God's Simple Truths

"quasi-Christian" movement

2011-07-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

If you’re like me, you’re going “What?!”

Lee Grady’s recent Don’t Join the Cult of the Backslider article is about a new movement being birthed here in the US that is purposeful deception. Below are some excerpts (with emphasis added).

Since the Wild Goose Festival was held in North Carolina’s mountains, you might be tempted to think it was a typical bluegrass festival. Think again. The organizers of this event, which attracted 1,500 people in late June, say their quasi-Christian conference “is going to grow into the largest, best run, most dynamic religious happening in the U.S.” ...
... But the founder of Wild Goose, a peace activist from Northern Ireland named Gareth Higgins, is convinced his movement will capture the hearts of young Americans who are questioning their evangelical faith and exploring other options.
To help them discover this new spiritual path, Higgins brought in an assortment of authors, artists, musicians and activists, all from the far left side of the Christian spectrum, to speak or perform June 23-26 at Wild Goose. They included Jay Bakker, son of TV evangelist Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker; Frank Schaeffer, son of evangelical authors Francis and Edith Schaeffer; and San Francisco pastor Paul Fromberg, who described his 2005 marriage to another man and told the crowd: “God is changing the church through the bodies of gay men.”
The appeal of Wild Goose is tragic. ... They want a kinder, gentler, softer Christianity that is acceptable to secular culture rather than one that confronts and contradicts it.

I think many of you share my belief that the last statement is the exact opposite of what we were directed by our Lord, Jesus Christ to do!

Interestingly, just before reading this article, I had read an article by Francis Frangipane that perfectly prescribes the antidote for the above. Below is an excerpt from his article: The Divine Obsession (emphasis added).

World Changers Needed
It is this very passion to be conformed to Christ that separates the third group from the others. Though smallest in number, its members are the most effective. Throughout history, these have been the world changers. These are the individuals who have understood the priority of God. They know that the Father's highest passion is to behold His Son revealed in a believer's soul. As much as they are moved with compassion for the lost, their primary quest is not to touch their neighbors' hearts, but to touch the heart of God. They know if they awaken the Father's pleasure, the power of His Spirit will go before them. God Himself will change the hearts of those around them.
It is my sincere quest in life to be like Jesus in everything. It stuns me to know that if I am truly conformed to Christ, I have the Spirit's promise that I will also awaken the pleasure of Almighty God. Here, in my transformation, is the power to touch cities and redeem cultures, for it takes transformed people to transform nations.

Please read Lee Grady’s entire article and be aware of this scheme of the enemy. We need to stop this through prayer before it begins to build any momentum. Let us pray with Lee “that [God] will raise up young leaders who are filled with compassion, empowered by the Holy Ghost and brave enough to point their generation back to biblical truth.” Amen!! [So be it!!]

Call to Prayer

2010-07-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

I was in a Sunday morning worship service this past Sunday (7/11/10), not particularly thinking about the current political situation when I heard the following phrase very clearly:

“I can unravel [Obama] in 2011 and take him out of office in 2012 – if My people pray.”

As I quickly jotted down this statement, I began to hear the following word.

“My people have ceased to pray and intercede. They have given up in hopelessness. I am not the God of hopelessness. I am God Almighty.

"I can shift things in a moment. But I shift them as a result of the prayers of My people. I shift them when the bowl of incense of their prayers becomes full.

"My people are spending their time complaining and discussing the problems. They are not praying about them. They are not seeking My face for solutions. They are not calling out to Me for Me to move.

"Many who prayed fervently for the 2008 elections gave up praying afterward because they did not see the result they sought. I can turn the situation for good – if My people will pray.

“Get back on your post. Watchmen, look and see. Sound the alarm. Your nation stands now in the balance. Which way your nation goes is even now being decided. The measure is being weighed out.

“It is a serious time, a critical time. This is even more critical than 2008. The choices made by Americans this fall will set the course for the nation for the next 20 years and, potentially, beyond.

“Get back to your posts. Get back on your knees. Go back to warring the warfare in the spirit realm. This is a critical juncture. Your nation will remain ‘one nation under God’ or it will become a nation of many gods.

"If they choose to serve other gods, My blessing which has remained to this time will lift. Many of you have felt this nation was in darkness, but you have not seen or experienced darkness as you will see it.

“Pray now. Pray earnestly. Seek My face. Fill the bowls of intercession. It is the only way to save your nation.

“I can bring revival. I can bring a shift in thinking. I can break down old mindsets. But the time for that shift is now. If there is not a shift by this November, this nation will have set its course.

“Sound the alarm.

“Call My people to a solemn fast – a fast from complaining and sarcasm – a fast to set their minds and wills on seeking Me to turn the situation around.

“Pray for a shift!
“A shift in thinking.
“A shift in allegiance.
“A shift in worship. A shift to worship Me instead of things and people.
“Pray for My mercy.

“Shake off the complacency.

“Shake off the spirit of hopelessness.

“Encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. Return to your posts. Return to the warfare. There are no ‘leaves of absence’ from this battle.

“The tide can be turned.

“The outcome depends on the prayers and the actions of My people.”

Additional Impressions:

As always, I sense more than the actual words I hear. Following are some of those impressions as the word was received.

Obama not being elected to a second term is not as sure of thing as some might like to believe. While the tide of public opinion is currently moving against Pres. Obama, public opinion is a fickle thing and can just as easily sway back in his direction as the 2012 election cycle approaches. We need to be praying NOW that his true motives and objectives are so clearly revealed that only his most loyal can continue to believe his empty words.

While there is a faithful remnant that continues to pray, the emphasis that many put on praying for our nation and praying about who came to office has waned significantly. It is no longer a issue in the forefront – and it needs to be. In the military, a defeat does not mean you give up and quit; it means you regroup, assess why you lost that battle; and develop the strategy for the next one. We, the collective Church of America, must begin to press into this again – now, not later.

I felt the statement that “Your nation stands now in the balance,” was a sovereign warning. Scripture talks about sheep nations and goat nations. While each individual must choose God on a personal level, there are nations that are Godly and nations that are definitely not. We have always been a Christian nation – founded on Godly principles. Our current president stated that we were no longer that. We will prove him wrong – or his words will prove prophetic and we will no longer be as we have always been.

While each election cycle we like to claim, “this is the most important election we’ve ever had,” I speak to you prophetically that THIS will be the most important election. We MUST place in office on every level (from city council to the US House and Senate) men and women who will follow Godly principles. Note that I did not say “who are Christian.” There are some who are Christian that do not always follow Godly principles. Conversely, there are some who are not born again who have been successful in business and other realms because they have followed Godly principles, whether they acknowledge that is the source of their principles or not. We need to pray and ask God who to support – and be willing for His answer to be different than who we would have selected. We must lay down the requirement that they agree with us on every point and ask God who He has raised up for the position. We must then support them whole-heartedly, even if we disagree on some issues.

Many have proclaimed for years that America was apostate. God has not seen it that way. He has seen His remnant here. However, the cup of iniquity of this nation is filling. If we, His people, do not intercede, cry out for mercy, and cry out for Him to shift things, the scale is very close to tipping to the dark side. We have thought that we had ‘a tough battle.’ If we allow it to reach that tipping point, we will see that where we have been has been Easy Street compared to the battle we will face. Ask anyone who has served in or even visited a nation that is truly dark and they will tell you. We need to pray earnestly that we do not reach that point.

Deception cloaks not only many of our leaders but much of our nation. No amount of facts or logic will break through a deceived mind. It takes God to break the deception – and then the thinking changes instantly. It takes God to break wrong mindsets, beliefs, and thought patterns (in all of us). While we need to be continually speaking the truth to those in deception, we must also pray for God to break the deception and open their eyes and ears so that they can see and hear and turn.

Regarding the statement that “If there is not a shift by this November, this nation will have set its course,” I want to be clear that one election will not solve all of our problems in this nation. However, what I sensed very strongly is that if we do not reach a breakthrough and begin to turn the tide back to godliness and righteousness by those in governmental positions, we will hit the tipping point that thrusts us into a downward spiral from which we will not recover for at least a score (20 years). I am not one for giving timeframes, but these were very clear in the word I heard.

At the same time, we must begin to guard our lips. We must stand for truth and speak the truth. However, we must do so in a spirit of love. We must get free of a critical spirit and we must guard against sarcasm. Our sarcasm drives away the very ones we would seek to entice with the truth. We undermine our own efforts when we fall into this tool used by the enemy to nullify our effectiveness.

So, we must pray for a shift in thinking, allegiance, and worship. Thinking has already been addressed. I will add that we need to pray that people will see the truth behind a situation and not simply believe whatever is blasted across the airwaves or internet the most or the loudest.

Allegiance is two-fold – natural and spiritual. In the spirit, it is, of course, a shift of people lining up with the Spirit of God and His will for the situation. In the natural, we need to pray for a shift in allegiance for people when they are going to the polls. Many need to shift their allegiance from their normal alliances to the right man or woman for the particular position, regardless of the party in which they are running.

Worship is a lifestyle, not an act. We need to pray for a shift in lifestyles so that they glorify, honor, and exalt the Lord of lords and King of kings.

We need to cry out for God’s mercy on us, shake off the spirit of complacency (“why bother”) and rid ourselves of the spirit of hopelessness (“it didn’t work before, why believe it will work now”). We must do as David did even when all of his men turned on him at Ziklag. He encouraged himself in the Lord and then got up and went and overtook and conquered the enemy who had robbed him of everything, including his wives and children.

God’s promise was that “The tide can be turned.” His warning was that “The outcome depends on the prayers and the actions of [His] people.”

May we heed this warning and rise up to save our nation!

Authored by: Laurie Skipper
Laurie resides in Wichita, Kansas. She is a Certified Enterprise Architect and has been employed by a major aerospace manufacturing company as a professional in IT for more than 25 years. She has ministered with Jess Bielby and Gospel Associates since 2001 and been associated with Harvest Breakthrough Network International and George Bakalov Ministries International since 2003.

How You Handle the Present Setback May Determine Your Future

2010-06-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

I still have not been able to get away from the book of Esther. Take a look with me at the difference in how three of the central characters in this story handled disappointments and setbacks - and how things turned out for them in the end.

First, let's take a look at the setback or disappointment and the response. Then we will take a look at the outcome it eventually brought.

Response to Setback or Disappointment
Mordecai

Let's start with Mordecai. Mordecai and Esther are both introduced into the story in chapter 2, verses 5-7.

Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Jeconiah, King of Judah, and most of the Jewish people had been exiled somewhere around 597 B.C. Mordecai's ancestors had been part of that exile. Most scholars believe the King Ahasuerus who is central to the story in Esther began his reign around 485 B.C. Hence, Mordecai had been born and lived his entire life in the land of their captivity. Since more than a century has passed since the Jews were sent into exile, they have somewhat adapted to their land and culture. Yet, many, like Mordecai, have remained true to their God, Jehovah (or YHWH).

We do not know how or why, but Mordecai had apparently become somewhat well known within the capital city of Susa. He sat at the gate of the palace, which was a place of prominence in the city. We do not know what he did for a living, but he apparently was able to not only support himself but also his orphaned cousin, Hadassah. We can only assume that he no children of his own, perhaps not even a wife, since there is no mention of either in the story.

Mordecai could have carried anger and anomosity against the king and the people of the land. After all, this was not his homeland. Some would say he "had reason" to be bitter or resentful. He was born in this land because his ancestors had been forced to relocate there as subjects (slaves) of those who ruled the land. Second, there was still hostility against his people (ethic group) by some of the "ruling class."

But Mordecai does not allow the "setback" of being born in a foreign land to a minority ethnic group to cause bitterness. In fact, in chapter 2 we find that he intervened to protect the life of the king.

Mordecai could have also resented being "saddled" with having to take care of and provide for his cousin. Instead of expecting "someone else" to care for her, he "took for his own daughter." As the story unfolds, we find that "Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her." (Esther 2:11) Mordecai truly cared for her as he would have his own daughter. Instead of allowing resentment, Mordecai opened his heart to love.

In spite of the"setbacks" of difficulties and prejudices to overcome and of having a child to raise that was not his own, Mordecai simply went about his daily life, living it in a manner to please God and to follow Paul's later exhortation to us in Romans 12:18 to "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." In the midst of that, he obviously had prospered within that land and considered it his home.

Esther

Now, let's look at Esther. We already know that she was orphaned. We do not know how old she was when she lost her parents, or whether she lost them both at the same time or first one and then the other. All we know is that "she had no father or mother" and Mordecai had taken her into his home to raise as "his own daughter."

Like Mordecai, Esther is in a land to which her ancestors had been forced to come as subjects and where her ethnic group is still not welcomed by some. As a young woman, likely still a teenager, she has lost both of her parents. There is no indication that she had any sibblings, so she is left essentially alone - except for an older cousin, who, graciously takes her in. She is apparently being raised in a home with no female role model (no one to teach her the ways of ladyhood). Yet, it is obvious from the story that she loves and respects Mordecai and that she "was beautiful of form and face." Now, her life is about to take yet another setback.

Some time (we're not told how long) after having deposed Vashti, King Ahasuerus misses having a royal co-regent and begins to look for someone suitable to be his queen. The beginning of chapter 2 explains the process that will be used to select from among "all the fair young virgins" throughout "all the provinces of his kingdom" to find "the maiden which pleaseth the king" for him to make his queen. Verse 8 tells us:

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

Esther's life is once again interupted from its normal course. Having settled in with her cousin, she still have the hope of one day marrying and having a family of her own. Now, those hopes are dashed.

Esther is one of some (probably large) number of young women being "rounded up" for the king's harem. True, one of them would become queen. But that would be one and only one out of "all the fair young virgins" throughout "all the provinces of his kingdom." What were her chances of being that one? Especially since she was from a different ethnic group than the king. Though it was true that his kingdom included many ethnic groups since it contained 127 provinces extending from India to Ethiopia, her people group were those who had been brought to this region due to their captivity. They were not a natural people group within this land. And many in the land had not forgotten that.

Esther's hopes for a family and a "normal" life were over. Once she received her year's worth of beauty treatments and had her "one night with the king" she would become part of his harem. After that one night, whether or not she was ever in his presence again was entirely up to him. She might well spend the rest of her life living as part of his harem and dying without ever being able to be with "family" again.

Remember, too, that Esther is still likely a teenager. To say the least, she was still young enough to be considered a "maiden." Human nature has not changed. Teenage girls then were likely to have the same ability to be moody as teenage girls now. But Esther did not slip into that.

Esther had been trained well by her cousin. She did not allow bitterness and resentment to build in her heart. As she had submitted to and obeyed Mordecai, she now submitted to and obeyed Hegai., in whose care she found herself. And she continued to receive and abide by the counsel of her cousin, Mordecai.

Haman

Finally, let's take a look at Haman. His is a very different story. Unlike Mordecai and Esther, he is what we might consider "one of the ruling class." In Esther 3:1 we learn that he is above all the other princes of the land.

After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him.

As the story unfolds, we realize that Haman has become essentially "the number two guy" in the kingdom. Most would consider themselves at the peak of their career and enjoy their honor, prestige, and all of the benefits it brings. But not Haman. In spite of everyone paying homage to Haman except for one person, Haman could not let the issues of that one person go. Esther 3:2 sets the stage.

All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.

Esther 3:5 reveals Haman's reaction.

When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage.

Verse 6 goes on to tell us that Haman's wrath was not simply targeted at Mordecai as an individual, but at his entire ethnic group.

But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

While the account recorded for us does not say, my belief is that Haman did not target the Jews because Mordecai wouldn't bow to him - but rather Haman used his disgruntlement with Mordecai as the excuse to destroy a people group he already hated. (For more on that issue, see my previous post entitled "The Anti-Christ Spirit ...is against You!")

But, in this study I am looking at how people respond to setbacks, so let's get back to Haman's story. So far, he seems to be advancing in the kingdom nicely. He is even granted his petition to set aside a day throughout all of kingdom (all 127 provinces) to destroy all of the Jews within the kingdom. Even his personal vendetta against the Jews would be settled once and for all. Yet, all of that does not appease Haman. Esther 5:13 records Haman's feelings:

"Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

Haman's anger against Mordecai was so consuming he could not simply wait for the appointed day to come and Mordecai to be killed along with all his people group.

Wrath will drive you to do foolish things. Haman, following the counsel of his family and friends, decides to build a gallows especially for Mordecai. He orders it built that night and has it built 50 cubits high. That's roughly 75 feet (or nearly 23 meters). That's high! Why? This wasn't just about hanging Mordecai - it was about making a spectacle of him openly. Haman was waiting for morning to request permission to hang Mordecai publicly.

Haman's plan was to go the following morning to "suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on" the gallows he had constructed that night and "then go merrily with the king to the banquet" prepared for them - and only them - by Queen Esther. He would get that thorn, Mordecai, out of his side (or at least have permission to do so) and then go celebrate with the king and queen. Here's where Haman begins to encounter a setback.

As Haman entered the outer court of the king early the next morning in hopes of being able to make his request, his pride swells when the king asks what should be done for someone the king would like to honor. Assuming this had to be himself, Haman lays the plan out to his liking. Then he finds himself being forced to parade through the city square, leading one of the royal horses with Mordecai mounted upon it in royal robes, proclaiming to all that "'Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor." (Esther 6:6-12) Talk about having to eat your own words! Haman's day is not starting well!

After being totally humiliated by having to show honor to Mordecai, Haman rushes home. Those who had so encouraged him to kill Mordecai the night before have suddenly changed their tune. Now their words to him are of dire warning:

"If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him." (Esther 6:13)

Warning aside, it is time for his banquet with the king and queen and he must be off. At least he is still enjoying that honor. He rushes off to eat and drink with the king and his beautiful queen.

After dinner the king again queries the queen about her petition. This time, Queen Esther lays out her plea.

"If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king." (Esther 7:3-4)

The king quickly asks, "Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?" to which Esther replies, "A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!" Haman's day that had already started out poorly has just taken a rapid decline! "Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen." (Esther 7:6b)

Haman realizes he better do some back-peddling - and fast! He had no idea that the queen was Jewish. Which also means he probably still has no idea of her relationship to his archenemy, Mordecai. (Sidebar: It pays to know all about your enemy before you try to take him down!) Talk about a setback!

When Haman comes to realize the people group he has targeted for annihilation include the much-loved Queen Esther, he knows he is in serious trouble. Instead of following the king out to the garden to repent and recant from what he has requested, he hopes to find mercy in Esther and stays in the banquet hall to "beg for his life from Queen Esther." However, just as he was "falling on the couch where Esther was" in his desperate plea, the king returns to the room. Seeing Haman lunging toward his queen was over the top for King Ahasuerus. He would tolerate no more from this man!

The Outcomes

So what happened to each of these? What was the result of their actions and they ways they lived their lives? We will take these in a reverse order, starting with Haman.

Haman

The warning Haman had been given just before the banquet turned out to be both accurate and swift.

"If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him." (Esther 6:13)

Esther 7:8-10 records "the rest of the story" for Haman.

Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?" As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, "Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman's house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!" And the king said, "Hang him on it." So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king's anger subsided.

Be careful what traps you lay for someone in anger. They may well become a snare for your own feet - or, in this case, your own neck!

Anger and rage eat like a cancer. The person they consume is the one allowing them to eat away!

That ends the issue between Haman and Mordecai, personally, but the decree that has been issued to kill all the Jews in the land is still in force. This still has the lives of both Mordecai and Queen Esther in jeopardy, along with all of their ethnic group within the vast kingdom of King Ahasuerus. With that still in mind, let's turn our attention back to Esther.

Esther

Not only had Esther's continual, godly submission to those whom God placed over her (Mordecai and, for a season, Hegai) ended in her finding favor with King Ahasuerus and becoming his queen, but now she had favor with him that he continually promised her "even to half of the kingdom" should she ask for it. Yet, all she sought was her life and the lives of her people. The impending destruction is still looming. Esther goes, again, to the king to make a plea for her people.

Then Esther spoke again to the king, fell at his feet, wept and implored him to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews. The king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king. Then she said, "If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces. For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" (Esther 8:3-6)

We know that the king granted Esther her petition. He allowed her to write a superseding decree and seal it with his signet ring that the Jews were able to assemble and defend themselves against any who would try to do them harm. The "curse was reversed" in that they were granted the same permission that had been previously granted to those who hated them - except that the Jews were defending themselves against their attackers instead of attacking an innocent, peaceful people group as the plot against them had been.

But, what of Queen Esther? In the process, she had been given Haman's estate - his house and all that was in it. And, having revealed her relationship to Mordecai, she was now able once again to have a full, open relationship with him. In fact, she placed him in charge of the estate which had belonged to Haman to manage it for her.

Which leads us back to Mordecai...

Mordecai

As mentioned above, Esther not only sets Mordecai over the estate she has been given, but she also brings him before the king and explains their relationship. When she does, we find that "The king took off his signet ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai." (Esther 8:2) Further,

Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. (Esther 8:15)

In the end,

... Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation. (Esther 10:3)

Mordecai had not sought self-promotion. He did not send word to Esther to plea for herself and him, which might have been "an easier sell" to the king. Both Queen Esther and Mordecai were concerned about the good of their people over their own personal well-being. (Remember that Esther risked her own life to enter the king's presence to make the plea.) It is obvious from this last verse recorded for us that the people knew Mordecai's heart of servant hood toward them.

Takeaway Points

Selfishness and self-promoting leads to pride, which leads to a downfall or destruction.
Anger eats like a cancer and consumes the one who allows it to seethe.
Godly character produces favor.
Those who chose to serve the people rather than be served by them cause the city (or nation) to rejoice.

May we always, in every realm - be that business, politics, the Church, or in personal relationships - seek to serve rather than to be served. Then and only then are we true leaders!

The Anti-Christ Spirit ... is against You!

2010-05-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

[All scriptures quoted from NASB unless otherwise noted.]

For some time now, I have not been able to get away from studying the book of Esther. I have gone back to it time and time again. One of the things the Holy Spirit has highlighted to me in this passage of scripture is the working of the anti-Christ spirit - how it worked then and now.

Anti-Semitic Spirit at Work

From the events recorded for us in Esther, we know that Haman hated Mordecai. Haman's hatred seethed each time he would pass Mordecai and Mordecai would not bow to him as everyone else did. Haman also knew why Mordecai would not bow to him, which caused him to hate not only Mordecai but his people - the Jews. Esther 3:6 tells us:

But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

It wasn't enough for Haman to get rid of Mordecai; he wanted to annihilate this whole people group!

Why this hatred for the Jews? Where and when did this start?

To answer those questions we have to go back to the beginning of this "race" of people. That takes us back to Genesis.

God established a covenant with one man, Abraham. God further made covenant with his descendants through Isaac, the son born to him by his covenant wife, Sarah. (Genesis 17:19-21) God promised Abraham that "in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 22:18) It would be through this linage that God would send His only begotten Son, Jesus, to redeem mankind.

From that time forward, Satan has hated the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - the Jewish people - and has sought to destroy them. Satan was driven to stop the plan of God from coming to pass, and anti-semitism was born. Since the reason for wanting to annihilate the seed of Abraham was to prevent Christ from being born, the anti-semitic spirit is simply a form or particular manifestation of the anti-Christ spirit.

We know that throughout history, both in Biblical times and up to our present day, leader after leader in nation after nation has tried to wipe out - totally annihilate - God's chosen race, the Jews, including their modern-day nation of Israel. One of the many Biblical examples is the one given in Esther when Haman convinces King Ahasuerus to issue a decree "to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of ... Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder." (Esther 3:13)

While this particular edict in ancient times was overturned by Esther's plea followed by Ahasuerus' decree of reversal, Satan did not give up on his goal to destroy this people. In the 1940s, Hitler attempted to accomplish the task. He attempted to annihilate the entire Jewish race (among other groups he also targeted). Tragically, Hitler did kill nearly 6 million Jews, which was roughly two-thirds of the European Jewish population. About a quarter of those murdered were children under the age of 15 - he killed "both young and old, women and children." He also "[seized] their possessions as plunder." Yet, the Jewish race survived - as God has promised it will.

The most poignant current example of the impersonation of this spirit rests in the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who insists that Israel must cease to exist. The story of hatred against this people simply because of who they are and Who they believe is the same; the pawns used by Satan to attempt to destroy them change over time.

