Without Passion it is Impossible to Please God or See the Kingdom of GOD

I am hearing a call for passion, conviction, desire and action on the part of those who call themselves Christian.  The word of God comes to me this morning crying out for a renewal of passion and conviction. 

 Colossians 3:23 ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

1 John 2:15-16 ESV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

There is too little of it around.  For that reason the enemy has snuck in and taken up a place that only passion can displace.

Romans 1:24-27 ESV
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 

This reflects in our acceptance of a broken culture. a broken country, broken cities, a broken people without a fight.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV 
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 James 1:2-4 ESV 
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

Our government is broken.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ESV
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Our future is in doubt without passion.

 1 John 2:15-16 ESV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 

 Matthew 5:13 ESV
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 

A lack of Passion is killing us.

 Revelation 3:14-22 ESV“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ...

TIME TO GET BACK TO BASICS

 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV 
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ... 

Garris Elkins: "You Are Qualified for the Impossible"

This week as I prayed about a coming new season in my own life, I began to hear the Lord say that an "old season had passed and a new season has come." In the days that followed, I knew the word I had received was not just for me – it was for the Church.
In this coming new season God will remind many of us that we are qualified to accomplish Kingdom exploits the world considers impossible. In this coming season – all things will be possible.
In that time of prayer, the Lord began to download the following word. When I shared this word, leaders in the United States and Europe contacted me and confirmed the now-nature of what you are about to read.

Prophetic Word: Supernatural Exploits in My Kingdom

"I am calling you to exploits in My Kingdom that are beyond human qualification and religious pedigree. I am calling you to places of raw faith where your first step will seem to be without reason or explanation.

"These exploits are not sourced in a power that comes from what you will bring to the encounter. These are works of My presence that I will invite you to come and experience. They are encounters made manifest apart from human qualification, strength or ability.

"Did Paul's education qualify him for what I had planned for his life after Damascus Road? Was Moses qualified as a leader when he stood before the burning bush? Was David qualified as a king when he ran towards Goliath in the Valley of Elah? Was Peter qualified as an apostle to My Church when I restored him on the shores of Galilee and said, 'Feed My sheep?' No, none of these servants stood before Me with the qualifications of man. I used them because of their faith in Me.

"These new exploits have their launching point far beyond human understanding and far beyond the resources you think you will need to gather before you obey My voice.

"Around your step of faith I will assemble all you need to accomplish in what I will set before you. Resources that are now hidden will appear in the light of your faith. I will ask you to step through the warnings of man and the fear that has limited My people in this past season.

"This is a new day that I have made and its fullness and joy is waiting for you to believe that what I have declared will be possible.

"I am the One – it is My voice speaking and inviting you to these exploits. Have confidence that I have created you to do what is about to take place upon the earth.

"I am calling you to stand before these supernatural exploits naked of human qualification. Confidence in your natural strength and abilities is a thief that wants to rob you of your faith in My ability to accomplish what seems to be impossible. Trust in Me – I am the God who qualifies and empowers. I am the God in Whom you must place your trust."

Garris Elkins, Senior Leader
Living Waters Church – Medford, Oregon
Email: info@prophetichorizons.com
Website: garriselkins.com

Rick Joyner: True Faith is in God, Not How Many People Are With Us

It was to the last Church the Lord addressed in the Book of Revelation, the Church of Laodicea, that He gave His greatest promise to. Those promises are for His people today. They are for you.
When most people think of the Church of Laodicea, they think of the negative rather than the positive. It is time to consider these great promises. First, we need to see why they are so great. Then we need to understand how overcoming the negative things this Church confronted will produce some of the greatest overcomers, the greatest saints, the world has ever known.

The Church of Laodicea was so prosperous that, as Francis Frangipane once said of today's Church, "They had everything they needed but God." This caused them to become lukewarm, and made the Lord so sick that He would vomit them out of His mouth. Being lukewarm is the worst condition a Christian can fall into. It reveals an ultimate contempt for the Lord. Indifference is the greatest affront to any relationship. Therefore, to know Almighty God and be lukewarm toward Him is the greatest insult of all.

Zeal for the Lord

The Lord called the Church at Laodicea to "therefore be zealous and repent" (see Revelation 3:19). We must recover and keep our zeal for the Lord if we are going to make it through these times. How do we do that?

The Lord sent fire from His presence to light the fire on the altar in both the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple that Solomon built. He then commanded the priests to keep the fire going. God has lit every fire in every heart that has ever turned to Him. However, He expects us to keep it going. We do this by prayer, worship, daily reading and studying His written Word to us, fellowship with others who have the fire, and being the witnesses we are called to be.

We lose the fire when we give ourselves to sin and wickedness. This leads to lawlessness as described in Romans 6. The Lord warned that lawlessness would cause the love of most to grow cold. This has been well proven in our times.

The Remnant Principle

Recently, when I was having lunch with Bob Jones, a prophetic friend, he said an amazing thing. He said that the unity of the Church that is coming would only include about 10% of Christians. I know that sounds unthinkable to many, but there is truth to this. Even in light of knowing we are entering the greatest harvest, a sound and repeated Biblical truth is "the remnant principle."

The remnant principle was at work when the resurrected Lord told five hundred people to go to Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. However, just a few weeks later, there were only 120 gathered there. Yet that remnant was in "one accord" or unity. Do you realize that often our Churches or ministries are shrinking so that we can come into a higher unity that can release a greater glory and purpose?

As Abraham demonstrated, true faith grows stronger with the passage of time, not weaker. The passage of time between when the promise is given and the fulfillment of that promise will usually thin out the crowd by removing those who do not have true faith, but are just caught up in the excitement of the moment.

This does not mean that those with true faith will not waver sometimes too, but overall, true faith grows with the passage of time. Is our faith growing stronger, or are we going to slip into the majority that drifts away?

People tend to draw their security by how many people are with them. True faith doesn't. True faith is faith in God, not how many people are with us. True faith is demonstrated by patience, which is why we are told that it is through "faith and patience" that we will inherit the promises (see Hebrews 6:12).

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

James W. Goll: Angelic Intervention Through Intercession

A Review of Angelic Assignments
A. Three Primary Functions of Angels

1. Psalm 148:2, 5 – Praise and worship unto God.
2. Hebrews 1:7, 14 – Ministering spirits, flames of fire to render service to those who will inherit salvation.
3. Psalm 103:20-21 – Angels excel in strength, obey the voice of His word, and perform God's word.

