through this struggle for a period of time. Many who have been in Christ for a long time continue in it because they never built on the strong foundation of repentance that leads to the Cross and to Christ. We then need to keep our eyes on Him, not go back to and focus on the sin. When we look back at ourselves, we will be like Peter who was able to walk upon the water as long as He kept His eyes on the Lord, but as soon as he focused on the water he began to sink.

Cultivate Fruit

So instead of continuing to focus on the works of the flesh, let us now focus on the fruit of the Spirit. These we are told in Galatians 5:22-24 are:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The focus of our life must be to grow this fruit. So how do we do this? We cultivate. Cultivating was the first command given to man in the Garden, and it is still basic to our purpose and is part of our nature. As we are told in Ephesians 4, we grow up in all things into Christ, and this growing is the result of cultivation. We are told in Psalm 37 to cultivate faith, which is how we grow in faith and all the fruit of the Spirit.
How do we cultivate? As the Lord taught in His parable, we begin by looking for good soil to sow the seed in. We are the soil, so what kind of soil produces fruit?

If these are not characteristics that we have, we need to get them. Then, once the seed is planted, we need to water it, and keep the weeds away from it, which are the cares and worries of this world. We then need to guard it from the birds of the air, which in the parable are satan and his minions. We must protect the fruit until it can mature.
A basic point that the Lord makes in His parables is that what we become in Him is intentional. We must care enough to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. If we are intentional about this, we will be amazed at how little fighting we have to do with the carnal nature continuing to resurrect itself. Bearing fruit requires an intentional life of discipleship.

Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
Email: info@morningstarministries.org
Website: morningstarministries.org

The Schemes of the Enemy requires Cooperation from US

The enemy can whisper in our ear.  He can cause people to come against us.  He can influence situations thru his lies.  He has no capacity for truth.

He can even use me, or you.   I don't care how holy you believe you are.  You can be used.

Peter was.  Jesus encountered an attack from satan at the cooperation of Peter. 

Matthew 16:21-23

21From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

22But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

What makes this interesting is that this is directly after the time when Jesus called Peter's revelation of HIM as the Christ a ROCK.  A passage Catholics point to as first pope.  

It's important to stay humble and repentant when we cooperate with the schemes of satan. 

This is timely because as we watch the unfolding drama in Boston there are those who are cooperating with the schemes of the enemy.  The enemy means this for evil, God can use it for good.  Yet, there are many who are doing what they think they should do, saying things they think need to be said, who are in fact cooperating with the enemy.  Not on purpose.

God has shown me MUCH about this event.  He has also instructed me to hold my tongue.  I warn those who are jumping to conclusions regarding this event that they are being Peter... called of God but cooperating with the enemy.

Even many in government doing what they think is right will cooperate with evil.

Here's a reality I will share.  There is an accelerating desire to mask and hide developments after the Boston bombing.  Some in authority would like this to go away.  IF they succeed, in two weeks this will be a painful unsolved memory.  God knows who did this and why.  He is telling His prophets.

Be cautious what you say or what you respond to.  The enemy is on the loose.  His name is FATHER OF LIES.

Why the Western Church is in Such Disarray

The modern church no longer embraces the Prophet's Role in confirming leadership. That is why so much of the church is in such disarray. Senior Leaders are put in place by people who look only at the external not at the heart.

The book of Acts confirms what Ephesians and Corinthians state doctrinally, that the Lord selects and specifically calls some men and women to be prophets. Prophets were important in the establishment of the church at Antioch, the first church recorded that was composed of both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 11:27). It was the prophet Agabus who foretold that there would be a severe famine in the Roman world during the reign of Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:28; this famine is documented in secular Roman history). Prophets were vital in getting the revelation from the Lord to set apart Paul and Barnabas and send them on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4). The prophets Judas and Silas are specifically mentioned as exhorting and confirming the disciples in Antioch (Acts 15:32-KJV). It was Agabus the prophet who so graphically portrayed what would happen to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10 and 11). In fact, the only foretelling in Acts is given either by prophets or by the apostles Peter and Paul.

The book of Acts and the Church Epistles show clearly that the Lord still works through called prophets. They are not “just another believer because every Christian can prophesy,” as some have stated. Evangelists still exist in the Church even though every Christian can share his faith, there are still pastors even though every Christian can help people who are hurting, and there are still prophets in the Church even though every Christian can manifest prophecy. Prophets are charged with being spokesmen for God just as they were in the Old Testament, and today they speak also for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once we understand that the ministry of a prophet is the Lord’s doing, and that they are very important to the health and wellbeing of the Church, we should be very interested in recognizing who they are and what we can do to help them in their job of being spokesmen so we can have the word of the Lord among us in a more powerful way. If we close our ears to the Prophets... we will fall into error. They are there for our protection. Hearing them is an option..one of which will lead into a ditch if they are not heard.