Yet, Satan knows "the end of the matter." God's covenant with Abraham was an everlasting covenant to his descendants. That means - it will never end! As part of that covenant, God promised them the land of Abraham's "sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession." (Genesis 17:7-8 & Genesis 15:7,18-21)

God also promised that Abraham's seed would "possess the gate of their enemies." (Genesis 22:17) Hence it is not wise for anyone - a person or a people group - to set themselves against Israel. According to God's promise to them, in the end, Israel will prevail!

We can see this demonstrated in the story of Haman. His hatred for Mordecai and the Jewish people cost him not only his position of authority but his life and the lives of his seed along with the lives of others who joined him in his hatred of the Jews. Rather than the decree he had issued being the end of the Jewish people, "the curse was reversed," and it was a day on which the Jews were allowed to annihilate their enemies. And so they did. With the help of government officials throughout the provinces, they killed 75,500 of their enemies in a single day and were given permission to continue into the next day in the capitol city of Susa, killing another 300. (Esther 8:11; 9:1-3, 12-16)

God turned Haman's plan to destroy them into a plan for deliverance from the oppression of those who hated them. They possessed the gates of their enemies!

Anti-Christ Spirit at Work

As previously noted, there is a close tie between the anti-semitic spirit and the anti-Christ spirit. One is specifically targeted against the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. The other is targeted more globally against Jesus Christ and His people, whether Jew or Gentile, in whatever earthly nation or geographic location they reside.

According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, we "who ... obey Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:1-2) and have been "born again to a living hope" through Him (1 Peter 1:3), are now "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's Own possession ... the people of God." The creation of this new "chosen race" and the "holy nation" it constitutes does not in any way nullify God's everlasting covenant with the Jewish race and their nation, Israel. However, those who accept Christ as the promised Messiah and Savior, whether Jew or Gentile, have "a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6)

As with the anti-semitic spirit, to understand this hatred of God's people, we must return to the beginning. This time, let's go all they way back to Genesis 3.

From the very beginning of the human race, there has been a struggle between Satan and God as to whom man would believe and serve. In Genesis 3, we have the account of how the serpent came to Eve and enticed her to distrust what God had told them about the tree "in the middle of the garden." What we do not know is how long it took the serpent to entice Eve to disobey the commandment of the Lord. However, by verse 6, Eve is standing at the tree.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Eve is no longer simply talking about "the tree which is in the middle of the garden" (Genesis 3:3), but she is standing there at it, beholding it and its fruit. James 1:14-15 warns us:

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

This is where Eve found herself. She was "carried away and enticed by [her] own lust" for wisdom. Her lust gave birth to sin - disobedience of God's command; her sin brought forth death.

In verse 13 we learn: The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this ... I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel."

There you have it - the enmity between Satan and the seed of woman began. Satan knew that, eventually, the seed of woman would bruise his head.

While we know that Jesus was The Seed that would bruise his head, we are also told in Romans 16:29 that "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under [our] feet." So we as redeemed mankind, born-again followers of Jesus Christ, are also part of the fulfillment of the word given in the garden. But, the fact that we will have our heel on Satan's head comes at a price.

Jesus clearly told us how the world would view us. The world, under the influence of the prince of this world, Satan, hated Jesus and it would hate those who belonged to him. In John 15:18-21, Jesus provides this warning:

"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me."

So, why are we surprised when the world hates us? Why are we surprised that most of the media does not treat us "fairly" - or give equal (and respectful) time to our views and issues?

Christ, Himself, told us that if the world loved us, it would be because we were part of it - "its own." If we are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9, KJV), then we are not "its own" - we are in the world, but not "of it."

Yet, as with the Jews, we have the promises of God that tell us "the end of the story." We know that Jesus will reign over the Jewish people forever. Among other places, this was promised to Mary in Luke 1:31-33.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” [NKJV]

But what about us, particularly those of us who are non-Jewish followers of Jesus Christ? We also have promises! In fact, Romans 8:17 tells us that we will be "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." [NKJV]

Think of it. Jesus "will reign over the house of Jacob forever," but, as believers, we will be "joint heirs" with Him. That's the difference between being a subject in the kingdom and being co-regent! I would say that we have "a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises"!

But, did you catch that second phrase in the passage from Romans, "if indeed we suffer with Him"? Once again, there is the warning that the privilege of being a joint heir with Christ carries with it the condition that we share in His sufferings.

We should not expect that living a life committed to Christ will be "a cake walk." As soon as we are born again and set our hearts on living for Him and by His principles, we become targets for the Enemy. At that point, his fury against Christ is also directed against us.

In James 1:2-8 we are exhorted to:

... count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. [NKJV]

The Greek phrase translated here as "various trials" is "poikilos peirasmos" (poy-kee'-los pe-ras-mos'). A literal translation of this phrase would be to "to put to proof by various (different) means." The word translated as "fall into" is the word "peripipto" (per-ee-pip'-to). The connotation is that of falling into something that totally surrounds you or to be totally surrounded by something.

In other words, James is telling us that we are surrounded on every side by opportunities for our faith to be put to the test - to prove whether or not it will "hold up" under scrutiny. I think we can all agree he got that right!

But, why is that the case? Why does God not always give us immediate victory? Because "the testing of [our] faith produces patience." And we need for "patience [to] have its perfect work, that [we] may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

This reminds me of the issue of the children of Israel when they were finally freed from Pharaoh's rule and left Egypt.

Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, "The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." (Exodus 13:17)

God knew that after spending their entire lives in slavery, He would have to retrain these people to think and act like the free men they now were as well. They also had to be trained to fight, both to defend themselves and to be able to conquer the enemies who had possessed their former homeland.

We are much the same when we become born again. Until that point, our thoughts have been controlled by Satan, the father of lies. God has to retrain us to think and act like His children, operating out His principles and faith in Him and His word. Ephesians 4:23-24 tells us that we need to "be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

Yet, it is our very shift to begin to "put on the new self" that "flags" us for the anti-Christ spirit to being zeroing in on us. In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul tells us that "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." We need not think this will improve over time. In fact, Paul warns in the next verse that "evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (Emphasis added.) I don't think any of us will have a problem believing that this is happening!

Yet, in the next verse, Paul exhorts Timothy and us that we should "continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them." (2 Timothy 3;14, emphasis added.) If we have not truly "become convinced of" these truths, we will not be able to continue in them when the persecution comes and our faith is continually tried. If we have "become convinced," then we no choice but to "continue in" them!

Before pulling this to a close, let me emphasize that the anti-Christ spirit is after brining down the universal Church - the corporate body of believers wherever they live around the globe. He seeks to discredit it in any and every way possible and he seeks to annihilate its individual members.

The point is that the anti-Christ spirit attacks the Church as an entity - and its members as individuals. It particularly goes after key leaders, even as Satan sought to stop Jesus when He was here in the flesh. Satan first sought to stop Him through sin. When that failed, he killed Him. Fortunately for us, instead of stopping the plan of salvation, that led to its completion through Christ's death and resurrection. Hallelujah!

Satan's tactics through the anti-Christ spirit are the same for us. He will try to get us to turn from a life of righteousness and holiness to sin. When it become apparent to him that we are not "going there," he will try other means to "take us out" - either to discredit us before others in some way that will neutralize our effectiveness or even try to kill us.

In my own, personal experience, I have had two car wrecks that I firmly believe were both orchestrated by the enemy with the full intent of "taking me out" physically. One was in 1974; the other in 2004. In both cases, the situation causing the wreck was just too bizarre. In both cases, the car I was driving was "caved in" around the drivers seat. By all natural reasoning, the one in 1974 should have killed me. The one in 2004 should have, at a minimum, severely injured me. While I did sustain injuries in both, I also "walked away" from both. That was God's protection!

I am not pointing out the workings of the anti-Christ spirit against us to instill fear in anyone. Instead, I hope to offer encouragement to those who "feel the pressure" of the constant attacks and to exhort us all to be on our guard. Paul sums it up for us in Ephesians 6:12-18.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. [NKJV, emphasis added.]

Also, remember that James tells us that "If any of [us] lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NKJV) May we learn to always seek His wisdom for how to handle these situations.

I will leave you with two more promises we have from God's Word.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.
(Proverbs 4:18-19)

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.
Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
(Isaiah 60:1-3)

Let us not worry about how dark it becomes around us or how much we are attacked. Instead, let us be sure we remain in Him so that our path continues to get brighter and brighter and we continue to radiate His glory to the nations!

Lessons from Vashti & How This Applies to Believers Today

2010-03-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

Lessons from Vashti

I was recently drawn to study the book of Esther. There seem to be many drawn to this interesting story in the Old Testament in this season, mostly focusing on being alive at "such a time as this." However, as I began to read this story, I began "seeing" some things from it in a different light than what I have often heard taught. It is these insights I wish to share.

Chapter 1 sets the stage for Esther's entrance into the story. We do not really hear of her until chapter 2. In chapter 1, we learn a little about King Ahasuerus, "who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces." While boundaries have, of course, changed over time, these ancient nations are still in existence today. For those "geographically challenged," take a look at a map of the world. Ahasuerus apparently ruled over territory extending from India northwest through modern-day Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, likely Syria and the Saudi Arabian peninsula (including not only Saudi Arabia but Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen), then southwest through Egypt and Sudan to Ethiopia. Wow! Imagine all of that being one country, under one ruler today! He ruled his empire from Susa, which is in what is now southern Iraq - a good, central location for his empire.

He apparently was experiencing peace within his empire, since he was able to turn his attention to entertaining all of his nobles, princes, and army officers at a banquet in Susa. While the passage in Esther 1:4 is often interpreted as this event having been a 6-month party, this scripture actually says that "he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty" for six months. Let me equate that to a display that might be on exhibit at a museum. Ahasuerus put his riches on display for those of his kingdom to see and enjoy. It was at the end of this 6-month period that the king threw a 7-day party - for all who were "in town" to enjoy.

"When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace." (Verse 1:5, emphasis added.)

To complete the stage for what unfolds in this chapter, it should be noted that "Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus." (1:9) Note that the queen was giving an "indoor" party for the women, within the king's house - his house, not hers. (Hold that thought.)

Where most people begin in their discourse of this story is with verses 10-12.

"On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded ... the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him."

We can read over these three verses very quickly. The slant I have probably heard the most on this was that when the king became drunk, he sent to have his wife, who was beautiful, come and parade herself lewdly before his drunken guests - and she, in her righteousness, refused to do so. Then, in a fit of drunken rage, he, at the advice of his friends, dethroned her.

As I began to study this passage, that is not the story that is recorded.

Let's start taking a closer look at this passage, beginning in verse 10. "On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine ..."

This is the part that is often cited to indicate that the king was drunk. However, the original language does not say, nor even imply, that. The word for "merry" is the word towb (tobe). It means "good" or "a good or good thing." It can also mean "beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fine, glad, good, graciously, joyfully, kindly, kindness, loving, merry, most pleasant," etc. The king wasn't drunk - he was in a good, gracious, kind-hearted mood!

Nor is there indication that his guests were drunk. In fact, some may not have been drinking at all. Verse 8 states that "The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person." The fact that this was recorded for us seems to imply that there were some who chose not to partake of the king's vast quantities of the best wines of the day.

Let's continue with the story. In his "merry" state, "he commanded" his eunuchs "to bring Queen Vashti before the king..."

The word that is translated "commanded" is the word amar (aw-mar'). It would have been more accurately translated as "bid" or "call." The Literal Translation of the Bible states, "he said." The initial word sent to Vashti by the king was not a demand, but rather an invitation.

Further, the word translated "to bring" is the word laqach (law-kakh'), which means "to take, bring, carry away, fetch, get, send for," etc. Putting the terms together, this passage is saying that Ahasuerus sent his eunuchs "to go get" his queen who, remember, was in the palace while he was out in the garden.

He wanted his beautiful wife to come to be seen by (and, might I venture, "greet") his guests on this final day of feasting ending the 6-month display of the things within his kingdom of which he was most proud or pleased. He was proud of his wife, as any husband should be. They had been celebrating in different areas and he wanted her to join him for this final day of celebration ending a 6-month season. Does that really seem to be an outrageous request?

Continuing this verse, they were "to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful." (Emphasis added.)

The queen was to come "with her royal crown" - or, put another way, in her royal attire. There is no indication here that Ahasuerus wanted his beautiful wife to disrobe herself before the people. In fact, his request was that she adorn herself as royalty. If we read the story as it is written, he was wanting to present his queen, in all of her royal beauty, to their subjects. It seems to me that this should have been viewed as being honored rather than being dishonored or disgraced, as I have often heard it portrayed.

Yet, the queen, for whatever reason, "refused to come at the king's command." We can speculate about her reason or reasons, but scripture does not reveal them to us. (Which, to my way of thinking, means they were not a vital part of the story.)

It is the word maen (maw-ane') that is translated "refused." It means to "refuse utterly." That's the first really strong word we find in this story. There is no evidence in what is recorded that Vashti in any way tried to appeal to the king that she did not want to come and ask if she might be excused from doing so. Rather, she "utterly refused" his invitation.

Another interesting note is that in this passage the word translated "command" is a different word than was used in verse 10. Here it is the word mitsvah (mits-vaw') which means "a command." Somewhere between verse 10 and verse 15, the king's request had turned into a demand. Perhaps when the queen failed to accept his initial invitation he had sent the eunuchs back with a more firm request. Maybe these messengers made several trips back and forth between the royal monarchs, carrying messages that began to escalate in tone. We do not know. What we do know is that by verse 10 Vashti had "utterly refused" the request of her husband. She refused the request of the king, at whose pleasure she had become queen, in whose palace she dwelt, and at whose expense she entertained.

It was only after receiving her "utter refusal" that "the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him."

This is the crowning event of a 6-month period of celebration of his accomplishments - and his wife "utterly refused" to join him in it. From this perspective, we can see that it is Vashti who is dishonoring her husband, the king, the one who sought her hand and placed her in her royal position, rather than Ahasuerus seeking to dishonor her. Can we blame him for being upset?

Yet, in his own integrity, he did not respond rashly. Rather he sought sound counsel from those who knew the law of the land, inquiring what was to be done to someone who failed to obey a command of the king.

"Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times - for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him ... who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom - 'According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?'"(1:13-15)

We know that the recommendation to the king, which he accepted and implemented, was "that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she." (1:19)

In honest reflection, this seems a "just reward" for her behavior. She was not put to death. She wasn't even banished from the kingdom. She was, however, banished from his presence and stripped of her royal position.

There are a couple of interesting things to note here. "Royal position" is the translation used for the word malkuwth (mal-kooth'). Malkuwth means "a rule or a dominion." It can be translated "empire, kingdom, realm, reign," etc. Vashti was not queen "in name only." Though we do not know exactly what, she had some measure of rule within Ahasuerus' kingdom. This is not inconsistent with who Ahasuerus was as a person or monarch. In Esther 5:3 and 5:6, he offers Esther "even to half" of his kingdom. Perhaps it was the fact that she was co-monarch with him that caused Vashti to feel she "had the right" to disobey his command.

A second observation from this passage is that the word translated as "who is more worthy" is the same word "towb" used in verse 10 to describe the "merry" heart of the king. This re-enforces the fact that this word carried a connotation of being good - and not one of being drunk.

However, after breaking the whole story in this first chapter of Esther, I want to focus on why Vashti was deposed. It was Memucan, one of those "who knew law and justice" that clearly stated the heart of the issue:

"'For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, "King Ahasuerus ommanded ueen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come." This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger.'" (1:18-19)

Within any nation and, particularly, any kingdom, there is proper protocol. We see this protocol carried out throughout the book of Esther where those summoned come to the king and those who are not summoned do not. This was a well-understood protocol for the empire. Yet, Vashti had somehow decided that she was "above the law" of the kingdom and displayed contempt for it and for the king.

The word translated as "contempt" in this passage is the word bazah (baw-zaw'). It means "to disesteem"or to "despise, disdain, [find] contemptible, to think to scorn." Memucan knew that in order to prevent this type of attitude from breeding within the kingdom, it had to be addressed fully and quickly.

Again, many have judged both Ahasuerus and his advisers as simply being "male chauvinists" who wanted "to keep their wives in their place." I disagree. There is a proper place for respect and proper protocol for approaching a king. Vashti clearly violated both. The fact that Memucan expanded this to the wives of others in the kingdom is not inconsistent with scripture. Consider Peter's admonition in 1 Peter 3:1.

"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior."

In fact, I submit that Esther is a wonderful case study for what Peter taught many centuries later.

How This Applies to Believers Today

When reading the book of Esther, we usually focus on how Esther risked her life to take a stand for her people. There are certainly lessons for us to learn from Esther and Mordacai, and I do not minimize those. However, I believe there are also some lessons in this first chapter that we often overlook.

Vashti had been selected by King Ahasuerus to be his Queen. As such, she apparently was a co-monarch with him, in that she had "a royal position" that granted her some level of dominion and rule.

Does that sound familiar? Christ, as King of kings, is looking for a Bride that will be a joint-heir and reign beside Him as the true Queen of Heaven throughout eternity. [Side note: No wonder Satan has tried so hard to empower a false Queen of Heaven to pervert what Jesus wants done in the earth!]

As His Bride & Queen, we are granted dominion and rule within His kingdom.

Yet, we must never take our position with Him for granted. We must never fail to "come when He calls" or do what He asks us to do - whether or not it was the thing "on our agenda" for that time or season. "Our agenda" must always stay submitted to His will.

No doubt, Vashti considered that she was busy "working for Ahasuerus" as she was entertaining the ladies of his kingdom. However, Ahasuerus wasn't interested in her busyness; he wanted her presence with him. We need to make sure we do not resist the invitation to come into the presence of our King by being too busy working - even when that means working in His Kingdom.

We must always approach Him rightly. While there is no longer a veil of separation and we can come freely before His throne, we must still remember that He is a sovereign God. While Father God is our "Abba, Father" [Daddy], He is still The One True God, Creator of the Universe. While Jesus is our Heavenly Bridegroom, The Lover of our Soul, He is also our Lord and Savior. While the Holy Spirit is our Counselor, Comforter, and The One Who Leads Us Into All Truth, He is also the Spirit of the Most High God and not to be grieved.

Let us take a lesson from the way in which Ahasuerus dealt with Vashi in a manner consistent with the law of his kingdom and justice. While God is a personal God and in His grace takes us "where we are," He is also a just God who will not tolerate rebellion or contempt. If we show contempt [lack of full respect] for Him or His commandments, like Vashti with Ahasuerus, we will no longer "see His face." Remember, it is the pure in heart that shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)

God, in His graciousness (by His grace), may not "banish from His kingdom" those who do not truly honor Him as He should be. He may still allow them to live in heaven instead of being cast into outer darkness with those who have refused to be reconciled to Him. Yet, there is still a place reserved for those who are willing to fulfill the role of Bride, with all due respect for and obedience to her Husband and King. If we want that place of favor, we must abide by the laws of His Kingdom.

Let us Love and Honor our King of kings ... at all times and in all ways. May we always be swift to answer His summons to His presence. And may we never find ourselves banished from seeing His face.

God at Work in Haiti

2010-02-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

Below is the content of an email I received. (Copied "as is" with only highlighting added.)

Yes, God is at work in Haiti!

One thing that should be noted is this statement: "What has been happening and is continuing to happen in Haiti did not happen because of the earthquake. It has been happening because the Haitian people know how to pray." God has been setting the stage for a massive move of His Spirit in Haiti.

The earthquake was not "an act of God" but rather the result of nature in a fallen world.

Yet God is always seeking to bring beauty from ashes & good from destruction and devastation. God is a Restorer ... starting with wanting to restore relationship with each individual.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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For centuries, Haiti has been one of the darkest nations in the world - full of voodoo and witchcraft - even at the highest levels of government. But now - look at this!!

ARTICLE and YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW-

AMAZING MIRACLE in HAITI

Jerry Miel is a good friend and radio engineer who served as a missionary in Haiti with World Team mission when we lived there. He worked with the Christian station, Radio Lumiere (Radio Light). He has gone back to Haiti to help in the aftermath of the earthquake and makes these important observations. -- Boxley

IN INCREDIBLE DAY in the HISTORY OF HAITI -by Jerry Miel (Feb 17).

I think that I will remember this day as one of the most significant in my life, not because of what I did, but for it's meaning...

Today was the one month anniversary of the great Haitian earthquake.

About 3 days ago the Haitian President announced that there would be 3 days of holiday from work for the purpose of fasting and prayer. This is absolutely historic. If you have ever been in Haiti as a visitor or missionary, could you ever have imagined such a pronouncement? Could you image such an announcement from the U.S. President? This morning I saw a young Haitian- American woman, the leader of a work team, crying because the Americans could not understand the incredible importance of this day and wanted to go about business as usual. Remember, it was only about 6 years ago that a former Haitian president called the nation to come together to rededicate the nation to Satan.

This was not "a minute of silence for the deceased" or something as equally insignificant. Whatever the President might have originally intended, this became a real commitment for the Haitian people. As I sit here this evening, I can hear the preaching coming from a nearby church. Services have been going on all day...

Let me tell you what I saw and felt today.

Peniel and I had planned an inspection trip up to the Artibonite Valley today. Right or wrong, I don't really know, but since it was the only opportunity, we went ahead with the trip. As we left the guest house about 7:30 am, we were met by throngs of well dressed people headed to various churches. The sounds of Christian music and worship filled the air everywhere. The next observation was that there was NO traffic. Port-au-Prince streets are always clogged and overflowing with bumper to bumper traffic.

This morning there were only a few vehicles on the roads, a few small buses (tap taps), some UN and military vehicles, and a few private cars. We had clear sailing through town. The same was true of foot traffic. Usually the streets are clogged also with people walking. Today there were only a few and many of them dressed for church. The only place that there were traffic blocks was in front of several churches where the congregations had overflowed the buildings and the yards and had moved out into the streets as well.

The next observation was that EVERYTHING was closed! We could not find even one business or gas station open. There were no intercity buses running. Whereas the sidewalks are usually overflowing with millions of street venders, we only saw a few here and there. The huge outdoor market near the wharf where thousands work each day and is spread out to cover most of the street, was EMPTY.

Where were all the people? They were in churches and makeshift meeting sites. Every church (except a JW church) had services going on, almost always overflowing into the streets. Beside broken down churches, services were taking place outside. In homeless camps, there were services. Everywhere the nation was gathered to worship and pray. No, I did not see any voodoo, Islamic, or Buddhist services. This scene was repeated in every town and hamlet that we passed during the day.

Tonight, Pastor Ignace, who is sharing the room with me, asked this question: "Can people still say that Haiti is a voodoo country?" What has been happening and is continuing to happen in Haiti did not happen because of the earthquake. It has been happening because the Haitian people know how to pray. This is a tremendous outpouring of God's power as the result of prayer. Twenty years ago I started praying for the Gospel to change the Haitian culture. I think that I am seeing God do that work.

The only sadness that I feel today is for our nation. While a nation that has long been under Satan's domination is turning to God with total commitment, our nation, founded on Godly values has rejected God and is rapidly trying to forget that his name even exists. Let us pray for revival.

4-MIN VIDEO of HAITI DAYS of PRAYER-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rWm84z-zg

God bless you all!

--
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Andrew Strom

Make Sure Your Service is True Worship

2010-02-07T10:23:00.001-08:00

The events recorded in 2 Kings 23 recently caught my attention. It is the story of what King Josiah did during his reign.

2 Kings 22:1-2 tells us:

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; ... He did right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left.

From this we know that Josiah not only loved God, but he "did right" in God's sight. May we all have that same report recorded about our lives!

Let me summarize the story of his reign...

1. Josiah ordered that the house of the Lord be repaired and restored. During that process, "the book of the law" (Deuteronomy 28) was found. The high priest sent it with one of the scribes to be read to Josiah.

2. Josiah listened to the word of the Lord concerning His covenant with the people of Israel - what they were and were not supposed to do. He realized they were doing the things that were forbidden and not doing the things they were supposed to do.

3. Josiah responds to the situation immediately with both repentance and action to correct the situation. He calls the people together, reads the book of the law to them, and publicly recommits to the conditions of the covenant; the people join him in that commitment.

4. Then Josiah sets out immediately "righting the wrongs." He removes all the places set up for worship to false gods and destroys things that have been made for or dedicated to them, including the horses and chariots dedicated to the sun god. He also got rid of at least some of the priests for these gods as well as the mediums and spiritists.

