Rejoice and Be Thankful!

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

For some of us, 'tis the season to feel sorry for ourselves, especially when we look around and consider all the evil and mayhem going on in the world. Or when we consider our personal lives, state of our businesses and employment, or our personal finances.  Some of us may be suffering from sickness and disease or strife in our family relationships. And then when we turn on the news, things only seem worse!

It's times like these that we have to force ourselves to "look at the birds," as Jesus instructed, and see the good that the heavenly father is doing. Consider the blessings in your life and rejoice over those wonderful things, just like the Apostle Paul did when he wrote these words to the church at Philippi while suffering horribly in a dank, smelly prison.

For me, all I have to do is look at one of my darling children and I crumble with thankfulness! If I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, and gas in my car, then I am thankful still. 

And yet, for most of us Americans, we possess so much more than the bare necessities of life. There are many people on this planet who would consider all of us kings if they saw how we lived. Our grocery stores are filled with goodies and our pantries and freezers are full to overflowing. We ladies have clothes, shoes, and purses bulging out of our closets. And most of us have 2 cars in the garage.

But these are mere material blessings that will rot and fade away with time. Even family will grow up and move away and then grow older and die (aside, I plan on going up at the Rapture! ).

But what of the spiritual blessings we have been given in Christ Jesus? These are more precious than refined gold and priceless jewels. These are like untapped treasures that overflow into our lives like those clothes and shoes that protrude from most of our closets.  If we truly had eyes to see and ears to hear all the Lord has given us, we would fall to our knees and rejoice with thankfulness!

The Apostle Paul obviously had eyes to see and ears to hear the wonderful things of God. He prayed that the church in Ephesus would likewise have this revelation - it is a wonderful prayer found in Ephesians 1:17-23 that I often pray over myself.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: [18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, [19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, [20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places , [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: [22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

If we consider these truths, then we can only rejoice and be thankful that we have such a marvelous heavenly father!

Happy Thanksgiving! May you continue to be richly blessed!

Precept Upon Precept or Stammering Lips?

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Isaiah 28:11-13

Through my years of bible study, I had always understood that the deepest and most revelatory understanding of Scripture came through a line by line study of the Word, particularly with an in-depth study of the original language, whether it be Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. There are even studies with the terms precept in their titles, all of which promote a deep understanding of God and His Word. While I certainly value an in-depth study of the Bible and taught in-depth studies for years, I often came away with an understanding in some areas but confusion in others that only left me with more unanswered questions. It was a vicious cycle of feeling convicted, condemned, and uncertain as to whether God truly loved me. I know this may not have been the intention of the study or the teacher, but the effect was NOT the joy of the Lord nor the Good News of the Gospel as promised in the New Testament. I realized something was very wrong!

It wasn't until I started praying in the Spirit that revelation of this deadly form of study was made clear. I found teaching on grace and came to understand that these precept studies often extract grace (which points to Christ and His redemption) and insert the Mosaic law (which is harsh, unforgiving, and judgmental) - or worse than that - combine grace with the law. According to Jesus, this combination is tantamount to pouring new wine into old wineskins, which ruins both! (Luke 5:38). Furthermore, Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 that this mixture of grace and law is actually the ministry of condemnation and death! No wonder I always came away from bible study and church feeling like an ole dirty, low-down, rotten sinner!

Where is this joy, peace, and rest promised in the Gospel? I often asked myself. It certainly didn't come from these in-depth Bible studies, but it did begin to come when I prayed in the Spirit and began to look at the Word with a fresh set of eyes - through the eyes of grace and NOT the law. Well, isn't this what the Father prophesied in Isaiah 28? The rest promised by Him will not come through line upon line study - the Pharisees had been studying Old Testament Scripture for years before Jesus arrived on the scene and they were blind to the ways of God. No, the Father said that the rest IN HIM would come through stammering lips and an unknown tongue. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:21 that this prophecy was fulfilled through the Holy Spirit-given prayer language. 

As we see in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, a deep revelation of the Old Testament prophecies were downloaded into the apostles and disciples, all of which POINTED TO JESUS, not the law! Just look at the bold sermon Peter preached to the Jews on that day of Pentecost 2000 years ago. As soon as he was baptized with power from on high, he spoke with other tongues and his understanding of how Jesus fulfilled Scripture grew astronomically! Even on the road to Emmaus, Jesus taught those two disciples how all the Scriptures pointed to Him! By the Spirit, He opened their eyes to the truth of His fulfillment of all the law and the prophets. (Luke 24:27-31). Bottom line: if your precept studies don't point to the finished work of Jesus, then reject them as deadly!

Religion rejects tongues, just as Isaiah prophesied and Paul explained in his New Testament letter to the Corinthians. Religion will continue to insist on a line upon line study of the Word without any revelation given by the teacher (and comforter), who is the Holy Spirit! While Jesus may be mentioned, there is often a great focus on sin, the law, and judgment that brings about condemnation and fear. This is NOT the good news of the Gospel! Just as Isaiah prophesied, this refusal to accept God's perfect plan will cause many to fall backward, be broken, snared, and taken! 

In order for us to truly hear from the Lord and our heavenly Father, we must learn from the Holy Spirit who will always point solely to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the only teacher who will lead and guide us into all truth. Yes, there may be repentance and correction, but it will be done gently and in the spirit of love not in the spirit of condemnation and fear. 