B. Types of Angelic Activities

1. Minister the presence of the Lord
2. Messengers pronouncing God's will
3. Release understanding in dreams and visions
4. Help to give guidance and direction
5. Deliverance
6. Protection
7. Death of the saints
8. Release strength
9. Healing instruments
10. Praise and worship
11. Spiritual warfare
12. Bind demonic powers
13. Divine watchers
14. Reapers and gatherers
15. Execute God's judgments

Five Foundational Premises Regarding God, Men, Prayer & Angels

A. Believers are co-workers with Christ
God's resources are released by man's invitation through intercession.
B. God hears and answers prayers
Prayer and intercession influences or helps determine the destiny of individuals and the direction of nations.
C. There is an innumerable company of angels available
Heaven's army of angelic hosts is waiting for their next assignment and are ready to be dispatched (unemployed angels).
Jeremiah 33:22 As the hosts of Heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured...
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels...
D. Angels are involved in both the spiritual and practical affairs of mankind
Angels are released from God's throne in Heaven into the affairs of man. They are involved in all facets of life in both the spiritual and in everyday normal activities of man.
E. Angels are used to deliver God's answers to man's prayers
Angels are especially utilized and involved in delivering the answers to our prayers from the throne of God.

Three Scriptural Examples of Angelic Intervention Through Intercession

A. With Abraham and Lot – Lessons from Genesis 18 and 19

1. Genesis 18 – Prayerful example of Abraham's intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. Genesis 19:1 – Two angels tell Lot's situation.
3. Genesis 19:11 - The ungodly men outside Lot's house are stricken with blindness.
4. Genesis 19:16 – Next, the angels lead Lot and his family out of the city before the destruction takes place (this demonstrates the compassion of God).
5. Genesis 19:22 – "Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until..." This shows God's desire to deliver the righteous before the judgment occurred.
6. Genesis 19:29 – "God remembered Abraham" (this is the key verse). What did God remember? Abraham's intercession!

B. With Peter and the Church – Lessons from Acts 12:5-19

1. Acts 12:7-10 – Peter was kept in jail, and an angel appeared to him. A light shone, the angel woke Peter up, and the two chains which had held him fell off. He was told to "Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals." He then passed by two guards, the iron gate to the prison opened, and he goes out into the street as the angel departed. (Photo courtesy: William Hilton)
2. Acts 12:11-19 – Next, Peter goes to the house of John Mark's mother where many had gathered to pray for him. A young woman named Rhoda came to the door. She knew Peter's voice and went to tell the others; however, "You're crazy!" was their response. "No, it is his angel." Peter kept on knocking. They went to the door, and opening it, were amazed. It really was Peter! This caused such excitement that Peter had to admonish them to calm down and not be so noisy in their excitement to see him delivered out of the hand of Herod and those Jewish authorities who had sought to end his life.
Peter told them to inform James and the other apostles that he was alright after all. When the matter became known to the wicked king, he demanded the lives of the jail keepers as punishment that they had somehow managed to allow Peter to escape.

3. Acts 12:5-12 – The emphasis is on verses 5 and 12. What was the Church doing before the angel was released? Praying fervently! Thus we have another example of angelic intervention as a result of man's intercession.

C. With Daniel – Lessons from Daniel 9 and 10

1. Daniel 9:20-23 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision."
2. Daniel 10:12-14 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."
3. Daniel 10:20-21 Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince."

The Relationship of Prayer, Judgment, and Mercy

A. Read Revelation 8 and 16

1. Revelation 8:3-7

a. First: Angels gather the praise and prayer of the saints (verse 4),
b. Second: Which goes into the censer with the fire on the altar before God (verses 3, 5).
c. Third: They are thrown back down to earth. (Remember, what goes up, must come down!)

2. Why? How does this work?

a. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
b. There are always pockets of mercy established amidst the historic righteous judgments of God.

3. Revelation 8:5 – Then voices, thundering, lightning, earthquakes (signs and wonders) are released.
4. Revelation 8:6 – Then angels prepare to blow trumpets so that the righteous end-time judgments of God begin.
5. The supernatural activities in Revelation 16 are inter-related to those found in Revelation 8.

B. Zephaniah 2:1-3 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, before the decree takes effect – the day passes like the chaff – before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger.
The prophet Zephaniah again gives us the principle that the Lord gives time for His people to gather themselves together and call on His name before His judgments, anger, or ordinances are released. His desire is that we be hidden in such a day.
C. A Vivid Dream While in Jerusalem
On the Day of Atonement in 2005, I was given a series a detailed dreams while in Jerusalem, Israel. In one of these dreams, I was shown three angels each holding a shofar or a ram's horn.
The first angel stood in rapt attention and had already blown its trumpet. When the sound of the horn went forth, the word "calamity" was released. The word "natural disasters" appeared in the dream, indicating the increase of hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and such phenomena. Next in the dream, I saw a second angel step forward and put a shofar to its mouth to blow. Out came a sound declaring "plagues" were being released. This appeared to be a pronouncement that was happening right at that moment.
But in this experience, a third angel was standing behind observing what was transpiring. This angel had not yet been commissioned to release its sound. I was not told what the pronouncement of this third angel would be at that time. But the most important thing, I was keenly aware that there was yet time to intercede before the declaration took place.
Intercession results in breakthroughs and intervention! It creates a postponement or even pause in the activity so man can respond and be prepared.
D. Ezekiel 9:3-6 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; and the Lord said unto him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." And to the others he said in mine hearing, "Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

1. The angel was told by God to mark the intercessors.
2. What was the mark put upon the foreheads of the people? Some say the mark was the Hebrew letter Taw, the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which resembles an "X" or the Cross of Christ. Jack Hayford comments from the Spirit-Filled Life Bible, which he edited, that this mark, placed by a seventh warrior angel "clothed with linen" (verse 3), was for protection (see Revelation 7:3) and symbolized that God would spare the righteous remnant.

3. Who received this mark from the angel? All who sighed and groaned over the abominations of the city of Jerusalem were privileged to receive this sign of protection.

Conclusion

Yes, it is true! Angelic intervention is released in response to man's intercession. It is time to intercede! Let Heaven's angelic army be released into the affairs of man as a result of our invitation called prayer! Let intercession arise! Let God's secret agents be released!
Blessings!
Dr. James W. Goll
Encounters Network • Prayer Storm • Compassion Acts Team
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com
Website: encountersnetwork.com

The Lord says THIS to our degraded broken culture. You don't have to be Ignorant

 The Lord is not tolerant of Ignorance so evident in our culture.  People who blindly go about unknowing.  He is pretty clear on how we sees us.  Here are some passages, unedited (BOLDING is mine) speaking directly to the culture. When you see the lack of wisdom, ignorance and blindness all around, even in the Church.. think on these things:


Ephesians 4:18 ESV
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

Hosea 4:6 ESV
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Proverbs 22:3 ESV
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Acts 17:30 ESV
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

James 1:5 ESV
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

1 John 4:1 ESV
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Proverbs 19:2 ESV
Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

Proverbs 8:5 ESV
O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.

Hear the word of the Lord O FOOL!