5. Then, he reinstituted the Passover celebration.

2 Kings 23:25 says this about King Josiah:

Before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

Josiah kept his commitment to live by the laws of the covenant that God had made with their forefathers at Gerizim.

But here's what caught my attention ...

In the long list of all that Josiah had destroyed (2 Kings 23:4-21), we find one rather interesting item. He torn down "the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made."To understand this, we have to look back at 1 Kings 12.

When Jeroboam came to power it was at the cost of splitting the nation of Israel into two nations - Judah, over which Rehoboam reigned as king, and Israel, over which Jeroboam reigned. [It might be noted that the door was opened for this split because of the excessively high taxes that Rehoboam was levying against the people. Unfair tax burdens placed on the people will always cause them to look for a change in leadership!] Since Jerusalem was in Judah, Jeroboam was concerned that if the people had to go to Jerusalem to keep the feasts, they may not remain loyal to him. So, he had two gold calves built and put one in Bethel and one in Dan. He instructed the people to come to those locations and offer their sacrifices on these false altars instead of going to the temple in Jerusalem and allowing the true priests to offer their sacrifices on the true altar of God. Hence, he "made Israel sin" by providing them false altars at these locations and instituting substitute days of celebration to worship and offer sacrifices in these locations rather than at the place required by God - all under the guise of "making it better for the people."

In the midst of tearing down the Asherahs and other places of sacrifice and worship to false gods and destroying anything dedicated to them, Josiah makes sure to also tear down the false altar erected by King Jeroboam for the people to make substitute sacrifice offerings to the true God.

Here's the point ...

We must not only deal with the altars and worship of false gods, we must also deal with the false altars and false worship of the true God.

What am I saying?

Those of us who are truly born-again Christians, believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, would not go and offer a sacrifice or worship at the altar of a false god. We would not offer incense to Baal; burn our babies in the arms of an image of Molech; or even worship the sun, moon, or stars.

Yet, I began to ponder how many false altars we have set up where we are offering substitute sacrifices of worship, believing that to be service to the true God that we claim to worship and serve.

What do I mean? I'm talking about any "act of worship" that we are doing out of ritual or out or pressure instead of truly out of our heart. You know, things like ...

· those Sunday mornings when we "sing the songs" but our spirit really never enters into a communion and worship of our Lord.

· those responsibilities we take on "at the church" or "for the pastor" or some other spiritual leader or authority in our lives "because someone needs to do them" and, after all, we have to "prove" our servanthood.

· the meetings we attend (be they regular, weekly meetings or special events) not because we have the heart (or maybe even the time!) to go, but because we know "how it will look" if we don't.

· molding ourselves into a form that is just not us - not our gifting, not our call, not what God has asked us to be or do - in order to meet the expectations of leadership or to try to "fit in" and "find our place."

Let me quickly bring the balance point. I am not against Sunday morning services or the worship time within our services. I am not against taking on responsibilities within a local congregation or other ministry. I am not against meeting together. Nor am I against becoming "all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22) All of these have their rightful place. I am for all of them – in that rightful place.

What I am trying to point out is not the action as much as the attitude or motivation behind it. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus "ups the ante." Sin is no longer just about our action, but now it is a matter of our heart.

"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Under the new covenant with Jesus as our sacrificial Lamb and grace and mercy abounding towards us, we no longer have to offer animal sacrifices for our sin. However, sin is also no longer judged simply by what we act out (our actions); it is now judged by our thoughts and attitudes.

When we go to a worship service out of some sense of duty or the fear of man (what they will say if we don't go) or we serve in a certain capacity or assignment for the same reason, we need to do a heart check. Are you doing this activity in true worship of our Lord - or to please (or appease) someone else.

I know there are times that all of us do things that are not the things that would be our first choice. There are times we teach a class or lead a group that is not our ultimate call or the thing at which we are most gifted, but it is part of training and service to the Lord as we grow. That is appropriate. But, the key is: “service to the Lord.”

Nor am I talking about refusing to help clean the ministry building. I've vacuumed, mopped and waxed the floors, cleaned the toilets (cleaned up from over-flowing toilets, even repaired the toilets), and more. I'm not talking about an excuse to be too holy to do anything practical.

What I am talking about is either bowing to fear of man and doing things because of "how it will look" if you say "no" or allowing ourselves to be manipulated into doing something that is not coming freely from our heart. Neither of those if proper motivation for doing anything - even if it is an act of service in some way.

We don't want to find ourselves like those Jesus rebuked in Matthew 15:7-9:

"You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

Let's be careful that we do what we do out of a pure heart of worship - and that we know why we do it. Some leaders have done as Jeroboam did and provided a "place" for our "service to God" that is not the place God ordained for us. There were those in Jeroboam's day who recognized the substitute and would not succumb to the "convenience." They paid the price to do what was required by God. May we be as astute and as committed to serving God whole heartedly.

May we not be like Amaziah who “did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2). Instead, may we heed David’s admonition to his son and soon successor, Solomon, in 1 Chronicles 28:9 (emphasis added):

As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

May we seek and find Him. And may always remember Paul’s admonition to us in Colossians 3:23-24.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Regardless of what you do, make sure you are doing it for Him!

Live Life Excessively!

2009-12-21T21:26:00.000-08:00

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, NASB)

Yesterday as I was participating in a webcast for Destiny Gateway, the host, Jess Bielby, referenced the above verse. When he did, I immediately heard the following in my spirit:

Satan comes to steal your purpose, kill your vision, and destroy your destiny.

Though the point that was being made and the teaching for the session went a different direction, this revelation had my attention. Last night, I began delving into understanding what this statement really meant.

First, I looked up the key words in the verse in their original language, per information in a Strong’s Concordance. Then I turned to “Merriam-Webster Unabridged” online dictionary for meanings of the English words. All definitions here are from those sources.

The word “steal” comes from the Greek word “kelpto” which means “to filch.” “Filch” is not a word that most of us use on a regular basis. It means “to steal furtively” or “to pilfer.” These are more words we don’t use every day. “Furtive” means “done by stealth.” “Pilfer” means “to steal in small quantities.” So, the phrase “the thief comes only to steal” really means that the ultimate thief, Satan, comes to pilfer from us, to steal from us a little bit at a time.

Adding the nugget that was dropped into my spirit today, it is our purpose that he seeks to pilfer. “Purpose” means “something that one sets before himself as an object to be attained : an end or aim to be kept in view in any plan, measure, exertion, or operation.”

Putting the two together, the demonic forces come by stealth to steal, a little at a time, gradually, so that we do not notice, that thing that we set before ourselves as the object we are to attain. Solomon warned us that it was “the little foxes that spoil the vines.” (Song of Solomon 2:15) It’s usually not the one, big blow that gets us; it’s the constant wearing away, little by little. The enemy whittles away at our purpose, until we lose sight of it; it is no longer “kept in view.”

As enemy forces whittle away on our purpose, they begin to move in to kill our vision. The word translated as “kill” is the Greek word “thuo” which means “to immolate [slaughter for any purpose].” “Immolate” means “to offer in sacrifice (as to a deity); especially to kill as a sacrificial victim.” It also means “to sacrifice or abnegate (as oneself) usually in the interests of some cause or objective.” To “abnegate” means “to surrender or relinquish (as a right, belief, or idea).”

What I had heard in my spirit was that the enemy comes to kill our vision. “Vision” is “something seen otherwise than by the ordinary sight : an imaginary, supernatural, or prophetic sight … especially: one that conveys a revelation.” It also means, “unusual discernment or foresight.”

What we have then is that the enemy forces come to take our vision, the imagine we hold through “unusual discernment or foresight” of what is to be, and offer it as a sacrifice to Satan – and we surrender our beliefs and ideas and allow them to be killed.

Having stolen our purpose and killed our vision, the result is the destruction of our destiny. The word used for destroy is “apollumi” and means “to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.” Satan is not out to simply thwart the fullness of our destiny; he wants “to destroy [it] fully.” Since Satan, formerly known as Lucifer, failed to fulfill his destiny, he wants to destroy the destiny of as many others as possible. As the old saying goes, “misery loves company.”

The term “destiny” has become a very common one in Christian circles that walk in present truth. The webcast I mentioned as the beginning is called Destiny Gateway. I attended a church for a couple of years which is part of a ministry called Destiny Ministries. This has become a common term. But what are we really saying when we talk about our destiny?

Strictly speaking, it is “that to which any person or thing is destined.” It speaks of our final destination. One meaning offered for “destination” is the “predetermined end, object, or use.” When we allow our purpose to be stolen and our vision to be killed, we will not reach our “predetermined end.”

If you are a strict Calvinist and believe that the end of all our lives is predetermined and that we have no control over the outcome, then you will not believe what I am saying. If, however, you believe that God has given us the ability to make decisions along the way that effect the course our life takes and its eventual outcome, then ponder this new way of viewing a very familiar verse. Satan is out to steal our purpose, little by little, until he can cause us to relinquish our vision, ultimately destroying our destiny – causing us to never fulfill that which we were created to be and do.

Fortunately, the verse does not end there.

The first portion of the verse is a warning of what can happen; the second half of the verse is a promise of a better end. Let’s look at this verse again.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

After stating the enemy’s plan for our life, Jesus states part of His own purpose. Jesus came – was born as a human being, lived a sinless life, was brutally killed as a sacrifice for all of our sins, died, spent three nights in the heart of the earth, was resurrected, and now makes intercession for us at the right hand of the Father, God – that we may “have life, and have it abundantly.”

The word used here is “perissos” and it comes from a word meaning “superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality)” The Greek word carries the implication of being excessive. Jesus’ plan for us is that we live a quality life, one that is superabundant to the point of seeming excessive.

All too often within Christian circles we have heard people chided or spoken of in less than flattering terms if they were prosperous and seemed to be “living in excess.” Yet, Jesus said that He came to provide us with a life that was overflowing in both quantity and quality, to the point of being excessive.

All of that is available to us, if we will heed His warning and remain vigilant to guard that which is of value to us – so that the thief cannot come and steal it all away from us, little by little, killing our vision and destroying our desire to attain that which we set out to do.

Peter exhorts us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because [our] adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NKJV)

But, Praise God, we know that “… in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Let us guard against the thief, so that we can live in the second portion of the verse: that we may “have life, and have it abundantly.”

Live life excessively!

Selah.

Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS - Part 4

2009-09-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

For the purpose behind the Glory Advance Conference held September 24-26 in Wichita, see my previous post about it at Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS. The square brackets ([ ]) indicate my thoughts or additions to what was said. This final portion contains additional snippets from Chuck Pierce from the Friday evening service.

Chuck started by talking about how we entered a transition season in September 2007. He quoted, "Spring up, O well," and noted that the war was for Life and Water. He later commented that there will be wars over water in these 10 years. We are in a place these next 10 years of bringing change.

A well is [represents]:
- a spring
- a fountain
- a living fountain fed by a spring
- a pit or prison (dry cistern)

Spiritually:
- something contended for
- a difficult process that eventually release a life source
- something longed for
- a meeting place
- a place of feeding
- a place of prosperity
- salvation
- your heard
- life everlasting

Chuck exhorted us to Look Again! Some are still warring against things that are no longer there. Look Again at the atmosphere around you. [As for Kansas, the atmosphere here has shifted. We aren't totally where we need to be yet, but we have definitely made significant progress. I know the same is true in other areas/states. Unfortunately, there are still may states for which that is not yet true.] Now [because of the change in the spiritual atmosphere], Freedom Outposts will be established.

************
The Vision

Chuck then shared about the vision that he had in 2007 while at a meeting on Ellis Island. It started with the Lord showing him his only family seed that had come through that very gate into this country and some of what had transpired in his family line. Then, the vision expanded beyond "him" to the nation.

The Holy Spirit showed him 153 nations that have the opportunity to become sheep nations. [Reference Matthew 25:32. Realize that a nation being a "sheep" nation does not mean that all the people in that nation will be believers; but the majority will be and the government structure will operate righteously. Likewise, there will be true believers in every nation, even the goat nations.]

The Holy Spirit showed him each state in the United States of America. Each and every state had a gold, fiery river running through it. For some states, the river was larger and for some it was smaller. But every state had one of these rivers.

He was told that the river was God's "Triumphant Reserve for the Future." The river of people would go through a furnace or fire pot of power. When the people come out of the furnace, they were seven times stronger and purified. These empowered and purified people created "Freedom Outposts."

Not all states had a Freedom Outpost. Some states and several. Those who made up the Freedom Outposts know when to play the trump card. [By this he meant that you have to know when to hold your hand and not reveal what you have "up your sleeve" and when to lay the cards on the table, call the enemy's bluff, or play your trump card, if necessary. But the trump card should not be played frivolously. It must be saved for the right time. This goes with all that was said about "hearing" our way through this season.]

Chuck indicated that this troop of purified, empowered believers who make up these Freedom Outposts will "totally understand" the war they are going into. [They will know their God and do great exploits!]

The Triumphant Reserve in states that did not have Freedom Outposts will have to connect to those in other states. (He did note that just because there was not a Freedom Outpost in the state as he was shown it did not mean they could not develop one. There just isn't one there now. More work needs to be done in those states to shift them.)

Chuck indicated that he had seen that Obama would be elected [I believe he said] three years before the election. He has also seen that the American government would only remain in its current state for three years after he took office. In 2012, it will morph into something else.

Summary of what he saw about the states:
- Every state had a Triumphant Reserve.
- Not every state had a freedom outpost.
- Covenant root in some states did not exist.
- Covenant root in some states is producing fruit.
- Covenant root in some states had been overlayed with layers of darkness - so much so that the root, itself, has become dark. In these cases, there is a form of religion totally deceiving those in that state. They do not see it.
- There was a movement of God in every state.

Chuck defined a "Covenant State" in the following way:
- One which welcomes the Jews and recognizes Israel's role in the earth.
- One which has determined to reconcile issues with the First Peoples of the land [Native Americans].
- One where an altar of worship has been established (night watches, 24x7 prayer & praise, first fruit gatherings, prayer watches, etc.).
- One where the Holy Spirit has been welcomed and been free to move.
- One where the apostolic leadership recognizes and wars with prophetic revelation. [I interpreted this to mean one in which the apostolic and prophetic are connected and working together governmentally within the state or region.]
- One which has been staked and dedicated to the Lord for His glory to come.

He said the Lord told him, "My people are misjudging the way I see this nation."

Chuck indicated that Florida [my home state] has a glory root. However, there is "a black highway" that runs through it up into Georgia. He believed this is probably Muslim traffic that is going back and forth between those states.

He saw that in Kansas God is raising a tent toward heaven over the state. It is higher on the east side of the state. (He indicated that is because that is where the entrance is.)

Kansas has LOTS of Freedom Outposts. [Hallelujah!] These indicate new wineskins for the future. When people come into the Freedom Outposts, their cellular structure will change. The atmosphere in the Freedom Outposts will melt apathy off those who enter.

But, there was a black root in Kansas. It is a Religious spirit and has captured all the other roots. The Church in Kansas is not making the root come back alive. We are not functioning as Kingdom people. This root is the most evil religious root of any state. Kansas has the potential of being the glory hub of the nation, but it must deal with this evil root. Chuck saw the glory being contained (held captive) in something that looked like a brass casing or tarnished cooper. It encased the glory and was held shut by a lock and key.

[This was particularly interesting to me. I can remember back more than a decade ago expressing to people both here in Kansas and elsewhere about the strength of two spirits here - Jezebel and the Religious spirit. When I would talk to others elsewhere, most had the attitude of "yeah, here too." But having lived or worked in various states, I KNEW this was much stronger than anything I had encountered in those. Since we are a prophet state, there is no wonder that the Jezebel spirit contended so hard against us; but the Religious spirit seemed even stronger here. So, Chuck's comments here encouraged me that I "had seen what I had seen" and knew what I knew. Obviously, we still have some work to do to dethrone this demonic structure.]

Every state had thrones contending for the land. [We must contend, if we want to possess it.]

************

The vision Chuck saw showed things through 2012. He warned that if we do not handle these issues correctly, the nation will shift incorrectly.

"Reformed Judaism" was brought to Kansas by settlers who founded Beersheba, KS. Their beliefs were a departure from traditional Jewish beliefs and customs.

[About Beersheba, KS: "In 1882 the first Jewish agricultural colony in Kansas was established when some 60 recently arrived Jewish immigrants from Russia, sponsored by the Hebrew Union Agricultural Society. They settled northeast Beersheba along Pawnee Creek. Named for the ancient city of Beersheba, the colony stretched over several sections of land, each family homesteading 150 acres. ... A decade after the colony was established, none of the colonists remained and the land reverted to prairie." (Link to Source)]

[About Reformed Judaism: "Reform Judaism affirms 'the fundamental principle of Liberalism: that the individual will approach this body of 'mitzvot' and 'minhagim' in the spirit of freedom and choice. Traditionally Israel started with 'harut', the commandment engraved upon the Tablets, which then became freedom. The Reform Jew starts with 'herut', the freedom to decide what will be 'harut' - engraved upon the personal Tablets of his life.'" (Link to Source)]

Final Comments

We cannot win the war we are entering by trying to change the Church. We will have to do it from the outside [from outside the "four walls" of the traditional "church" as we have known and called it].

The Spirit of God is hovering, brooding over Kansas. This spills over into Missouri, particularly around St. Joe. God is going to deal with Kansas.

The next two years, God will confront the religious structures of this state.

Chuck mention, specifically, the cities of Liberal, Salina, Topeka, Garden City and Dodge City. He indicated there would be a meeting in the center of Topeka [Kansas state capitol] that will shake the state. He said there was a hidden, evil structure between Garden City and Dodge City. He warned that evil would rise up in Dodge City to content with His purpose for that city (area) and that the issues would be in the national news. He indicated that Kansas City has now fallen behind.

Chuck concluded with a word of prophecy for Kansas. God said, "You have reconciled the land. Now I will deal with the root."

During the time following the message, Chuck saw an angel up over the platform area. He had a turban around his head. He said, "I will cause you to change your way of thinking."

[There was MUCH more. To get it "all" you will need to get the messages on DVD/CD/MP3 and listen to them repeatedly. I have just capture some of the highlights & key points.]

Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS - Part 3

2009-09-27T18:15:00.001-07:00

For the purpose behind the Glory Advance Conference held September 24-26 in Wichita, see my previous post about it at Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS. These notes are from three different sessions in which Dutch Sheets continued on a single message - "New." Again, the square brackets ([ ]) indicate my thoughts or additions to what was said.

New

In the passage in Matthew 9:17, the Greek word "neos" means numerically new. [It also means "fresh" or "regenerated." The wineskin had to be either new or "fresh."] Dutch noted that the Wine [God] isn't going to change; the skin that holds it [we] must. He also noted that we will be stretched in amazing ways. If there is anything that locks us into the past, then we are an old wineskin.

When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 and she referred to the water in the well, the word she used was the word for cistern [phrear]. Yet Jesus was talking about water that bubbles up, like an artesian well [pege]. The water in the cistern is old water. It is good when we need it and sometimes we need to drink from the there [the old truths]. But we need to begin to drink from the artesian well.

New Glory

There is a new level of glory being poured out in Kansas that will go to the nations. That is more than a cloud or a mist in a room. The Hebrew word means "weighty" or "heavy." [God's glory is a weighty presence.] The Greek word means "the appearance of something that causes it to be recognized for what it is."

There is a very weighty government of God about to descend in this region. When it does, nothing can withstand it.

It is a fearful thing when God releases His glory. The glory of God is like a magnet - people are either attracted to it or repelled by it.

The passage in Acts 5:15 that talks about people bringing the sick so that Peter's shadow could fall on them actually refers to them being overshadowed [episkiazo - "to cast a shadow upon, to envelope in a haze of brilliancy"]. The word that is used in this passage is the same word used in Luke 1:35 when the power of God "overshadowed" Mary and she conceived the Son of God. [It was the tangible presence of God that enveloped him that touched people and caused them to made well or whole.]

Dutch prophesied that the presence of God would so hover in Wichita that people will drive in the city limits and get healed. They will also get born again and spirit filled just by coming into that weighty presence of the Lord. Some of them will not even know what has happened to them; someone will have to explain it to them [after it has occurred].

New Wells

The discussion of wells and re-digging wells is in Genesis 21 & 26. The name used for God is a name that means "forever in both directions" [past & future] or "everlasting." [God is the God of our past as well as of the present and future.]

In Genesis 26, God takes Isaac back to the same situation faced by his father, Abraham. Like Abraham, Isaac claims that Rebekah is his sister, rather than his wife, fearing they would kill him to have her. Both were more interested in saving themselves than in what might happen to their wives. God had to get that root of iniquity out of Isaac before taking him forward.

After dealing with that root, Isaac then returned to re-dig wells that had been dug by his father, plus some new wells. God had to take Isaac back to deal with the old issues before He could bring him into a new, broader place.

New Places in the Spirit

The meaning of the word "Hebrew" is "crossover." God called Abram a Hebrew because he was willing to go out and cross over to a new place. This is the same word [abar] that is used in Genesis 15 when God descended as a smoking oven and flaming torch and "passed between" the pieces of the sacrifice to make covenant with Abraham.

It's a Caleb season. God has a new place of inheritance, a new place of experience [in Him]. Caleb didn't want the mountain because he liked the city at the top. He wanted the mountain because he hated the giant who ruled it. He knew it did not belong under his rule and he wanted him out. He took the mountain and renamed it Hebron - "the place of frienship" [with God]. It became a city of refuge. Wichita will become the same.

New Generation

A new generation is arising; the most prophetic generaion ever. They will write new songs and new laws. They will not just do signs & wonders; they will be signs & wonders. They will be the first 5-fold generation. They will understand worship & warfare. They do not yet know who they are (prophets & apostles), but God will blow a wind and gather them. They know they are unhappy, unfulfilled and have not yet tapped into their purpose. They will release a new sound we have never heard. Very soon, the sound will become a roar. It will be the call of the wild - wild worshipping warriors. God says, "I will call them to the wilderness."

This is a season of fulfillment of many visions. Be careful. Do not try to think your way through this season. We must "hear" our way through it.

New Level of Revelation

A Spirit of Revelation is coming to those who will break out of the old and get ready for the new. We are coming into a new season of open heavens.

* * * * * *
"I am going to build new places for My glory."

David was allowed "to break the rules" when it came to building a tent for the ark of the covenant. It was no longer housed in the tent of the tabernacle built by Moses, but was made more accessible. However, David did not get away with breaking the protocol of how to carry it [how to carry the presence of God]. The ark [the presence of God] had to be carried by people (the priests). [His presence still has to be carried by His people - those who are priests unto Him.]
* * * * * *

New Season

The new season brings new vision and new messages. Usually, a new season [of release] is preceded by a wilderness experience.

God had given Dutch a word that said, "Marry the mantles of the past to today ... and don't be afraid to strike the waters." [When you move into the new, you do not throw away all the things of the past. Some are there to be built upon and expanded.]

New Structures

New structures are coming. Quit trying to "go to church," "build the church," "do church," etc. We are the Church and we need to just "be" the Church. This revelation will create a war in the Church. Quit going to an event called "church" that isn't doing anything.

Pastors and heads of ministries need to move from "mine" to "ours," from "I" to "we," and from both of those to "His"!

We need to build around the desire of the King, not the needs of the people.

New Level of Harvest

Dream the dream with Him for America [or your nation]. Dream the dream with him for your state [or your region].

New Dreaming Season

It's a new dreaming season. Dream again.

Jacob got the dream at Bethel. But Jacob was conquered at Penuel when he wrestled with God and saw Him face to face. However, three chapters later, God directs Jacob [now Israel] to go back and live at Bethel [the place where he had the dream, the place of the open heaven, and the place where Jacob made his vow to serve God (if God blessed him).]

Dutch ended by exhorting us to dream about an America that is transformed.

[NOTE: Dutch had indicated he had 11 points. Due to time restrictions, he only made it through nine of them, and some of those he only touched on breifly. That is why there are only a couple of sentences on some of these.]

Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS - Part 2

2009-09-26T19:15:00.002-07:00

For the purpose behind the Glory Advance Conference held September 24-26 in Wichita, see my previous post about it at Glory Advance Conference - Wichita, KS. These notes are from the Friday morning session. Again, the square brackets ([ ]) indicate my thoughts or additions to what was said. Much of what is recorded are snippets (or "nuggets" as we often call them). If you've ever tried to take notes when Chuck Pierce is ministering, you understand why!