If you've been warned by well-meaning denominational teachers to reject tongues as unnecessary (or even of the devil), consider praying to the Lord and reexamine the Scriptures with a fresh set of eyes. Ask Him to enlighten your understanding so that you may come to truly see what Isaiah 28 is actually telling us. (Ephesians 1:18). In these days and times, we need to be walking in the fullness of what the Lord Jesus died to give us! Amen to that!

Pray in the Spirit!

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:18-20

Our final weapon against the enemy is the most powerful, and it is praying in the Spirit. I don't think any of us truly knows what goes on in the spirit realm when we pray in our prayer language. Paul tells us in Romans 8:26 that the Spirit prays for us through groanings and utterances that cannot be understood. And why is that? Because our human minds cannot pray the necessary specifics and details that only God would know. 

I love how John tells us in John 11: 33, 38 that as Jesus prayed for Lazarus to be raised up, He groaned and sighed within Himself, which I believe was Him groaning/praying in the Spirit. Just recently, an exciting historical discovery was made when ancient scrolls were found in the Vatican describing Jesus bringing a stillborn baby to life. It is intriguing that the writer of the scrolls claims Jesus looked to heaven and prayed in an indecipherable tongue before the miracle happened. How interesting!

In John 4:23-24, Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that a time was coming when God's people would worship Him in spirit and in truth. Before the Spirit came to indwell people as God's born again children, God was worshiped via the Mosaic law through the sacrificial system. People had to go to their priest, rabbi, or a prophet to hear from the Lord. Now, we can speak to and hear from the Lord as we sit in our family rooms or as we go about our days, all because the Holy Spirit was given to us as our comforter and guide who dwells inside of us. How amazing! He prays through us, searching the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)  Again, the ramifications of this wonderful gift are astounding.

One of the side effects of praying in the Spirit is a boldness to preach the Gospel with divine revelation that points only to Jesus! Just look at what the timid, scared Peter did on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out and he and the other disciples prayed in other tongues. (Acts 2). The boldness Peter displayed in preaching how Jesus fulfilled prophecy exceeded anything he or any other priest or rabbi had demonstrated before. I can personally attest that my revelation of how Jesus fulfilled Scripture grew by leaps and bounds when I began praying in my prayer language. 

Again, if we truly understood the power of praying in the Spirit, all of us would probably pray night and day! It must be powerful and deadly to the enemy because religious people fight it tooth and nail! But tongues is in the Bible, so I'll keep on believing and praying! Amen to that!

Wear your Helmet of Salvation!

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, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:17-18.

The next piece of our Christian armor discussed in the book of Ephesians is the helmet of salvation. As we all know, a helmet covers our head, its purpose being to protect our brain from harm. In the spiritual realm, it isn't necessarily our physical grey matter that needs protecting, but more our mind and thought life. 

Many of us have experienced our minds being the battleground on which Satan wages his war against us, as Paul so aptly describes in chapters 7 and 8 of Romans. To combat this problem, we believers are instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "cast down every imagination and every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 

Wow! How many of us are truly aware that we have the power and authority in the name of Jesus to just lasso our thoughts and cast them down like a rodeo rider hog-tying a dogie? Not many, I would guess, and yet that appears to be exactly what the Bible says! 

I have to be reminded of this constantly, since I am one of those "deep thinkers" who can find myself slipping down into a pit of gloom. I believe I've been wired this way for creative purposes, but Satan often uses this gift of deep thinking against me. As a result, I have had to discipline myself over the years to stop and focus on who I am IN Christ before allowing my negative thought life to take over. Again, I will confess this is easier said than done - and perhaps I've been stubborn and heard-headed in this area - but negative thoughts can be destructive and deadly. So many people struggle with this problem in the natural and get hooked on medications to control depression. But the answer to this dilemma is found in the Word of God. By putting on this helmet of salvation every day, we can be spared the pain and heartache that comes from dark and demonic thoughts.

How is this done? One way is to read, meditate on, and confess out loud the Word of God. As we do so, we are reminding ourselves of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He took all of our sins and the curse associated with sin, He vanquished death and brought us to a shalom peace reconciliation with our heavenly Father. These are wonderful, marvelous, lofty truths to meditate on and allow to seep into our consciousness. It takes as much discipline as a soldier literally placing a protective helmet over his or her head. It's something we must decide to do every day AND DO IT on purpose until out thoughts align with the reality relayed in the Word.

But there's more! Next time, we will discuss how prayer, both in our understanding and in the spirit, works together with this helmet of salvation to keep us safe and protected! Until then, mediate on the Word describing your gift of salvation from the Lord Jesus Christ and confess it out loud! You'll be amazed at the results!

Brandish Your Watery Shield!

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16

The shield of faith is a very important piece of our Christian armor. One only has to turn on the television and peruse social media and the Internet to witness that the enemy is alive and well afflicting Christians, Jews, and innocent people all over the world with his fiery arsenal. We see horrific, graphic videos and images of innocent journalists being beheaded by ISIS, young men crucified for their beliefs, tales of cruel stonings and limb amputations as retribution for adultery and thievery, stories of young girls at the tender age of nine years old abducted from their homes and forced into sex slavery and forced marriages. The list goes on and on. But for the grace of God, these events could be unfolding in our own communities here in the US.