I am and I am not a universalist by Robert Farrar Capon

The whole universalist theology is a problem.  I believe in Heaven and a Hell.  I do believe that people who die without trusting Christ as presented to them (Read Romans for more) are lost.  More than that reality,  I believe in GOD'S love, his passion towards His creation.  I believe that it's hard to go to hell once you have come into the knowlege of the True and Living God.  One you have said...YES it's done.  It's a difficult theology.. yet not so hard.  We must embrace the reality of God's finished work in Jesus.  Once we do...  clawing your way to hell is nearly impossible. At least that's what Jesus said. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand".   John 10:28

 From Robert Farrar Capon
“I am and I am not a universalist. I am one if you are talking about what God in Christ has done to save the world. The Lamb of God has not taken away the sins of some — of only the good, or the cooperative, or the select few who can manage to get their act together and die as perfect peaches. He has taken away the sins of the world — of every last being in it — and he has dropped them down the black hole of Jesus’ death. On the cross, he has shut up forever on the subject of guilt: “There is therefore now no condemnation… .” All human beings, at all times and places, are home free whether they know it or not, feel it or not, believe it or not. But I am not a universalist if you are talking about what people may do about accepting that happy-go-lucky gift of God’s grace. I take with utter seriousness everything that Jesus had to say about hell, including the eternal torment that such a foolish non-acceptance of his already-given acceptance must entail. All theologians who hold Scripture to be the Word of God must inevitably include in their work a tractate on hell. But I will not — because Jesus did not — locate hell outside the realm of grace. Grace is forever sovereign, even in Jesus’ parables of judgment. No one is ever kicked out at the end of those parables who wasn’t included in at the beginning.” —

A Prophet must not only comfort and reveal, sometimes he/she must stir you UP

I love the voice of a prophet when he speaks goodness over my life.  When he declares the mind of God towards me.  When he defines destiny that comes from the throne.  When he uses his office to equip me for the future.  I love GOOD prophecy.

Unfortunately, sometimes the prophets purpose is to sound an alarm. Like things we see all around us that warn.  Things that in our flesh are unwelcome.  Things that stir us. 

We are Stirred and disturbed when:

• 
  
• The alarm clock goes off early in the morning and we are sound asleep.  We want to hit the snooze button... prophets don't have a snooze button.
• 
  
• The smoke detector goes off.  Maybe it's a false alarm, but it senses something and sounds forth.
• 
  
• The fire engine or police car coming to an intersection we were about to cross and the sound of them makes us stop and take a look.
• 
  
• The tornado siren goes off and we wonder what is happening.
• 
  
• A storm alert on TV tells us that a big storm is coming, it interrupts our regular programming.. the one we wanted to watch.
• 
  
• The flashing light on your dashboard says Check Engine.  You know something is not as it should be and you have to get it fixed.  That will take time and money, to save even more time and money.

All around us inconvenient alarms go off, some at times we wish they would not. We have a choice; we can ignore them... or we can decide to heed and perhaps it will save our life or money or urge us on to better things.

That sometime is the role of the Prophet.  Not heeding him or her will cost, but heeding may mean an interruption.  Or danger.

In the old times in the Bible, there were town criers, Watchmen.  Those who kept an eye out for danger.  They cried out and warned the people if an attack were imminent.  We now have different means of communication, but the net effect is the same.

The watchmen are responsible for your life. The voice of the Prophet is that.  They look out for you.  If they cry aloud... you have a choice.. Heed or perish.. a bit or a lot.

Why I Don't Believe in the Rapture by David Weber

Gene says. I think David is being a little hard, but I agree in principle with his theology.  Tough call:

I wrote something recently about 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, and someone who apparently disagreed with what I wrote felt to correct me by sending me a letter this morning which spelled out for me (in great detail) the Christian fundamentalist escape rapture theory (with all the "end times" stuff that goes along with that). I presume that these folks think that I've never heard such stuff before, and therefore they were trying to enlighten me. For whatever it's worth, I'm sharing with you my response to these dear folks. – David Weber

* * * * * *

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your heart in wanting to share this. I'm not going to beat around the bush about this though. I too believed this, and taught it, because that is what was taught to me by my teachers. The Lord then showed me that the pre-tribulation rapture theory is false, along with most all of the dispensationalist, eschatological and zionist nonsense that goes right along with it.

I don't expect you to believe what I'm saying here, but I do encourage you to fast and open-heartedly seek the Lord that He Himself might show you about this. That is what I did 15 years ago, on my face and in tears before Him waiting for direct revelation of the truth because I was getting a check in my spirit about what I was hearing taught incessantly on this subject from the Christian pulpits.

"Heaven" is not a far away glittering jewel studded city with streets of gold, pearly gates, and our own personalized mansions prepared for us to someday relocate to, by the way. No, heaven is simply another term for THE SPIRIT REALM. It speaks of the entire spiritual dimension (with all of its varying degrees) which envelopes and influences all of this natural creation, but whose presence and influence generally goes unnoticed by it.

With this in mind, and with regard to being caught up to the highest heaven, I'll just say that even now there are those who are pressing in for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus by entering into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, being made conformable to His death so that they might also be partakers of His glorious resurrection life. These saints are not hoping to be raptured away from trouble into the clouds, for they know that trouble (tribulation) is what brings them into rapturous fellowship with the Father and that IN THIS WAY THEY CAN BECOME THE CLOUDS in whom the Lord shall come with great power and glory and through whom every eye shall see HIM (for they shall be like Him).

Something else that I feel to point out to you about all of this is that the word used for “keep” in John 17:15 is the Greek word “tereo” which means to “watch, guard and protect.” IT DOES NOT MEAN TO REMOVE! This is the exact same word used in Revelation 3:10 where the Lord makes the promise to a remnant of believers that He will “keep” them (watch over, guard and protect them) from the hour of testing that will come upon the whole earth. This verse does not speak of divine evacuation from tribulation, but of divine protection in the midst of it. How men have been twisting these things to their own demise and the demise of others.