NOTE: This conference was, in part, for and about Kansas. However, it was also, in part, about what God is planning for our nation. Reference the quote from the prophetic word that was the catalyst for the conference: "My Glory will overwhelm this state and move this nation into a new role of awakening. … There will be a national gathering in Kansas … words will be spoken that will commission the remnant to make its move." So, please do not discount what was said here just because you do not live in Kansas.

Chuck Pierce started the Friday morning session. He declared that it is "a time for the radiance and brilliance of heaven to enter earth's realm!"

With the transition into a new year on the Jewish calendar last fall, we moved from the year of New Beginnings (5768 - 2008AD) to a time of Tasting, Seeing, Judging, and Bringing Forth (5769 - 2009AD). Now, we are moving into a season of Redigging or Digging New Wells (5770 - 2110). We are shifting from redigging old wells to digging new wells. Sometimes we have to uncover what "has been" (previously) to move to the new.

Now is the time to move:
- from destructive workings and old cycles,
- from emotional instability,
- from the flesh war, (demon forces will inhabit flesh; therefore, flesh is your enemy)
- into the war of the season ahead, and
- into the building plan for the future.

Chuck noted that (in general), the Church did not want to pastor the prophetic; so the world did. [That's why we see the rise in mediums and fortune tellers and so may TV shows and movies that focus on the supernatural from the dark side.]

It is time for our nation to begin again. He reminded us that a nation can come forth in a day. (Isaiah 66:8)

He warned that the next 10 years are not all bright; but they will be the most supernatural we have ever experienced. [Could it be that the supernatural will be more prevalent because we are in situations that require it?]

This year sets [the course for] the next 10 years. We are not going back around the same mountain. We will be extending something you completed in the last season into a testimony.

The Hebrew letter for 70 represents the following:
- Looks like two serpents - represents a double portion occult season in next 10 years.
- Looks like a water witch - will find resources in the ground.
- Single eye - the structure of the free masons will morph; many will be delivered; because the church will quit being "a secret society."
- Hand of man reaching up to God & Him taking hold. God will send new intersections. We will start taking new turns. The ground we couldn't break in the last season will be broken in the new season.

"AYIN" - Hebrew for 70
- Eye - seeing eye to eye, seeing face to face; to look, to look again. When we "look again," we will see things a different way.
- Appearance or Aperture (like a camera lens opening & shutting quickly). There will be flashes of revelation. Chuck exhorted us to keep a paper and pen handy [or you favorite recording device :)]. Trauma works the same way. [The picture of the incident is imprinted in our brains instantly.] God's flashes will dissolve trauma supernaturally. We will see demons - see what has been trailing us or blocking our way. Once we see it, we own it [meaning that we can then effectively deal with getting rid of it].
- To bud
- To sparkle or gleam
- A spring or fountain
- To go into a matter deeply
- To form a ladder and climb
- A time to such or nurture
- To vex - vexation working against us. We must move from understanding to a place of moving by the Spirit. We will become a new threshing instrument to break the ground.

The meeting was then turned over to Dutch Sheets. He started teaching on "New." It took three sessions for him to get through nine of eleven points. I will summarize those in another post.

Glory Advance Conference – Wichita, Kansas

2009-09-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

At a conference in Lawrence, Kansas, in November of 2008, Chuck Pierce spoke this word to the state of Kansas, "My Glory will overwhelm this state and move this nation into a new role of awakening. … There will be a national gathering in Kansas … words will be spoken that will commission the remnant to make its move."

Another portion of the word indicated that there was to be a national conference held in Wichita, KS, the following year and that it would be the beginning of the release of God’s glory not just to Kansas, but to our nation. This is that year. And this conference is that conference. Following is a synopsis of what was spoken this evening at the first service of this conference. My personal comments about what was said are included with square brackets ([ ]).

Early in the service, Chuck Pierce saw twelve (12) pieces of a mantle that had been over this nation but had been ripped apart into the 12 pieces “fly” into the auditorium. He said that God was going to reconnect it and remantle us in this nation. He indicated that we needed to pray for the wind from the north, south, east & west to blow upon it and cause it to come back together.

[Of course, 12 is the number of government. My sense was that this spoke of God’s government being restored to the His Church.]

Barbara Wentroble then declared Isaiah 54:2. “’Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.’” She began to prophesy to Kansas from that passage.

[This was a scripture that God gave me when I moved to Kansas. I can remember reading Isaiah 54 over and over when I was first here – even in the hotel before I had moved into my first residence – and particularly this verse, asking what He was trying to tell me. I felt like tonight He said, “Now is the time.” Little did I know when I moved here it would be 24+ years before I got to the “now” part!]

Chuck Pierce then directed the worship team to begin to sing and direct the wind to blow the mantle back together, which they did.

Barbara Wentroble brought the message for the evening. She began by talking briefly about the spiritual history of Kansas. She talked about Charles Parham and how one of his young students asked to receive the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues on New Year’s Day, 1901, in Topeka, KS. She mentioned his most well-known student, William Seymour. She talked about the impact of both Parham and Seymour and the birthing of the modern-day Pentecostal movement. But ,she also told about how they had been run out of the state of Kansas. Kansas rejected (aborted) what God wanted to do here. She talked about how, over the years, Wichita had become known as “the pastor’s graveyard” due to the number of failed churches and ministries here. And she touched on the issue against which we had struggled so long here, abortion.

Barbara then called one of the local pastors, Bubby Hudson, up to share something he had shared with her earlier in the day. In a book by Tommy Welchel, he tells the stories told to him by men and women who were children or teenagers that were part of the Azusa Street Revival at Seymour’s church in southern California. Included in the back of the book is a prophecy in which Seymour spoke of a revival to come 100 years later. That prophecy was given in 1908 or 1909. He said that 2008 would be a year of preparation and that a revival would begin in late 2009 and into 2010 that would never end. He indicated that this revival would bring the former rain and that latter rain together.

[In spite of being a student of church history, and particularly of what happened in Topeka & Azusa street, I had never heard about this prophecy. I will be getting a copy of the book, to read it exactly as recorded.
I was reminded of Jon Huss who had prophesied that, though he was martyred, there would arise another in 100 years that could not be stopped. Of course, Martin Luther was the fulfillment of that word, and the Protestant Reformation was started. I had the same sense about this “100 year” prophecy. I felt that the revival God attempted to start in 1901 at Topeka and then in 1906-1910 or so on Azusa Street veered off course in some ways and never reached its full potential. Now, as prophesied, 100 years later a move would start that would not be stopped. As one who has been crying out for Reformation, I grabbed this as encouragement that a second Reformation is beginning. Bill Hamon decreed last fall (end of 2008) and we would look back and mark that time as when it began. That would line up with this word that 2008 was the preparation for the beginning of this revival, awakening, reformation … or whatever term you choose to use.]

Chuck began to prophesy that this meeting would be looked back on as the time when the Former Rain began. He said what would begin to happen would be called the Former Rain because it would be the beginning of a rain that would last for the next 100 years. So the Latter Rains would come much later.

Barbara continued, saying that this is a hour that God is hovering over this state (Kansas). God wants to come and visit this state in a new way. She indicated that by hovering over it, God was overshadowing Kansas, just as His Spirit overshadowed Mary and caused her to conceive. She indicated that conceptions are about to take place and that before we left this evening, God would impart the power and strength to bring it to birth and to deliver it safely. There season of spiritual abortions and miscarriages in Kansas is ended.

She talked about the fact that the Day of the Lord means destruction to God’s enemies, but it means deliverance to God’s friends. She said that God wants to bring His glory cloud into this state. He also wants to release His glory on the inside of us. (Reference Hebrews 3:3, Psalm 104:3 & Isaiah 19:1.) God has come to hover over you to bring His glory to you, individually, as well.

Barbara prophesied that God will raise up Healing Centers all over the state. People will come not only from other states, but other nations to be healed. Even in a time when the medical field will be in great confusion and not have the resources or answers, God will equip us to minister healing. But it will not be the kind of healing ministries we have known before. It will not be based on methods or formulas. It will be based on hearing what the Spirit of God is saying. There will be times when a whole room of people will all be healed without being prayed for individually. God will also use us to heal not only people, but cities. There will also be reports of people being raised from the dead. God released a life-giving spirit to us (to replace the spirit of death that had been entrenched here for so long).

[I received a word from the Lord in November 1997 that indicated basically the same thing about Healing Centers here in Wichita. This expanded them to other places in the state.
Because I have “seen” the raising of the dead happening with my spiritual eye since I was a teenager, I recently worked with a friend on a book that she wrote about raising the dead. (Church, Come Forth! by Diane Morrison) So, I say, “Yes” and “Amen” to hearing those reports … and even being involved in bringing them about.]

Chuck also prophesied that the spirit of fear that had come on many due to the errors or excessive of past moves was being broken off to free people to move into the new thing God is doing.

Then there was time of anointing and impartation by Barbara Wentroble for imparting a breaking anointing and the strength to see that which was conceived brought to birth.
Wow! And this was only the first service!!

Are signs following us ... or are we following after signs?

2009-08-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

In a recent conversation with some friends in ministry, we were talking about our desire to see more of the power of God operating through us and others. I think we all want that.

I know I for one want to be like Paul when he states, "my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." (1 Cor 2:4-5)

Notice Paul's emphasis was on delivering the message of the gospel in a way that it would impact.

In Mark 16:15-19 we have another familiar passage to which we commonly refer as "the great commission." It was a final directive from Christ just before he ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father.

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.' So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God."

What I want to draw attention to is the following verse:

"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed." (Mark 16:20)

Did you catch that? They preached & the Lord worked with them to confirm the Word by the signs that followed the preaching of the Word.

Again, I want to see more of the fruit of this in my life - where the Word that is preached is being confirmed by the signs that follow.

While I think most of you are probably in agreement with this - wanting to see more of the same in your own lives and ministries - there is a movement out there that seems to be more focused on the signs than they are on the Word that they are sent to confirm.

I think Matt Sorger really nailed this issue in his article "Just Show Me the 'Stuff'!"

Here are a few excerpts:

"I love the prophetic. I love the supernatural. But the moment we start wanting signs without the Word of God, we are in trouble. And this is what I have been seeing."
"Signs follow the preaching of the Word. If you become a sign-seeker apart from the Word of God, you will not be grounded, and if you are in ministry, you will build an unhealthy and weak foundation in other people's lives as well as your own."
"The sign I am most after these days is the sign of a life transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to see people hungry to truly apply the Word of God to their lives—not desiring simply to hear something new but to put into practice what they already know."
"I want to see people walking in love. I want to see people living righteously. I want to see people knowing who they are in Christ so the devil can't continually beat them up."
"A sign without the Word points nowhere."
"Never neglect God's Word. It has the power to change your life."

If you haven't already read it, go check out the full article ... Just Show Me the 'Stuff'!

Doing Things God's Way

2009-07-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

In 1 Chronicles 13 we read about David's desire to "bring back the ark of our God" to the people of Israel. From the account of the story recorded for us, it appears that David's heart and intent in doing this were right in every way. He starts by consulting his leaders and checking to be sure his plan is "from the LORD."

¹Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader.
²David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is from the LORD our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us;
³and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul."

The people are in agreement with his plan.

⁴Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So far, so good.

And the plan begans to develop.

David assembled all the people of Israel and they all go to Kiriath-jearim in Judah to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem. The distance from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem was about 10 miles (probably less). So, all the people went out to Kiriath-jearim and were to come back with the ark. What a procession this must have been! It must have looked much like when they would move, by tribes, from place to place in the wilderness during the 40 years they spent there.

⁵So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
⁶David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called.

But, here's where the trouble begins to set in for what was supposed to be a wonderful celebration. This one brief statement reveals "trouble ahead!"

⁷They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.

For now, let's continue with the story ... remember, this was a celebration for all of Israel as they were bringing the ark of the LORD back to Jerusalem for all the people.

⁸David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets.

The party is in full force. David and the people are exuberant. Finally, they can celebrate before the ark of the LORD again. Everything is going well. It's all going just as planned. UNTIL ...

⁹When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it.

No big deal. The oxen had probably stepped in a hole or something. But Uzza and Ahio were close by, watching over it. So Uzza steadied the ark to make sure it didn't fall. "No biggie."

EXCEPT, it apparently WAS a "biggie" to God!

¹⁰The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

Whoa! Wasn't that a little extreme, God? That really wasn't very "seeker-sensitive," God! After all, we all came out to "seek" You and Your presence, "for we did not seek it in the days of Saul," and this is how You treat us? That's apparently how David felt. He actually became angry.

¹¹Then David became angry because of the LORD'S outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza to this day.

So David became "afraid of God" and ended the party. He "parked" the ark at the nearby house of Obed-edom and he and the people all went home. What was to be a great celebration ended with the death of Uzza.

¹²David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God home to me?"
¹³So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
¹⁴Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had.

This passage of scripture often leads to a number of questions.

Why did God kill Uzza?
Why did David get angry about it?
Why did David "park the ark" at Obed-edom's house?

Then, life continues in Israel. The next chapter talks about Hiram king of Tyre sending cedars and carpenters and masons to David to build a house for him. It talks about David "enlarging" his family with more wives and children. And it talks of a major battle with the Philistines. Life went on.

But David was not content. He still wanted to "bring back the ark of our God" to the people of Israel. So, by the next chapter (1 Chronicles 15), David's focus returns to that objective.

¹Now David built houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

But this time, David was going to go about it rightly.

²Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever."

Here's a key...

David knew how the ark was supposed to be transported. This was not a new revelation to him. He knew this before he had gone out the first time. As did all the people with him - especially the priests. They all knew how the ark was supposed to be handled.

But, somewhere along the way, it seemed like a good idea to just put this on a cart and let the oxen pull it. That was so much easier than having to carry it all the way back. After all, it was 10 miles. Just walking 10 miles takes a while, much less carrying the ark that far.

Lesson #1:
When God has given direction on how to do something, trying to do it any other way is sin. It is a direct violation of His direction.

David knew that. He knew that was why God killed Uzza. He knew that Uzza took the wrath of God that was directed towards all of them.

¹³"Because you did not carry it at the first, the LORD our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance."

Lesson #2:
God's definition of "seeker-sensitive" is the seeker being sensitive to His ways!

On with the story...

Once again, David assembled the people. But this time David and the Levites went about the task properly. This time, he went to the priests and, specifically, the Levites. It instructed them to consecrate themselves and prepare to carry the ark - which represents the presence of the LORD.

³And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place which he had prepared for it.
⁴David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:
...
¹¹Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab,
¹²and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it.

The priests and Levites understood this. They "knew the rules" for carrying the ark. This time, they prepared themselves and they carried it properly.

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.
¹⁵The sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

David was still intent on doing this with a celebration - with singing and rejoicing before the Lord.

¹⁶Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

This time it is David, the elders of Israel, and the captains of thousands who went with the priests to make the trip from Obed-edom's house back to Jerusalem with the ark. Apparently, the others waited in Jerusalem for them to return.

²⁵So it was David, with the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with joy.

Now that they were doing things God's way, things went much better. (Selah! How many times have we all been through that lesson?)

²⁶Because God was helping the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

This time even David was dressed in priestly attire. His "fear of the Lord" from the first attempt had caused him to respect God's way and not take the matter lightly.

²⁷Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore an ephod of linen.

And this time the mission was accomplished.

²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps and lyres.

And we reach the end of the story.
But, let's return to the three questions posed earlier.

Why did God kill Uzza? - Because Uzza, David, all the priests and really all the people knew that the ark was not to be carried on an ox cart. They also knew it had been designed to be moved without having to be touched. They all, including Uzza, knew better than to do what they were doing that day. They thought they could worship God on their terms, in the way they chose. They were wrong. God is still a Holy God - and it would do us well to always remember that.

Why did David get angry about it? - Likely, David was more angry with himself than anyone else. David knew that he had set Uzza up to be killed by putting him in a position he should not have been in. If the ark was being carried in the manner clearly defined by God at the time it was built, this would not have happened. David knew he was ultimately responsible for Uzza's death.

Thankfully, we do not often see God strike someone dead as He did Uzza. However, I wonder how many tmies we have experienced the wrath of His displeasure in lesser ways. (I'll skate out a little further on this ice ...) I wonder how man times we have followed the instructions of a leader, spiritual or otherwise, and done something we knew to be improper. Learn a lesson from Uzza.

Lesson #3:
Doing something wrong will cost you much more than it will cost the person who told you to do it - regardless of their position or level of authority.

Why did David "park the ark" at Obed-edom's house? - In my opinion, that was the wisest course of action at that point. When you realize you are going down a wrong path, even if the end goal is a good (right) one, STOP. And stop IMMEDIATELY.

Lesson #4:
When you start on a mission and you realize you have the right mission but the wrong method, STOP - preferably before anyone gets killed!

That's what David did. He realized that objective was right, but the method was wrong. David "stopped the train" - even though "the train" consisted of the whole nation of Israel. He said, "we are not going any further with this plan" and sent them home. What integrity!

But David didn't stop at that point. He regrouped, prepared a place (a tent) to put the ark, and went back out to complete the mission in the right manner.

Lesson #5:
When you have to call something to a halt because of a false start, DON'T QUIT. Go back to God to get the right method (or strategy). Then, in proper timing and with right methods, FINISH THE MISSION.

We need to learn to be good military men and women. When they fail to accomplish a mission, they regroup and develop a plan to go back and get the job done. Too often in "the army of the Lord" we simply go home and sit down with the attitude of "well, that must not have been God."

If we are going to be reformers of our culture, we need to develop the spirit of a warrior like the one David had. "I went about this wrong. It cost me one of my best men. Now ... how do I go back and accomplish the mission?"

David had learned how to persevere and continue until he saw a victory. Have you?

weeding your garden

2009-07-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I was weeding my flower beds, I was reminded of lessons the Holy Spirit taught me many years ago while doing the same task. I thought they might be good to share with others.

A number of years ago a friend of mine in ministry had asked me some questions regarding the difficulty she was having with helping a particular individual get free from some things in her life. The woman had been through multiple deliverance sessions, including with the friend who was discussing her situation with me, but never seemed to reach any point of real victory. I promised to pray about the situation and see if God would give me insight.

A few days later, I was out weeding my flower beds. The "dirt" in the area (I hesitated to even term it "soil") can be rock hard. Hence, try as you might to dig the root out, you usually end up with only part of it which, of course, means you get the top (the visible evidence) of the weed, but it soon grows right back.

However, this day was different. It had rained most of the week. The ground was saturated. On this particular day, I could pull most of them out, root in tact, by hand. Those that I couldn't simply pull, a small spade would easily dislodge the root. In some places, the ground was so wet that the dirt would quickly even fill back in the hole left, so there was little to no evidence that something had been removed.

In the midst of that, I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me about the ministry situation.

In the parable of the sower (recorded in Matthew 13 and Mark 4), Jesus refers to the soil of a person's heart determining their ability to receive the word of God and produce fruit based on it. In one of the scenarios within His story, the heart soil is full of thorns that "choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22) As I was weeding my flower beds that day, I was reminded of this analogy. The issue is to get the weeds (thorns) out of the garden of our heart.

The question posed to me had been why it was so difficult to remove the "thorns" in the situation with this particular individual. (In other words, why it was so difficult to see healing and deliverance that lasted.) I knew I had encountered other, similar situations over the years as well. Yet, with other individuals who had as many issues or even more or "worse" issues, the deliverance had been much easier, the healing immediate, and the both had been permanent (a done deal!). What made the difference?

As I was pulling the weeds so easily this particular day, when I had spent many other days in these same beds that had been much more laborious and the results had not had any long-lasting benefit, I suddenly "saw" the answer.

The difference was in the state of the soil!

The reason I was able to pull the weeds so easily today had nothing to do with my desire to get rid of them or my willingness to spend the time and energy needed to do the job. It had everything to do with the condition of the dirt in which they were rooted.

I immediately "knew" the issue was the preparation of the heart's soil before the ministry session. When the heart of the person coming for ministry has been saturated by the "washing of water with the Word" (Ephesians 5:26), then the ministry session is much easier and the results are real and sustained. Pulling down the strongholds within a person's mind, delivering them of the spirits that have oppressed them, closing off those doors (permanently!) that allowed that access, and seeing them healed from the issues of the past still takes effort, but the results are visible and sustained. They are free from those areas and it shows in their countenance and in their life!

However, when the person desiring ministry has not invested the time and effort to "water" their heart with the truth of the Word of God, it's like trying to dig the weeds out of my flower garden on a hot, dry day. It's very difficult to do. And, while you may actually get all of a particular root here and there, there are more "missed" than gotten. Hence, while there is usually some fruit from such ministry, much (dare I say "most") of it is short-lived. Without getting the real root of the problem, the "symptoms" (weeds) simply begin to resurface.

In the end, those ministering spent a lot of time and energy for very little result. Even more sadly, the person receiving ministry often feels that "this doesn't work" and are hesitant to go through another deliverance session later. Tragically, some who have gone through several different sessions begin to feel "there's no hope for me."

What I learned from this revelation is that as a minister in the area of deliverance and inner healing, I need to be sure the person asking for a deliverance session is ready for it. There needs to be counseling done ahead of that time to ensure the person has "softened" their heart soil by the "washing of water with the Word" so that the time spent will be productive and will bear good and lasting fruit in their life.

It is sometimes difficult to tell someone "no" when they ask for ministry. However, I have learned that if they truly want to get set free, they are willing to hear "you aren't ready to go through that yet" and do what it takes to get there. They are willing to go through the preparation phases to get to a day when the weeds can be quickly and easily pulled.

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Here's a word of warning for someone!
(I sensed that strongly as I typed the following statements.)
There are those who are not willing to pay that price and simply want the "quick fix" from you, as a minister. They are not willing to invest their own time and effort to get to a point of being ready for effective ministry. (For some, this includes not being willing to give up areas of sin in their lives.) They may leave and tell everyone how "hard hearted" you are, because you "refused" to minister to them. Do not succumb to the their pressure and minister to them! It is not likely to have any long-lasting benefit (if any, at all) and they will simply then tell everyone about their "awful" experience with you. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Be driven by compassion coming from the heart of the Father - not the "need" of the person. Move (minster) when the Holy Spirit says it's time. If He says "no," we need to also say "no" as well.
======

For those who have issues that you want (and need!) to get past - be those besetting sins into which you continually fall, those "hot buttons" that set you off for no apparent reason and need to be "defused", or just attitudes and feelings that you are know are inconsistent with God's Word - I can personally testify to the reality and the benefit of effective deliverance ministry. I have experienced both deliverance and inner healing. I have also seen their awesome results in the lives of others. It is real. But, be willing to prepare yourself to deal with your issues.

... and get those weeds out of your garden!

God Chooses Whom He Chooses

2009-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

I was reading in 1 Chronicles earlier this evening. While I doubt any of you are saying, “Oh, yes, one of my favorite books!” I did find some nuggets buried among all the genealogy. :)

In 1 Chronicles 5 we have the history of the sons of Reuben. The first thing that caught my attention in this passage was in the first two verses.

“1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. 2 Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph).” 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 (emphasis added)

To understand this, we need to refer back to Genesis 35:22 and Genesis 49:4.

“22 It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it.” Genesis 35:22

“4 'Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father's bed;
Then you defiled it--he went up to my couch.'” Genesis 49:4

We do not know what led up to Reuben, Israel’s (Jacob’s) first-born son having a relationship with Bilhah. Bilhah was Rachel’s maid and one of Israel’s two concubines. Since Rachel was having difficulty in conceiving while her sister was freely producing sons for their husband, Rachel had “given” her maid to her husband as a concubine, just as Sarah had given her maid, Hagar, to her husband, Abraham, when she believed she would never be able to provide him with a child. Bilhah bore two sons to Israel, Dan & Naphtali.

Whatever the events leading up to the act, the sin was committed. “Israel heard of it” and the Holy Spirit saw that it was recorded in Scripture. That one sinful act, dishonoring both his father and Bilhah, cost Reuben his “preeminence” – the rights bestowed on the first-born son.

We sometimes seem to believe that God doesn’t really care about what we do day to day – or that in His “grace” He will overlook our sin. Not so!

There have been too many times over the past few years of the secret deeds done by men of God in places of “preeminence” being brought to the light for all to see and know. As with Reuben, these things always exact a price – whatever “preeminence” the individual had, it is stripped from them.