A cursory bible study of the end times reveals that this evil will only worsen before Christ's return, but thankfully we learn that something else wonderful will be going on at the same time. Men, women, and children all over the world will awaken from their spiritual slumber and become alive to the Living God!  They will see His goodness despite the horrors of the world, and they will walk in His glory, performing great exploits that magnify his Name! Many will become born again and filled with His Holy Spirit.

For those who have been believing in the Lord's return, faith will be strengthened as we go through these fiery trials of life, knowing that the trials are refining our faith like pure gold. As we stand firm in this faith, believing the precious promises of God, patience is busy at work, bringing us to a spiritual maturity so that we lack nothing. (James 1:4). Many of us don't fully understand what all this entails, but we believe that somehow it is all working out for our good! (Romans 8:28)

The fiery arrows will come from the enemy, of that we are assured, but what a greater assurance it is to know that we have divine protection from his attacks! Paul tells us in Ephesians that this shield of faith is so powerful that it immediately quenches the fire from the enemy's arrows. I call that a watery barrier which can be none other than the Word of God imparted to our mind and spirits by the Holy Spirit Himself! We have no idea of the wonder and power given to us in the name of Jesus.

So when satan's darts fly your way, thrust your faith shield forward, knowing that the fire of their sting will be instantly extinguished. Quote the scriptures that the Heavenly Father lays on your heart and visualize them working on your behalf in the spiritual realm. 

I often picture myself as a warrior woman, fighting a victorious battle of ease in the heavenlies. I allow the Holy Spirit to bring to my memory other biblical patriarchs who endured the same fiery trials. Men like Abraham, Joseph, Esther, Ruth, and of course the Lord Jesus Himself. I remember how they overcame great obstacles and were victorious through God's strength. They are that great cloud of witnesses spoken of in Hebrews 12 who have gone before us, holding fast to the promises of God. Unlike them, we in this day and hour have seen and experienced the fulfilling of a vast majority of these promises through the risen Christ. But like these patriarchs we await their entire fulfillment. And as we wait, we continue to fight the good fight of faith. 

Stay on the defensive and brandish your shield of faith, knowing that victory is yours in the mighty name of Jesus!

Check Your Shoes!

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Ephesians 6:15

After putting on the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness, the Apostle Paul encourages us to ensure that our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. What exactly does this mean? 

Well, it means we need to make sure we have on the right spiritual shoes!  Shoes are very important because they enable us to stand firmly without toppling over or losing our balance when the strong winds of evil blow our way. In addition, good, protective shoes enable us to move over rough, rocky ground and reach our destination without discomfort or hindrance. 

The Gospel of grace declares that God has now reconciled Himself to man through Christ's death and resurrection. We, who were once God's enemies because of sin, have now become His children and experience shalom peace with our Heavenly Father. (See the book of Romans). In the Hebrew, shalom peace means nothing is missing or broken in our relationship with Him - we have completion in Christ. Now, isn't that good news?

But again, how many of us hear this in our churches? We hear about all the wrong we've done, and how we've grieved God, but that isn't the Gospel preached by the apostles of old! No, the true Gospel is that, through Christ, you have been reconciled to God - you have peace with Him and He is not angry or displeased with you. He loves you! 

The enemy wants to knock you off this revelation and make you feel condemned and ashamed, but fight the good fight of faith and stand firm, knowing you have shalom peace with your Heavenly Father! And likewise, as you are directed by Him to move forward and complete the Gospel tasks prepared for you, remember that this shalom peace is the foundation upon which you live and move  and have your being! Acts 17:28.

You are Righteous In Him!

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12-13.

Last night, I stumbled across some very disturbing pictures on my Facebook timeline of an ISIS decapitation. Gruesome and surreal because of the horrific nature in which people are being systematically killed on the other side of the world due to their beliefs. And in our day and time. Today, 2014, people are being butchered because of faith. 

I draw a deep breath, because I know it is real, and it is prophesied in God's Word. Even the Apostle Paul was beheaded, and all the other apostles except for John were gruesomely martyred for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus warns us in Matthew and in Revelation that there is coming in the last days a great persecution of Christians. I have to ask - are North American, denominational church-goers ready for what is to come?

Many do not believe their faith will ever be tested in such a way, and I hope they are correct. But what if they are wrong? Do denominational believers understand they are in a spiritual battle with real demonic principalities that cannot be seen with the natural eye? Do they know how to fight and remain standing when the evil day comes?

Paul tells us in Ephesians that our first mode of defensive armor is the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. So many Christians in America do not know the truth that they are righteous. They have been told they are sinners saved by grace and that's it! Powerless sinners who are like lowly worms and have no hope in being righteous before a holy God! That is a doctrine of demons!

The truth is, if you are born again in Christ, then you are a NEW CREATION and are NO LONGER a sinner! Yes, you were once a sinner, but you were saved by God's grace! And yes, you may still sin, but your spiritual condition is not based on your conduct - it is based on your birth. 

Consider: When you came out of your mothers womb, you were born into sin because of Adam's sin - not because of your actions but because of Adam's actions in the garden (the first Adam). Likewise, at the moment of salvation, you were considered to have been born again in Christ as a new creation - not because of your actions but because of Jesus' actions on the cross (the last Adam). God considered you to have died with Jesus and to have been raised with Him into a righteous child of God. There is no sinner-saved-by-grace condition. You are either a sinner or a new creation in Christ Jesus!

Do you hear this message in your church? This is the Gospel which Paul preached, and it is the ONLY Gospel. Galatians1:8-9.