I have pleaded with many pastors over the years to get on their faces too in true humility and repentance before God so that they might hear and know about what is really to come upon the church in the end of the age. But most of these men have taken no heed to what has been said to them, and so, by their teachings, they continue to make lies their refuge and deception their hiding place, and those who follow them in their teachings more than likely those who will fear and flee in the day of battle rather than those who will stand in the battle in the authority and the anointing and the power of Christ.

It is certainly now the time for us to LOOK UP for our redemption draws nigh. Our salvation (full salvation) is surely now much closer than when we first believed, but that does not mean that we should be looking up into the sky for the coming of Christ hoping to be raptured away. It means to FIX OUR VISION ON THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT (a higher realm than this natural one) so that we might understand the manner of the Lord’s coming in this day, and be ready for it.

May the Lord bless you both with insight and understanding of these things. by David Weber

Get your Church off the Track of Death

One of the benefits of age is the ability to look back a LONG way and see patterns.

One of the patterns I see is the cycle of dependency that sets into a church as it develops.  I have lived thru 3 of these cycles in churches I have been part of.  It is a sad thing when it happens.  It is nearly always irreversible and is usually terminal. 

I see it most like a parent who raises up a child, that child becomes misled and then somewhere along the way drifts into addiction.  It's a heartbreaking thing to see.  The parent grieves. Without intervention the child will perish.  And when it's the church of Jesus... it breaks the heart of her Bridegroom.  Without intervention, she will perish.

Here's the pattern.  I speak not about any particular church or denomination, but of those who follow this inexorable cycle, a train that runs headlong down this track to death:

Birth.  New Church Plant. Starting Fresh.  The members are hungry.  Eager.  The Spirit of God is alive.  I remember well these days.  There would be prophecies, tongues, interpretation of tongues, dynamic altar services.  Worship would go on for an hour sometimes.  People laid out.  Dancing in the aisles.  Preaching that ripped the mask off the enemies schemes.  Powerful times.  You couldn't take your eyes off.   The outreaches were powerful because that's all there was.   Fellowship was sweet because you were all of like mind.  The world was coming.

Building.  The success of this vital new work means we need a building.  OR a bigger building.  This means debt usually.  This building becomes the focus of the ministry.  The myth is "We could do so much more if we had our own place".  Then when the church gets their own place, the place gets them.  I have more than once advised pastor leaders NOT to build too soon.  It is a bondage you may not want to have.  It can kill you.  It certainly sucks a lot of energy up to develop and maintain this project.

Budgets.  Once a church comes to a certain point, when the money coming in is flattening out, when the building is sucking over half or more of the church's income, then the art of Budgeting kicks in.  No longer does Holy Spirit decide how and where you will send or use your money.  The bank does.  The budget committee does.  The bureaucracy does.  The pall is thickening.

Boards.  As the difficulties in doing what needs to be done to meet budgets and do some form of ministry, boards are created.  Women's, missions, children, men's, community, prison and a hundred other little fiefdoms over lorded by people elected not for their competence but for their ability to be team players.  The board is the anti apostolic form of church governance and always results in complete stagnation.  Boards exist where Prophets are not Heeded.  When you see boards, committees and leader groups formed you know the trend is toward the grave.

Boredom.  Safety is the result of consensus.  Consensus rules because leadership is lacking.  No risks are taken. No hopes and dreams.  Let's not rock the boat.  The spiritual incest causes the joy to be sucked out.  The source of this is a lack of new blood.  Tradition sets in.  Rules take over.  Things stop because of a sense of "Order".  Order that denies the power of God.  Death is imminent.

Baloney.  Arguments and conflicts over really foolish things begin here.  It is said that the Bolsheviks came and destroyed the Orthodox church in Russia after the Revolution  right in the middle of a debate that was tearing the church apart over the color of vestments.  The fact is we are now arguing over things just as silly.  We no longer see the big picture.   The main thing ceased to be the main thing a long time before.  This is where gnat sized arguments are strained at.  Love no longer reigns.  The Church now breaths it's last. 

Blaming.  A remnant remains.  Legacy leaders.  Legacy members. No new people come in.  The blame is plenty to go around.  The former pastor who messed it all up.  The church split.  The bad elder board.  The bad worship team.  The lousy sound system.  Fill in the blank.  The truth was that Ichabod was hung over the door long ago.  This now simply a corpse.  You can find them all over town.  Huge buildings with boards of elders presiding over fellowships that should seat three hundred now seating thirty.  Dead church.

Bereavement.  This is how those who were there at the beginning feel about the church they once knew.  The living Body.  The vitality.  I have many friends who were there long ago who cannot stomach the church any more.  Who love God.  But the stench of death is too strong to put up with very long.  The conversations you have with these people always results in "Remember when?"

There is an answer of course.  Not every church goes thru this cycle.  I know of several who have kept love alive.  Fewer than I hoped would be the case.  I won't name names.  A couple of these now dead churches are still doing OK.  They have not yet fallen into decline.  But the spirit of God is no longer welcome.  There are a couple others who are just a few years from the end.

The answer to this is to close it up right now. Change the name on the door.  Fire all the leadership.  Ask them to leave.  Start over.  Plant a new church in the old building.  It would be really good if from the time the door closes till then new plant starts that six months could pass.  You do not want those old spirits and old demons to come back.  They WERE the death of the Church.

Jesus said it best.  "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives."  John 12:24 NLT

Does your church need to roll back to it's birth?  If it does.. it will need to die to all the things that suck the life out of her.  Nothing of the old must remain.  You must be born again.

