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MAY AND JUNE EDITION OF THE SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE GLOBAL OUTREACH

LAUNCHING OF WOMEN HOSPITAL AND PRISON VISITATION TEAMS, BIRTHING NEW WOMEN OF WORTH

CHAPTERS, DISTRIBUTING ALMS TO THE DISABLED AND HELPLESS AND PREACHING AT THE FAITHFUL GOD

MINISTRY ON JUNE 9th2013 MARKED HALF CENTURY BIRTH AND 10 YEARS OF MARRIAGE ANNIVERSARY OF

BISHOP STEVEN & FAVOR LIBERTY (JUNE 8th )IN DAKAR SENEGAL , WEST AFRICA !

UNITY IN DIVERSTY!

Honor Thy Father, But Be an Original! By Christine Darg

WHO DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR PREACHING PARTNER?

Raising 1st Century Churches Out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church

Rev-Oladiran Bola David storms Dakar Senegal with the Gospel of Salvation ,

Repentance and Forgiveness at the “MORE OF HIS GLORY” CONFERENCE!(PICTORIAL

FOCUS OF HAPPENINGS IN THE VINEYARD)

You Have A Voice: By: Courtney Whittamore WITH DIVINE

ASSISTANCE YOUR LITTLE WILL ACHIEVE MUCH! PASTOR EMMANUEL ISIAKA BABA

Emotions Move Money Into Ministry: By Dr. Leonard Robinson "WHERE ARE THE TRUE WORSHIPERS?" : BY PROPHETESS SISTER MARY BOLDEN & MANY MORE INSPIRING, EDUCATIVE, ENTERTAINING MESSAGES

FROM ACROSS THE GLOBAL VINEYARD FREE OF CHATGE TO DOWNLOAD AND SHARE WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS !!!!!!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS: pp 2-6

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: EVANGELIST FAVOR LIBERTY :pp 2_13

You Have A Voice :By: Courtney Whittamore : pp 14-16

TRAVEL BACK WITH ME: By Catherin Skinner : 17-20

THE HAMMER: Margaret Mullings :pp 21-23

WHO DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR PREACHING PARTNER? A Note of Caution by Christine Darg

:pp24-26

"WHERE ARE THE TRUE WORSHIPERS?" : BY PROPHETESS SISTER MARY BOLDEN :pp 27-30

The Purpose of the Prophetic : ADDED BY SUSAN C. CLARK : pp 31-35

WITH DIVINE ASSISTANCE YOUR LITTLE WILL ACHIEVE MUCH! : pp36-38

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Battle: By Jeff Godsown :pp39-42

Honor Thy Father, But Be an Original! By Christine Darg :pp 43-44

"Why Tell Stories".....By Kenneth White :pp 45-46

Emotions Move Money Into Ministry: By Dr. Leonard Robinson

:pp 47-50

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by MARSHA BURNS & OTHER QUOTES : By Babsie Hannah VD Berg PP: 51-52

HE CARRIED ME!!!! Apostle Jessie Striggles pp: 53-54

FALSE TEACHERS, PROPHETS OF OUR DAYS PREACHING FALSE DOCTRINES! Evangelist

Stephen-Bonita Richie : pp 55-57

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KINGDOM LESSONS: By Dr. Leonard Robinson: pp 58-60

God is not Mock : BY VIVIAN KESHANE :61-63

Moments in The Kingdom: By Amos J. Young Sr. :PP64-66

Abba Father : DELIA ANN THUMBADOO :pp 67-69

Partakers of His Divine Nature ~by Susan C. Clark :70-71

Patience : By Jeff Godsown :72-75

The WOW Connection: Marilyn Orton :pp 76-78

Frustrating The Grace Of God : By Apostle Lee Ann Marino :79-82 POEM : EMBRACE YOUR CROSS : BY MARGARET MULLINGS :PP 83

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Support Appeal Posted By Skip Moen ADDED BY BOBBI JENSEN :84-90

POEM : WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU : BY MARGARET MULLINGS : pp91

