Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Miracles Of The Soul!
The upcoming generation wants truth. They can see falsehood and showmanship a mile away and they avoid it. The powerful leaders that are hidden within those yet to come to The Lord and/or Church will not be drawn by odd manifestation, or even displays of wheelchairs and crutches piles on a stage.
Outward miracles may grab their attention for a moment, but it isn't what will draw them, it isn't what will call to the future leaders and believers.
They want,they need relationship with The Lord. They are drawn by true hearts, by those who are real, who understand their struggles, who can relate to their pain. They are drawn to leaders that are anointed to touch their heart and soul. Future missionaries will be drawn out by those who demonstrate the Love,Power and Ability to go in, knock down the gates of hell and set the captives free!
I have seen young people who swear,smoke and look all crazed out,worship with more passion, and heart than almost anyone I have seen. Young adults gather by the thousands sometimes, all covered in tattoos and piercing, that yell the name of Jesus loud and proud.
There has been a disconnect in this though, a chasm that has yet been filled. Discipleship. They are drawn, but when they leave, they have no church that draws them into a deeper relationship, into growing, into learning, into discipleship.......
What can be done to bridge this gap? How do we bring the rivers(to steal a phrase) of this huge group of young adults that worship with such passion, but have no Word in them to grow, and The Discipleship of The Local church that they have rejected, together??
I don't know?? But!! God Does!!! It will be done somehow through miracles of the soul and heart. Miracles of the mind and vision.
Let it be so Lord.
I posted this a few days ago, but I truly believe this book is a great recourse to teach and disciple believers, and to answer many questions of those seeking.
Click Image for more Information
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Psalm 65:5
This verse has been on my heart for some time. So I decided to check it out in different translations.
So wonderful to read different ways of saying the same thing. Many miss out on the fullness of scripture because of the legalistic way they view it. Just read some of these, and allow them to inspire faith in your heart. We serve a faithful God that answers our prayers mightily!!!
The first two are my favorite versions!
Psalm 65:5
Good News Translation (GNT)
You answer us by giving us victory,
and you do wonderful things to save us.
People all over the world
and across the distant seas trust in you.
Psalm 65:5
Amplified Bible (AMP)
By fearful and glorious things [that terrify the wicked but make the godly sing praises] do You answer us in righteousness (rightness and justice), O God of our salvation, You Who are the confidence and hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the seas;
Psalm 65:5
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
O God of our salvation, thou wilt [a]answer us with fearful signs in thy righteousness, O thou the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are far off in the [b]Sea.
Psalm 65:5
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas.
Psalm 65:5
Expanded Bible (EXB)
You answer us in amazing ways with ·vindication [victory; righteousness], God our ·Savior [Victor].
People ·everywhere on [of all the ends of] the earth
and ·beyond the sea [the farthest seas] ·trust [have confidence in] you.
Psalm 65:5
New Living Translation (NLT)
You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,
O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth,
even those who sail on distant seas.
Psalm 65:5
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
You answer us with awe-inspiring acts done in righteousness,
O God, our savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the most distant sea,
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Ministry of The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a "person" not a force, not a feeling. He is Holy and leads us into all righteousness. The Person of The Holy Spirit will only lead us to speak and act in a way that is Holy and Gives God Honor and Glory.
He will point toward The Risen Lord:The King of Kings.Knowing all that: How would one behave, if an earthly, King in all His Royal Garb and entourage, entered a room??
How much more should we Respect and Honor The Presence of God? In an over-abundance, of not wanting to judge, too many have cast aside discernment and have opened the Holy Spirit up to mockery and blasphemy.
How many more "revivals" that leave a trail of broken lives, influenced by the same men,and their "disciples"can we just shrug off? With store bought glitter and fake jewels, dollar bills falling from the ceiling?? None! None! None!
He is a personal God. Wanting to heal,restore and show great mercy and love to His People.
When the crowds were thronging Him and the woman touched the hem of His Garment, what did He do?
Mark 5:25-34
New Living Translation (NLT)
A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”
His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
But he kept on looking around to see who had done it.Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”
Did He keep walking? Did He leave her to just experience His Power and Virtue? Did he settle for that? NO! He said "Who touched Me". The disciples were not only ready to dismiss this event, they didn't think it was even possible, in that situation, for personal ministry, loving ministry and one on one ministry in such a large,chaotic crowd.