Only courage and apostolic leadership can create this.. and you can't vote that in. It either is or is not.

Will you preach to the choir this Sunday?

The choir already knows the answer to life's persistent questions. Seekers don't. Inquiring minds want to know.   Will what you preach on Sunday answer the real questions people are asking?  Look at the non fiction lists of best sellers among christian and new age books. These are the questions seekers have. 

I wandered my local bookstore to check out the aisles of the Christian and New Age books. The new age section is Twice as large as the Christian book section. Book Stores stock sections related to what sells. That is a clue. There is a great deal of interest in the supernatural and spiritual.  Can we speak to this?

Seekers are those who seek "Truth".  We give them what we have.  We are faithful to the BIBLE.  We love to sing... Jesus loves me this I know, for the _____________ tells me so. You just lost them. They consider the Bible just another book written by men... like "The Secret, or something Depac Chopra wrote and pitched on Oprah.  Paul the Apostle ran into this in Athens. We now LIVE spiritually in Athens. 

There is a partial list of the questions they are asking.. what's really on their mind...even the pagan asks these questions.  This is a sample:

•     Karma, is it real? It seems to be.
•     What about reincarnation. Will I return after I die?
•     Are there such things as Guardian Angels?
•     Can evolution be explained simply as the "process" of God's work? Why or why not?
•     Different religions and different people speak of "their" God as the only God. Isn't God one   and the same for all? Is there only One God, or are there various Gods fighting each other?
•     What's the source of divine knowledge?
•     How should I deal with people who don't understand my spiritual life?
•     What are the universal laws of the universe? How did they come to be?
•     What is the goal of our spiritual path? Can we really get there?
•     What are angels...are they different? Will I become an angel after I get to heaven?
•     Do we live on after we die?
•     Is heaven really real?
•     Does everybody eventually end up in heaven.  Is my mother there?
•     What about hell? Is it real or just a myth.
•     IF a baby dies, does it go to heaven or hell or somewhere else?

Sunday morning we might once again answer questions seekers aren't asking. This is what they are wondering about. Sure, I know the answer to these... so do you. BUT... what how to you bring the up and out in our communities from these inquires to the knowledge of the true and living GOD.  They are the ones gong to psychics, reading the new age books, consulting horoscopes, buying omens and talismen.  I see them in peoples homes.  They are hungry for TRUTH.  The Devil has fed them a lie.  Bondage.  It's time to get real.

Reaching the UP and OUT

IF we are going to Keep the Message of Christ and Him Crucified for our sins central in our churches, we need to remind ourselves of what the Apostle Paul described to the Church at Corinth. Yesterday I posted what God is showing me about reaching those who are up and outers in Jesus. IF we read what Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 we will see that what I am hearing by the Spirit is exactly what Paul said:

When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God for I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived” —

the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord

so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

IF that is the case, we need to manifest the mind of Christ to others. That is more than preaching. It's demonstration... see Chapter 12 of this letter for instruction.

Even in our day...

 Matthew 15
You cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

Gifted to Reach the Unreachable

How can today's church reach the lost, and more directly, the lost who have everything in worldly riches.  The lack of impact on our culture by the Church in the western world (Europe and the USA) is poster child material for what we are not getting done.   I live and work in the place where this is most prevalent, so it is most on my mind.

I was given Holy Ghost insight on how it happened in my own life and in the lives of so many I know.  It is also how those in the first century reached the world in which they lived.

We are familiar with the 9 gifts of the Spirit.  We think they are only for edification only INSIDE the local assembly.  Certainly that is a great place to have them flow.  To reach the lost up and outer it is going to take activation one on one with people who are hungry for more of SOMETHING REAL when they are Discontented. Troubled.  In distress.  Uncertain.

It takes all NINE of the gifts flowing FREELY (not just the easy ones) to reach these people.

Counterfeit gifts have displaced the genuine everywhere.  If we are going to build the Kingdom, we will need the genuine.  Unfortunately, many who are good at the church game are as counterfeit as the psychic down the street or the quack who claims to heal with crystals.  Con games are played everywhere. Some in the name of Jesus.  Ministers taking the name of the Lord in vain.  Does anyone need some Water blessed by Reverend so and so??  I see it advertised on "christian" TV.  I'm sure he can turn the tap on once more if you need some.  Right here is where the hundred dollar line starts.

We need LESS of that and MORE of the Genuine.  Those who are effective at reaching the lost using all nine Gifts of the Spirit are fewer than you might imagine.  For the most part they are not equipped to operate in them.  Those of us in the Five Fold haven't done our job well.

How does it look when the gifts are used to evangelize?

Word of Knowledge:
I have been in Joyce Still meetings (who operates strongly in this gift) and people are stunned by her accuracy.  They are well attended.  Dr Matthew Stevenson in our area operates in this with great effect.  It is not enough to say "Someone has back pain".  That's easy and cheap.  More important is to say, "You (speaking directly to an individual) were in conflict with your mother yesterday. The Lord says to you... etc".   That will speak to an up and outer.  Tell them everything they ever did... as the woman at the well testified.  Most Christian ministers are good at the "pain in right leg" thing.  Most are really bad at "you got a note from the bank in yesterday's mail that was really bad news; the Lord says, You will prevail".  Most won't speak out because they don't have the courage or are shallow in their giftedness.  I still miss it once in a while, I have learned to speak when prompted to do so...and the Lord makes up the difference.  IF we do this well, IF those operating in this are equipped properly it is a powerful tool for evangelism.  IF not, it is phony baloney manipulation.  Don't try this unless you are properly equipped.  God wants you to have this and he wants those you reach to have it as well.