Beauty from Ashes

Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3

I heard the Lord Say, "When I make beauty out of ashes I don't forget the external appearance".

I have known hundreds of people who out of sin, rebellion, grief and pain became ashes. They looked like ashes. They walked like ashes. They talked like ashes. Their heart was ashen. Their complexion ashen. ASHES ASHES ALL FALL DOWN.

Those who have hit the ash heap of life, when they come to Jesus, come to Zion, become a child again spiritually, born anew, they become what Jesus promised.

BEAUTIFUL.

Nothing is more beautiful in the eyes of men and God than one who is Clothed in the Garment of praise, all heaviness removed, flowing over with the oil of Joy, solidly planted of the Lord... it glorifies HIM.

IF you know someone, or if you are feeling particularly ashy today, let him Oil you up, clothe you, lift your spirits and set your roots... You'll bring Glory to HIM. AND you just LOOK BETTER.

BONDAGE.. YES you DID Build This

Many people are bound by strongholds and mindsets that cause them great harm. Habits and consequence.  Addictions and excesses. 

This often will cause those who believe in Deliverance to minister to them by casting out demons. 

The real question is, how did this happen. When? 

Some demonic occupation is because of abuse and rejection. I get that.

It's most of the rest that is not.  People who are in bondage for the most part participated willingly in the creating of the crate that holds them captive. Decisions.  Ideas.  Beliefs.  Strongholds requiring tearing down.

The word of God is powerful to do this, but there is a problem.  Jesus spoke of this syndrome clearly: 

Luke 11
If I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— 22until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

23“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

24“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

27As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

 People who read this will say YEA and AMEN.  BUT without understanding that the stronghold that has them captive is one they allowed to be built in their life.  The word of God comes to them, perhaps they are ministered to, and they are free... yet they do not understand that they must persist in filling the house with truth to keep new strongholds from being built.

I know people (and I'm guessing you do as well) who have been delivered several times of the same thing, yet they will go out and begin driving nails into their own personal demonic stronghold, voluntarily.  

Stop building that stronghold.  Repentance means turning FROM ways that add to your deception.

Yet...that hammer is still in the oppressed hand and willingly he or she invites the demon spirit to take up residence once again.

It's a horrible cycle.  One that we are a part of spinning.

This is a truth that is hard for most Christians to grasp

Kris Vallotton: Five things you should know about the devil that your mother never told you

1- he knows the Bible better than you do and he will use the bible against. It's called a religious spirit.

2- he loves attention, therefore the greatest weapon we have against him is called "ignore."

3-He never says, " I am the devil, I am about to deceive you." He's insane but he is not stupid.

4-he has no new ideas, his whole arsenal is rooted in getting you to be afraid. When you fear him, you believe him, and you give him authority in your life that God didn't give him.

5-contray to popular opinion, he can confirm his false words through other people. So if you get a bad word (thought, dream, vision, etc), he can confirm it through giving other believers the same bad word about you. So if the word has anything to do with; KILL, STEAL, OR DESTROY...you know the origin ....even if there is 10 confirmations. Rebuke it and go on.

God wants a "Have it YOUR way" church... HIS WAY

Early this morning I received a word that is for those who are in leadership of Churches.

Over the years I have heard many speak critically of "Have it your way" churches.  Churches that try to be all things to all people like Burger King does with hamburgers.  Churches where the congregant complains that the music is too loud, too soft, the service too long too short, the preaching not feeding them, people unfriendly, seats uncomfortable, and a hundred other complaints.  That people want church THEIR WAY.

God doesn't want a church that is our way. It would be too weak, too powerless, too ineffective in a dying world.  What carnal and unredeemed people want in a church is not what God wants.

God wants it HIS WAY.  We need to stop saying to people, you can have it YOUR WAY, and start saying to God, HAVE IT YOUR WAY.


Here's what I heard the Lord Say:

My desire is for you.  Whatever it is that will bring you to ME is my desire.  I have done everything to break down every wall for you.  There is no barrier.  There is no distance except that which you erect.  Come to me, in Spirit and in Truth as you know it.. and I will show you great and mighty things that you did not know.

IF we are going to fashion ourselves after what God wants, let's see if we can find clues from what HE SAYS HE wants in the Word of GOD (hover over the verses to see what HE says from the word):

I AM a Spirit, and if you would worship ME, you must do it in Spirit and Truth for that is what I want from you when you worship.  John 4:23-24

Faith is what I am looking for.  Faith for My move among you in demonstration.  Miracles, Healing, Supernatural Knowledge and Wisdom, the Oracles of my word among you in Prophecy, The capacity to know what is and is NOT ME.  Without faith it is impossible to please ME.    Hebrews 11:6

I want Love, true love that overflows for ONE ANOTHER.  Not the kind of surface love that lacks engaging one another, love that goes deep.  Patient and Kind Love. This love must be genuine and even sacrificial.  I commanded you to love one another that your joy would be full.  I want a church filled with JOY and LOVE to the full.  Don't try to fake it: dive in and LOVE one another without condition and I WILL BE THERE.  John 15:10-17

I want to see your desire to imitate ME.  You have My word, you have My  Example as I walked among you, you have those who have imitated ME and presented themselves to you saying Imitate me as I imitate Christ.  Look to those who imitate, and learn from them.  Let them speak to you of how to become like ME.  Become a Disciple, of the Disciple who imitates ME.   Don't settle for less than the one who is humble and contrite in spirit, one who trembles at MY WORD,  ready to be least among you, who is then in imitation the greatest.  1 Corinthians 11:1       Mark 9:35      Isaiah 66:2

 I want a church that does good works, designed by ME.  Your Purpose.  Those predestined for each saint I call.  Those driven by FAITH alone and not by program.  These good works must be done with FEAR and TREMBLING.  It is a way that you express the great gift of Salvation given to you.  It is your obedience in service I look for, not obedience to MAN but to the call I placed on you.  It is reasonable service.   When it becomes duty and drudgery, there is no more FAITH.  Good works not  driven by Faith is dead.  Philippians 2:12-13   Romans 12:1-2   James 2:20  1 Corinthians 2:3

I want a church were all who want to come are welcomed and when they come they will hear only a proclamation of the Kingdom of God and of JESUS.  I want that done without hindrance from the fear of man, tradition, denomination or human reason.  I want BOLDNESS as the Kingdom and the KING is proclaimed.  Acts 28:30-31

I don't want pageantry, external holiness, foolishness and ceremony.  If it's predictable, It offends ME.  I don't care how good the worship band is, if  it's not truth and spirit, it's noise. When you make a big show of prayer, I'm not impressed.  When you bring your offerings to be seen by all.. I don't want it.  Keep it simple and pure.  Spirit and Truth.  Tradition and ceremony no matter how well meaning is man made religion.
Amos 5:21-23     Isaiah 58:1-14    Colossians 2:23   Isaiah 1:10-15