If you have believed and confessed in Jesus as your savior from sin and death, then this is the Truth of what He did for you 2000 years ago! Through His obedience on the cross, you are righteous and can never be anything other than righteous before Father God. Protect this truth! 

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm! Keep your loins properly girded about with this Truth wrapped tightly around your waist like a belt AND keep that breastplate of righteousness over your heart. 

Stay tuned for more...

Phyllis Ford Ministries

Several years ago, a friend introduced me to this wonderful woman's prophetic ministry. Her Word from the Lord for the month of September 2014, is very powerful, and I wanted to share it with you all. Her website is www.phyllisfordministries.com and the Word for September 2014 can be found at http://www.phyllisfordministries.com/#!word-of-the-lord-september-2014/c1bli. 

Here it is: 

“I am gathering the people who are ready to move forward. Those who have walked along the plain path and have not denied my name. So that they may receive their next set of instructions. For that which is going to be completed in this month will thrust them into a greater place of accomplishing my will. Many will have different assignments but once they are gathered together it will weave a pattern of timed release revelation. It will help them understand how the work of the Kingdom will be fulfilled and what needs to be improved upon now. There are so many complex issues that are coming to the surface. This is because of the significance of the hour and what must be done. In times past I spoke through my prophets and even warned you concerning the times that are occurring. And now the seriousness of the hour has come upon my people.”

“If you walk things out according to what I say and not what you see you will be able to rise above the fray. Operating, executing, and obeying me in alignment with my truth will cause you to overcome, accomplish and even assist others into the next phase of their lives. It’s important to learn to operate according to my instructions as they are spoken to you. Listen and prepare your ears to hear what I am saying to you. For you must walk it out without question. You are living in a time when obedience is the order of the day when it comes to making great strides.”

“Your discipline must bring you into a place where you are consciously aware of what is spiritually going on around you. You need to be able to move in the moment, without emotional reactions that keep you from doing what needs to be done right away. The old adage of, "putting off what you can do today tomorrow”, could cause serious consequences. The intent of my words is not to set fear in you. Many of my people by my grace have survived some serious situations. There has been times that I have been clear with them and they refused to hear. Some will delay in their hearing and in the future it could cost them dearly.”

“Disobedience is rebellion pure and simple. Truth is truth and there are no gray areas. You are living in a time when understanding the seriousness of truth is of prime importance. This is a time of accountability. To be a disciple comes with a serious responsibility and the understanding of commitment to the kingdom. It's about duty, honor, and integrity and about those who have a heart and spirit of humility.”

 Philippians 2:5-8 (ASV) “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.”

“This is no longer a time to allow rebellion to rule your heart. Don’t allow complacency to trouble your mind and cause you to halt between two opinions. This is not an hour to be double-minded, but to allow my word and my truth to settle in your heart and calm your spirit from fighting inward struggles. You must find peace and comfort in my word allowing it to make the necessary changes and transformation in you.”

“This hour calls for your diligence concerning the things of my Spirit. If you cry out for it I will release a mighty impartation upon you that will transform your thinking and change your reactions towards others. Pray and cry out! For I will hear you and answer you cry. I am looking to raise up many who are willing to make great transformations in this hour. They are yours for the asking and they are nigh at your door. Only believe my beloved. The transformation is not difficult for those who desire change for the anointing to change into another man is NOW.”

“You refuse to live your life based on kingdom principles and then you question the reality that you have created. You can no longer live your life the way you want and then wonder, “Why things have gone wrong?” Remember you are my beloved and there are times when one's attitude, one’s refusal to hear and obey, and even one’s slothfulness can keep you from seeing your way out. Yes, there will be times of my testing and times of my refining. These times will lead you to places in me that will give you understanding as to where you are headed.  You can no longer halt between two opinions. You must choose and you must decide in this hour what course your life will take.”

1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

“Those who are willing and obedient will be the first to enter into promotion, redeem rewards, and receive the portion I have ordained for them in this season. Even revelation needed for this hour will be for those that consistently walk upright holding on in faith in the midst of adversity. This is a time to believe and lay aside your opinions if they are not formed according to my word.”

“There are things before you that will appear one way but carry a shadow. The shadow is only a small glimpse of what’s really there, but there is a precise moment in which the light reveals the very nature of what has been prepared for you. These suddenlies will make sense to you and you will see that which was before you all along was set as a provision for your future. “

“Revelation will be walked out, and that which you have been praying for will appear before you clearly because you have entered into the fullness of time. Look with the eyes of faith and ask me to interpret what you are looking at because some things will be shadowed by your inability to fully understand it. It will be protected by my glory and released at the time appointed. You will understand and it will become clear to you as you come into the season of its fullness.”
 

I asked the Lord to give me a clear understanding of what was being said.

This was the answer:

1. It will become like the ram in the bush that is revealed at the time of its need, once Abraham's test was complete. (Genesis22:13)

2. It will become like the food for the multitude of the five thousand when it first perceived to be the lunch of a young lad. (Matthew 14:17-21)

3. It will become like the needed substance to cover the widow’s debt but it was originally a cruse of oil and borrowed pots. (2 Kings 4:1-38)

(I believe that I just scraped the surface and there is so much that needs to be prayed for the fullness of this to be truly understood.)