Word of Wisdom
When God puts supernatural insight into one's mouth in a situation where direction and wisdom can be given, it's amazing.  People will flock to them as God uses them.  This is not prophecy.  This is guidance.  This is directive. This is not counsel.  This is wisdom beyond your human capacity.  Put your nets down on the other side of the boat.  Many ministers think that by sitting and giving their opinion they are operating in the word of wisdom.  They are not. When the GIFT is active you will hear yourself say things you never thought you could or should.  It will be bold.  Sell this. Buy that. Go here.  Go there.  This is not Prophecy... however much it looks like it.  It is conveying the mind of God, wisdom far above your own understanding to help others navigate life.  A person who sees this will want more and if you tell them THEY can do this too... whoa... Discipling happens.

Discerning of Spirits
When people come to you with difficulty, if you operate in this you will quickly see in the spirit what is going on.  Who is influencing what. This isn't always demonic.  Some times it is simply a spirit in effect that is causing difficulty.  When I have had to deal with this, it has sometimes been a parent who's spirit was a stumbling block for their children.  OR a relationship.  Or an involvement.  The key to discerning of spirits is knowing what spirit is behind the situation.  People think one thing is the problem, when it is something else.  IF you have this gift, you can use it to cause people to wonder how you were able to look past the obvious.  Then you have an opening to encourage them to find the source of the Gift... the Giver.

Gift of Faith
Sometimes people need to lean on another person's faith.  A dead person for instance has no faith at all.  They need to hear the word of faith.  Sometimes in very difficult situations where people have nearly given up, they need to hear the word of Faith.  It is not presumption, it is an expression of an unshakeable faith in the Almighty God for deliverance.  Our God is able to deliver us, be even if ... Faith.  Faith in God at that level is attractive and more important, helping people enter into that level of faith is a key to reaching them for the Kingdom. Without faith is it impossible.  AND when you let them know that it's a gift, FROM the Father... they will be ready to enter into that relationship.

Gifting for Miracles
The world hungers for the Miraculous.  Most of what we believe is miraculous is not.  Found my keys.  A phone call from a friend just in time.  Money that I needed that showed up.  That's part of Provision and Protection in God.  I am talking about when something MUST change, something impossible must be moved by the Hand of God is invoked by faith... that miracles happen.  BIG mountain moving miracles.  Sun standing still in the sky miracles. Axehead floating miracles.  Red sea parting miracles.  We may not see those... yet we must walk in confidence (not presumption) of the miracle working power of GOD and then be bold enough to declare it.  Do that a few times around an up and outer and they will keep your number on their speed dial.  Tell them you can teach them how to walk in this gift and they will be a ready disciple.  I have not been as strong in this as I could have been.  YET.. I have walked here and every time it's an amazing testimony.

Gift of Healing
Here's where it gets weird. Certainly everyone loves the account of a healing.  People flock to large crusades to see people get up and walk, the dead raised, the broken made whole. It IS the children's bread to be healed and delivered. Deliverance is a form of healing... although true deliverance depends on the gifts of faith, discernment, knowledge as components.  However, healing to the believer is part of the covenant.  Healing to the unbeliever is a sign and a wonder.  The problem has long been that people have been "healed" but not.  There are the leg lengthenings.  I'm not against these things, but some are simply silly.  I want to deal with the real situations.  Terminal illness.  Paralysis.  Impossible situations. Healing doesn't happen by my faith.  Healing happens because the GIFT comes into activation.  IF a person is healed or delivered by the power of God (not some man's crusade) he or she will be easy to reach for the Gospel.  Healing is an essential part of evangelism.  Then tell someone that you can help them get this gift for others (particularly their family) and you have someone ready to be discipled.

Gift of Prophecy
As a prophet, this is the one that most often comes into play.  IF I can convey to someone what God says to them about them..that will draw people.  Don't confuse this with wisdom or knowledge.  They are related, but Prophecy will build up, give confidence, define destiny, warn of danger or describe what is about to happen.  When a person hears a Prophet operate like this... things change.  It is easy to discount a prophet since a prophet doesn't operate in the realm of time.  He can't tell you that Thursday at 3PM such and such will take place.  He sees beyond the veil into the eternal and describes what he sees.  Yet if an up and outer hears from a prophet as things manifest in his life... He will be easily reached for the Kingdom.  I have had this happen.  Always one on one.  Seldom in big meetings. AND if you tell that person that they too can have this gift... they will be easy to disciple.

The last two Gifts are related yet for me they were the Gifts that brought ME to into the Kingdom.

I wasn't looking for a word, for knowledge, for wisdom, for healing, for faith, for miracles.  I needed a touch from God... a God I didn't even know very well.

Someone laid hands on me and I received by the Spirit the Baptism...

The gift of Tongues.
I won't relate this testimony again.  Yet, when I was at my wits end, marriage, addiction, family, uncertainty, struggle, a man I knew asked me if I would like to receive the Gift of God for me... the Holy Spirit manifested in the Gift of Tongues.  I was doubtful.  Yet.. I suddenly a few days later all by myself had a Pentecost experience.  I don't know if tongues of fire were on me.. but I knew that I knew that it was real. From that day forward to this I have not backed away.  Don't you think there are other people hungry for a supernatural encounter among the up and outers?  I do.  Look at how well the "Heaven is for Real" and "Jesus Calls" books sell.  Look at how interested in supernatural things the world is.  We have it for real.  God is urgently looking to give this gift to anyone who will say yes. 