Make Time to Pray : BY Kathi Macias : pp 92-94

It only takes a spark…but I’ve lost it!Posted by Karen Zeigler :pp 95-96

POEM : YOU ARE THERE : BY MARGARET MULLINGS :pp 97

LETTER FROM UGANDA EAST AFRICA: EVANGELIST JOSEPH SENOGA RICHARD : pp98-99

Have You Been Betrayed? Christine Darg : 100-106

STRENGTH BY MARGARET MULLINGS : 107

Raising 1st Century Churches Out of the Ashes of the 21st Century Church :By Apostle Robert Straube :PP 108-124 ICOF ROUNDTABLE : pp 125

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Rev-Oladiran Bola David storms Dakar Senegal with the Gospel of Salvation ,

Repentance and Forgiveness at the “MORE OF HIS GLORY” CONFERENCE!(PICTORIAL

FOCUS OF HAPPENINGS IN THE VINEYARD):PP126

POEM : FAILING STRENGTH BY MARGARET MULLINGS127

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: EVANGELIST FAVOR LIBERTY

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ UN THE VINEYARD; Greetings in the precious Name of Jesus Christ the Chief Shepherd who continues to sustain and establish the truth about the Kingdom of God and its relationship to our destinies. The Shepherds Without Borders Global outreach is all about taking the word of God , news about happening in the vineyard and alerting our world about the fast growing darkness engulfing the earth ! Our sole mission is to highlight messages, news, visions, projects, strength & weakness of the United Body of the Kingdom of God. Inspired Shepherds come together monthly to write message etc for the community of God chosen.

Every shepherd chosen, charged, and called by God (YHWH) to care for His flocks is officially a member. Shepherds serve as an ambassadors of the Kingdom of God , advocates for petitioning God for mankind, administrators for the handling and distributing the truth of God's Word and they need a watch tower on the hilltop to help them not to crash against the stones of temptations placed in their path by the Devil.

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This magazine is The shepherds’ consulTanT for wisdom and direction when it comes to how the work of the Kingdom of God is being carried out in different places around the world. It is also a confronter of the evil practices that are carried out in the name of the kingdom of God. It is no respecter of any particular doctrine, tradition, color, language, social status, or geographical locations. It is the voice for the united kingdom of God's body of workers in the vineyard here on earth.

This magazine is the discussion leader of any topic concerning the kingdom of God and the warfare of God's people. Here you will see and post the work you do for the kingdom; however it should be clear that every work you see here is the responsibility/views of the writer who placed it there and not always necessarily the views of everyone. It is a medium to serve as an encourager for the shepherds around the world who are striving to get the truth of God's Word out even at a risk to their own families and lives. As a spotlight, we intend to also serve as a ground inspector of the work of every ministry we can and highlight their strengths and weaknesses.

Shepherds, we say a big welcome to you and your flocks. Let this place be a companion and knowledge dispenser, a place where you can rest and discover your God given talents, your historian where you can view the past and log the present, the nurturer of your visions, your opportunities spotter, and critic. I know many times when you are in the wrong and we speak about it, you might be hurt, go home and pray about it, and please come for a second look.

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Partake and make this place a home away from home. Make this place a secret corner for airing your views and questions that have been bothering you for a long time. Please allow Shepherds Bugle to help you develop your ministries and broken lives.

During the last two months under review in this edition, we

were able to encourage women in the vineyard who are doing

all they can to improve the lives of the fallen and lost. We

also certificated mothers and fathers worldwide.

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We were especially bless by millions across the world who celebrated the birth and wedding anniversary of our ceo bishop Steven liberty sr. and your humble servant. The occasion was marked by outreach to the disabled and launching of the women hospital and prison ministries on the 9th of June (a day laTer). preaching on The Theme “seek”; The bishops urge us to look closer at our lives in order to properly seek The kingdom of god or The losT. “why seek To feed a hungry person a million miles away when there is a greater need in your very household; why try to save someone

if you are noT yourself saved “?