 

“Never forget that things may appear one way, but once my hands touch these matters they are changed to become the answer for the circumstances that stand before you. Never look at anything again as being the finality of the matter, because it is through my hands all things can shift, change, conform, and transform to become what is the answer for the situation. Let this principle become real in your heart and endless possibilities will be revealed to you.”

“You are entering into the fullness of time as Rosh Hashanah unveils this moment.  In this approaching hour it will change the course of many lives forever. Many things will unfold for Israel, and many things will unfold for my people because all has come into the time of my complete plan. It has been covered but now it is at the time of its revealing. It will earmark great change across the land. It will sweep nations, it will judge the systems of men, and it will change those things that are in its path with purpose, reform, and new life. It will also bring understanding making that which opposes the work of the kingdom clear.”

“There will be a clear distinction as to what the loyalties of the world are and the loyalties of those who will work within the Kingdom. This is a time to be sober-minded but know there will be a shout, a time of rejoicing, and a time of my glory upon my people like never before. September marks the arrival to the destination of my power being revealed upon the land. Know that I will have a people prepared ready to walk out my plan according to my timings.”

“Many have prayed and asked when would these times come? Look now beloved, for you are standing in a key moment of time. You have now entered into this month of September and October all the way through the High Holy Days (From Rosh Hashanah unto the Feast of Tabernacles). Know this is not just be another set of feast but this one will be like none other. It is the time of times and within it carries the Fullness of the Destiny of my people.”

“So look up, be attentive to my words, listen to sounds in the heavens, and stay before my presence. You are standing in front of a door in time and behind this door is OPEN REVELATION to many truths that will be released for all times. A door of destiny and destination, which leads to my path of righteousness, to the salvation of souls, and to the redeeming of a people to show them the way of the light.”

“Many will awake because of the shaking that will take place. They will not just come to the light but they will become the LIGHT out of a dark place. The will become walking REVELATIONS of my words. I will move through your situations blotting out the iniquities of those who want to change and become my people.”

“You will see circumstances change overnight. Even for those who say there is nothing that can happen to help us. Some of the greatest strongholds of evil will be uncovered, because they will manifest in the face of my glory. Know that once it is uncovered a strategy to dismantle it will be revealed. Prayer will always be an important key to overcome the enemies work as my word will continue to unlock mysteries and truths that will carry with it the power to destroy and dismantle those works. For you will be the mighty weapons in my hands.”

“Set a watch over events occurring at the beginning of this month and pray. During the first five days of Rosh Hashanah (beginning September 24th-29th) Watch, Pray, Listen, & Hear my voice of instruction. For will I speak to you words of strength and light.  They will be words of great power spoken at the gate.”

 

Other Related Scriptures:

Jeremiah 6:17 “I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen.”

Haggai 2:4 “But now be strong, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD.  'Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty.”

Ezekiel 46:3 “Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the New Moons.” [See also Ezek 45:17]

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from Elohim.”

Acts 3:19-21 “Repent, then, and turn to Elohim, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you even Yahusha.  He must remain in heaven until the time comes for Elohim to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

Then Elohim said: "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons (Hebrew, Ulemoadim), and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth; and it was so” (Genesis 1:14, 15, NAS).

Elohim had planned into the creation of the world the use of the stars and planets to mark times and seasons.  The movement of the sun, moon and stars were provided for this very reason.  The Creator placed them in the sky as time markers.  His appointed times were part of his plan for man even before man himself was created. Elohim placed the lights in the sky on the fourth day of creation to mark (among other things) his appointed times! 

Thank you Phyllis Ford for sharing this with the body of Christ!

No Condemnation for the Woman at the Well!

Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. John 4:5-10.

Jesus loved sinners and had no problem letting them know that He loved them. Take the Samaritan woman at the well, for example. In Jesus’s day, under the Mosaic Law, it would be wrong for a holy, righteous rabbi to have anything to do with a Samaritan. Why? Because Samaritans were outside the Mosaic Covenant and were considered “unclean.”

I had a brief experience with this while living in an Orthodox Jewish area in the UK. My husband and I purchased a double stroller (pushchair) from a Hassidic Jewish man, and he refused to look at me or talk to me – he would only deal with my husband. I thought this strange and was a little baffled by his behavior, since I was the one who would be pushing the stroller most of the time! It was only later that I discovered his position that I was an unclean Gentile woman who could defile him with my sin. My friends and I also experienced these strict Jewish men crossing the street to avoid contact with us. I have to admit at the time I thought it a little silly, but now after studying the Word, I understand what was going on. I’m sure these men meant me no harm and would never intentionally desire to hurt me, but that’s what strict adherence to the law does - its hardness bruises and wounds people and makes them feel unloved.

This Samaritan woman was no stranger to the hardness of the law. She knew Jewish men couldn’t have contact with her, and yet Jesus, a Jewish man, asked for a drink of water. This must have astonished her, especially with Him being a rabbi and willing to break the Law (gasp) by taking a drink of water from her hand. That’s why she responded with dismay, quoting the law back to Him. It was not proper or lawful for Jews to have anything to do with Samaritans.

But Jesus is above the law, since He operates in mercy, compassion, and grace. By simply asking for a cup of water, He did something no other Jewish man would do - He recognized her as a person worthy to serve Him. He desired something from her and did not consider her unworthy to fulfill His request. Isn’t that a wonderful act of love?