No, my denominational friends, you did NOT receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost when you believed.  You get it when you hear yourself speaking the language of Heaven.  This is a wonderful evangelism tool and the one that reached this up and outer.  It will reach others.

Interpretation of Tongues
This is Not just someone standing up in a meeting and interpreting according to 1 Corinthians 14.  Although that kind of meeting is overtly evangelistic.  Read the whole chapter.  This is the key to the gateway to all the other spiritual gifts.  IF you speak in the language of Heaven and hear what the spirit is saying to your spirit (interpreted) you will be prepared to enter into any of the other gifts.  The key to this being an evangelistic tool is the fact that unless one is prepared, unless one is disciplined to do this they won't be ready when the time comes.  Here's a truth.  Unless a person has these last two gifts, The gift of tongues with a manifested heavenly language and the capacity to hear what the spirit is saying, NONE of the other gifts can or will operate.  They just won't.

This kind of  evangelism is all thru the word of God.  Mostly in the Book of Acts and Corinthians.  You can't even effectively preach and teach unless you have first come thru the gateway provided.  The adage Jesus gave, it is more difficult for a rich man to ENTER the kingdom of heaven than a camel to come thru the eye of the needle. (a gateway).  I just told you what and where that gateway is.  Help those up and outers find that.. and they will come into full effect.

Here's the last thing.  IF we are truly successful in doing all of these things, doing what Jesus says for to do, make disciples, equip them, make them like Him, give them the tools and the gateway to use them, we should of necessity empty out the church building of those so equipped. Most of these gifts seldom operate in church services any more.  Oh sure from time to time someone will come to town and dazzle us all with their giftedness in what should be normative with every mature believer.

We fail in our outreaches to the world because we are not yet equipped to do so.  You can't impart what you don't possess.  Many times I have walked into a shopping mall and asked the Holy Spirit to direct my steps to someone who HE is calling just then.  Then going quietly and humbly to them engaging in conversation, Soon the gift of God alive and speaking words of knowledge, wisdom or prophecy which many times leads to prayer for their situation, speaking words of healing or deliverance.  It's easier than it looks.  It's just not flashy.  No offerings are taken. Most ministers don't bother and most of them couldn't do it if they wanted to.  IF you are fully equipped to operate in all nine gifts, mall walking by faith is a great place to practice.  Just do it and the graces of God will lead you.  If you miss it a few times, his grace is still sufficient.

It's time to begin to reach the lost with more than avoiding hell or a bigger BMW.

Go ye therefore...

Reaching the Culture... Reaching those Up and Out.... Reaching the World - it's not working.

The church of Jesus in the earth has become very effective at reaching the desperate.  Reaching the poor. Reaching the lost (in worldly terms).  That's why we have soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Most of us came to Jesus when we were at a low time in life.  Transitions.  So our ministry efforts target those in transition.  It's spiritually low hanging fruit.

It wasn't about eternal life they came.  Not for most.  Studies show that even the most ungodly believe that if there is a heaven, they are going there.  Dangling a sinner over hell with a rotten stick doesn't work in our culture.  Even the most pagan get religious funerals.  Look at the huge catholic funeral the other day for an avowed atheist.  Or at least an agnostic.

The church no longer speaks the language of the culture.  We have fallen into a trap of trying to create a better club... one where we can LOVE people into the kingdom.  We depend on our ability to reach the lost.  So we come up with all kinds of semi effective ways of assimilating people by involvement, groups, programs, systems and every kind of connecting program in the world.  The church growth seminars perpetuate the myths.   Everyone hears about the guy who built this great ministry by (Fill in the blank) so we ought to all copy him or her.  That's the problem.  It's in the world.  It is worldly in it's execution.  The gangs on the street do better than we do.  The fans of popular culture music and TV do better at building loyalty.  The sports teams do better.  Go to a football game in the USA and you will see people who find more love and acceptance than we will ever be able to show in our flesh.  And boy are they loyal. The cheering and enthusiasm dwarfs nearly anything going on in our culture by the church today.   Even the great conferences and gatherings are not even close to what the world puts on. 

That is the rub.  Our flesh will fail us if we depend on it to build our church.  The flesh dependent things we do in the HOPES  of drawing a crowd into our church building no longer work.  We have veered off course in our hopes to build a church rather than to build a kingdom.  Church building has become a business designed to maintain the lifestyle of the senior leader in many cases.  IF there were term limits on Senior Leaders in today's church (they used to have them, it was called martyrdom) you would find less emphasis on building churches.  IF you knew prophetically that the church you are building would only have you for 4 years and then you would die AND... as an added caution, no relative of yours would be allowed to take over your work ... would you work as hard as you do now.   Would that next conference or program even exist?  I doubt it.  I have often thought about the word "Work" related to a ministry.  I use it.  Yet.. it's not really supposed to be YOUR work.  It's HIS work.  When you look at Christian Media in all it's public forum... it doesn't look much like His work to me. The ministry machine driven by money in America no longer is functioning.  Look all around you.  Is this the world you want to pass on to your grandchildren?  Your ministry is not the Church... it is the world you were to ye therefore into.  We didn't.  We begged the world to come ye therefore into us.  Visit our church we cry to a world that ignores us.  The church of today thinks she is the Bride of Christ.  No she's not...  the church of today in our culture doesn't qualify.  She is too spotted and wrinkled to be recognized thus.  We have nothing to show to anyone.