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One thing is certain we are breakthrough barriers of manmade borders and reaching parts of the earth where ordinarily it would seems impossible from man point of view because of political ,Social or religious obstacles. There are testimonies that our magazine are reaching ând comforting refugees from Syria, rebels and Christians trapped in that crisis. For some time now we have been reaching iran Christians (under extremely difficult circumstances) among other cut off from humanity civilized network.

one exTremisT wroTe: “ i don’T know whaT This is all abouT buT after reading the testimonies of ****I saw my mother who went through the very same type of temptation. Only different is she never found a way out. I am not saying I will change at once but I think I love your Jesus. It seems he inspires hope. Pray for me that I live to share this new light with my friends. Note; Do not try to send me your magazine. I can get them through the grapevine . i jusT wroTe To say Thank you.”

To date we are reaching and receiving testimonies71 countries and nearly all the major cities of the world and can boast in Jesus Name of sharing the Gospel to at least a member of majority of the religious groups or cults known to man today ; all free of charge . The bigger we grow the more the challenge. We have reached a place where the flocks are demanding more than baby milk and now need solid food. It is time to send out Bibles and Bible courses , training materials and self sustainable packages to our flocks . If we must feed Them; Then leT’s help Them live The difference! we need your moral, spiritual and physical contributions! We are not asking for millions; your every dime counts ,

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your gifts of free bibles courses, bible in different languages and sTudied maTerials counTs. we can’T do iT alone . parTner WITH CHRIST AND TOGETHER LET US TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE VERY EAND OF THE EARTH!

SEND YOUR DONATIONS TO ;

BANK NAME: SGBS BANK BANK ADDRESS: 19 AVENUE L.S SENGHOR BP 323 DAKAR SENEGAL ACCOUNT NAME: AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNT NO: 014007110273 RIB 42 SWIFT CODE: SGSNSNDA COUNTRY CODE SN BANQUE CODE: 25011 GUICHET CODE: 01005 IBAN: SN250110100501400711027342

OR SEND US A WESTERN UNION/ MONEY GRAM DONATION

FAVOR LIBERTY EDITOR IN CHIEF/ General Secretary: Shepherds Global Outreach Dakar Senegal

WE CAB ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL GET A COMPLETE REPORT OF HOW EVERY DIME IS SPEND. IF YOU DO DONATE PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND US A NOTE TO:bishopstevenmaxlib@hotmail.com so that we can thank you.

Always your humble servant,

Evangelist Favor P, Liberty Editor in Chief: SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MINISTRIES

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You Have A Voice

By: Courtney Whittamore

Greetings to you my friends. I feel so blessed and overwhelmed with the love

that I have for you. I don’t know where you are right now, but in this very

moment in my life, I am in my family’s home, sitting on the edge of my bed in

my embarrassing sheep printed flannel pajamas. The light in my room no longer

will turn on so I am writing by the light of scattered and mismatched lamps on

the floor of my room. It is 4:00 in the morning. But this just couldn’t wait.

A few minutes ago you could have found me on my knees, overwhelmed by the

presence of God. Tears filled my eyes. They streamed down my face for all of us

who have ever felt that we were not heard. That felt every feeling we ever had

could not be whispered, and every word we said did not matter. Lately I have

felt that way. I have felt as if I had no voice. For a very long time I have felt

mute. But tonight God burst through those lies and showed me something. He

showed me that I do have a voice. That we all do. And it is high time that we

start to speak the power of God.

For those of you who are just getting to know me, I am so glad that your eyes

are on this page.

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My prayer for my life is that in some way I can touch another heart, and no

matter where you are I want you to know that I am humbled by you. I am

blessed by you. You matter to me. I may never get the pleasure to know you on

this earth, but when we all get to heaven I am going to invite you to my house

and we are going to get to know one another. We are going to get to spend

eternity getting to know one another. But for right now, I am given the honor to

share my life with you. So I have promised myself and this ministry that I would

be transparent with you. I deal with a very severe illness, which as of late has

kept me bound to my home, and mostly to my bed. I have become very well

acquainted with the walls that surround me. There have been days that I did not

speak simply because there has been nothing to say. I have battled severe

depression. I have felt that my life does not matter. I have believed that the

world would not miss me if I were gone. At my lowest point I even tried to end

my own life. But God had other plans.