But, Jesus, moved by The Holy Spirit, would not leave it alone, He would minister to The ONE THAT REACHED OUT TO HIM IN FAITH. He would talk to her, love on her, encourage her.
Oh ,my friend, the days of The Holy Spirit being treated like a sideshow, like a drug, like an opiate ARE OVER. The Lord is not willing to have His Holy Spirit represented in such a way any longer.
He will reach for THE ONE that reaches for Him. He will raise up gentle, loving men and women of God that minister His Love personally, powerfully, with signs and wonders that don't entertain, but heal, restore, fix the broken places and sets the captives free.
His WISDOM will be shown BY THE CHURCH to the principalities and powers. And yes even in a huge crowds, where so many are reaching out for Him, His Holy Spirit, is willing and able, to minster to each one individually,personally, powerfully!!!!
ARE YOU READY!!!!!! HE IS!!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
An Answered Prayer
Let me start by saying that it is rare that I promote anything on this blog. I have suggested a couple of books and organizations because they blessed my heart. I have a deeper reason for giving the book below a review, other than it is written by my Pastor.
I believe that this book is the answer to my prayer, and many others, for many years, to have a book that would simply, but deeply, teach about The Local Church,Her Purpose and walking the Christian Life out.
As I have said in previous post, if you are reading this post, it is either just another blog post or The Lord has a purpose for you clicking on this blog. Only you can decide that, but I truly believe that this book will bless you, your church, your Pastor, your bible study...etc..etc...
If you click on the picture below it will bring you to Amazon.com. I pray that The Local Church will be strengthened and encouraged wherever this book is planted. Let God receive all The Glory and The Name of Jesus be magnified in all the earth!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
A Test? A New Set of Eyes
Will you,and your church pass the tests that are coming this year concerning persecution for righteousness sake? There are Christians being tortured and killed for their faith everyday all across the world.
Lets not slap them in the face by failing because of a few harsh words. We have failed them enough by hoarding Kingdom finances in this nation.
Many Pastors and Brethren have died for lack of food and medicine. They suffer for The Kingdom under harsh persecution as Shepherds of The Lords sheep in places where wolves devour from the inside and out.
We owe it to them to stay steadfast in prayer for them. To pray that the wealthy ministers of this nation, and other wealthy nations, will have a change of heart and begin to give their excess to The Poor and Persecuted Church across the planet.
It is not a question of who should have what.Time is short.
What do you value.What value do you put on a luxury car/diamonds/expensive watches/million dollar homes?
I pray that Ministers and Laymen alike, all over this planet, begin to see with different eyes. The eyes Schindler was seeing with at the end of that movie, but before the end comes.
When they see a luxury car, they will see 10 churches supported,planted, fed for 5 years. When they see the Rolex they see medicine and shelter for 100 pastors for 5 years. When they see the multi million dollar home, they choose a modest home instead and see thousands,possibly tens of thousands of Christians fed The Word for the next decade.
Can we see with different eyes?????? That is all I am praying, is that we will begin to see with different eyes. We will see stuff as valuable in a different way. Not that we can't have nice things and provide for our families..
Just that what we value will change.
Monday, January 14, 2013
God Is At Work!!!!
It is amazing how God can work in our lives. Just a few weeks ago I was in quite the physical and emotional mess. From about, July to October, I started a downward spiral. From October to the end of the year, I was in complete shut down mode.
I gained a lot of weight, shooting up to 308 at my highest point. I was really depressed, always sick and was generally a mess.
I would give more detail but my wife, and I think she is right, says I have to cut back on putting all my stuff out there and being too open. I love her, she is so wise and doesn't even realize it I think.
The Lord gave me a vision back in October, showing me that it was going to be a hard few months, that His Spirit was the only way I would get through, and just to drive forward to the end of the year.
On New Years eve, with the fullness of 2012, and really the last 20 years in some areas concerning my ministry walk, my christian walk, coming to a head, I had every opportunity to just say, "God failed me, 2012 did not come out as prophesied, we didn't receive a harvest, the ground was hard all year, nothing changed, everything seemed to have failed". The hardest part was the temptation to say, "The Word failed me, God failed me".