The conventional effort that we use to "Build" churches is great worship (which I love) and Great Preaching (which I love even more).  For the Christian it is a wonderful experience.  To the unsaved, it's simply strange.  The idea of Inviting your friends to church to get saved is a cultural oxymoron when the Pastor is preaching and the music is about loving a God they don't even know.  Church is for believers.  Not for the unsaved.  I'm thankful for church... but if we were about building the Kingdom God's way the churches should of necessity empty out.  That would be counterproductive however in today's church culture. Who would pay the tithe to keep the lights on?  Who's gonna pay the mortgage?   How would the Senior Leader live?

The answer of course is BY FAITH (as in the just shall live by).  We have made doctrines of Living by the Gospel and the Oxen unmuzzled.  They are near sacraments in today's assemblies.  Still in all they are not working.  It's a downward spiral.

If Preaching, Teaching and Great Music were going to reach our culture for Jesus it would have already happened.  We are buried in it.  Yet.. we are adrift.  What I am about to share came from the cry of my heart.  It came because I knew that what is happening in our efforts to reach our culture isn't working.  We have lost the culture.  At least in the western world. I asked the Lord... HOW can we reach this lost culture?  The culture has trumped the truth of God in the hearts and minds of most Americans. 

He spoke to me.  Fast as he often does.  He asked me, "I saved you when you were JUST LIKE the people your heart now breaks for.  People with money.  People with stuff.  People who apparently have it all.  How did you come?"    I reviewed those experiences... it caused me to look at the culture with fresh eyes. 

It is always dangerous to use your own testimony as a template for ministry.   Yet, those who came out of drugs seem to have an anointing in reaching those in the same condition.  Those who came out of Alcohol seem to minister well to reach those bound in the same way.  Perhaps God has put this on my heart for so long because He wanted to give me a picture of how it can be done.  This may not be original with me... but it is what God has given me so I will reveal it as it was revealed to me.

I began to search the scriptures.  A light went on.  The rapid growth of the early church had little to do with the trappings we depend on today for church growth.  Preaching, Teaching, Music, Programs, Fellowship, Loving people into the kingdom.  None of that.  No assimilation or connection systems.  There was more.

People flocked to get in... why?  For the same reason the lost (including the up and outers) will if we once more begin to use what they had and offer it to them in the same way.  Joel Osteen who is constantly criticized for his "Motivational" preaching has tapped into a part of this.  He offers a better life (best life now).  Remember, he is well aware that no one believes in heaven or hell at least for them.  They want to know what to do about TODAY.  People are discontent or uncertain with where they are today, so they trot off the the bookstore and buy a new age book, or off to the local psychic, or look at the Oprah show with all kinds of new age promises.  It's the same meme.  They want the supernatural.  They don't want what we are now offering.  I will now explain... in my next post.

Why Sin is Not Preached About

From HOSEA Chapter FOUR

My complaint, you priests,
is with you.
Don’t point your finger at someone else
and try to pass the blame!

But why should I punish them
for their prostitution and adultery?
For your men are doing the same thing,
sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes.

When the people bring their sin offerings, the priests get fed.
So the priests are glad when the people sin!

O foolish people! You refuse to understand,
so you will be destroyed.
So you will stumble in broad daylight,
and your false prophets will fall with you in the night.
That is why your daughters turn to prostitution,
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

Keith Miller: Awaken Fresh Courage and Vigor of the Lord!

A Fresh Wind is Blowing All Across the Land!
"...and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). The meanings of the word breath in this context include "fresh courage" and "fresh vigor."
Courage is what makes a person capable of facing extreme danger or difficulty without retreating. It implies bravery, a dauntless spirit, and the ability to endure in times of adversity. This is important because God places inside of each of us the hope of something He desires to see come into fruition.
It takes courage to face our hope, faith being the substance of our hope, and the evidence of things not seen (see Hebrews 11:1). Faith, in its basic essence, is a supernatural ability to have courage to believe for things beyond our own ability. Interestingly, the word courage comes from the Latin cor, which means "heart." This denotes the heart as the seat of feelings.
Thus, courage is drawn from the heart. Similarly, vigor denotes "strength, energy, and enthusiasm." Both are vital components of the Acts 4 type of boldness, which we will certainly need in the days ahead.
I believe we will have the type of Holy Spirit boldness that brings us courage and renewed faith, no matter what we face.

Wear Boldness Like a Robe

Boldness is a powerful force. Truly, we have accomplished something when we make the world wonder or cause it to startle awake. True boldness can bring people to their knees! This is why, in my opinion, one of the greatest historical wonders of all time is the boldness of Peter and John. The people and the powers that be marveled when they beheld their boldness, "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness" (Acts 4:29).
Peter, who once said of Christ, "I know not the Man", was transformed by Him so deeply on the inside that he had the boldness and courage to preach Jesus and the resurrection from the dead. He no longer feared to teach God's truth or pray for the sick, despite the grave consequences – like imprisonment or even death!
And then there was the gentle John, the one Jesus loved, who lay on the Master's breast. Though we often get the impression that he was a mild-mannered, tender, and sensitive man, here he is transformed into an evangelism dynamo! This dynamic duo was filled with the Holy Spirit like a packed net of fish. They wore boldness like a robe and continued to glorify God, speaking the word with freedom, boldness, and courage!
With great strength, ability, and power, the apostles delivered their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, even under threat of punishment. As a result, great grace (loving-kindness, favor, and goodwill) rested richly upon them, "And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all" (Acts 4:33 AMP).
We may determine to do certain things, but in the presence of resistance, it can be daunting, defeating, fearsome and wearisome.
When we live, however, out of the realm of the gift of faith and we engage faith in the Holy Spirit, we receive supernatural endowments of boldness to be a beckoning light, a sound, a trumpet, and a clarion call for the troops. "Come on, guys!" we can say with confidence, "We can do it!
With the Lord by His Mighty Power – all things are possible if we will believe!
Keith and Janet Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Email: info@sfwm.org
Website: sfwm.org