After she gave Him the drink, He asked about her husband and she answered truthfully that she had no husband. I love how Jesus praised her for being honest. But then He dug further and revealed a word of knowledge regarding her marital history. The full truth was she had had five husbands and the man she was currently living with was NOT her husband. Ouch! And yet a deeper astonishment at this man; He, being a Jew, KNEW she was a Samaritan and KNEW she was a terrible sinner, and STILL He asked for a drink from her hand! And then on top of that, He gave her something very important: spiritual revelation that He was the Messiah who came to pour out living water!

Jesus was like no other Jewish man of whom she had ever seen or heard. He was a man of mercy, love, and compassion and did not condemn her for her sins. She was so excited that she became the first evangelist and went throughout her entire village telling everyone about this unusual and wonderful man. She wanted more than anything for others to come and meet the one who told her everything about her life and examine for themselves whether He was the promised Messiah. 

Based on her joyful response, I can only assume Jesus discussed more intimate things about her past and ministered emotional healing, but the Holy Spirit has not recorded these details for us in the Word. But we get the picture – this woman felt loved, not condemned. She felt forgiven, not damned to Hell. She had come face to face with Love, Truth and Grace! She had come face to face with Jesus, with the Heavenly Father!

Have you HEARD of Jesus?

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? Mark 5:25-30.

I love this story of the woman who suffered a female bleeding disorder for twelve years but had the audacity to believe her condition would not disqualify her from being healed. In biblical times, under the Mosaic Law, this woman could have been stoned for pressing into a crowd of supposed righteous people and infecting them with her spiritual and physical uncleanness. And then to make matters worse, she had the nerve to touch a holy rabbi! In their minds, she suffered because of some undisclosed, secret sin or generational curse. Doctors would never be able to heal her, and no amount of money could buy her out of her situation – she was doomed to suffer until she atoned for her obvious sin. What self-righteous Jewish man would ever marry her? She certainly would never be able to bear children. She was a rejected outcast who many feared because her “uncleanness” might be catching. What a horrible fate!

Like the Jews of her day, many of us Christians sitting in denominational churches have been told time and again by many well-meaning pastors and bible study teachers that we, like this woman, must first become “clean” before we can approach a holy God. They say we must confess our myriad sins first and “get right” with God before we could ever approach His holy presence to ask for healing. Just recently, my husband accompanied me to a local healing service, but when he came forward for prayer, he was told he could not be healed because he had unforgiven sin, unconfessed sin, and unforgiveness toward others! If these prayors had lived in this woman’s day, I’m sure they would have strong-armed her to the ground and given her a good lecture on sin before she had a chance to defile the righteous Jesus. When are we Christians going to wake up and reject this kind of teaching?

Answer: like this woman, it will be when we hear about Jesus! But don’t we hear about Jesus every week at church? I don’t know – do you? What do you think this poor woman heard about Jesus? Did she hear that He made everyone confess their sins and go through a long forgiveness list before receiving healing? Did she believe she had to be perfect before approaching Him? She was certainly imperfect for breaking the law by even being in public, much less touching the hem of a holy rabbi’s garment. No, she must have heard about a different Jesus, a Jesus who had mercy and compassion and went about healing all those afflicted by the devil, because God was with Him. (Acts 10:38).

She KNEW He would heal her because of all the good things she had heard about Him – healing the leprous man, the man born blind, casting out a legion of devils out of the mad man who lived in the catacombs of Gadara. In fact, she had so much faith in Jesus’s power to heal that she merely said to herself, “If I can just touch His clothes, I shall be well.” She risked the public scrutiny of her fellow Jews, the chance that she might be kicked and spit upon, that she might be chastised and forever expelled from the synagogue, that they might pick up stones and kill her for making a public profession that what Jesus presented was TRUTH and what she had been taught for years was a lie. Her persistence in pressing through for healing was a public profession of faith that He could and would do what the law could not and never would be able to do.

Fortunately for us, her story has been preserved in the Word as a lesson for us. Jesus warned us not to be deceived in the last days. There will be many false teachings in our midst, telling us that our sins are our problem, when He took all our sins away 2000 years ago on the cross! If this sweet Jewish woman was instantly healed by her dogged faith that enabled her to take from Jesus, how much more should we who are born again IN HIM after the cross and the resurrection press in and likewise take our healing? Selah – think about it!

Finger of God

I highly recommend the documentary, Finger of God, by Darren Wilson! Another must-see for every Christian!! I rented it on Amazon streaming.

Furious Love: a must-see film for all Christians

Friends, I just saw one of the most powerful documentary films ever from Wanderlust Films and director Darren Wilson called Furious Love.

After watching this film, Western denominational believers will get a glorious wake up call that the world desperately needs us to share the message of God's love and grace through Jesus Christ. There is such demonic darkness in the world, oppression, and hopelessness, and much of it comes from the lack of being loved. People have sought lusts of the flesh and supernatural darkness from Satan just to get a taste of that love and acceptance. Now more than ever we must accept the power of the Holy Spirit and ALL of His wonderful and glorious gifts and use them to minister God's love to the world. Watch this movie! You will be changed!!

I'm going to check out The Finger of God next, that's Wilson's first film, and then I just saw on Facebook that he has a new film coming out entitled Holy Spirit. Powerful! 

Here is the trailer on The company's website. You'll have to order it to see the entire thing. Treat yourself to a blessing from The Lord and then have Him show you how to answer the call.
http://furiouslove.wpfilm.com/

God Speaks to Us Through Dreams!