There have been many sensing and expressing that there is more exposure to come. God is intent on having a pure Bride for His Son. The five-fold ministry is specifically tasked with assisting in bringing Her to maturity. Those within the five-fold ministry, and particularly those in key (or preeminent) leadership positions, who are themselves living impure lives need to hear and heed this warning. Get it straight – or know that the time is coming when it will be exposed.

But there is another point here that is also interesting to me.

When Reuben lost the privilege of the first-born birthright, it did not simply pass to the second-born son, Simeon. Instead, it passed to the sons of Joseph, which means the grandsons of Israel.

We know that both Israel and God favored, Joseph. We know that Israel favored him because he was the first born of Israel’s first love, Rachel. But we do not know why God favored him – any more than we know why God favored David over his brothers or why God “highly favored” Mary above all other women to be the mother of His Son.

Have you ever looked at someone that God has obviously “favored” (anointed in a special way, caused to be favored by both believers and non-believers, placed in a key position, etc.) and wondered, “why did God pick them?” (Be honest! I have – and I’m pretty sure at least most of you have as well. :)

I’ve learned over the years to simply take a step back and realize that God is Sovereign. He gets to choose whom He wants to choose.

He chose Abram while he was in a heathen land to send out of that land to a land he knew nothing about, including not even knowing where it was, promising to give it to him. He chose Isaac over Ishmael. He chose Joseph to be the deliverer of not only his family but the nations of the world at that time. He chose Moses over Aaron to be the deliverer of His people. He chose Saul, the son of Kish, from the smallest family of the smallest tribe in Israel to be the first king. Then, when Saul lost the favor of God due to direct sin (there’s that theme again – God will judge sin in His leaders), God’s favor was passed to David, the youngest of the sons of Jesse. And the list goes on …

Lest we think this was simply an “Old Covenant thing,” let’s take a look in the New Testament. Jesus chose the 12 to be His disciples. (He even chose Judas knowing what he would do in the end.) Out of them, He chose three – Peter, James & John – to be His inner circle and get special times with Him that the others did not. Yet, when it came time to establish the church in its early days, it was James (the brother of Jesus, not the disciple/apostle) that was selected by God to head the council of elders in Jerusalem. And we can’t forget Saul, turned Paul. God picked one of the worst human enemies of the early church to become one of His greatest ambassadors.

Yes, God chooses whom He chooses.

He sometimes even chooses the unrighteous and gives them favor and preeminence to do His tasks for Him. That's a teaching for another day ...

Responding to the Storm

2009-04-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

I received an email this evening from the Lance Learning Group. In it, Lance Wallnau stated:

"Recently the Lord showed me how the Ark that delivered Noah rose higher toward heaven as the floods came upon the earth. In the end, when the floods receded the Ark was resting at the TOP of the mountain. I want you to ride this season of national shaking so that you get closer to heaven as the waters rise and end up at the top of your mountain!"

Take a moment and Selah!

Sometimes what seems like adversity when it comes towards us (or we are in the middle of it!), is really meant to be the vehicle to carry us to a destination.

On Eagles Wings

As I "thought on these things," I was reminded of how the eagle, instead of fighting against the storm, flies into it. The eagle allows the winds of the storm to cause it to be lifted up, higher and higher. Rather than fighting the winds of adversity, it causes those very winds to work on its behalf to lift it up.

Isaiah 40:31 tells us,

"Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary."

The literal translation of the middle line is, "They will lift up their wings to catch the wind as the eagles do."

The key is, of course, waiting for LORD to gain the new strength that He has for us.

The literal translation of the first two lines is "But waiters for Yahweh will renew power." The word translated "waiters" is the Hebrew word "naar" and it comes from a root meaning "to bind together" and carries the connotation of expectation. It can be translated as "tarry" or "patiently wait" with an implication of gathering or doing so together. (Think of tarrying in the Jerusalem until they were endued with power.)

Unfortunately, we all too often keep trying to run in our own strength - and wonder why the wind keeps driving us backwards!

God Meant It For Good

Another story that comes to mind is that of Joseph. His brothers had captured him and sold him into slavery. But, look at "the rest of the story." Joseph became second in command in Egypt, his entire extended family had all been moved to Goshen, and his father had blessed his sons and died. Now his brothers were sweating. Joseph had treated them kindly while their father was alive, but surely he was "just biding his time" until he could deal with them as they had dealt with him.

Joseph's brothers send him a message saying that their father had left a message for him before he died, asking that he would forgive his brothers for what they had done. Come on, now. If that message had been from Jacob, he would have delivered it to Joseph himself! Good try, guys!

But the beauty of the passage is Joseph's response to the message. The second half of Genesis 50:17 tells us that, "Joseph wept when they spoke to him."

What a picture of true forgiveness. What an example of being able to see "the bigger picture."

Let's finish the story. (Genesis 50:18-21, emphasis added.)

"Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, 'Behold, we are your servants.' But Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.' So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

Joseph had come to realize that the wind of adversity, the very bitter experience that he was forced to endure going from the favored son to a slave at the hands of his own brothers, had been the vehicle to get him to where he needed to be for his dreams to be fulfilled. He realized that in the midst of things seeming to go "from bad to worse," God had manuevered him into position "in order to bring about this present result."

I like the phrase used here: "God meant it for good."

We often quote Romans 8:28 when we are going through a difficult time. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (emphasis added) It is truth ... and I quote it, too!

But the connotation in Genesis 50:20 is different. "God meant it for good."

In Romans 8, God "causes" something that was not a good experience to somehow bring benefit to us. In Genesis 50, God "meant" the result from the beginning.

The same word is used to reference the brothers' intentions and God's intentions. ("As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.") In both cases, it is the Hebrew word "chashab" which comes from a root word that means "to weave" or "to fabricate." The connotation is that you have a purposeful plan, you plot or contrive to do something.

God had a plan that He was weaving from the very start. He was planning to get Joseph where he needed to be - in Egypt! Why? "In order to bring about this present result."

But the story doesn't even end there.

Joseph's destiny - foretold in part in the dreams he had as a youth - wasn't just about him.

Joseph was in Egypt, the one nation that had plenty of food in a time of "world-wide" famine. (Read that: "world-wide crisis.") They had that food because of Joseph's leadership. His leadership ability (including foreknowledge of the famine and what to do about it) was developed in Joseph's faithfulness and obedience to his faithful God through all the years of slavery and prison. Joseph continued to maintain a right relationship with God and view of God's faithfulness when it "looked like" God had forgotten him! (That's a whole other lesson there!)

The result was that Joseph not only saved himself and his immediate family, but he was able to provide for his entire extended family. ("I will provide for you and your little ones.")

But wait ... it's even bigger than that.

God wove together a plan for Joseph's life that was "meant" to save not only Joseph, his immediate family, and all of his extended family, but it was also "meant"by God "to preserve many people alive."

When Joseph as a young man dreamed of the sheaves bowing and of the sun, moon and stars bowing, little did he realize what was truly in store for him. I am sure he did not consider ruling beside an Egyptian Pharoah. Nor did he have any idea of the price he would pay before getting there.

What Will We Do?

Will we let the flood waters carry us higher?

Will we use the winds of adversity to go up higher?

Will we spend timing "waiting for" the Lord, so that we can be renewed with power?

Will we maintain our relationship with God through the difficult times in such a way that we have His answer to the crisis when "the best and brightest" in the land do not?

Will we realize that "it's not all about us" - that there's a bigger picture and a lot more at stake?

Will we be ready with an answer when asked?

Will we give God the glory?

Report from USAA - Day 2, Evening Session - Dennis Peacocke

2009-04-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

Dennis Peacocke said his message was taken from the story of Ezra and Nehemiah which gives us the story of the restoration of a nation. Whatever reformation is going to happen in this nation must begin in the Body of Christ first. It has to begin with a flourishing, powerful, spiritual church. Then, out from that, reformation is a possibility. His message was a wake-up call to understand that Reformation is not “a walk in the park.”

His premise and conclustion was that “Reformation requires the assent and the buy-in of the unchurched as well as the churched.”

We have been the masters of “whooping the devil” – inside our church building. But we must understand this premise. It means our language must change. We must learn to speak “fish” [if we are to be fishermen.] We must learn to speak the world’s language. [Or, as Lance Wallnau puts it, we must go to Pharaoh thinking Hebrew (with our Biblical worldview) but speaking Egyptian (his language).]

We must even begin now to take care of what we say in our churches. If we really become relevant, the media will begin to dig in the archives of what we have said. He noted that there were some powerful voices present. He asked them to “please consider that whatever you are going to be saying from now on, know that the world is going to be listening.” He warned that “if you are unwilling to go down that road because you believe it to be compromise, realize that your part in reformation will be on a very private level.” Because, Reformation requires – in a pluralistic society, in the context of democracy – it requires the buy-in of the unchurched.

We are NOT going to take over. That is what the world is most afraid of. He stated that he is afraid of a church taking over that is a king, but is not a priest. He noted that his statement may shock people, but that he is grateful that we have not had more church leaders in politics, because he knows what they would have said. He has worked in nations at senior levels, with presidents, where presidents have set back the clock of the kingdom for a decade or more.

We are entering another ballgame. We can have revival doing what we are doing. We cannot have reformation doing what we have been doing.

Newspapers are the bait sheet of the fish. He exhorted us that if we can’t preach from newspapers, we will not be a voice in the reformation. (We need to be relevant to our generation, our culture.)

I Tim 3:16 – “We are the pillar and ground of truth.” The pillar and ground of spiritual truth? Yes. The pillar and ground of economic truth? Yes. The pillar and ground of epistemology (the science of how you learn)? Yes. The pillar and ground of environmental truth? Yes. There is nothing to imply that his verse applies only to the religious and spiritual activity of people. But, we have not been raised to believe beyond that.

The crisis we are in within the Church is that we have limited our understanding of truth to truth relative to religious activities. If we don’t get delivered from that and get a holistic, Christian worldview – which is comprehensive and includes all that man is and all that man does – we are not ready or prepared for reformation. Reformation is built on the assumption that God’s Church really is the pillar and ground of truth for nations, for all that man is and all that man does.

Rev 22: 1-2 – After the great white throne judgment, after all of sin has been judged and dealt with, we have an anomaly here.

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

Why would we engage in reformation if it is only a temporal thing, if heaven is going to be some ethereal thing where all we do is worship and float around on clouds, and none of the things that bring us life here will transfer there? The word of God says nations are an eternal, geo-political phenomenon. The nations exist eternally. Psalms 2:8 – “Ask of Me for nations as thy inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” Nations are going to exist in heaven. Nations are going to exist on the new earth. We are going to remain an ethnic, geo-political people.

What was interesting to him in this passage is that after sin is dealt with, the nations still require healing. Why, when sin is gone, will the nations still require healing? In God, the process we engage changes us. Even if we don’t achieve everything we want to, the process will transform a church. [Here, he paused to let these statements penetrate those with ears to hear.]

The Great Commission: “Because the Father gave Me the nations, all authority in the heavenly realm and on the earth is given to me. Go, therefore...”

If the Master fought the enemy in the Word, we have no other choice. It was the Word and only the Word that was He used. We need to do the same. We have had too low of view of the enemy. Dennis gave him no praise, but noted that he is a master (he is very, very good) at what he does. The higher the level at which you play (engage the enemy) the deeper your visal roots must be in the Word of God.

We have “tip-toed through the daisies” in the Church. We have “cast out devils that are bothering us” in the Church. The seven mountains will not be taken by the seven dwarves! What part of that don’t we understand?! We will run into powers, principalities and forces that don’t even know our name. (As in, “Jesus I know. Paul is becoming known. But who the heck are you?”) [We need to gain the strength for our assignment – and not try to take on an assignment that is not ours.]

If we get into reformation, we are moving from sand lot, maybe high school, football into the NFL. Dennis was an all-star, high school football player. A funny thing happened when he got to college. Then he played against a couple of NFL players. They brought him to a new level of reality!

If we are going to engage in reformation, we are going against demonic principalities that play at a different level. We need to understand that. We are going to have to be r-o-o-t-e-d in the Scripture at a different level.

He has taught martial arts for almost 40 years, so he is a trained warrior. One of the things you have to know is where you can be hit and where you can’t be hit. If you get hit certain places, it’s game over – and you have to know that. We are going to have to become morally, sexually bullet-proof. If you think you can have a secret life and engage in reformation, do us all a favor and don’t go out to battle. [We do not need an Ai experience!] If you’ve got a problem with alcohol, you can’t play. If you’ve got a problem with pornography, you can’t play. If you’ve got something going on the side, you can’t play. If you’re cheating on your taxes, you can’t play. If you want to get into the reformation game where everybody’s “big” and everybody’s “tough,” then don’t even think about it. They will roll you up and take a bunch of us with you.

We have to get clear on who owns the earth. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” The Dominion Mandate – the world did it! We preached it (or at least we have lately); they did it. We are running into 400 years of secular momentum. It’s been that long since we had a kingdom-based church. The enemy forces are not going to simply give it back to us because we are coming in the name of Jesus. It is going to be disputed territory. We actually turned the world over to the devil and the antichrist (spirit) thinking we were doing God a favor. It would be different if we have fought inch by inch and were eventually pushed back. But, we gave it away because it was too much responsibility.

We need to assess reality before we start down this trail.

Who is lawfully given the stewardship of the earth? The Church.

We could go through Matthew 13 and talk about the wheat and the tares. Jesus says that the root structures of the wicked and the righteous are so intertwined that if He pulls out one it will kill the other. They have to be allowed to grow together until the time of harvest – until the kingdom of God has obtained full maturity and the kingdom of darkness has gained full maturity. They are co-existing for a witness.

Real players don’t ask the coach to take them out of the game. Real players would rather die than leave the field. The only reason you come out of the game is that your play is hurting your team.

Does the Word of God apply to all men or only the believers? Jesus said that “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Paul addressed it in 1 Timothy. God has one standard for the world – His Word. Every human being and every nation is judged and blessed according to the degree that they align themselves and their policies with the Word of God.

We are not very good at translating the Word of God into “fish” language, let alone applying it to any of the seven mountains. We are going to have to learn a whole level of communication that we haven’t learned. We are going to have to learn things like epistemology (how you learn). We’re going to have to learn how to say things without quoting Bible verses. The bird is not taken if the snare is seen (Proverbs).

We are going to have to become masters of jujitsu. Jujitsu takes the force that someone gives you and bends it where you want it to go. Jesus took the woman at the well for a ride. She wanted to talk religion; He wanted to talk reality. We are going to have to come to the place in our conversation skills that when we hear key words that unsaved people say to us, our internal conversation is, “Thank you, very much, I was hoping for that word, let me lead you …” [and lead the conversation to kingdom principles but in “fish” language]. Then, when they ask “How do you know all this stuff?” we can tell them. We need to be “ready to give an answer” when the question is asked.

Ecclesia was a political organization. An ecclesia was the town-governing body in the Greek city-states, starting about 600 BC. It eventually spread to the entire Mediterranean basin. In Acts 19, the riot at Ephesus was declared an illegal ecclesia. An ecclesia makes decrees in the spirit out of its lawful authority. The reformation is going to be fueled by another level of prophetic prayer than the one we are on right now. Dennis is working at his church to gather every “citizen” (every committed believer, everyone there by 1 Cor 12:8, placed there by the Holy Spirit, who know that is where they have been called to worship and be a part of government of God) and make decrees for where they have authority, which begins in our cities. If you want to change a nation, you do it one community at a time.

The church has to learn to speak the language of the fish. (Matt 4:19) We are going to have to go to the root issues. (Matt 3:10) When Jesus comes, He will not deal with symptoms. What we get on the news is just another report on the leaves and the twigs. We need to deal with the root structures.

You want to take seven mountains? You better get a deep shovel and a hard pick ax to start digging down in each one of those jurisdictions. What are the root issues that are driving that thing where it is? And what are we going to do to combat it? You can’t beat something with nothing.

“Until you can preach with as much authority out of the LA Times as you can out of the Bible, you should shut up.” We have to understand the Biblical roots of the fishing report. Our forefathers preached out of the newspapers. In the 1600-1700s the sermons were extrapolating Biblical principles into daily situations and issues of the nation -- and they were printed in the Monday paper, especially in New England. If you will go back and read some of these, you will realize how “dumbed-down” we are in the Church today [with respect to issues affecting our society].

The Kingdom of God has to have a three-pronged unity.

(1) The realm of spiritual authority in the supernatural. We are not going to have a reformation without signs, wonders and miracles. (The problem is that we [“us” and the signs and wonders camp] aren’t working together.)

(2) Methodology of God-centered discipleship. The biggest problem in the Church is that we are not making disciples. We are making believers. A believer is not a disciple. A disciple is a disciplined learner. We thought we got baptized in the Holy Ghost to have fun and speak in tongues. The Charismatic Renewal does not even qualify as a revival, historically. It did not even affect the whole Church, much less the culture. There has never been so much spiritual activity on the one hand and the surrounding culture moving in the opposite direction at the same time. We will not have a reformation without a small army of disciples. It is going to take disciplined learners.

If you think praying into those seven mountains by itself is going to “take” anything but energy, you are sadly mistaken. You will be dealing of the crème de la crème – the smartest people in the world at the top of those mountains. God is going to have to give us supernatural power and wisdom to seize what they have. Is it available? Yes. But, first the natural, then the spiritual. Until you have done your homework in the natural, do not expect God to give you supernatural wisdom.

Now that’s a hard word for God’s people to hear; but you said you wanted reformation. It is going to require hard work. The Holy Spirit anoints us to do hard work.

(3) Discipling nations. You have the realm of the supernatural. You have the methodology of producing disciples. And you have discipling nations. Go and do what? Make disciples of nations. That’s what reformation is …

Reformation is turning a nation into a discipling project. Do it in a way that first deals with their fears and objections about what we want. We not only don’t want to take over, we clearly understand we can’t take over. And even if we wanted to take over, God would not allow it. His preeminent principle in the New Testament is choice. Anybody (Church or not Church) who employs coercion fights against God. God always allows choice. “Whosoever will.”
Capitalism works because it is aligned with choice. Anything aligned with choice will work. Anything not aligned with choice, God, Himself, will resist, even if it is in His people. Jesus doesn’t take prisoners. We become prisoners of our own revelation. He will not break a bruised reed or quench smoldering wick.

If we are going to have reformation, we have to bring these three spheres of the kingdom together. The “supernatural folks” are going off in one direction. They will never see the kingdom in its fullness until we go in together with a full orb unity. We messed up discipleship when we tried it. We have to learn to do it right. We must join with the nation-changers. There’s not many of them yet, but the number is growing. We have to work together. If we are going to have the blessing of God, we need the supernatural dimension, we need the methodology of training disciples for the reformation, and we need the nation-changers – men and women called to change nations. Men and women that are called to write letters to the editors that are so powerful they begin to sway everyone that is reading them. They begin to ask, “Who are these people? Where are they getting this?”

Economics:

Economics is the engine of dominion. With the exception of living things, everything that exists is the product of economics. The world understands that; the Church doesn’t. (We call economics carnal!)

As an economist, he projected that we may have 3 to 4 years and limp our way out to some degree from where we are. The real slam will happen in 4 to 6 years when the demographics of the baby boomers hits retirement age. Then God is going to say to this nation, “you didn’t want to deal with abortion as a spiritual issue, now I’m going to serve it up to you economically, and I’ll get your attention. You took somewhere between 45 and 60 million wage earners out of the demographics and leverage of the retirement that you now want. You took hundreds of billions of dollars of tax revenue and you said, ‘hey, it’s a woman’s right to treat the baby just like the white slave owners treated the Negroes.’” He pointed out that we still have slavery “alive and well” in this nation. With noted sarcasm, he went on to say “This fetus is my property.” He concluded, “I thought we resolved that in Civil War that one human being couldn’t own another human being, but apparently this nation did not resolve that.”

Now we begin to understand that you can’t separate spirit from matter and you can’t separate morality and ethics from the ability to prosper. They are inextricably tied together. When you put all the debt and currency that is being monetized right now together … The biggest issue we have right now is for God to prepare us an ark for that day. He projected that when that day comes, we will not line up in bread lines like we did in the 30s, because we don’t have the same moral infrastructure that we did then. We need to get some very specific strategies on a local community level as to how we can become an ark for this world. We will have an opportunity to demonstrate how we really feel about the poor.

How far will we get into reformation before that time? He indicated that he didn’t know. The problem with the truth is that once you see it, you have nowhere else to go.

He then began to speak to Dutch Sheets. He indicated that he had been “scoping him out” to see if he was serious about this. Dennis is 66 and indicated that he didn’t have time “to waste bullets.” He then addressed the congregation and said, “this guy [Dutch] has got it. It wouldn’t matter if it didn’t work; he’s stuck. I heard his spirit.”

Then he asked how many of us were “stuck?” How many understood that God loves unsaved people? How many understood that God loves nations? That God wants the sun and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike? That God wants to raise up a witness of the kingdom of God in power and life – and then the end shall come? And if we don’t push the ball where it needs to go, we are trying to build our children and grandchildren to push it. And we are not demanding from Jesus the outcome, but rather asking for the privilege of putting our hands to the task.
It’s a great day to do business with God. It’s a great day to get rid of besetting sins. It’s a great day to get into a training routine with God.

What is your part of the fight? You need to know that so that you can bring your contribution to the war.

In closing, Dennis introduced Strategic Christian Services at http://discerningthetimes.com/. This is a site to analyze public policy from Biblical principles using secular language.

Dutch Sheets added that we cannot just waltz out there and take over. We have work to do. There’s a reason that the slogan says “Reformation in our lifetime.” We have a lot of work to do.

Report from USAA - Day 2, Session 4 - Mark Pfeifer

2009-04-04T00:44:00.000-07:00

NOTE: These are my notes from the sessions. They are sometimes just bullet points or summary statements. If you want more information or clarification on something, please contact me.

According to Mark Pfeifer, the key to USAA is to be able to break things down geographically – not just within the nation, but within the states. The anointing of new wineskins is going to happen regionally. It’s not going to be about national leaders anymore. Many here [at the conference] who don’t have reserved seats [aren’t the guest speakers or state coordinators] are the ones that have remained faithful to God whom God has anointed and is about to raise up to take their territory. We need to define our call by our territory [the territory to which we are assigned].

The Need for A Territorial Vision

In Matt 16:18-19 we see that the Church belongs to Jesus and He is building it. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church He builds. He builds the church – and gives us the keys to the kingdom. We have it backwards. We work at building the church and expect Jesus to build the kingdom. We should be expanding the kingdom and letting Him build the church.

Authority without responsibility is dangerous. Responsibility without authority is frustrating. God is expanding our sphere [of authority & responsibility].

Mark illustrated his point using three concentric circles. Beginning in the inner circle and moving outward, we have 1) our sphere of authority, 2) our sphere of influence and 3) our sphere of concern. According to Mark, we should not worry about the things that concern us that we cannot do anything about. We should spend 90% of our time in our sphere of authority, 8-9% of our time in our sphere of influence, and only 1-2% of our time in areas that simply concern us but over which we have no control or influence. He said God is going to begin to give us responsibility over things that we previously could only influence. He is also going to give us influence over things where we previously only had concern. He is expanding our borders.

One of the biggest hindrances to the kingdom of God in this hour is pastors believing that they have been called by God to a local church when they have been called to a territory. In scripture, we have no example of someone being called to a local church – they were called to cities or regions.

The pastors / church leaders must begin to realize that they are there to equip the people to go out into the mountain to which they are called and take the kingdom there – instead of trying to figure out where they can be plugged in to help fulfill the pastor/apostle’s dream (within the ministry of that leader).

We need to realize that having “a Holy Ghost time” every Sunday morning does not translate into Transformation of a territory. [We can get “drunk in the Spirit” and laugh and roll around on the floor and all of that; but none of that will transform our territory – unless it somehow changes us to go and and take the kingdom of God to our world.]

We have churches full of fans rather than disciples. We cannot blame the sheep for that condition. The pastors have to return to preaching the real word of the Lord instead of something to bring people in. We need to focus on sending people out rather than luring them in. We need to replace Attendance boards [the boards we used to hang in the front of the church reporting the previous Sunday’s attendance numbers] with Sending boards [how many people are currently “sent out” to take the kingdom message to the world].

If we are going to take our territories, we need to learn to work with other churches. We need the Nazarene and the Methodists and the other churches to begin to get this. We will not take our territory without them. When we start trying to take a territory, we realize that we need other churches in that territory to work with. We need to value people for what they do for the territory.