I want truth spoken, but not truth given at the hands of those who will not hear from ME by the spirit.  That becomes absolutism.  Certitude.  When you hear someone say this or that is not "Biblical" that should raise a spiritual red flag.  That means someone has made the decision to tell you what is truth without using MY measure... ME.   I AM the truth.   "Don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths"  Colossians 2:16

I want there to be authority in leadership but not authoritarianism.  When any man, or group of men, claim to be the designated instruments of MY authority and attempt to express such authoritatively, especially in an autocratic or totalitarian way, you then have the authoritarianism.  This goes against everything I taught you. It is man made religion.  It is the worst kind of church and one I will never visit says the Lord.  I cursed it on the earth then and curse it still today.  Matthew 23:5-39

I want my church active, but not activist.  When you take my WORD and distort it to your ways it becomes the worst form of Religion. It is ACTIVISM.  Doing things in MY name without MY Mandate.    I am an active God, but I want you to act in expression of my character. When any man, or group of men, claim that they are the directors of MY activity and that they have discerned what I want to do in you, how I want you to act, beware of religious activism.   This is perpetuated by the desire of people. People want a sense of meaning, a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging, a sense of identity, a reason to be. These are God-given desires. Religion offers a false-fulfillment of these desires. Religion repeatedly encourages people to become more involved, more active. Involvement, commitment, dedication, consecration -- these are the "passwords" of religion. Religion fosters a fixation, a compulsion, an obsession, an addiction to religious activities, explaining the absolute necessity to be thus engaged in the activities in order to please God, and for the good of the whole -- never admitting that it is primarily for the good of the religious authorities!  AVOID ALL FORMS OF RELIGION WITHOUT ANY POWER.  I will never visit such a place.  2 Timothy 3:1-5

That is the kind of Place FATHER is looking for.  A place of HIS habitation.  A place where he can be found.  A place that is made to order for HIM.

A place that says to God, "Have it YOUR WAY".

I HEARD A TALK SHOW MADE UP OF PEOPLE TRAPPED IN THE MATRIX... AND THE PROPHET IN ME WENT TILT

I almost never listen to progressive radio. WCPT in Chicagoland. For lots of reasons, most of which have to my desire for avoiding head explosions. Yesterday I listened for most of a program called "The Family Meeting". It's liberal black people talking about all things community based (in their viewpoint). Since I am interested in this I listened. I recognize that some of what I was hearing was from a progressive liberal viewpoint and I get that. But when things became all Race Race Race... I was amazed by the blindness.

The discussions became all about reparations. The question was HOW MUCH? Of course this for things that happened hundreds of years ago. Horrid but really history. Only kept alive by movie ticket sellers. It got weird when other people called in and also demanded due reparations like a Chinese fellow did. That derailed the whole conversation. That revealed the fact that Reparations is racism. When that became clear it ended the discussion.

That drifted into why a whole community of people are mostly poor. The reason is, (according to these folks), that they didn't get an inheritance. That they can't save any money. That they can't build wealth. Then they started to talk about how the Chinese immigrants and the Indian seem to build wealth, despite not being LIKE the rest, coming with nothing. And it drifted from there. The Wall Street Journal had interviewed one of the fellows. He told how it was that there wealth building in the black community was almost non existent. I scratched my head.

What made me really sad was the conversation then about windfalls. Money. What would you do if... Big Lottery Win, big sports contract, big money just comes. MILLIONS. What would you do? How would you use the money.

There were 6 panelists. One was a banker. All African American. NONE of them could give a cohesive plan. Big House. Big Car. Buy a seat on the city council, or a congressional seat (they thought money was the key to winning elections, ask Mitt Romney). Travel. Clothes. Cadillac. The whole deal. Almost cartoonish in stereotype.  This from people from the community. I wondered when they would begin to talk about more watermelon and fried chicken. Wait, they actually did. Joking of course, but it was recognized how much like the image they had become.

I quickly recognized that despite a weak attempt to be serious, they really had no idea what they would do with a zillion dollars except to blow it.

They talked about how sports stars with contracts that pay enormous amounts of money are broke within a few years of the end of their career. They also had no solutions except to get a financial adviser. What about learning something for themselves? Becoming their own financial advisory?

Here's what I ultimately learned.

1. Liberalism is the enemy of anyone coming out of their circumstance. If you harbor liberal views you are condemning yourself to poverty... at least of the spirit.

2. Blaming anyone including the system is bad for your spirit. It allows you to hide behind circumstance without responsibility. "If it's to be it's up to me" is a lost art.

3. Money is a tool that if you never learn to operate will kill you or end up broken. It saves nothing, spending it only perpetuates the decline in your life and it is deceitful above almost all else. It is a tool of the enemy to deceive.

4. Learning economics might be a way to help those who have none get some. It's a pretty easy thing, but most of what you think you know is wrong.

5. Stuff will never make you better or happy.

One last thing, the one person on the panel, working as a banker, who should have known said she wanted to accumulate about $400,000 in investments and live on the interest. And she's a banker. WOW.

No wonder there are no inheritances.

Here's the point, and I hope you read all the way to here, IF we are going to help one another get past poverty, there are HUGE Poverty Mindsets (strongholds) that must be torn down. Spirits of Poverty. They unfortunately come attached to identity. IF you believe because of your race or ethnicity that you are trapped in poverty by "the system", then you are. It's a stronghold. It's a Spirit. Unless you turn your back on and renounce all of the lies, you will remain in chains. Worse, so will your children.

I have wondered why I was called to this. A white boy from North Dakota. One who has more years behind than ahead. Why me Lord?

It's time to break the chains. The problem is, it starts with breaking off the lies. We can't do that with prayer alone. YOU are going to have to be part of every prayer you pray. You can't do it with education alone. "Knowledge is power" you hear people say. NO, that's only half the truth, APPLIED KNOWLEDGE is power.

Unless you APPLY what you know it is wasted.

AND, you will have to carefully examine all you know about what you believe about yourself, your heritage, your future, your condition and those who are around you. What are they. What do you believe about them? EVERYTHING YOU ONCE KNEW IS PROBABLY WRONG.

It's the MATRIX. I heard the voices of those deep in the matrix on Sunday. They have no idea how deep they are.

It's time to break free. Now What? Can one later in life really break free?

CONVERGENCE

Many of the Greatest Leaders in the Body of Christ I know, (and I know a bunch) have reached the point of CONVERGENCE:

Convergence = Moving towards his or her "IDEAL" role in ministry, the Role that FITS, when his or her Calling, Passion, Giftedness, Life Experience and Style merge into a single focus that carries them to their destiny.

Even if you are not yet recognized... you will find yourself moving inexorably toward the purpose that God placed you here to fulfill. Giving up means you miss it.