Dr. Barbie Breathitt

And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Joel 2:28

Many Christians are leery of giving any credence to their dreams, but both the Old and New Testament are clear that God uses dreams to speak to His people. In fact, on the day of Pentecost when the church was born, Peter preached in the book of Acts that the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues was the fulfilling of this scripture in Joel which includes a pouring out of Holy Spirit-inspired prophecy, visions and dreams. Peter and Paul had angelic encounters, received prophecies, visions, spoke to the risen Jesus, and even Paul was translated to heaven. 

Therefore, we as believers should not be spooked by our weird dreams at night, particularly if they are recurring. I have dreamt strange things ALL my life, some of which I still remember to this day. I also had a recurring dream for over ten years which The Lord finally revealed the meaning of once I pressed in and asked Him for it with all sincerity of heart. It has helped me immensely to understand the message He was trying to relay. I wish I had pressed in years ago.

Several weekends ago, I attended a great retreat where I heard this wonderful woman, Barbie Breathitt, speak on listening to and interpreting our dreams. She suggests digging into scripture for clues regarding symbols that appear in our dreams and of course writing them down in a journal. I've done that for years but wasn't as diligent as I should be regarding the details and specifics. 

Obviously, some dreams can be discounted due to spicy food or a rotten TV show or movie, but the symbolic, strange dreams that linger after we awake are oftentimes messages from The Lord. In the western, North American culture, our intellect and reasoning scoff at such a notion, but in the middle eastern culture, dreams are highly revered. Perhaps that is why there are many testimonies of Muslims being saved through dreams where heavenly and angelic encounters are being used by The Lord to present the Gospel. Oh, how we denominational people have put our God in a little, itty, bitty box!!

So why would God need to use dreams to speak to us? Well, maybe we're stubborn and hard-headed and our spirit-man can't seem to get through to us because our minds are at a whir, thinking and reasoning for most of the day. Personally, I'm very thankful The Lord continues to instruct us in our sleep (Psalms 16:7) and endeavors to get truth and revelation to us, even if it takes ten years! I have to say, I'm somewhat embarrassed that He needed to give me a dream for over a decade in order to share some truth with me. Oh well, better late than never! 

Check out Barbie Breathitt on YouTube or www.myonar.com. It is amazing how God has used dream interpretation through her ministry to save, heal, and set people free from the lies of Satan. 

www.myonar.com

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees!

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Luke 12:1

For many years I've studied these Gospel passages regarding the leaven of the Pharisees and being warned by Jesus to steer clear of their teachings. It's easy when the modern-day Pharisee espouses that Jesus is NOT the Messiah or that one is saved through the works of the law and NOT by grace through faith, but what about the person who is IN the church, who appears to be born again, filled with the Spirit, and walking in the gifts and anointing of the Spirit? These modern-day Pharisees can be very hard to detect and so can be extremely dangerous, particularly to the baby or fledgling Christian who is just beginning to spread his or her spiritual wings. The only way to avoid being deceived by such people is to be deeply rooted and grounded in the Word of God.

My first encounter with the modern-day Pharisee was at a retreat at a very famous Christian retreat center named after a prominent evangelist. Everything seemed to be going fine UNTIL I made the mistake of espousing that I was continuing to attend a denominational church which did not believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In these Pharisees' minds, I was committing the unpardonable sin to continue sitting under the teaching of a pastor who did not believe in such doctrine. When I explained that I felt called to stay at this church, they looked down their long, judgmental noses. And then when I had the audacity to declare that I believed in the authority of the believer over the enemy in the name of Jesus AND that I believed in divine healing, I was labeled a rebellious heretic who was operating in the spirit of witchcraft!

At that moment, I understood exactly how the apostles of old felt when they shared their faith to a hostile crowd - I literally heard hisses and boos when I asked, "Didn't Jesus' death on the cross attain authority over Satan for His church?" Boo! Hiss! Stone her! Send the witch to the gallows! I felt like I was in a weird Cecil B. DeMille movie. While the experience was very unpleasant, I felt that the Lord had taught me a very important lesson. I stuck to the scriptures despite the manifested anointing and supposed prophetic utterances of these modern-day Pharisees.  

Now, I had no animosity toward these people as individuals, since I knew I was really battling the religious spirits BEHIND these individuals. I only have to look at Ephesians 6:12 to know that ... we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in highplaces. So it does no good to get angry or hostile in these situations. Just stick to the Word and stand your ground. And when you have done all you can do, continue to stand!  Ephesians 6:13.

Well, wouldn't you know it, but a similar thing happened to me again this past weekend. I attended a wonderful spiritual retreat, but the spirit of religion was there on the first day, waiting to pounce on me. I was invited to lunch by two supposed prophets who espoused all sorts of junk that made my head spin. None of it lined up with Scripture! They had gotten so wrapped up in signs and wonders and prophetic utterances that they had deviated from the Word of God! I felt the long, cold, hard glares of judgment dart from their eyes and down their noses when I shared my testimony and faith. It took quite a bit of strength to stand up to their condemnation, but stand I did! Later, I asked the Lord why I had felt called to go to lunch with these people, since I thought for sure they were meant to minister to me. No, I heard in my spirit, YOU were supposed to minister to them and REMIND them to get back to the Word of God and stand on Scripture. I don't know if I was successful there. 