The definition of success should no longer be “how many are you running [in your church]” but “what is the condition of your territory?” Has the crime rate dropped? Has the drug rate gone down? What are the measureable changes that you are seeing in society in your territory?

If we begin to adopt that mindset, here are a few changes in the way we would think:

We would have to work together with other churches instead of keeping to ourselves.
We would appreciate and cheer on other churches and pastors knowing that they have key people in their congregations who are needed to bring change into the territory.
We would value people by what they add to the territory not just by what they do at church on Sundays.
We would preach for commitment rather than convenience because we now that while convenience may attract a crowd, commitment changes a territory.
We would raise the bar instead of lowering the bar because we know that true success is determined by the increase of the Kingdom of God in the territory not necessarily the increase of our attendance numbers.
We would focus on sending people out rather than luring people in.
We would cater to the Holy Spirit who empowers people to make a difference rather than catering to people who pad our stats.
We would confront sin rather than tolerate it.
We would become warfare oriented instead of entertainment oriented.
We would fear God more than people.
We would be men and women of God in the Kingdom instead of politicians in the church.
We would win souls instead of stealing sheep.
We would concern ourselves with kingdom issues instead of stylistic issues.

The main change in our understanding needs to be that we have not been called to a church, but to a territory.

Report from USAA - Day 2, Session 3 - Tim Sheets

2009-04-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

NOTE: These are my notes from the sessions. They are sometimes just bullet points or summary statements. If you want more information or clarification on something, please contact me.

Tim Sheets started by saying that “Everyone has a God ordained purpose.” It is vitally important that we understand it. Myles Munroe says that “the greatest tragedy in life isn’t death; it’s life without purpose.”

Tim's message centered around the fact that instead of expecting everyone "who loves God" to leave the secular world and move to the "religion mountain," we (as 5-fold ministers) need to be helping them identify the purpose God has for them, for their life, and then equipping them to fulfill it.

Tim provided the following statistics:
- 65% of our grandparents’ generation were actively involved in the Church.
- 35% of our parents’ generation were actively involved in the Church.
- 15% of our generation are actively involved in the Church.
Unless something changes …
- 4% of the next generation will be actively involved in the Church.

Christians stayed on the Religion mountain preoccupied with Christ’s coming instead of occupying until He comes. … We need to think occupation instead of evacuation.

God wrote your thesis before you were ever born; He had intents and purposes for you being born when and where you were. He gave you everything you need to accomplish your destiny – gifts, talents, and abilities. He then wrote your calling on your thesis.

Calling: a divine invitation to vocation or employment AND a divine invitation to ministry or service to the Body of Christ.

Jesus was born in a marketplace house. God wanted Him to have a marketplace mindset. His parables were marketplace examples: master builder, winemaker, farming – sowing & reaping, finding treasures, ranching, management & labor, family business, hostile takeover, observation & research before starting a business, venture capital in high risk investments, etc. The gospel is designed to work in the marketplace culture.

We need to embed the next generation on each of the mountains – trained in the skills they need in the natural [for their calling or vocation] and in the ways of the kingdom to help take that mountain for God. Remember, the 6% “Ruling Elite” control the mountain and the other 94% on it [and all the others that are influenced or affected by it].

Strategy
Tim had been praying for a strategy for Ohio. What he feels God gave him is a plan for each local church to work to send (at least) one young champion into each of the mountains. The concept of being called in spheres other than the church needs to be taught. Callings need to be identified. Young people need to be groomed [educated and equipped] to go into the sphere in which God is calling them.

If each of the 50 states raised up “just” 50,000 over the next 10 years, that would be 2.5 million young warriors on the mountains. Tim’s ministry has developed curriculum at all levels, starting with preschool, to teach the concepts of taking the mountains to all ages. (These are available for purchase from his ministry.)

Report from USAA - Day 2, Session 2 - Len Munsil

2009-04-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

NOTE: These are my notes from the speakers sessions. They are sometimes just bullet points or summary statements. If you want more information or clarification on something, please contact me.

Len Munsil (attorney & professor of political science) felt the bias against Christians in the public arena early. At 20, as the editor of the school paper at Arizona State University, he wrote an article about homosexuality and the need for help for homosexuals. He also refused to publish the meeting notices for the gay & lesbian groups in the paper. He had 100 people picketing outside his office, with full media coverage. He continued to promote a conservative view both in the paper and in the very liberal school of law at ASU. He was one of four professed Christians in his law class of around 450.

Len says America is collectively suffering from amnesia of our heritage. Pres. John Q. Adams said that the Revolution had combined the bonds of government and Christianity. That was the worldview of our forefathers. We have lost that view!

The structure of our government is found in scripture – Isa 33:22. There we have the Judge (judicial branch), Lawgiver (legislative branch), and King (executive branch).

Chief Justice Joseph Story (served 1811 – 1845) was considered the leading authority on constitutional law for over a century. Books he wrote were used to teach constitutional law until the mid-20th century. His view of “separation of church and state” was that “Christianity should receive encouragement from the states.” Now, the course on constitutional law in most law schools focuses on case studies rather than on the actual constitution. Many constitutional law classes never require the students to actually read the constitution itself – only the briefs of arguments about it.

According to Len, we need to get past the lie that “You can’t legislate morality.” The law sets the moral line for a society. The Civil Rights movement was ignited by a Christian pastor to change laws that perverted morality. [Things that had been considered “acceptable” by society no longer were. The law cannot change men’s hearts, but it can (to some extent) change their behavior. At a minimum, it establishes what is “acceptable” behavior within the society.] Bad policy hurts people – for example, policies that allow abortion, pornography, or slavery.

God’s Purpose for Government:
· Keep peace and order
· Provide police force & national security
· Protect of human life (widows, orphans, weak)
· Provide justice without regard to race, gender, or wealth
· Collect taxes to provide for these limited functions
NOT
· Take care of the poor
· Redistribution of wealth
· Provide for retirement
· Provide all health care
· … and lots of other things they now do.

Religious left has concern for the poor & social justice – which is our responsibility, not the government’s. Religious right only engaged out of frustration (and sometimes anger) and were too harsh. We must realize that our political opponents are not enemies to be vanquished. They are hurting people. We oppose their policies and beliefs – not them. We are inexperienced in the legislative process.

Our responsibility:
· Resurgence in governmental prayer
· Increasing pro-life sentiment
· Growing interest in government & law among young Christians
· Growth in Christian colleges and worldview institutions

Footnote:
What’s happening in Arizona (where Len is engaged with others bringing transformation to their state):
In Arizona, they did a 21-day fast. Out of that, they declared a solemn assembly for 9/11/02 at the state capitol. To their surprise, 1000 people showed up. Arizona was in draught. As they cried out for their state during the solemn assembly it began to rain. The draught was broken. It was a turning point in Arizona. For the first time, Arizona now has a prolife governor and a prolife legislature.

About the USAA Conference

2009-04-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

I will continue to post my notes from the USAA conference, but it will take me a little while to get them all out there. :-) There was some excellent teaching. However, I wanted to go ahead a post my overall take on the conference in general.

The messages were all great and they covered a breadth of topics and perspectives. Remember that the slogan for USAA is "Awakening in Our Day - Reformation in Our Lifetime." Hence, there was emphasis on both. We have to have the awakening for people to understand the need for reformation (as well as the belief that it really could happen).

However, the thing that impacted me, personally, the most was not the messages from the "known" ministers that were there, but hearing from some of the younger generation and those who are ministering to the youth of today. The intensity of these young people astounded me. And their cry was so different from our past generations.

The thing that we heard repeatedly from those in their 20s and early 30s was "teach us the way ... point us in the right direction" but also "allow us to do our part." Dutch Sheets shared how Rick Pino (one of Dutch's spiritual sons and an awesome worship leader if you have not heard him) said to him one day, "Put me on your shoulders, so I can see where to run." Selah!

The cry of his heart being, "I value the foundation you have established. I want to build on that. I want you to speak into my life and make sure I'm heading in a right direction." But, also, "I want to run the race set before me - for my generation to do our part and build with you."

Dutch challenged him to write a song about that. Here are the words to chorus:

Put us on your shoulders
So we can see where to run
We need each other
To get the job done

One of these young lions who spoke titled his message "Synergy versus Succession." That was their cry. They are not looking for succession - passing of the baton (get out of our way and let us clean up the mess you've created) but rather synergy - let us grab hold of the baton and run with you so we can learn what you know and learn how to run well. There was a deep cry for true spiritual fathers (and mothers).

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face as I once again feel the impact of their heart for the God, their willingness to submit to discipleship, and God's heart for them and pleasure with seeing the generations begin to work together. God is a God of generations - Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.

The question is, will we father (mother) them? As one speaker asked, are we willing to be "inconvenienced" and, "at times, almost annoyed" by them? Will we let them hang out at our house, ride in our car, just be with us whenever & whereever they want to? Will we answer the phone when they call - or txt - multiple times a day? Will we truly let them into our hearts - as though they really were our (natural) sons and daughters who are allowed to do those things?

Will we see Malachi 4:6?

"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."

Report from USAA - Day 2, Session 1 - Lance Wallnau

2009-04-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

The morning session on Day 2 of the USAA Conference opened with worship, again led by Jeremy Burk. It was a deep, intimate worship where the line that seemed to be the theme was “This is no ordinary love.” There was also a period of time spent in crying out through song and other ways for God to extend mercy on this nation.

Lance Wallnau was the first speaker. He started by referencing the comments that had been made about Lincoln last night. He pointed out that Lincoln was not a strong revivalist when he was elected. He was shaped by the crucible in which he found himself. The situation within the nation drove him to prayer. Four months after the National Day of Prayer & Humiliation, the tipping point came in the war at Gettysburg.

Lance then moved into his message for the morning, which, of course, focused on the seven mountains or the …

7 Mind Molders

[Note: If you have ever heard Lance Wallnau speak, you know that trying to take notes is a challenge. He talks faster than Bill Hamon and while he does sometimes repeat his point, he never states it the same way twice. What follows are the notes I took from this morning, supplemented with points from previous messages I have heard from him along with some of my own thoughts or insights. Long sections of my “add ins” are in brackets, but shorter additions are simply woven in with the point. It’s my blog – I get to write it the way I want. :-)]

Lance first pointed out that Satan’s only power is deception. [This was a truth that God revealed to me many years ago and then substantiated for me in scripture. It is his only weapon. Yet he is good enough at it. So good, in fact, that he will deceive “the whole world.” (Rev 12:9)] Satan uses mind control to deceive.

Luke 4 tells us the elements to be mastered in each of our lives. Luke 4:5-6 talks about the kingdoms (plural) of the world and the domain in which they reside and their glory. Satan says he can give them to whomever he wills, which is apparently true since Jesus does not dispute his claim. At that point, Satan had dominion over all the kingdoms of this world – ruled the domain in which all these kingdoms reside. Jesus did not dispute his claims nor did He accept his offer. Jesus knew that he would receive the nations of the earth as his inheritance – legitimately.

While Jesus purchased back the legal right to these, most are still under the control of Satan and “whomever he wills.” Jesus is still intent on reclaiming (possessing) all of those kingdoms. Neither God nor Satan can move beyond the agreement of men. Satan cannot; God will not. How far either kingdom is advanced depends on the response of people. Jesus can not repossess that inheritance without us cooperating with Him to do so.

We need to understand that nations are part of God’s strategy. Satan seeks to suppress nations. God wants to liberate nations. The Holy Nation (God’s people) must get liberated first! Only then can we begin to liberate the other nations or kingdoms.

Kingdoms: Nations and spheres within nations (e.g. economic, political etc.)
Power: A remnant of people who dominate the spheres.
Glory: A liberation of the Church to show forth His glory. When the Church matures into fullness, God releases the fullness of the glory.

The Church has a kingdom to proclaim, but the kingdom is larger than the Church.

Kings (those who currently control each of these mountains) need to either be converted or replaced. We need to begin believing that.

We must restore the Church mountain to receive the Honor of the bride; the Family to Strength; the Education system to Wisdom; the Government to Power; the Media to Blessing; Arts & Entertainment to Glory; and Business to Riches (Wealth). Then the Lamb will receive “power and riches and wisdom and might [strength] and honor and glory and blessing.” (Rev 5:12)

The Church must transition to become an equipper for people to go out and possess their mountain. Someone will be at the top of each mountain – either a sheep or goat. If the sheep do not take it, the goats will! Israel was warned that if they did not “drive out the inhabitants of the land” then those whom they left there would “become as pricks in [their] eyes and as thorns in [their] sides, and they [would] trouble [them] in the land in which [they lived].” (Num 33:55) Further, Isaiah 2:2 tells us that the House of God is at the top (or chief) of the mountains.

Each sphere is sovereign. The church is not intended to rule over the other mountains, just as they are not intended to rule over the church (religion mountain). Each has its role – its responsibility and authority. The religion mountain is intended to affect each of the others by training people who are on each of those mountains in the ways of the kingdom. Those kingdom people then instill kingdom values and kingdom principles in each of their spheres of influence. In order to have sovereignty in a sphere, we need to raise up those with sphere authority in that mountain.

One signature of the kingdom is that it removes demonic structures from the house. When the kingdom of God shows up, the demons have to go. Kingdom people should be bringing freedom (deliverance) everywhere we go.

You have sphere penetration when you receive favor from someone with sphere authority. For example, David accomplished sphere penetration when he received favor from Saul. [Realize that favor can be a temporary thing!]

The secret to gaining favor is realizing that you are there to solve a problem. You first look to solve the problem. Only after you have successfully solved their problem do you earn their trust to be able to save their soul.

[Today there are LOTS of voices pointing out the problems in our nation or society – not only here in America, but in other nations as well. I believe we MUST get this point. We need to be reaching out to the non-believing world with answers to the problems being experienced on the various mountains – not just a finger pointing at all the things that are wrong. We need to become the solution people, not just the critics.]

You can move from a place of obscurity to a place of sphere preeminence in a moment, if you have had proper preparation – even if that preparation is with “just a few sheep.” (See 1 Sam 17:28 where Eliab rebukes David for inquiring about the challenge from Goliath asking him “And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?”)

When David went out to meet Goliath, he knew he had to deal with “the head issue.” He hit Goliath in the forehead and knocked him out. He then cut his head off. He could have done any number of things. Once he was knocked out, he could have run the sword through his heart or bowels. But he dealt with “the head issue.” When David did that, it also broke the mind control off the Israelites, and they ran out to route the rest of the enemy camp.

We need to understand that favor is often just part 1 of the message. Part 2 of the message can be backlash. The biggest backlash will come from the religious spirit of those who are threatened by what you have done. David felt the backlash! Saul would one minute love him and the next try to pin him to the wall with a spear. [Usually it is the very ones that we use our gifts and abilities to help (often at their request) that then turn on us the worst. When they are “in their right minds” (not under the mind control of deception), like Saul with David, they will admit we have only done good towards them and ask forgiveness. But, when the mind control settles back upon them, we are once again having to duck to dodge the spear. We have to realize that they are acting out of their insecurity. Instead of viewing the gifts or abilities that we have as an asset to complement theirs, we become viewed as a threat because we were able to do something that they could not. This situation is often worsened if those around the situation compliment (or praise) what we have done to the insecure leader. “Saul has slain his thousands, but David has slain his tens of thousands.” We have now, unknowingly, become a threat to the security of “their” kingdom. This is especially sad in that we were sent there by God to help “secure” the kingdom for them!]

When we experience sphere overlap we get to what the military terms forced multiplication. An example of this would be when the “kings” or sphere elites from the business realm finance the use of the media to promote a particular political agenda. Here we have three spheres working together to accomplish a goal, resulting in a synergistic multiplication of efforts. The world understands this. Islam understands this. In Islam, a successful businessman is expected to fund a mosque or a training center or something of that sort. If a Christian businessman tries to do the same, he is viewed with suspicion. Likewise, Islam constantly mixes religion and government. If a Christian runs for office, they are critiqued on their religious views rather than on their knowledge and capabilities for the office for which they are running.

We need to begin to raise up a generation that will move into these mountains in a stealth mode – under the radar. We need Remnant Elites in each of the mountains.

When we begin to have emerging democracies (such as in the Soviet Union and the countries that had been part of the Soviet block or in some of the emerging African nations), we did not address the corruption that was present at the top of the government and the top of the financial sector. Failure to deal with these “ites” caused the failure of the fledgling democracies. Further, the message of salvation that we have brought to these nations, has impacted them adversely. For example, in Africa, we have a growing disparity between the rich and the poor. That is because of our doctrines of benevolence of caring for the poor rather than stamping out systemic poverty.

So, what do we need to do? We need to identify the current elites at the top of each sphere. Wallnau suggests identifying the top five (5) in each sphere. We need to be praying for them. If they are not believers, we need to pray for their conversation and the conversion of their households (spouse, children, and those under their sphere of influence). We need to pray them into the kingdom or at least to a place of working with kingdom principles or pray them out of position. We also need to identify and be praying for the emerging elites.

We need to understand and employ the concept of micro-churches. These are groups that are formed for a particular assignment. It is through these that we will mobilize the kingdom elites. An example of this is the Clapham group that was formed by John Thornton and led by William Wilberforce in the late 1700s / early 1800s. This group changed not only England but the world. They had sphere elites from all seven mountains and knew how to link forces to get the force multiplication factor working for them to blitz the people with information and education to bring about a change in thought on a matter. They not only ended slave trade, but slavery itself in Great Britain and then in other nations. They even influenced many in America, including Pres. John Q. Adams.

We are beginning to see the emergence of “cross-functional apostles.” These are apostles who can work with those in the other spheres. Not all apostles have been able to do that. These apostles can activate saints to go and possess their inheritance in the other mountains.

We have to learn how to apply kingdom principles in a covert way. Once there is acceptance and buy-in to the principles, then (and only then) can we deal with the souls. Solve their problem. Gain their trust. Then they are willing to hear what you have to say about your God.

Report from USAA - Day 1 - Robert Henderson & Dutch Sheets

2009-03-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the first session of this year's United States Apostolic Alliance (USAA) National Conference in Colorado Springs. For those not familiar is the USAA, check out the link. They summarize their vision and mission in the following statement: "Awakening in Our Day - Reformation in Our Lifetime." Hence, the conference is focused on hearing the strategies of God to bring these things to pass.

The meeting was kicked off with an extended period of worship that was some of the best I have been in for a while. Once worship leader Jeremy Burk "found the vein," he stayed in it and the press into the heavenlies was awesome as we continued to cry out Holy, Holy to the Lord.

Robert Henderson - Lessons from the Potter's House

Robert Henderson followed that with a brief teaching from Jeremiah 18:1-4.

"1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2 'Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.' 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make."

His primary point was that God will bring reformation through vessels that have been marred, but allowed God to "make them again" into another vessel, as seems best to Him. He pointed out that the vessel was not marred due to a lack of skill of the potter, but rather due to the deficiencies (impurities) within the clay. Still, the potter did not discard the clay; rather he reshaped it into a different vessel that was still useful and could fulfill its purpose. He then shared four (4) points to answer the question, "How does God use marred vessels to bring Reformation?"

We must realize where we came from - that we each have our areas of deficiencies (imperfections).

We must understand that the Potter (God) can take the good that is in the clay (us) and re-form us into something of use and value.

We must get positioned to hear from God. Jeremiah had to go to the potter's house. Once there, God, Himself, "caused" Jeremiah to hear His words. If we are not in the appropriate place, we will not be able to hear God speak.

We must become instantly obedient. (See verses 7 & 9 where God says, "The instant I speak.") We can not hesitate or "continue to pray" over a matter once God has spoken. We must learn to act immediately, when God says to do so.

Dutch Sheets - Time for Action

After a few opening remarks, Dutch Sheets brought the message for the evening. I will digress to share some of his opening remarks.

Two statements that particularly caught my attention were: "You can be left-brained and be prophetic. You can teach and be prophetic." Those who know me well, will know why I am delighted that others are finally figuring that out!

He stated very clearly that it is time that we, the Body of Christ, put the grief (including the hope deferred and the disbelief) of this past election behind us.

He expressed the fact that he could, genuinely rejoice for the healing that had been brought to many African-Americans by having an African-American elected as our President. Unfortunately, it was not one that shares our values and beliefs. (Those are my words, not a direct quote.)

Nonetheless, "It's time to put the past behind and focus on the moving forward." He shared a dream (or vision) that one of the state leaders had recently that involved someone trying to drive a car while looking constantly in the rear-view mirror. You cannot steer where you need to go when you are totally focused on where you have been. It's time to get our focus back on the road ahead of us. With that directive, he began to do that.

Cindy Jacobs had called him today with a word for the meeting for tonight. She had been reading in a book by Derek Prince and had come across his reference to Pres. Abraham Lincoln's having appointed a National Fast Day. Dutch read us the following:

"Senator James Harlan of Iowa, whose daughter later married President Lincoln's son Robert, introduced this Resolution in the Senate on March 2, 1863. The Resolution asked President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The Resolution was adopted on March 3, and signed by Lincoln on March 30, one month before the fast day was observed."

The USAA conference started on March 30. According to the word of the Lord through Cindy, the USAA conference had been delayed (it was originally planned for a different week) in order for it be held on March 30 - and that Dutch was to decree the beginning of healing in this nation.

Lincoln's proclamation (as written by the Senate) is too long to quote fully here, but take the time to read the entire statement. You will see that other than not being in the middle of the Civil War, it is equally applicable to this nation today. The proclamation was a call to "set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation" because of the condition of the nation. In part, it states,

"And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. ...
"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
"It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

By signing this proclamation, Pres. Lincoln did "designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. "

As an apostle to this nation, Dutch has called for "a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer" this April 30. (Interestingly, April 30 of this year is also a Thursday.) I, personally, urge all who want to see reformation come to this nation as well as to the Church to join in on this day of prayer and fasting. We realize that it is just a few days before the National Day of Prayer - but this is a matter of God's timing, not man's. And, following what Robert Henderson taught earlier in the evening, when we hear God, we must obey.

From that point, Dutch said God had pointed him back to the prophetic words given at the "Starting The Year Off Right" conference (held each Jan 1-3 in Denton, TX) after his message there. In that message, God had given him "the first half" and told him to preach "the first half" and then call certain of the prophets to then prophesy "the second half." As he looked back over a transcribed copy of those words, God told him to re-read them tonight and then have certain people pray into each of those words, which he did. Each of the words to too lengthy to even begin to take it all down. Following are the titles he gave to each one and a brief recap of the word and the key point that was prayed over it tonight. [Note: The recaps are from the notes I took. They may not be totally accurate to the original wording.]

1) The Jacob Generation & the Josiah Reformers - We have been a generation of supplanters, deceivers, who did not deal rightly with one another. God is raising up Josiah reformers. The children will be a hidden weapon in this nation. Revival is coming to the children. Though we have not believed it, God is saying, "I am coming to visit your schools. I am coming." These reformers will tear down the altar of humanism. God is going to visit the 8-year-olds (which was Josiah's age when he became king). "The sign is flashing in the heavens for a time of visitation." [Note: The word used for "visitation" in the New Testament is the same word translated as "bishop" and means "to watch over, look after, cover or oversee."] The prayer centered around release for the children to come forth and begin to understand their role and take their stand for righteousness.

2) The David Generation & the Kingdom Generation - Many have been in hiding, as David hid in the cave of Adullam. These are those that religion does not know what to do with them; those that tradition does not know what to do with them. God said, "I will bring them forth for they hae a vision of My kingdom." They were willing to stay hidden in the cave until God brought them forth. God is saying to them, "Arise knowing that you were born for such a time as this." God said, "By the 8th month, the 12th day, I will bring a change" that the government and political system cannot stop. "Get ready. I am releasing your marching orders." Some key issues from the prayer was repentance for putting the kids in "the back of the church" (children's church) instead of training them in worship and ministry and a call for the Esthers to link up with the Mordacais to work together across the generations to bring about the reform. The word was that this was to be a three-generational movement.

3) The Melchizedek Spirit & Kingdom Warriors - It is a day to engage in the battle. That which is to be birthed requires intercession equally as intense. Angels of the Most High God are dismantling governing structures of the enemy. These warriors will be "fearless in the face of the mockery of the enemy's camp." The giant that has ruled this nation will fall. The enemy will free the sound of faith, the sound of righteousness, and the sound of the Word of the Lord. "I see fire on the east coast. I see fire on the west coast. I see floods in the [middle of the country]." The Lord says, "America, you have not completed your destiny." The prayer centered around calling for the release of these kingdom warriors and for them to arise and fight for their nation, their city, and the Church.