God is going to close down fruitless and faithless churches

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

I have watched, been part of known of many churches that simply closed their doors... the seed that was there moves on and multiplies. I think sometimes when a church reaches a place of fruitlessness. Jesus lays the example and tells us what must be done from Mark 11:

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it............... In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

The condemnation of the tree was for fruitlessness, the verdict was Death and that no ONE EVER would eat from that particular tree again. The implication of the verses that follow which are often used to itemize the power of words and faith, more have to do with what SHOULD be happening in Dead Churches. Mountain Moving Faith, Doubt being killed, Prayer, Forgiveness and confession of the thing God has promised. These verses show us the state of the dead church. Faithlessness and Fruitlessness.

In case anyone thinks this fig tree has to with Israel (some attempt to explain this away that way), if you understand that WE are now Israel in the sense of our purpose and placement.

YES, God is going to close down fruitless and faithless churches. I know of many. Let the seed be scattered and maybe someday life could return to the building so commissioned. We are the church.. but we must produce FRUIT AND FAITH

When (or should) a Local Church Close It's Doors?

www.hsbct.org

What are we going to do about all those struggling small churches? They are everywhere. Should we close them, lock the doors and walk away? Should we settle in and go with the status quo? Should we seek to restore and ...

Identifying Counterfeits

If a person is an elder or a leader in a local church, should they not have the spiritual depth to speak, pray, call out in faith, write, encourage, offer strength, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, believe for miracles, speak into a person's life and help people find their destiny in God? IF they are simply a board of elders wondering about the color of the carpet, they are counterfeits. I know of way way too many churches with insipid elder groups who have zero spiritual depth. An elder must not be an apprentice.. but too many are because if he had any capacity he might threaten the shallow senior leadership. AND THAT is why so many churches are dying on the vine. IT starts at the head, but if the head has no oil, there is disunity.

Psalm 133

1How good and pleasant it is

when God’s people live together in unity!

2It is like precious oil poured on the head,

running down on the beard,

running down on Aaron’s beard,

down on the collar of his robe.

3It is as if the dew of Hermon

were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing,

even life forevermore.

Discovering the undiscovered country

Years ago Robert Stearns published a CD (The River 2  "Undiscovered Country").  It was and is for me a way of understanding the wooing of the Spirit into the things of the Spirit by a Believer to discovering increasing glory in God.

Most people don't even KNOW there is an undiscovered country.  They go to church. Clap on cue.  Stand. Sit. Pay their tithe and check the box "Christian" if it comes up on a survey about religious preferences.  Shallow Christianity.  Nothing beneath the surface. Never discovering anything.  A mile wide and an inch deep.

There is another extreme however.  Just as shallow.  It has to do with the Baptism in the Holy Ghost.  There is a fantastic country to be discovered in God.  YET.. I hear so many evangelists who make a call for the Baptism in the Holy Ghost make it all about TONGUES.  Let me be clear.  I love to speak with tongues.  I believe it is a great gift from God.  One of the 9. 

Yet, when I participate in a service where I help minister the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I don't hear many people speak over them saying, FIND WISDOM, GET THE DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS, PROPHESY...  No, it's just about a fluid tongue.  

When you see historical biblical events where people did get enter into the undiscovered country, they did all those things.  The gifts were without any repentance. Peter said of his experience with the gentiles, "JUST AS IT DID ON US".  What? He preached.  He prophesied.  AND they all spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance.

I love to speak in tongues but as an entry pointing to the gateway marked "Undiscovered Country Ahead". 

I recently watched a PBS special on the Lewis and Clark expedition.  It was fascinating.  They went into the undiscovered country and cataloged, recorded, what they saw, heard and experienced.  There were already people there.  Indians we called them.  Native folks.  They had to show the way.  The undiscovered to Lewis and Clark was known lands to them.  The two year trek was arduous, dangerous and yet rewarding.  It took faith and commitment.

That is very much like our foray into the undiscovered country spiritually.  There are those who say to us, "God has MORE for you" or "You don't have to visit, you can LIVE like this".  We have people in our lives telling us to come in to the deep.  The promise is true.

When we with good intention lay hands on someone and allow them to believe them that tongues alone is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, we are picking their pockets spiritually.  YES, God in his grace will often lead them to go deeper. To explore the unexplored.  All this in spite of our fumbling the ball. 

That is not the case with all.  Not everyone who speaks in tongues is an explorer.   I know many tongue talking saints who are spiritually an inch deep and a mile wide.  The problem many times is they are not being challenged to find that deeper place.  That's more than teaching.  It's leading. How do you exercise the gift of Prophecy?  By Prophesying.  Discernment? By discerning Spirits, Words of Wisdom and Knowledge, By speaking them out, OF Faith and Miracles?  By stepping out of our boat called "Comfort Zone" and walking on top of the unknown.   All the gifts come by doing.. not just tongues.

We were intended to discover the undiscovered.  That is the great mystery yet to be found.  We have had those who have gone before, mapped out some places, indicated others.  Some actually live there.  Let us follow them.  There will be no fear of the undiscovered... if we know who created it and preserved it just for us. 

"Follow me", HE said.  LETS DO THAT. 

Spiritual Warfare - The Civil War over TRUTH

This is the second in a series of posts (I have no idea how many there will be) based on a revelation of the Great Civil War in which we are engaged and that it is the real Spiritual Warfare in our lives.  This truth has to do with individuals, but it also has to do with groups and populations.  Ultimately it has to do with nations.  We are engaged in a great civil war over truth. 

We hear all the time, "The devil is a lie".  I know what people say, but a cleverly packaged mostly true can sound good, even be Biblical, and still be untruth.

The devil has always used this to deceive.  In the Garden, Hath God Said?  With Jesus temptation in the desert.  IF you are...

I speak to those reading understanding that you know the stories.

God is speaking as he says this, "I am the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE".   We get that.  We can say yea and AMEN.  BUT what about the deceptions that trap us all sometimes.  I have been there.  I have been trapped with cleverly designed untruths.  I am sorry and shamed every time it happens.

Even good Christen brethren can without knowing it, bring untruth into your life.  It requires diligent discernment to know.  The prophet says this:

Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Seems easy enough, but it starts with us.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise Philippians 6:8 NLT

This does NOT mean we won't sometimes offend someone by sharing truth with them.  If you share what Paul the Apostle wrote in the First Chapter of Romans, there are people who will be offended.  

If you stand for Jesus even in your personal life. you will offend people.  Truth has a way of ripping off the deceptions of the devil.  Yet, we want to win them.  

The first challenge for the child of God is to not be deceived themselves.  Even the Pharisees, the most externally righteous of Jesus day were offended by HIM, and he was TRUTH.  

The real spiritual warfare takes place in that Belt of Truth you use to gird up your loins, buckled firmly around your waist.  Keeping you secure in an important area and preparing you to run when you need to.