I write this to encourage those of you who may have experienced a similar circumstance. You may be basking in the joy and delight of the Lord, excited about all He is doing in your life and the divine wisdom and revelation He is downloading into your spirit - you are eagerly awaiting for signs and wonders to confirm the teaching and preaching of the Word - and then like a bolt of lightning, you are met by judgment and condemnation from those who are supposedly mature and who have supposedly experienced great and mighty wonders of the Lord. If in that instance you get a sick feeling in the pit of your belly, then rest assured you have run smack dab into the spirit of religion! 

Test what they have to say! Listen closely and see if it lines up with the Word. John instructs us to test the spirits. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1. If it doesn't line up, then cast it out as false and don't receive it.

But on the other hand, remain teachable and be prepared to learn from those who are true to the Word and who are more spiritually mature than you. We don't want to be hard-hearted and close-minded or we risk becoming another modern-day Pharisee! Yikes! The authentic New Testament apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher may sound the alarm to a lost and dying world, but to the believer, they will always build up and edify, encouraging us in our faith and confirming what the Holy Spirit has already relayed to our own spirit. 

Receive from these true ministers of light and you will be blessed in the name of Jesus!

Abide in the Vine

I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5.

For over a week, I had my eye on this brown, withered leaf that dangled from a tree in my backyard, fluttering furiously in the breeze. Every morning, when I sat at my normal place at the end of the sofa with coffee, bible, and iPhone, I watched that leaf - all alone, flapping around frantically with the wind, brown and crinkly with no green leafy friends to provide comfort. Because I'm creative, I see the spiritual side in nature and like to personify birds and flowers and the like. I felt like this leaf had a story - it must have, or why would it, of all leaves, be ready at any moment to fall to the ground when it's neighbors where healthy and alive, living in thick clusters, and fluttering delicately and majestically as the wind blew?

I thought of this scripture and was reminded of many professing Christians, who for some reason or another, cut themselves off from the life giving force of God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe they were once attached to the vine, feeding from Jesus, resting in Him, and then something happens. Fear descends due to sickness or financial hardship, or tragedy strikes, or just the grind of life reveals that their faith was never real to begin with - that they were never truly born again into a new creation. Like that leaf, they become frantic and unsteady, isolated and alone, with no firm foundation upon which to rest. Unless they get reattached to the vine somehow, they are destined to fall away. 

As I watched that leaf, I wondered if nature could provide a way for it to become part of the vine again. But then a strong windstorm hit the next morning, assuring its destiny. While it hung on to the tree as long as possible, flapping about like a sail on the high seas, it eventually disappeared. Strangely, I felt sad. 

But thankfully, mankind is not like that leaf. If anyone realizes they have become detached from the life-giving vine (which is Christ), they can repent and become a born-again new creation in Him. The dead things in their life will be rejuvenated and the greenness of fresh growth will be revealed. For man, it is never too late!

Sister Clara Grace - Amazing Woman of God!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE6RxKIK3Alk0UUy1OgAn-mQRzQFiiomz

He has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches! 

I discovered these wonderful prophecies from Sister Clara Grace, a teacher and prophet, who lived years ago. She gave these recorded teachings in 1967 and they are powerful! Oh, what a lady she was! How I would've loved to have sat under her teaching. But thankfully we have these recordings now through the Internet.

Those of you who are hungry for a greater move of the Holy Spirit and feel as though you are all alone, don't despair! He has His remnant of hungry believers out there in the world who are praying along with you! We are all praying for a greater manifestation of His glory in these last days! 

Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Listen to these wonderful teachings and be blessed!

Happy Resurrection Day!

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8.

I love a good thriller where the main character outsmarts the bad guy and causes the villain to fall into his own trap! It's even more thrilling when the audience has no clue how on earth the protagonist is going to pull off this great feat, but when it happens and everything works as planned, entertainment is at its zenith. Right now I'm thinking of the Sherlock series starring Benedict Cumberbatch. My entire family loves this show, because Sherlock Holmes is always one step ahead of the antagonist--and usually the audience as well!

The same is true with our God! Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians that the princes of this world who are in allegiance with Satan (once Lucifer) had no clue that the cross would be the very instrument the Father would use to destroy their hold on mankind - to deliver us from sin, the curse, death and hell! And not only that, it would be the instrument that would annihilate sin, vanquish the curse, fulfill all the law AND be the way in which MANY would become born again, sons and daughters of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, anointed with the power and authority of Jesus Christ, and destined for a life of GLORY! 

Talk about a major duping! No one on earth or under the earth had any idea of the mystery of the church that had remained hidden by God since the foundation of the world, until He revealed it to the Apostle Paul. Jesus' resurrection from the dead PROVES that Satan's authority over us has come to an abrupt end. By faith, we have been born again in Christ, alive in accordance with the law of the spirit of life, no longer dead and subject to the law of sin and death. His ascension back up to heaven is even further proof that we are destined for a GLORIOUS life in and with Him and the Father. He has given us His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of that wonderful life to come. 

Things have just gotten started for us while we remain on this earth as sons and daughters of God. We have an eternity of marvelous things ahead. We have no idea what that exceedingly, abundantly above-all-we-can-ask-or-think life will be like, we just know it will be GOOD!

We thank Him for ALL He has done for us - much of which we still don't have a revelation of, but revelation will come if we ask and wait for it. He longs to share with us the deep things of Himself. 

Enjoy this wonderful day and bask in His love and gracious gifts - most importantly - His gift of His son, Jesus!