4) The "Covenanteers" - Sharon Stone indicated she kept wanting to use the word "reformer" and God was saying "Covenanteers" - those who were in covenant. "A fresh covenant is released when it is a day that people understand defining choices." There will be a release based on craving the presence of God. He will cause a "hero's spirit" to rise up in those who crave His presence. There will be a release of a promise to bring forth a national destiny that is not yet fulfilled. "By the 9th month, the 12th day a new cycle will begin." God's presence and His glory will be seen not just in the "churches" but on the streets. There will be "risks [taken] that will produce proactivity of destiny rather than only a vision of destiny." There will be "suddenlies" that will be signs and wonders in the land. "I have some strategies to initiate reform that accelerates you engaging your community and sphere." The prayer proclaimed an announcement to the Body of Christ to "come out of the pain of personal lose and pursue to overtake and recover all" as David did at Ziklag. A shifting was decreed, for strategies from heaven that would shift and move a nation. The "covenanteers" are the ones carrying the covenant - just as the priests bore the ark of the covenant on their shoulders. We, the covenanteers, must step out into the Jordan, even though it is at flood stage (and doesn't look like a good time to cross) and watch God perform the miracle to lead a nation across and into the promise.

WOW ... and this was just the first service!

A Season of Change

2008-12-06T00:43:00.000-08:00

We here in the U.S. know how the mantra of “Change” resonated with the masses, even if they didn’t know what was going to change or how. On the other side of the ballot was a pair who labeled themselves as “reformers.” That message also resonated with their supporters.

Why?

Why is it that people who normally prefer the “don’t rock the boat” philosophy suddenly embrace the idea of turning it over and forcing everyone to “get involved” in the process – swim or sink!

Why? Because we have entered a season of change.

Like it or not; embrace it or fight it; things are changing.

What is changing?

In the U.S., the first answer is “the Administration.” Technically, it is the executive branch of our national government – the president and his cabinet. (There is also some change within our legislative branch – the Congress.) The fact that this is changing is not new. It happens at least every eight years, and, potentially, every four. This time, however, there is the “feel” of a much more drastic shift than we have previously experienced.

The current changes in the economy is not restricted to the U.S. It is much more widespread. While the U.S. is going through everything from the housing crisis to the potential meltdown of the “Big Three” automobile manufacturers, both Europe and Asia are experiencing their own economic challenges.

Other major cultural shifts are also occurring in both the U.S. and other western countries. The vocal minority is managing to exert the political influence needed to cause laws to change to empower behavior and agendas with which the majority do not agree. This runs the gambit from the legalization of same-sex marriage in various states in the U.S. to the legalization of the execution of Islamic Sharia law in parts of the United Kingdom.

I could spend pages enumerating the issues that are having negative impact on our societies and seem to be moving us further and further from godliness and righteous rule. For those with a theological view that things will continue to get worse and worse until God finally snatches us out of here to save us, it might seem that the end is near. I’m hearing more and more people say, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!” It seems as though they are simply waiting to leave – and hoping it won’t be too much longer.

Not me. I know that (among other things) Christ is held in the heavenlies until His enemies are made his footstool (Hebrews 1:13) and until “times of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21). Since neither of those things have yet happened, He cannot yet return. So, instead of retreating and waiting on the evacuation, I’m sharpening my sword.

Those of us with a different understanding of scripture also have a different view of the current situation. Rather than being ready “to throw in the towel” or to hunker down to “hold the fort” while we wait for God’s emergency airlift to evacuate His people from the planet, we’re sharpening our swords and trying to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (Hebrews 12:12). We know that while “the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people” that “the LORD will arise over [us], and His glory will be seen upon [us].” (Isaiah 60:2)

Change is not just coming to the secular world.

Change is also coming to the Church.

God is restoring the revelation of the true message of what the Kingdom of God is about. As we begin to understand, embrace, and walk out that message, we know that we will begin to take back the territory we have allowed the enemy to take. We know that the gates of hell shall not prevail against us. (Matthew 16:18) We know that gates don’t move (or at least not easily!); they are stationary. We have come to understand this passage means we storm those gates and take the territory that the enemy thought was protected behind them. It is time we go on the offensive and invade his territory to reclaim it for the Kingdom of God. How else will we ever reach the “times of restoration of all things”?

What territory do we need to recover for the Kingdom?

First, we need to retake any real estate the enemy still holds within the soil of our own heart or mind.

Then we need to pull down any strongholds he has built within our families, in the lives of those we love or with whom we have covenant relationships.

Then the territory under enemy control in our businesses, places of work, neighborhoods, stores or restaurants we frequent or anywhere “[our] foot shall tread” (Joshua 1:3) must be recovered.

Finally, we need to reclaim those areas within our governments – at all levels including city, county, state and national governments – that are not functioning under principles of the Kingdom of God.

How?

There is much teaching and training to be be done here. Let me boil it down into a very brief summary for you to think upon.

We must understand what it means to be “kings and priests” – and start functioning in both roles here and now in this present age. If we are going to impact our world, we must do as Hebrews 6:5 tells us. We must taste “the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.”

We need to be able to access heaven to see the solution to earth’s problems and bring that solution into the earth realm. Then and only then will God’s will be done on earth (here and now) as it is in heaven (as we look into the heavenly, eternal realm and see it).

Then “the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” And then, “the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:2-3)

Why will the Gentiles come to your light? Because you have light and they don’t.

Why will kings come to “your rising”? Because you have the answers to the problems they could not solve.

When we begin to access heaven (from our priestly position) to bring heaven’s solutions to earth, then we will begin to rise upon our mountain and displace the kings who currently rule there (establishing our kingly position).

Selah!

lessons from Narnia – part 3

2008-08-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

In lessons from Narnia – part 1 and part 2, we have discussed five lessons:

1. Impatience is costly.
2. Failure to deal properly with personal trauma will knock you off course.
3. Talking with the enemy will cause you to lose your advantage.
4. Disunity will set you up for deception.
5. When you don’t finish the job, you allow room for the enemy to work.

In part 3, we will wrap this series up with two additional lessons.

6) God is waiting for us to engage Him in our battle.
When Lucy finds Aslan, he has been waiting for them to come for him. He is well aware of the situation and their need for him. However, he was waiting for them to come to him to ask for his help rather than him simply coming to their rescue. This is consistent with what we are told in Jeremiah 29:11-13.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

While God’s plans for us are good ones, He waits for us to seek after Him to obtain them. It wasn’t until Lucy went searching for Aslan with all her heart and all her strength that she found him. And it wasn’t until she found him that he “listened” to the cry for help she brought from the others. He began to fight on their behalf immediately. Even before he arrived at the scene of the battle, he engaged the trees and elements of nature to fight for Peter, Edmund, Susan, Caspian and the Narnians.

This may seem like just part of the tale spun by Lewis in his writings, but the Bible records the fact that the elements of nature do sometimes align themselves to assist God’s people in their battles, as well as God, Himself, “getting in on the act.” Following are a couple of examples.

“And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.” Joshua 10:11-13 (emphasis added)

“And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” Exodus 14:19-29 (emphasis added)

I just love the stories where God gets into the fight!

7) The enemy always underestimates God.
In 1 Kings 20:23, the servants of the king of Syria reasoned that “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.” Of course, that was not true. In fact, according to scripture, God took the accusation personally and it ensured their defeat!

The Telamarines similarly argued that if they crossed back over the river, they would be able to defeat the Narnians. The scene that follows reminds one of the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites – though this time the Telamarines are fleeing before the Narnians. It is here that the Telamarines come face to face with Aslan and realize that he does exist, that he is fighting against them, and that his power is definitely greater than their power. Any time we encounter God “face to face” we will always be reminded of Who He truly is.

As stated at the beginning of this series, these are just a few of the truths that C. S. Lewis wove into the story and that were portrayed in the movie. I trust you have found some nugget of truth in this series. If so, Selah, “think on these things” – and on other Simple Truths from the Word of God.

lessons from Narnia – part 2

2008-08-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

In lessons from Narnia – part 1, we focused on two lessons:

1. Impatience is costly.
2. Failure to deal properly with personal trauma will knock you off course.

In part 2, we will look at three more. Again, if you have not yet seen the movie, you might want to wait to read this until you have done so.

3) Talking with the enemy will cause you to lose your advantage.
When Prince Caspian entered Miraz’ bed chamber, he had the clear “upper hand,” having caught him sound asleep, totally unaware and unprepared. However, instead of killing Miraz, Caspian begins talking with him. Never carry on a conversation with the enemy! It only provides him an opportunity to regroup to overpower or seduce you. While they are talking, Prince Caspian allows Miraz to get up. As the prince is watching Miraz, the evil king’s wife reaches for her crossbow and takes aim at her nephew.

Fortunately, Peter and Susan arrive to rescue Prince Caspian. But they, too, leave Miraz alive to be fought another day. The enemy we resist for a moment but fail to deal with completely will be back to fight us another day – strengthened by our lack of decisiveness in dealing with him (it) previously.

4) Disunity will set you up for deception.
After suffering the terrible defeat at the castle, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Caspian and those who managed to escape the castle with them return to Lucy and the others waiting at Aslan’s How. Peter and Caspian get into an argument, each blaming the other for the terrible loss. With the rift between them and Caspian doubting the legendary abilities of the four, the dark dwarf Nikabrik makes his move to convince Caspian to align with the dark powers to defeat Miraz, promising him certain victory. Disunity and disillusionment set us up for deception. Nikabrik knows that only the blood from the seed of Adam (a human) can bring back (free) the white witch and her powers.

At first, the promise of victory lures Caspian into their grips. Then, when he sees the witch, he realizes who is really behind the promise (and that the ancient stories really are true) and tries to pull out. Just as Nikabrik and his companions are about to overpower the prince and provide the needed blood for the witch to be freed, Peter, Edmund and Susan arrive to rescue him. The witch then begins to lure King Peter into her deception, even though Peter had stood firmly against her in their previous encounters. Once again, we see how disunity sets us up for deception. Fortunately, Edmund remembers all too well her deceptive powers and thrusts her through with his sword. In the meantime, Nikabrik and his companions, the old hag and the were-wolf, are killed. These forces of evil are destroyed and Peter and Caspian are reunited in their effort to restore Narnia.

5) When you don’t finish the job, you allow room for the enemy to work.
Having realized their only hope of survival and victory is Aslan, Lucy and Susan are dispatched to search for Him. In the meantime, the others try to delay the battle by sending a challenge from High King Peter to (self-proclaimed) King Miraz to meet in a one-on-one battle to the death to decide the victor. This, of course, is a parallel to the battle of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.

Miraz finally agrees, and Peter and Miraz engage in the challenge. After some time, they mutually agree to a rest period. Both have sustained injury. Miraz begins to suspect treachery, since he had instructed the lords attending the battle with him to kill Peter if he appeared to be gaining the upper hand and they had not.

When the battle is re-engaged, Peter finally gains the upper hand and has Miraz on his knees, defenseless. Rather than finishing the job and killing Miraz as the challenge stated was to be the end for one of them (and as David did with Goliath), Peter hands the sword to Caspian for him to finish the job. Miraz intimidates Caspian with a well-worded remark and Caspian also refuses to kill him. Both Peter and Caspian assume the victor of the challenge is clear and that the war is now over. Not so! Never expect the enemy to play fair!

One of the lords who attended Miraz to the challenge now kills Miraz with one of Susan’s arrows that he had saved from a previous battle. The fact that their king has been killed by Susan’s arrow rather than Peter’s sword appears as unfair play to the waiting Telamarine army – and the battle begins.

Twice Peter and Caspian had the upper hand on Miraz and could have killed him. Twice they spared his life, somehow expecting him to suddenly “change his colors” and act rightly. Both times, refusing to “utterly destroy” the enemy in the land (as the children of Israel were repeatedly told to do) proved costly.

“And when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.” Deuteronomy 7:2

When we believe that confronting sin without dealing with it completely and killing it at the very root of the problem is sufficient, we only set ourselves up for it to come back and cause us even greater devastation.

For more lessons from Narnia, check back for the final post in the series, part 3.

lessons from Narnia – part 1

2008-08-02T22:48:00.000-07:00

As “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” movie began to play, I heard the Holy Spirit instruct me to look for the truths in it. He said there would be many, but there were certain key ones of which I should take note.

Notes:
1. For those who have read the book but have not yet seen the movie, it does not follow the book exactly. So events referenced here may be slightly different than the events in the book.
2. If you haven’t seen the movie yet but intend to see it, you may want to wait until afterwards to read this.

Background
To set the stage for those unfamiliar with C. S. Lewis’ chronicles, Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy are siblings who live in 20th century London. In the first book of the series, “The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe,” the four youngsters “fall into” ancient Narnia through an old wardrobe in which they were playing. There they quickly learn to be warriors as they encounter the evils of the white witch and finally meet the great leader, Aslan. As the story unfolds, Aslan offers his life sacrificially to spare the life of Edmund, who had fallen prey to the evil deception of the witch. As with the true Lion of the Tribe of Judah, death was defeated and Aslan returned to life, empowered to overthrow the witch, who is bound and remains powerless for over a millennium.

Many years pass in Narnia, where peace reigns under the oversight of High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, Queen Lucy and, of course, Aslan. One day while riding in the woods, the four find themselves back in a strangely familiar spot. They are soon tumbling back through the wardrobe and back into 20th century London – on the same day they left! While they had spent many years in ancient Narnia where they had grown to adulthood and ruled the entire land as its kings & queens, only a few hours had passed in modern earth time. They had returned to London and their childhood.

As time passes, the four continue to long for the adventures of Narnia and their beloved Aslan. After a couple of years, they are about to the point of reconciling themselves to the fact that their life is to remain in London as they are when they suddenly find themselves passing back through a different portal into Narnia. In the couple of years that have passed in earth time, they come to realize that it has been over 1300 years in Narnia and it is not at all the way they left it. They learn that both their legacy and even Aslan are so long forgotten that they are considered myths by most. In the meantime, the land was invaded by Telamarines who had landed on its shores and had been taken over by their evil rulers. Due to the untimely death of his father, Prince Caspian is to be the heir to the Telamarine throne, when he is of an age to assume it. In the meantime, the land is ruled by his very evil uncle, Miraz. As the movie begins, Miraz’ wife bares him a son. With this news, Miraz attempts to kill Prince Caspian, so that he and his son will become the heir of the throne. Thanks to his tutor, the prince escapes, but must run to the woods to save his life.

1) Impatience is costly.
As “the kings and queens of old” (Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy) who have been summonsed back by Prince Caspian meet with the prince and the creatures of Narnia to strategize on how to best approach the battle with Miraz and the Telamarines, King Peter makes a costly mistake. At this point in the movie, only Lucy has seen Aslan since their return and she saw him only briefly. The others disbelieve that she really saw him at all. From that frame of reference, Peter decides they have “waited long enough” on Aslan to come to provide leadership. He apparently believes Aslan has either died or gone away and concludes that “now it is up to us.” The results of his decision prove costly to their army.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

King Peter’s failure to do this cost the lives of many of the Narnians. His decision reminds me of a similar decision made by King Saul of Israel who believed he had waited long enough for Samuel, God’s prophet, to show up before a great battle.

Timing and location are critical elements in any battle. Impatience will always cause you to play into the enemy’s hands. To avoid his snare, we must always seek the counsel of the Lord and refuse to move until we have His strategy for the situation.

2) Failure to deal properly with personal trauma will knock you off course.
Once inside the moat-surrounded castle where Miraz lived, Prince Caspian was to see to it that the gates were opened and draw bridge down to allow the Narnian army to invade the castle. His first “detour” from the plan was to find his old tutor, Cornelius. Finding him cost time, which is a precious commodity when dealing with the element of surprise. It would not have been a critical issue had that detour not led to the second, more costly one.

Having found Cornelius, the prince learns that Miraz had murdered his father, King Caspian, whom he had believed to have died in his sleep from natural causes. This sends the prince to Miraz’ bed chambers to personally confront the (self-appointed) king. This both cost time and exposed their presence to Miraz and, therefore, his army. Prince Caspian’s emotional “need” to confront Miraz put all of those with him in greater danger. His personal “need” caused him to lose focus on the greater mission. It also pulled Peter and Susan off task to follow and rescue him. This meant all of them were now off the plan – and not where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there. In addition, Miraz and his army were now fully aware of their presence. The element of surprise was over and its advantage lost.

Failure to deal with our emotional traumas in a right way causes us to play into the enemy’s hands and to spiral deeper and deeper into sin. When we are controlled by our emotions, we react out of them rather than acting in a way we know is right. An example of this from scripture is found in 2 Samuel 13. King David’s son, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar, and then refused to marry her, leaving her to live the rest of her life in shame. Tamar went to live with her brother, Absalom, disgraced because of what had happened. In verse 22 we read, “Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.” For two years, Absalom plotted to kill Amnon. By verse 32, “Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.” Absalom knew this was not the way to handle the matter because two verses later we are told “then Absalom fled.” This caused a breach in Absalom’s elationship with his father, King David, which was never properly reconciled. That breach eventually led Absalom to attempt to take the throne and kingdom from King David, resulting in his own death along with the death of many others. (See 2 Samuel 15-18.) Failure to deal with emotional traumas or unwholesome desires will lead us down a path of destruction, which will affect not only us but also others around us.

For more lessons from Narnia, check back for part 2.

Which of these were neighbor to him?

2008-06-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

"So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" (Luke 10:36)

Over the past few weeks, I've been given reason to ponder on some things that have been turning in my head for quite some time - in fact, years.

Do you go to one of those churches where everyone hugs each other and tells them they love them? Sounds good, doesn't it? It can feel good, too. But ... does it mean anything?

"Of course it does!" we respond. We are brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are family. We love each other.

Are we? Do we really?

"Of course we do!"

Ok, let me put the question another way. Do we act like it? Do we demonstrate our love and concern?

I've pondered this in my own life for several reasons, looking at it from both the giving and receiving end. I've also observed three separate situations recently and the evidence they have provided is inconsistent with what we say. Let me share some of those stories to keep it from sounding like just a "poor me" story. There seems to me to be a difference in what we say and what we do.

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Situation 1:

A 40-something year old man who ran in marathon races suddenly dropped dead in his home from a heart attack. In spite of faith-filled prayers and CPR, he did not revive. Of course, his wife was in a state of shock. Since there were children involved, she had to "be there" for them while dealing with her own grief and the reality of the sudden change in financial condition since he was the bread winner.

I had talked with someone who had known this couple for many years and was "a sister in the Lord" to them. I was seeking to find out from her what needs might be there. She told me how she had offered to bring pizza over and to do anything that needed to be done. Since no needs were expressed, she did nothing (other than taking some pizza over) and had no suggestions for me of things that needed to be done.

I barely knew this couple. But I knew they had a large family, most of which lived elsewhere, so that means they will need large quantities of food - meat, vegies, and dessert (aka - a meal). You don't ask; you assess the need and act on it.

I later learned that the ex-wife of the man who died (and mother of his oldest daughter) went over and cleaned the house before the out of town relatives arrived. She didn't call and ask; she simply showed up, cleaned the house, and left.

Which of these ladies was a neighbor to this woman? Her sister in the Lord? Or the woman who showed up to clean the house of the widow of her own ex-husband?

Situation 2:

Another 40-something year old man, also very athletic and healthy, collapsed when two aneurysms burst. After struggling for over a week, he, too, passed away leaving a wife and small children.

From what was said by the minister at the funeral services, this couple was very involved in their church. So, in the midst of roller coaster ride while his life hung in the balance and for a period of time afterwards, meals were provided to the family for the children and wife (when she was there to eat) and the extended family from out of town who were staying in their home to care for them while "mom" was at the hospital with "dad." Gift cards were also provided to help buy meals for the wife at the hospital or gas for her or the extended family who were driving back and forth from out of town or whatever was needed. And the lawn was kept cut.

Who did all that? Their church family? No. In as far as I know, they did not do anything. It was their coworkers who provided the food and gift cards and began taking care of the yard. Their neighbors took over the yard care and assisted with the food delivery, if no one was home when it was brought by daily for about a month.

Who were the neighbors to this family? Their church family? Or their coworkers and those who happen to live beside them?

Situation 3:

A man in his early 50s had a massive stroke. Once again, he and his wife were very committed to their local church.

His wife was "living" in the waiting room for the critical care unit, going home only to shower and freshen up and check on the house and the mail. Once again, gift cards for expenses she and their (grown) children were incurring and yard care was provided. Once again, it was his coworkers who provided these; not their church family.

Who were their neighbors?

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I could go on with more examples, but I think you get the point. It isn't enough to hug each other and say "I love you." "Love" isn't a word, nor it is a feeling. It's a commitment that elicits action on our part when the one we love is hurting or in need.

Let us ask ourselves ... to whom have we demonstrated our love recently?

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)

covenant relationships

2008-05-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

As a general rule, we in the United States do not grow up with the understanding of covenant that they do in some countries. Most people do at least acknowledge that marriage is a covenant relationship. However, the divorce rate in our country – among Christians as well as non-Christians – testifies to the fact that keeping that covenant relationship is not always a priority.

One evening this past week, I was caused to reflect on a particular covenant relationship I have had for about 15 years. The reflection was triggered by an incident in which my covenant friend was being viciously attacked by a family member and I “stepped in” to defend her from the lies that were being spewed. I won’t go into the details of that situation, but it did cause me to later reflect on my relationship with the friend I had defended.

What does it mean to be in covenant?

It means being there when they need someone – without being asked.
It means knowing “that’s not really necessary” sometimes means, “I don’t want to ask you to do that (but it would really be appreciated if you did).”
It means watching their back and defending them – even if they are not around.
It means being willing to step in front of them and “take the bullet” in their place – or provide the protective shield when they are under attack.
It means being willing to utilize all of our resources (finances, time, energy, etc.) to meet a need they have.
It means being as scripture said of David and Jonathan where their souls were knit together and “and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Sam 18:1)

In our society today where self-centered, watching-out-for-yourself sometimes seems to be the norm, it is often misunderstood when one person is willing to “lay down their life” for another – particularly when it is for a friend rather than a spouse or relative. It can be questioned even when it is for family.

I went through a season of care-giving for my mother in her final years. As she aged, the time and attention needed to do all that was needed continued to increase. Once when we were “back home” visiting extended family and friends, I had her cousins and then my cousins pull me aside and tell me that I needed to consider putting her in a nursing home, because (in their view) I shouldn’t “put my life on hold” for her. My thought was, “What?!”

In my view, I wasn’t putting my life on hold. I may have been putting some plans on hold, but not my life. I was living through a season of my life in which I had the privilege of caring for the person who had spent years caring for me. Why would I not want to do that? Isn’t giving ourselves away what love is about?

How many today are willing to do that even for a relative, much less for “a friend”? Yet, John 15:13 states, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (emphasis added)

Perhaps it is time to ask ourselves the question, “For whom would I do that?”

Then ask the question, “Who would do that for me?”

The answers to those two questions will reveal your true covenant relationships.

Oh what a tangled web we weave ….

2008-05-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

“Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.”
(Sir Walter Scott)

As I sat in a Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) waiting area over this past weekend, I watched the demonstration of the truth of this phrase. I was sitting with a close friend whose brother is in the final stages of AIDS. Of course, AIDS does not kill you; it breaks the immune system down so that you contract something that does. In his case, he made it through Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma a few years back. Now it is Fungal Meningitis, which is very serious.

He had been in the hospital for a little over a week when he took a sudden, drastic dip that caused them to move him to MICU in the early hours of Saturday morning. When I met his sister and parents at the hospital at 1:30am, things did not look good. We did not expect him to make it through the day. Close friends were called a few hours later. His friends began arriving to be able to see him & friends of his parents began arriving to comfort them.

Here’s where the web begins to get tangled. The young man who is dying had never told his parents about his homosexual (actually, bi-sexual) lifestyle, so he also would not tell them when he learned he was HIV positive. Then, of course, he would not tell them when he learned he had moved into full blown AIDS. Further, he had forbidden his sister and friends to tell them. The dance going on in the waiting room & hallway would have made a good episode on a sitcom, if it had not been so serious.

Further, the doctors and nurses would call the sister back to talk in private, because he had requested that his parents not be told the full story. In addition, his sister is a nurse, so she understands more easily the situation and possible ramifications of each report. However, the fact that they were talking with her instead of the parents was causing the mother to fume – even though the daughter would return and immediately convey the information (that could be). If the doctors had talked with the mother & father, they could not tell the full story due to trying to not reveal the “real” issue.