  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist-- Ephesians 6:14

Here's the battle zone in the civil war we fight personally and in our nation.  The enemy is trying to loosen even remove the belt of truth from you.  He does it with insidious lies.  Lies perhaps you have believed for a very long time.  Lies you thought all along were Gospel truth.  

Here's a prophetic fact, a deeply embedded lie you have carried for a long time has put you in chains and removing them from your life is going to be very painful.  It will hurt.  It will cause distress like you cannot believe.  It will be more convenient and less stressful to stay in your comfort zone of lies.

The worst lies are those told to us in our culture.  By our peers.  Even by our parents and relatives.  I know, I grew up with some whoppers and have slowly moved away from things that 40 years ago I KNEW were true.

I won't name them, but you must use the word of God, your discernment and the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your heart and mind at peace.  If a belief you have had, or still have causes you to lose peace, it's probably NOT truth.  Examine it.

Here's the last piece of prophetic advice.  You can't convince others of the bondage of lies in their lives.  They can only be inspired to examine themselves and come to new levels of truth finding.

The amount of disinformation, urban legends, rumors, false beliefs, bias, fear based opinion and cultural institutional assumptions will cause anyone who becomes a truth seeker to win the spiritual civil war going on in your life. 

Receive a lie, it will put you in chains.  Breaking those chains and come into the truth... that is the word of the Lord... NOW!

Lance Wallnau posted this from Rick Renner, and now I do. It's worth reading

“HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN INWARD UNEASINESS or a lack of peace that you later wished you hadn’t ignored? As believers, we must learn to pay attention to the lack of peace we feel in our spirits. Sometimes that “inward disturbance” is God’s way of alerting us to something important or of telling us that something isn’t right.”

“God is faithful to speak to you, but often His voice can be heard only by what you sense in your own heart. If you sense peace in your heart, it could be God’s voice telling you, “You have a green light, so you can proceed.” On the other hand, if you have a lack of peace or an inward disturbance, it could be God’s way of saying “Yellow light, so move with caution.” It may even be God telling you, “Red alert! Stop! Something is wrong!” The Holy Spirit is so faithful to warn us when the devil is trying to plan something destructive against us. If you and I will learn to listen and trust His leadership, we’ll be able to circumvent most of those demonic attacks.”

“So I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you keep your eyes on Him and your heart soft and sensitive to His leading. Just something for you to THINK ABOUT today!” --

Kim Clement: Training the Eye of the Soul - Does the Soul Contribute to Hearing the Voice of God?

What Is The Soul?

Recently, while teaching at The Den, my Internet program, I touched on the area of the soul and the response from our watchers, the Warriors, was truly overwhelming. As a result of this, and of course the prompting of the Spirit of God, I began compiling a series of teachings on the soul from a prophetic perspective.
Some of the questions I will address are: Does the soul contribute to one hearing the voice of God, or does it hinder it? Is there such a thing as the "eye" of the soul? If the Spirit leads us, then where does the soul fit into the directive?
During these teachings, I will endeavor to supply knowledge to you, which ultimately, if you apply it in your life, will help you not only in being led by the Spirit, but to reach others who are in desperate need for help.
Let's start...in Mark 8:36-37: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
The loss of the soul is the highest, greatest loss; a loss that can never be repaired or made up. The soul is often called the HEART of man. Good or evil have their rise within the soul or heart of man.
The first conception of good or evil is in the soul. The soul understands, wills, reasons, judges; these are the faculties of the soul. So, "heart" and "soul" are often taken for one and the same. "For out of the heart (soul) proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts..." (Matthew 15:19).
The soul of a man is his understanding, reason and conscience, etc. The soul needs breath – God's breath; otherwise it weakens and relies on other "breath" to keep it going. Pleasures are more relied upon to keep one "breathing"; alcohol, drugs, etc. become a substitute, and the list goes on.
David truly understood how to keep his soul divinely breathing. David called his soul his "darling." He said, "Deliver Lord, my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog." Psalm 35:17 says, "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions." Most men say of their souls, "My slave," "My yoke," and, "My drudge..."
Do you love your soul? If you don't love your soul, you will lose it. That's the start. We are told, "Love your neighbor as [you love] yourself." If you despise your soul, which is the real you, you will never obey that commandment.

Spirit and Soul Have Different Understandings

Job spoke about the "spirit of my understanding" (Job 20:3).
Also read Ephesians 1:17-18: "...[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..."

Soul Understanding

Your soul has to understand your spirit, and likewise your spirit has to understand your soul to bring a balance in your journey in this life. The soul understands certain things and the spirit understands certain things. Spirit has no restrictions in its understanding of the spiritual life, but in regard to reason, emotions, etc., there are restrictions. The soul has restrictions in its understanding beyond reason, emotion, etc.

It's quite fascinating, but once there is a mutual understanding between the two powerful entities, a marriage takes place and many beautiful blessings are born; great supernatural acts are accomplished and, most importantly, other souls are reached, touched, and restored.
Why do you think David was so strict with his soul? He would constantly put it in check, speak to it, encourage it, command it, and nurture it. He knew the importance of the soul being restored and healed.
In fact, in the beautiful and famous Psalm 23, he wrote these words, "He restores my soul. He [then] leads me in right paths." I am suggesting today that you simply cannot be led by the Spirit if your soul is damaged or hurt in any way. Yes, your soul can be hurt because it is the very heart of your being. Your soul knows love, but it has also experienced hatred. David would never have prayed for his soul to be restored if it was not wounded or hurt.
Everyone wants God to lead him or her in the right paths in order to accomplish great things while on the earth. Once you have an understanding of how to prevent damage to your soul, you will go from victory to victory, from one state of existence to a higher state of existence, and your presence will fill a room with unusual aromas of sweetness, power, peace, hope, love, and life.
Do you want that? DO YOU? Of course you do, and here are some keys for you to apply and start being a blessing instead of always wanting a blessing.