I was at work, doing a job that does not bless my soul or spirit. I knew there was a great service going on at church, my family was home bringing in the new year without me, and I was in the same place, in a worse place in some ways than the year before. I really didn't want to hear another NYE service of promises anyway. 2012 didn't work out too well.
But!! God showed up. I clicked on a link and saw that CCC (Christian Cultural Center in NYC) was having a live feed. I started to listen. And God showed up some more. I thanked God for getting me through the last three months of pain and trial, and God showed up some more. I gave my attention to The Word as if I was sitting in NYC listening to Pastor Bernard Live, and you guessed it. GOD SHOWED UP SOME MORE!!
By the time the service was over, and what a service it was, I was full of The Spirit! Something Lifted off of me and I was set free from something that was keeping me bound.
The anointing on me was so powerful. For those who don't know what that is, to put it simply, it is the tangible presence/power of God, gods power on earth to accomplish His Will. Like electricity is power in the natural, think of The Anointing as Power in The Spirit.(But NOT spiritual energy, like new agers dabble in. It is Gods presence and Power, it belongs solely to Him and Him alone)
Anyway, it doesn't end there. I then listened to a service from ALCC here in Syracuse. Called Recompense and Reward. I was well prepared by The Spirit of God to receive the promises of God for the coming year. I don't know if I would have been in the place to receive it if I had not been stuck at work, and "forced" to listen to CCC live feed, instead of being at my church for the service.
When I saw what God was doing and what He had done. Something again broke over me on The Spirit.
Do I know why I had to suffer so much up this point, not fully, but I do know, He was in it with me. Have I had struggles since that night, yes, but I do know I am heading out of the valley toward a glorious mountain top. Has the enemies that bound me for all that time tried to reach their dark little fingers into this year and drag me back, oh yeah, but, Gods anointing has freed me, and they have no claim or hook on me anymore.
Oh The Precious Blood Of Jesus!!!!!!
I share this with you because I want you to know that He is a Faithful God. Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and He really is with you forever, even unto the end of the age. He has not left you. I know some of you are looking around and thinking, you don't know what I am dealing with, you don't know what I have done, you don't know the temptations I deal with every day. You don't know the thoughts I fight, the darkness I feel.
I sure do. And most importantly Jesus does. The Word says He was tempted in EVERY WAY. He is able to understand, help you and SET YOU FREE!! Matter of fact, he has already set you free, if you have accepted Him as Lord and Savior!!!
My Pastor today, his book, which I highly recommend, is to the right on the sidebar, gave us a "homework" assignment it was to meditate and speak out loud a scripture from Philippians. I leave you with that scripture in a few different version. Make it personal. Say God is at work IN ME.......
I like the first one the best!!!
Philippians 2:13
New Living Translation (NLT)
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13
New International Version (NIV)
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Philippians 2:13
Amplified Bible (AMP)
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while [a]effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and [b]delight.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
You Can't Tell Me!
A song for those struggling with depression!
You cant cause me, to run today
You can't cause me, to quit today
You can't keep me, in bed today
You can't tell me, nothin' matters anyway
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
You cant stop me, in my walk today
You can't tell me, to run away
You can't force me, to frown and cry
You won't tell me, that I should just die
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
I will stand up, and allow my soul to release
I will face the world, with His Joy and PEACE
I will walk with Him, through the heat of pain
I will call for him ,and He will send me His rain
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
You cant cause me, to run today
You can't cause me, to quit today
You can't keep me, in bed today
You can't tell me, nothin' matters anyway
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord.....
You cant cause me, to run today
You can't cause me, to quit today
You can't keep me, in bed today
You can't tell me, nothin' matters anyway
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
You cant stop me, in my walk today
You can't tell me, to run away
You can't force me, to frown and cry
You won't tell me, that I should just die
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
I will stand up, and allow my soul to release
I will face the world, with His Joy and PEACE
I will walk with Him, through the heat of pain
I will call for him ,and He will send me His rain
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord
You cant cause me, to run today
You can't cause me, to quit today
You can't keep me, in bed today
You can't tell me, nothin' matters anyway
Because I got The Spirit, of The Lord
I've got The Spirit, of The Lord.....