Finally, late Saturday evening, the mother blew up at the doctor and demanded to be told the whole story. Since she did have a durable power of attorney, he did so. There’s a lesson in being careful what you insist on! She now had to face how her son, who could never do anything wrong, had been living a lifestyle of which she had always spoken in very derogatory terms.

Hmm … could that be why he never wanted to tell her? I do not in any way condone homosexuality. I believe that scripture is very clear on the fact that it is sin. However, it is also sin to be judgmental. Further, the sin of homosexuality is no “worse” or “more sinful” than any other sin – be that heterosexual promiscuity or adultery or lying or backbiting or gossip. Unfortunately, many of those who speak out against homosexuality do so out of attitudes that are equally wrong from a scriptural standpoint. We need to be seeking to minister and bring freedom and reconciliation, not condemnation.

After the initial shock and anger than no one had told them previously, there is much more peace “all around” now that people can talk openly and honestly about the entire situation. Now all the facts, conditions, and potential series of events can be laid out and understood.

So, why is it that we sometimes try to deceive someone? One lie only leads to another – and then another one to cover it – and then another, etc. Then you have to remember to whom you told what – and try to keep people who believe different stories apart, or (as he did) make sure that one party knows that the other party does not know something or knows “a different story.” It all gets very complicated – and the web begins to grow.

This leads to another old expression: Honesty is the best policy. Which, of course, is consistent with scripture, “No lies about your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16, The Message)

no compromise!

2008-05-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

As I watched Ben Stein's recently released movie "EXPELLED," I could not help but notice how the two "theories" being discussed - the theory of intelligent design versus the theory of evolution - polarize people.

The abortion issue is another issue that has a similar effect on people.

In both cases, there are those who try to take “a more of moderate view" and merge the two opinions. While they likely view themselves as trying to balance the extremes by finding an area of compromise between them, what they are really doing is avoiding taking a stand.

For those who know that God Jehovah was the Intelligent Designer and that He both designed and created all that is, there is no compromise on that position. He designed and created not only earth and humankind, but all that exists. Further, it was all done with purpose. Nothing about it was “happenstance” nor did man “evolve” from moneys, apes, or tadpoles.

For those who truly believe in the sanctity of life, there is no way to reconcile abortion, under any circumstance, as being acceptable. On the other side of the issue are those who believe that the killing of the unborn is the right of a person to "choose' to eliminate a "problem" - even if that "problem" is someone else's life.

So where is the point of compromise?

Some say that there was intelligent design at the initial creation points, but then the world evolved from there.

Similarly, there are those who believe that while, in general, abortion is wrong, it is acceptable under “certain” circumstances. Those “exceptions” range from rape and incest to babies believed to be developing with certain abnormalities or handicaps to personal trauma to the mother if she continues with the pregnancy.

The problem is that these stances actually put the proponent into the evolution and abortion camps. No matter how they want to water it down or soft-pedal it, they are promoting evolution or abortion.

What we are talking about is situation ethics. Merriam-Webster defines that as being “a system of ethics by which acts are judged within their contexts instead of by categorical principles.” Put another way, it is the losing of absolutes.

Many years ago, I had a manager who lived in what I will call “the gray zone.” He did not seem to have absolutes on anything. One day, he confronted me, accusing me of “seeing everything as black or white.” It did not calm the situation any when I saw that as a compliment rather than a problem!

Are there times we should (even must) compromise? Yes. But, there are issues on which we need to compromise and there are issues where we should never do so.

We can compromise on where we are going to eat dinner, the color to paint the house, where we are going for vacation, or whether to buy a new riding lawn mower or a new refrigerator. These are all amoral decisions. There is no “right” answer from a moral perspective; it is a matter of what is most important to us at the time.

Conversely, the deity of the Creator of the universe and all that exists beyond it and the sanctity of life are moral issues. We should never compromise the Truth that we know from scripture and from personal relationship with the Creator on these topics and others in order to “get along” with those around us.

We have not been called to “get along” with the world. We have been called to change it! May it be said of us as it was said of believers in the 1st century that “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” (Acts 17:6b, NKJV) May we begin to develop that same reputation. It is time to quit retreating from the world on each and every topic and, instead, begin to “occupy and possess” this world. We must realize that this world was created with the intent of mankind, created in the image of God and living in close relationship with Him, having dominion in and ruling over it.

Adam and Eve relinquished their authority to Lucifer, or Satan as he is more commonly called. “The second Adam,” Jesus Christ, regained that authority. However, it is up to us, His people, to exercise that authority and begin to rule not only our own lives, but our cities, regions, and nations. I am not talking about a political coupe. I am talking about shifting the atmosphere over our cities, states, and nations to one of righteousness. I am talking about strong believers rising up to key positions in business, government, and even the media. I am talking about realizing that the Kingdom of God is not something for which we are waiting, but rather that it exists here and now. According to Luke 10:8-11, we carry it with us – or at least we should. We need to quit waiting for the Kingdom to come and start living in a way that demonstrates our citizenship in it.

understanding God's timing

2008-04-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

"Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command." 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV)

I had an interesting illustration today of how important it is to know the timing of God in your life. The illustration came in two pieces. Before I get to that, let me lay a little foundation.

The verse quoted above is in the middle of a passage recounting the military might of David's army as he was made king of all of Israel at Hebron. This portion of that list is introduced in 1 Chronicles 12:23 with the statement,

"Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD." (emphasis added)

In this list that speaks of the "mighty men of valor" who were "armed for war" and "expert in war with all weapons of war," it notes of the sons of Issachar that they "had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do."

There is a message here, almost taken for granted by the writer, that is easy for us to miss. One of the critical skills needed for military success was to understand the times and know what to do. This ability was listed as the critical ingredient that the men of this particular tribe brought to the David's army.

Whether we are talking about effective advancement of the Kingdom of God on a corporate level or a personal one, it is critical that we understand the times and know what to do -- and when, exactly, to do it. This leads me to the "simple truths" I saw illustrated today.

don't lag behind ...

The first illustration came in a conversation as I was finishing lunch today. A young man who is involved in ministry began sharing about his personal vision for expansion of that ministry to the community. In talking about that, he shared how he was doing some things to better prepare and credential himself so there was be no question of credibility in what he and this ministry were doing. To this point, it had been simply a good exchange allowing the other couple involved in the conversation to understand this goals and vision of this ministry.

As he was speaking of how long the credentialing process would take, since it was being accomplished around his ministry, family, and other obligations, I heard the Holy Spirit say that he could not afford to take that long to complete it. I began to share with him the word of the Lord for his life about this situation sitting there across the table in the restaurant. The word was very clear that instead of the four years that he was planning to complete this process, he needed to have it completed in two. If not, there would be an opportunity that would pass him by because he was not yet prepared. He needed to take a step back and see what he needed to adjust to focus on completing this process.

nor run ahead ...

Later in the day, I encountered the counterpoint illustration. In this case, it was a statement made in the morning's message by an apostle to whom I relate, George Bakalov. While we are not in the same geographical location, his Sunday morning message is webcast and I can download it later (either from his website or from iTunes) and listen.

I do not know that Ap. Bakalov could ever be accused of lagging behind. Perhaps so, somewhere in his life, but not in what I have known of him. When God gives him a new idea, he's immediately pursuing how to implement it. But, as I learned from Bishop Bill Hamon, "a strength left unguarded can become a double weakness." (I'll leave the discussion of that truth for another day.) To his credit, Ap. Bakalov is trying "to keep his guard up."

He made a comment during this morning's message about needing to understand God's time and seasons. He said,

"God has been just challenging me here in the last couple of days ... saying, 'Wait a second. You've got so many things that you want to do, but how about My timing? How about My seasons? ... Do you have faith enough to allow Me to do things in the right time and in the right season?'"

the lesson ...

To the one, God was saying, essentially, "get it in gear and get moving." To the other He was saying, "wait a second, how about slowing down to wait for Me?" The same principle applies to both. We need to develop the skill of the sons if Issachar so that we understand the times and know what to do -- and when, exactly, to do it.

I was pondering this afternoon after the lunchtime conversation about how many times we miss an opportunity by not being in the right place at the right time. Part of that includes preparation. If we are there, but are not prepared, we resemble the 10 foolish virgins. The consequences may not be as severe, but we do miss an opportunity to "enter in" to whatever the opportunity would have been. We may not ever realize we have missed something, because our lack of preparation kept us from even being considered for it. Other times, we do know about what "could have been" and have to deal with the disappointment. How much do these missed opportunities affect how completely we fulfill our destiny? In all sincerity, only God knows.

On the other side, how many times do we miss the opportunity that would have propelled us into what God wanted us to do because we were too busy doing "good," even "Godly," things? Are we too busy working for God to stop and take time to hear what He has to say? Perhaps we need to slow down a little and wait for Him to set the stage for us. Then, that which we have been striving diligently to accomplish may become as David said of the defeat of the Philistines at Baal Perazim, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” 2 Samuel 5:20 When we move in God's timing, the results are always MUCH better.

Let us purpose to not only seek God for His direction in what He wants us to do, but also ask Him where He wants it done, how He wants it done and when He wants it done. Then, and only then, can we be assured of being in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.

Who is Laurie?

2008-03-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

I recently read Phil Cooke’s new book Branding Faith. It wasn’t what I expected. When I saw the title, I assumed “Branding” to be an adjective. So, I assumed the book to be about faith that “leaves its mark.” Instead, Cooke used the term as a verb. His point is that we need to “brand” our faith. We need to do something that causes it to be identifiable, or, to borrow from Merriam-Webster’s definition, “to impress indelibly.”

While many may find his book to be “too secular” because it talks about marketing techniques and tactics, I found it quite interesting and personally challenging. By that, I mean that it challenged me on a personal level. After all, are we not trying to get unbelievers to “buy in to” the gospel message? Unbelievers are spiritually “dead” in their sins. Most non-believers in the western world cultures are not “spiritually minded” with the exceptions being those who are in the occult or spiritism. (Unfortunately, there are also many who call themselves Christians who are also NOT spiritually minded! That’s a different subject left for another day.)

In his book, Cooke challenged the reader to tell their own, unique story. His premise is that in “Telling Your Story” you will find your “brand” – the image you want to portray, the reputation you want to build. He then proceeded with four questions to be answered to do that. I took it as a challenge to answer those questions for my own life. That is what follows.

At first glance, this may seem a little odd for a post on my "God's Simple Truths" blog. However, I believe that answering the questions posed by Cooke is one of the "truths" about ourselves and our reason for being that we all need to answer. So, as you read through my answers, begin to ask yourself how you would answer each of these questions. That's the "simple truth" you should take away from this posting.

What’s the Point?

As a secondary question, Cooke asked “Why are you doing [what ever it is you are doing]?” He then addressed both the areas of talents and abilities with which we have been equipped as well as family backgrounds and life experiences that have shaped how we view things.

Talents and Abilities

I have a passion to teach. It doesn’t matter if it is teaching mathematics at the high school or college level, teaching graduate level probability & statistics, or teaching computer science topics to my peers in the industry in which I have worked for the past 20+ years, I love to teach! It also doesn’t matter if I am in a lecture hall full of people or teaching (tutoring, mentoring) one-on-one. I still love to teach! But what I love to teach the MOST are the principles of the Kingdom. I greatly enjoy seeing someone “get it” with a concept of mathematics, engineering, or computer science. But the reward of knowing someone just grasped a key of the Kingdom is much greater. The impact of that can be far more reaching. How much better for someone to know how to restore a “crashed life” than just being able to restore a crashed computer system!

Life Experiences

I am one who fights for the underdog. I particularly fight for those I believe have been misunderstood or “done wrong.” (My apologies to the grammar teachers, but it conveys my message!) I always want to see “right” prevail. It’s no wonder that I love the old western movies. The “good guy” always did the “right” thing, whether or not it was popular. He was often misunderstood, his actions misinterpreted, and his motives misjudged. But he still did “right” – because of who he was and his personal integrity, ethics, and character. I still like those guys! That’s the way I always want to be. In the movies, they always won in the end. Unfortunately, in history, many men and women who filled those roles during that period in the history of America or in similar situations throughout the ages in any land, did not come out as well in the natural. Countless individuals, known and unknown, have given their lives to stand for right, to fight for truth. They are the real heroes.

What “wires” me this way? As Cooke points out, it is likely my own life experiences. I have been blamed too many times for something I did not do. I have been misunderstood even more. Words have been twisted, actions misunderstood, motives behind them misinterpreted and misjudged. I guess it is no wonder that I want to come to the defense of others to whom I see the same things happening. I learned long ago that you can never defend yourself in such situations – because the person(s) accusing you have already decided your guilt and that what you say is not to be trusted or even believed. It takes an intermediate (an intercessor, an advocate) to defend you. In my life, those have been rare. I know how difficult that makes walking through the situation and how much stress and pressure it causes. That, too, adds to why I do not want to see others go through those things.

Who are you?

Next, Cooke asks “Who exactly are you?” He states the purpose of the question as being “to discover what makes you who you are.” What is your family background? What is your educational background? Where did you grow up geographically? All of these things shape us.

As for me, I’m a southern gal. :-) That’s why I like things like grits and mustard greens and cornbread. I was also raised “poor.” We never went without food or clothes, but let’s just say we were on the lower end of the “lower middle class.” I realized the only way out of poverty was education. Fortunately, academia was the one area in which I excelled. I wasn’t athletic. I was not musically talented. (I have often pitied the poor woman from whom I took piano lessons. She must have dreaded me coming. I also feel sorry for my parents for making the financial sacrifice to pay for those because they wanted so much for me to be able to play the piano. Try as I might, I never was any good at it.) Nor was I “charismatic.” As I have often said of myself, when I was growing up I wasn’t just the wall flower at a party or social event, I was part of the wall! [Those who know me now find that hard to believe. It is evidence that God is a Healer.] Education became a priority for me. However, I had to break free from the poverty mindset in which I was raised to even be able to go to college, much less on to graduate school.

Like Cooke, my “third place” (that place where we hang out besides home and work/school) was the church. It is difficult for those who did not know me then to understand how I “grew up in the church” when I did not grow up in a godly home. The answer is simple. I lived across the street from it. I could (and did) go to church whether anyone else in my family did or not. That, too, has shaped who I am – both the fact that I “grew up in the church” and the fact that I often attended it alone.

Being so involved in the church in my childhood and teen years has it benefits (the things I learned at an early age about God and about living for Him) and its drawbacks (the things that I saw). I not only lived across the street from the church, I lived next door to the parsonage. In addition, since all of my primary relationships outside of my family were church relationships, I knew a lot of ministers. Unfortunately, I knew some of them “too” well and knew too much about others. I saw the double standards and hypocrisy. I knew “ministers” who where adulterers. I knew ministers who were homosexual. I also knew one who was a child molester. I knew how anyone who dared to try to expose them and their sin turned out to be the one who was “evil” in trying to attack and “falsely accuse the man of God.”

It is no wonder that I put such a high value on personal integrity. I am one who is much more concerned about character than I am about gifting. Your gift does not impress me unless you have the character to carry it well. I may respect your position, but your position does not impress me – your lifestyle does. One of the things that my experiences have developed is a pretty accurate discernment in such matters. If your walk is inconsistent with your talk, I will see through you. I hear more loudly what your life is speaking than what your words are saying. If those are inconsistent, you lose my respect. If they are too inconsistent, you also lose my trust.

What are your gifts and talents?

Then next question Cooke asks is “What were you born to do?” That’s an easy one. Teach. Today I would add to that Train and Equip. I don’t want to just impart knowledge. I want to know that the person has learned (or “caught”) what I have taught and can apply it. To me, that is the difference between a true teacher and a lecturer. Unfortunately, many “preachers” fall into the second category.

If you had asked my mother, she would have told you how I used to line my dolls up and hold school for them before I ever started to school. (I never did ask her what I used to teach them.) When I was in the first grade (and we did not have public kindergarten, so that was my first year of school), my teacher would have me help some of my classmates who were struggling with their lessons. Apparently, I could explain it to them in a way they would understand it – or at least give them the personal, one-on-one attention they needed. (I didn’t know the word “tutor” then.) When I was in fifth grade, the school started a program where the more advanced students from the higher grades would go down to the lower grades to tutor students who needed the extra attention. (Schools didn’t have aides then like they do now. We were a free resource. And, it was good for us as well.) No wonder I got degrees (plural) in Education!

I also love math. Why? Because it’s logical, of course! (Yes, I also loved Mr. Spock. Not the doctor, the half-Vulcan.) In mathematics, the rules are well defined. (I like well defined rules!) If applied properly, the rules of mathematics always yield the correct answer. The result obtained is either right (when rules are applied properly) or wrong (when they are not). Black or white. No gray. I like that, too!

And, I love to write. Whether it is the annual newsletter to friends that I have done now for over 20 years, a technical manual (like a 300+ page manual I wrote as part of my job), or something like this blog, I love to write. I love to express my feelings by writing them. I love to share my knowledge or things I have learned by writing them. And I often function as the “chief editor” of technical writings within what ever group I work. In part that is because I am good at “cleaning up” what others have written – whether grammatically or in wordsmithing it to make sure it will be understood or interpreted correctly. One area in which I know I would be good, but have not yet had the opportunity to try, is that of “ghost writing.” That is helping someone else who either is not a good writer or doesn’t have the time to do so get their message on paper. Or, maybe I should say “in print” since paper isn’t really a necessary medium these days! Another area as yet unrealized is in writing my own books and training manuals. That, too, will come.

What makes you different?

Cooke’s last question asks “what separates you from the pack?” What makes you unique?

Again the answer seems simple. I’m me!

I’m multifaceted. Not only have I seen myself that way for years, I’ve had it put in those terms in prophetic words given to me.

You’ve already learned (if you didn’t know before) that I am a teacher, I am a mathematician and statistician, and I am a professional in IT (Information Technology, what we used to call “Computing”). I can sit in a meeting with upper level executives as a technical expert. But I am much more “at home” in my jeans and a flannel shirt than in a business suit. I can relate to people on all levels of the social spectrum. Remember, I grew up “poor.” I can talk with the guy who is living on the street and hasn’t had a bath in a couple of weeks (or longer!) and turn around and talk with an executive or professional. This ability, too, has been addressed in prophetic words. There is Kingdom purpose in being able to be at ease in any level of social environment. Also, having grown up battling cockroaches and worse, I can survive in environments in which some of my friends today could not. However, 4- and 5-star hotels are MUCH nicer and much more comfortable! :-)

From another perspective, I can cook (well!), decorate a home, or landscape a yard – and that means do the work, not just design it! I can change a tire, change the oil in the car, and even change out a radiator. (For the record, I choose NOT to do those things these days!) I can sew or limb a tree. I can do bookkeeping or accounting (yes, I did that for a living at one point in time) or teach math and statistics. I can architect and run UNIX systems or lay out your factory floor. I can teach you how to balance your checkbook and how to create and live within a budget, or I can teach you about living within the realm of Kingdom principles. I will find your inefficiencies and areas in which you are ineffective. If you will allow me, I will offer you ways to address them. :-) I am a multitasker extraordinaire, but can focus intently when necessary. Overriding it all, I am task-oriented. Need to get the job done? Call Laurie!

So, who IS Laurie?

What Cooke addresses are our natural abilities and personality. He notes that callings are a different issue and that God will often call us to do things beyond our natural capabilities. So, what I have NOT addressed here is the call on my life or all the various facets of ministry involved with fulfilling that. The call on my life supersedes, but is not inconsistent with, who I am in the natural. This is much like the way the law of aerodynamics supersedes, but is not inconsistent with, the law of gravity. It if weren’t for gravity, the plane would not land. :-) If it were not for the natural, we would not be able to live and function in this natural world. But the spiritual giftings we allow to mature in us “by reason of use” and the call God placed on our life before the foundation of the earth are beyond our natural abilities to fulfill. For those, we must tap into God’s supernatural ability being manifested through us. That topic I will leave for another day.

For now, I will end this, signing off as Laurie, teacher and champion of the person(s) wronged.

Who are you?

look on the inside

2008-03-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside

but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.

In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous

but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

(Matthew 23:27-28)

I had a practical lesson in “looking on the inside rather than the outside” recently. I was in the market for a new home. I had made the decision to move from the home I had built more than a decade ago with its rather large yard in which I had planted LOTS of shrubs and flowers to a patio home or condominium, preferably all on one level, where someone else would care for the yard and shovel the snow. (Get the picture?) So, I had been looking.

After viewing a number of places, all either multi-level or condos in a high-rise building, I finally found one that had everything on my list. It was a condo, but all ground level. After looking at three different units in this same complex (over a period of several months), I found one that was done in the color scheme I wanted and had an “extra” library room, which I would use as an office. The exterior was stucco, and looked very “Florida.” Now, that just HAD to be for me!

When I went back with a friend to do another look at everything before making an offer, something just wasn’t right on the inside. The first realization was that something was not right inside me. (Spirit check!) As I focused on it, while I loved the exterior, the cute patio, the landscaping, and the wonderful storage area built in the oversized garage, something wasn’t right INSIDE the house. The paint was fresh and the color would work wonderfully for me. It had crown molding and other “extra” features. But what I began to realize was that I felt cramped walking through it. Other than the oversized master bedroom (with a less than oversized closet!), the rooms were very small. The living room area had a couch and two chairs and even that made it difficult to walk through. The dining area could barely hold the table, chairs, and hutch. And as I began to really look at the kitchen, there was enough room for dishes and some food – or some pots & pans – or some Tupperware. (Did you catch the “or” statements? Where would you put the other things? And then there are all those appliances and baking things, etc.) There just was not enough room ON THE INSIDE to be able to enjoy living there.

So, I chose to abandon all my dreams and visions of living there and pulling up to my Florida-looking home each day – in one of “THE” subdivisions in town. I mean, just the “Wilson Estates Parkway” address was worth something! (Err … I mean “costs” something!)

A couple of weeks later, I learned of a one-story patio home for sale. It was a free-standing house. At initial glance, not nearly as “nice” (interpret that “impressive”). It has a very light gray (almost white) vinyl siding and a white concrete wall across the front to enclose the private courtyard. From the street all you see is the garage, the concrete wall, and the roof. Very “bland” looking.

But step inside!

It is open, spacious, very light & bright. What the two places had in common were the gas fire place that lights at the flip of a switch, being a single-story with a “safe room,” oversized garage, and a very large master bedroom. There, the similarities end.

As I sit typing this, I am sitting in my living room (yes, I bought the patio home) that, as currently configured, could seat 12 with room for more. Behind it there is plenty of room for the dining table & chairs, hutch, curio cabinet, and piano. (No, I never figured out where I would put the piano in the other one!) In addition, there is room for six bar stools at the marble bar that corners the kitchen.

Not only do I have room for all my dishes, pots & pans, Tupperware, baking dishes and appliances, I have room to spare in my kitchen. I am thinking of putting either a small (two-seater) table or a work island in it.

It does not have an extra “library” room to use as an office, but that’s okay. The master bedroom is SO large that the office is at one end of it with an oversized chair and ottoman between the bed and the office area. The guest bedroom is larger than the master bedroom was in my previous home – as is its private bathroom and walk-in closet. Then there are the two walk-in closets in the master bedroom as well as the utility room with a separate storage area and the unfinished machine room with yet more storage area and the oversized garage with, you guessed it, yet more storage area. WOW!

Add it up, and there is about 1000 square feet more space in this patio home than in the condo I originally wanted. (I’ve lived in several places that didn’t have 1000 square feet total – much less “1000 more”!)

Everyone who has come to see it is amazed, because …

“It just doesn’t look that big from the outside!”

So … back to the point. We are warned about judging from the outside without looking at and dealing with the inside.

I realized that I would spend my time INSIDE my home – not outside looking at it. The outside might represent my “house,” but the inside would be my “home.”

Likewise, the real “me” is who I am on the inside – not the front I try to paint on the outside. No matter how good (“beautiful”) we look on the outside, it is on the inside that the fruit of our character is grown. Am I filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23? Or full of hypocrisy and everything unclean?

Let’s all make sure we pay more attention to what we are on the inside … who we truly are … not just what we look like to others. I really like a quote I saw recently and I will close with it.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,

because your character is what you really are,

while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

(Coach John Wooden)