Internal Dialogue

Your soul is aware of internal dialogue. It can sense when someone despises you, is critical toward you, is cursing you, questioning you, and so on. Jesus was constantly aware of internal dialogue, and on many occasions dealt with it before it proceeded out of their mouths.
Matthew 9:1-7 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" – then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
The problem with us is that when we "sense" something, we try and reason, judge, and oftentimes because of the lack of discernment, allow it to simmer within until it causes our soul to get bitter, and then it's downhill from that point. This is where you need help from your spirit.
If you study Paul's writing in 1 Corinthians 12, he speaks about nine gifts of the Spirit. One of these gifts is the "discerning of spirits." When you're in the position, and you're not sure about what you're sensing, it's time to lean on your spirit to discern for you, without emotion, reason, judgment, etc.
The discerning of spirits, as stated in 1 Corinthians 12:10, is the ability (when needed) to perceive and recognize what manner of spirit (human spirit in this instance – as it could be angelic or demonic as well) is affecting you. Once the spirit discerns this, it offers that information to the soul, thereby equipping the soul with correct judgment. Cool, eh?
One of the greatest ways of avoiding soul damage is to obey the commands of Jesus. He tells us to forgive, turn the other cheek, give an extra coat when asked for, pray for your enemies, knowing that these are preventatives that guard the soul. It all has to do with giving to others.
I have found that when the Spirit prompts me to give an offering, and I obey Him, something happens to me that does NOT happen when I receive. He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). When you give an offering, you are being a blessing. Start this journey today by becoming a blessing.
Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
Email: hope@kimclement.com
Website: kimclement.com

A Prophetic Guide to Winning the Great Civil War... inside

People talk a lot about spiritual warfare.  They chop the air.  They make all kinds of noises.  They scream.  They rebuke darkness.  They cast out unseen demons.  They drive stakes in the ground.  They anoint the whole world around them with holy oil.  They jerk, spasm, fall on the ground. 

Yet they continue to lose the battle in themselves.  We are in the midst of a great civil war and it is going on in YOU.  IF you would win at spiritual warfare, you must first recognize the war going on inside.

"The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions".   Galatians 5:17 NLT

You can't cast out your flesh.  It is your sinful nature. It wants what the Spirit reborn in you does not.

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." Galatians 5:24-25 NLT

You can only put it to death.  Daily.

"If you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live".  Romans 8:13 NASB

SO, what are some ways we can WIN the internal CIVIL WAR?

I'll offer one.  Make better decisions.  Make good choices.  Guard your life walk by being deliberate led by the Spirit of the Living God to make quality decisions.

That means that you go with the peace.  If you have true peace about it, it may be the right decision.

That means that it doesn't violate the word of God as you understand it.

That means you will come into greater light because of it. 

That means you have a few trusted spiritual and wisdom people around you that offer decision support or question.

That means that the decisions you make are Spiritually Discerned as right as best you can.  That requires prayer, that requires quiet time, that requires hearing the voice of God for yourself.

Many spiritual bondages result from bad decisions driven by fleshly desires.  Remember it's a civil war and sometimes the battles can be lost.  There will be casualties.  Here are some evidences of lost battles in the civil war in our lives.

• Debt
• Fear
• Poverty
• Bad Relationships
• Anger
• Addictions

Paul spoke of this.

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies..."  Galatians 5:19-21

Those are lost battles in the Great Civil War in your life.  You can CHOOSE your way out of these things.  Quality Decisions will save you. 

The result?  IF we get, have and keep the victory in this Great Civil War, the Kingdom of GOD will be established in YOUR life.  The kingdom of God doesn't have debt, fear, poverty, bad relationships, anger addictions nor any of those things in Galatians 5:19

You can LIVE like this.  You can make better choices.  The Kingdom of GOD CAN be established in your life.  Seek FIRST the Kingdom and his righteousness and good choices will be added to you.

The Kingdom of GOD is supposed to be IN YOU.  The Warfare over the King setting up camp is fought.  The devil influences you, but your flesh and sin nature are the weapons he uses.

Choose this day... and make better choices.  It's a key to winning in spiritual warfare.

We are NOW engaged in a great Civil War...cold at present

Sometimes I get a download Prophetically that all at once makes things much more clear.  Where it all makes sense.  Where the fog rolls away?  When I get a big one, it takes a few days to process.  I got one this weekend.  Contemplating the Gettysburg address.  This line:

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure".

I heard the Lord say, "You are in a Civil War, this time it is a cold Civil War.  People still die, there are still casualties, but it is a war.  It is still a cold war, it will for a short time become a HOT war"....

Enduring is the goal. Coming out whole as a nation.  The methods of our warfare in the past, using the ballot box to effect change nationally is lost.  The electorate who is more informed about Justin Bieber, Beyonce and the birth of a British Heir than recognizing the death of a nation and the consequence of it all, has been conquered in their minds and spirits.  They will vote for the next Justin Bieber candidate who comes along.  As they did in the last two elections.  The uninformed electorate will foolishly vote for the manufactured deceptions presented them.  The ballot box no longer works.

THEN I heard the Lord Say, "The battle in the civil war in not only national, but personal.  You are in a civil war, a cold civil war, but a war that must go hot in yourself.  The strongholds of beliefs you treasure, the deceptions that distract, the distractions that deceive, the fleshly desires that war against your spirit are the opponents in your personal civil war.  You cannot win this war and allow one side to live.  Either your flesh will win and your spirit will die, or your spirit will have victory in MY spirit and put to death the works of the flesh".

That's when the light went on for me.  The weapons of our warfare that we have always been taught are not carnal by the word of God are the weapons we must engage.  The weapons we must use to win both civil wars are Mighty and pull down strongholds.  But they are not the weapons we try to use.  They will fail.  They are ineffective.

Now we are up against powers and principalities. The lessons from the American Civil War and the Cold War against Communism and the Soviet Union that I recall so well can inform and instruct us how we can be much more effective in the Great Civil War that we are engaged in RIGHT NOW.

First we must be certain that the Belt of Truth is firmly cinched around our waist.

I will write more on this. These large volume downloads are often larger than we recognize.

Rick Joyner: People Who Know Their God will Display Strength and Take Action

As mentioned previously, The Holy Spirit is "the Helper" not "the Doer." He will do His part, but He expects us to do ours. It is good to be able to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit, but we must not stop there. We must go on to seek Him for what our part is and then do it.
We cannot be the salt and light we are called to be without being engaged in these times. Jesus called those who were more devoted to understanding the weather than the signs of the times "hypocrites." To be the light we are called to be, it is crucial that we understand these times.
Because the Spirit "searches all things, even the depths of God" (see 1 Corinthians 2:10), no one who is truly led by the Spirit will be shallow in their understanding. If we are led by the Spirit, we will love the truth enough to seek it out. We will be compelled to have a depth to our knowledge.

Even if we are convinced that the rapture will spare us from the Great Tribulation, what the Lord Himself prophesied as "the beginning of birth pangs" (see Matthew 24:8) should be enough to motivate us to prepare for difficulties. However, our preparation for the times is not just for survival, but also for doing our part as laborers in the greatest harvest the world will ever see.

Display Strength and Take Action

In Daniel 11:32 we see that when "the abomination of desolation" is being set up, "the people who know their God will display strength and take action." We are not here to cower nor hoard. We are not only to seek safety for ourselves, but we are here to prepare the way for the coming Kingdom. Those who are truly following the King will display strength and take action.

The world is getting darker, fast. However, we are here for a reason. In times of greater darkness, greater light is needed and will be given. As deep darkness covers the earth, it will be our greatest opportunity of all time to walk with God and be His messengers.