Monday, January 7, 2013
Every Stronghold Broken!!!
Is it possible to have love and fellowship all around us, and still feel like we have been rejected or left out? It can if we do not allow The Holy Spirit into that stronghold of the soul and mind. We can be surrounded by opportunity to love and be loved, to serve and yes be served, and never see it or enjoy it.
So many leave a place God has ordained them to be, because although they let God bring them so far, they stopped when it came to this one place, a place where closeness and intimacy is. A place where we can cry with a brother or sister. Where we can be transparent with a leader that is offering an open ear.
How much of what we feel to be others judging and/or rejecting us, is, really just our own unhealed feelings telling us that. Or if there is a real friction, how much of that is because we refuse to submit and change? Even if for a time we have to agree to disagree, isn't that what true submission is? Does not The Word say iron sharpens iron?
I am going to change here and say "I", so I can deal with myself, in the hopes of encouraging you.
Am I zealous to a fault, where I speak, write or act without thought for how those younger in The Lord will see it, or comprehend it? Do I take a stand that says "I know what The Lord has told me", yet do not consider how The Leaders above me will have to explain my actions or words?? Or how what I say may effect Gods plan for them and me together?
Am I so wrapped up in how I sense in my heart how the Church should be in the nation, that I forget that what I do and say may just be taking public shots at the church I serve in locally?
Someone said to me today something like "closeness can be scary". Indeed it can be. Submission for so many of us can be even scarier, especially if we feel like we have had to protect and defend ourselves all our lives. Releasing control can be hard and scary.
Relationship, deep relationship, real relationship, so many of us have avoided. Oh we smile, give a high five, chat about work, so many of us never build beyond that. So, when we do begin to draw closer and open up we find out that, closeness can cause friction. We find out people are human. Instead of letting iron sharpen iron and pressing on with building relationships (building anything takes time, sweat, and sometimes tears). We fall back.
Sometimes we fall back into silence and seclusion. Sometimes just into the shallow, high five, small talk, email relationships we had before. Sometimes, and this is where the heart of this article is shooting at, we reject others, we reject the process, we reject the building plan, we reject everything around us that is crying out for our portion of love and relationship.
Please don't let the enemy stop you now. Not now. Not after all you have been through. Not after all God has done for you and through you. God has placed, somewhere around you,,people who are meant to be lifelong friends, some, not all, very close friends that are so important to your life and, guess what, theirs.
Will you see stuff that stirs those old hurt feelings and make you uncomfortable? Yes of course. Just do the work of the ministry of love and reconciliation and don't give it your attention. Love on people. Join the group that feeds the poor, join that ministry that pulls on your heart, show up for fellowship events, and be there. Take good advice, if there is something about you that keeps tripping you up and others,well come on now, let it go already, you will be okay. If it is God He will bring it back in a way that doesn't trip you or others...
Love Ya BROTHER OR SISTER!! LETS MAKE 2013 THE YEAR OF RECOMPENSE AND REWARD!!!! Lets allow GOD TO PAY back the devil for all those terrible feelings that have been tripping us up! Every stronghold broken!! None Left for the flesh or enemy to use!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
This Is The Year!!!!
This is The Year, of Recompense and Reward!
This is The Year, of The Spirit and The Sword!
This is The Year, of His Living and Powerful Word!
This is The Year, of The Glory of The Lord!
This is The Year, of Recompense and Reward!
This is The Year, of The Spirit and The Sword!
This is The Year, for the Healing of Our Pain!
This is The Year, that The Healer will rule and reign!
This is The Year, of Recompense and Reward!
This is The Year, of The Spirit and The Sword!
This is The Year, that The Lord will Reveal His Power!
This is The Year, of The Church's finest Hour!
This is The Year, of Recompense and Reward!
This is The Year, of The Spirit and The Sword!
This is The Year, YOU WILL see your enemies DESTROYED!!!
This IS HIS YEAR, SO REJOICE, REJOICE AND BE OVERJOYED!
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