I will impart to whomever is ready to receive

This morning I received a clear word from the throne.  It stirred me and I hope it will you:

I have prepared a full impartation of my Glory to those who are ready to receive.  I am willing but many are not properly equipped to manifest what I desire to place in them.  They have become parrots of those who suppose they have received but have not.  My Glory will I share with no man, but I will manifest myself in them.... if they are equipped to receive.

As I pondered what I heard and recorded it, I was lead to think of how much like a computer operating system and program this is.

When certain extraordinary computer programs that do far and away more than any have before, one of the limitations is the operating system on which that program is installed.  The specifications will say (Windows) "For Windows Vista, 7 and above".  If you are still using Windows 95 it won't work.  Or if you try, it will work, but poorly.

The problem is not the program.  It was designed to manifest it's ability on a compatible system.  When you try to use it on less than the adequate operating system it fails.  The designer intended to impart extra power.  The user unable or unwilling to upgrade from Windows 95 will only find themselves using the old programs.  Even if it looks like a better program from the outside, it will lack power.

This is the way it is with many Christians.  They become stuck on an old operating system.  They get saved, perhaps filled with the Holy Ghost but then they stop.  The next step of growth in God stops them from receiving any impartation from the throne.  They can't handle it.  They can't receive.

Therefore, they are stuck.  Stuck.

People lay hands on them.  They hear the word of the Lord.  They receive what should be an impartation.  Yet nothing changes.  What frustrates them is; all around them are people getting new revelations, manifestations, operations of the Spirit of God.  Health, prosperity, wisdom, joy.  Yet they seem like they aren't going any where.

WHY they ask?  What am I doing wrong?  They didn't do something wrong.  It's what they didn't do that matters.  They are still stuck on Windows 95.  You can't impart what you don't possess, and you can't receive impartation unless the proper capacity to receive is in place.

It says in Scripture that we are being changed from Glory to Glory.  That is a progressive increase in capacity to receive.  If your capacity to receive is not increasing, you won't receive.

HOW?  When you install an upgrade, you go in steps.  You can't just upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows 7 in one fell swoop.  There are intermediate steps.  95 - 98 - XP - Vista perhaps and then 7.  Don't get hung up on this... I can hear you thinking.  It's fits and starts.  There will be upgrades there will be fixes. It's fine tuning.  The Lord deals with us (disciplines) because he loves us.  That much is sure.  Just like software.

One last thing, when you upgrade, the new operating system deletes files it is no longer going to use.  Things that are dangerous if left.  Things that are useless.  That is how it must be with the believer.  You can't hang on to the things of the past...even your past as a Christian. Some things must be set aside to enter into the new things God wants to do in your life.

It's time to upgrade so he can download HIS imparatation of Glory.  Get ready.   UPGRADE!



 

Both have inherent Error

I am theologically frustrated with both ends of the eschatology spectrum... there is one you know. At one end are those who are convinced we are living in the very end of the last days. Rapture at 11. OR noon. Or... They have the news to back them up. Van Impe will confirm your fears. That kind of don't worry be happy rapture's on the way. If not Rapture, any second now Jesus will burst thru the clouds and with a sword in his mouth destroy all enemies you have now. All will be well. Throne in Jerusalem and all. The left behind books canonized this. That's one end.

The other is Jesus came. He's not coming again. He's here now. The Kingdom of God will expand until all will be well. It's inexorable. Everything in all prophetic writings are to be spiritualized. I have bought into much of this thinking. It has been very freeing. It has brought balance to my life. I am thankful for this.

There is a problem however. Ignoring the warnings and recognition of evil's influence in the Christian's life is not good theology. The things we see in Ezekiel, Zephaniah, Matthew and Revelation to name a few must be seen in full context. They must be seen as what they are... prophetic preparation for the Saint of God who reads the words.

We must NOT be surprised when persecution and tribulation comes upon us. We must stand watch as a watchman against the schemes of the enemy. He has no new ideas, he just keeps recycling them over and over and over again. If we warp our thinking into thinking this time in the 21st century it's happening for the LAST time we miss what the Spirit is trying to say. Watch for patterns. Watch for Cycles. Jewish believers never thought linear like we do today. They always thought in cycles. Shapes. Patterns. Shadows. Indications. Warning. NO we are not in any last days. NO we are not going to get better and better. Things will cycle. The enemy of our souls will do battle with us to try to kill and destroy us. He's on the warpath right now.

To think that escape by either pathway is possible is not facing the reality of the warfare all around. Demons are real. We must cast them out of people, systems, churches, homes, politics, cultures and governments. That takes action. We depend on the weapons of warfare that miss the mark. Let's take it back.. The Enemies plans are already well documented. Read them. Watch for them. Attack.