Do you have the message? Are you beholding the glory of the Lord? Can others behold His glory on you?
We are told in 2 Corinthians 3 that we should be experiencing more glory than Moses did. We have a better covenant than Moses had. We can have a closer relationship to God than Moses did, and Moses met with Him face to face. Even so, and much better than that, He has come to live in us! He never leaves us.
Do we see the One who lives within us? Do we see His glory? If we do, others will see it in us.
Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
Email: info@morningstarministries.org
Website: morningstarministries.org

Hebrew Year 5774

Rosh Hashana Sep 5-6, 2013 The Jewish New Year 

Yom Kippur Sep 14, 2013 Day of Atonement 

Sukkot Sep 19-20, 2013 Sep 21-25, 2013 Feast of Tabernacles 


Chanukah Nov 28-Dec 5, 2013 the Festival of Lights 

Pesach Apr 15-16, 2014 Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Shavuot Jun 4-5, 2014 Festival of Weeks PENTECOST

The need for deeper discernment By Shirley Carter

~ It saddens my heart to see the lack of discernment in the Body. Many ministers who the multitudes are applauding God has revealed to me, are wolves in sheep's clothing. When He gave me a prophetic dream, the wolf was right in front of the sheep who had no clue it was in danger (the sheep & wolf were the same color, white). Even after the wolf walked away, then suddenly began charging at the sheep, the sheep still had no idea it was in danger. It was the Good Shepherd (Jesus) and God's true shepherding leaders shouting warnings that prevented the devouring attacks. Then again, through an intercessor, The Spirit of the Lord admonished me "I don't care how many people are applauding them, if I call them wolves in sheep's clothing they are...warn My Sheep!" God has also judged His people by giving them leaders of their own desires because they sought "itchy ears" preaching. He that has ears let them hear!

The spiral effect has accelerated. Popular "ministers" now hobnobbing with those who openly support New Age and deny Jesus as the Only Way. So one would ask, what would Paul The Apostle do? Would He compromise and join as if preaching the same Gospel. For even he declared "If I or angels would preach another Gospel, let him be accursed." Please understand the need for deeper discernment. When Paul was followed by the woman who encouraged others to follow him saying "these men preach the way, hear them", though the words were correct, Paul had discernment by the Spirit to know this was the Devil speaking and cast him out of the woman. Is anyone listening????

Saints of God...popularity, big churches, even testimonies of many people "saved" are not true avenues of discernment. There are false conversions and what we call falling away because the pure Gospel empowered by the Holy Spirit, did not convert the hearts. I'm afraid emotionalism, sentiment, niceties, appear to be the call of the hour. Yet these are no match for the great end time deception that has already crept into popular Christianity. The main power behind seducing and deceptive spirits is that the prey do not know they are deceived. It is the Holy Spirit Who reveals the secret things that many cannot see, He especially does so through His Apostles & Prophets. Shalom...

Bob Jones: Faith Without Works is Dead

Faith without works is dead. Every born again Christian is given gifts according to 1 Peter 4:10. If you have gifts they are to be used for the Body of Christ.
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:14-26

Little Faith Works

If you say you have faith but you have no works then your faith is inactive and dead. Usually pride and timidity prevents the gifts from touching one another in the Body of Christ. It's better to step out in faith and think that you've failed than to be timid and quiet. I've seen many times in the past when I thought I had really goofed in bringing the word but the word was verified within a month. We need to be bold and brave and minister to one another in faith. If you have faith and you don't work at it then your faith is unprofitable to anybody including yourself.
If you are a little immature but have active faith, then when you pray for people you have an insurance policy from your Daddy that covers your immaturity. He will perfect your faith to the degree you step out in. But you need to step out and begin to activate your faith before He begins to perfect you by His Spirit.
There are many different works but faith is what prepares us to do the works. We'll see the signs and wonders when we step out in faith and do the works. According to Joshua 1:9 those who are bold are getting ready to be used by the Holy Spirit:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Creative Faith

All things come into being through faith because faith is the substance of things hoped for according to Hebrews 11:1. Being mixed together with this hope, faith brings things into being out of nothing. This is what the Father did in the beginning when He created the heavens and the earth. He created them out of nothing and He wants sons and daughters that will be likened to Him by creating arms and legs out of nothing. These are the greater works that I believe are shortly going to manifest.
 

Works Without Faith Is Suicide

Presently most churches are teaching works and not faith. Works without faith is suicide. By only doing works you keep working to please the Father, but you'll never get there with a works approach. When you try to do works only to please, that will leave you miserable, discontent and unhappy, and you'll end up "committing spiritual suicide" or literally dying in faith.

What is works? Works is a religious spirit and it's not of the Father. A religious spirit is legalism, opinion, debate, judgment and criticism. Legalism will keep you bound from all pleasures that are permissible. Legalism is the law trying to earn by works what can only be obtained by faith and belief.
However, the Father wants us to be happy and that's why He's given us all good things. Therefore we must receive everything He gives us with joy and gladness (Deuteronomy 28:47).
When we believe and receive these blessings of the Father, it honors Him and we remain free from the yoke of bondage. The Father is saying, "Let your days be consumed with joy and gladness" – where you remain in the Father's eyes.
When you are motivated by works instead of faith you'll never get the job done... You're never going to succeed that way or you'll eventually backslide and quit trying. To be bound up in works is spiritual suicide because faith is what pleases God. We are saved by faith and it's actually what you believe in. If you believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit then you're a free person and you'll have so much going for you – especially joy, gladness and the blessings.
I believe there's a lot of sickness in the Body of Christ because so few are praying for the sick. Many times I've seen those who were just saved and immediately enter into healings and do the works of the Holy Spirit. This is what I believe He's saying, "Let your faith go forth into good works that will touch people who have a need and you'll be blessed in joy and gladness. Everything you sow into those who have a need will return to you many times."

Greater Works

Now is the time that faith and good works come together in the equipping and preparation of the saints. These are the greater works of John 14:12. By faith we can call those things that are not as if they were because we have the faith to do it. There's a remnant of Christians that's getting ready to step out and do the greater works.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:12-14
The Father will be glorified through signs and wonders. These are the greater works working through a Body of Believers activated by faith and motivated by love.

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. John 14:8-11
We received the revelation of the Son of Heaven 2000 years ago and the revelation of the Holy Spirit over 100 years ago – as the Pentecost movement began.
Now the last revelation is of our Daddy. Who is the greater works going to honor? They will honor the Father. I don't think people have seen this before but there's no greater way you can honor the Father than by your faith touching His Body.
James 2:14-26 and 1 Peter 4:10 (above) justify the message of John 14:13 showing who gets the praise for the greater works.
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13
Bob and Bonnie Jones
The Prophetic Ministry of Bob and Bonnie Jones
Website: bobjones.org