Before this illness I was a singer. It was my life. There was not a day that went

by where a song did not pass my lips. I even was blessed with a season of life

where that was how I made my living. But when this illness became a part of my

story I stopped singing completely. I no longer felt I had a song in my heart. For

two year I barely sang a word. I went from singing daily and strongly, to

practically being mute. However, I was set free, and I am learning once more

what it is to have that song in my heart.

I was overwhelmed by the presence of God tonight. He gently whispered as I

pleaded and asked why my heart was so burdened, that while as a small child

he had given me a voice, he had yet to give me the words to speak. Through this

life he has given me and through the burden I bare, I am given the words to

speak. So I had better start to speak. To sing. So that’s what I am doing.

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As soon as I felt these words pressed upon my heart I sat right on the edge of my

bed and began this letter to you. I have not stopped to edit nor have I

questioned these words. They are meant for you. I don’t know where you are in

this world or where you are in your life but someone somewhere needs to hear

the same words I just did. You have a voice. You are being given the words to

speak every day that you are blessed to be on this earth. We are given the joy of

life so that we can speak it to others. You may not know what on earth to say.

You may be deathly afraid. I am too. But all you have to do is open your mouth

and the words will come. Open your heart and the song will find its way in. You

have a voice. You have a voice. You. Have. A. Voice. So speak.

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when

I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but

of power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1: 6-7

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TRAVEL BACK WITH ME: By Catherin Skinner

Travel back with me and look at the burdens you have carried. Here are "seven burdens bags” LUGGAGE OF LIFE

1. 1. Guilt 2. 2. Discontent 3. 3. Weariness 4. 4. Grief 5. 5. Doubt 6. 6. Loneness 7. 7. Fear

Take a look at these words and in the quietness of your heart and deep recess of your mind think about which one of these or however many of these word fits your circumstances.

Is there any luggage left? Why does it trouble you the most? How do you feel about it?

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What is God saying to you? We carry burdens we don’t’ need to bear because we think we are gods. We can make a difference; help solve other people problems as He solves ours. It is crazy that we hang on to things that we only need to give to God. Trusting God A

What does it mean to trust God with a burden? How does one do this?

It means believing and having faith in Him knowing He is able to do what you can’t. Casting all your cares upon Him for He cares, let go and let God be God in your life. B What have you learned from observing others with their luggage?

Not to allow anything that not yours to weight or exhaust you.

TRAVEL UP Read Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in path of righteousness for his name sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the present of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me and all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

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What is going through your mind as you reflect on this passage of scripture?

Where are you at in this passage of Scripture? Can you honestly say that He is your Shepherd? How do you fell about his actions toward you?

This passage of Scripture teaches us to give up personal burden and to trust God for His provision, His way of doing things in our lives. Read Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Are you weary and burden? Do you need rest for your soul?

The battle is not mines/ yours it’s the LORD’s. Allow your Good Shepherd to guide and give you rest for your soul as you cast all your cares upon him. Take advantage of His yoke and allow Him to carry your burden upon his shoulders. When we are gentle and humble in our hearts we don’t worry about the things that weigh us down because we have cast them at his feet. We trust Him to fight our battle; it’s not about us but the God within us. We struggle with things we don’t understand because we want to be in control of our life. Read 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

We can benefit from casting all our cares upon Him because when we do we become worried & burden free. Amen!!

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TRAVEL ON We need to pray at least a half hour asking God to reveal any burdens you need to lay down. Take a pen and paper and write them down as He reveals them to you. Take your list and connect with a mentor or prayer partner to come in agreement with you that God will show you how to release your burdens. This is from some note I took at some point in my life and I felt compel to share them with you. I don’t recall who the teacher or preacher was. I pray they will help you as they have been brought back to my remembrance about carrying burdens that I need not. Amen!! Inspired by the Word of God Shared by Catherin Skinner 05/26/13

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THE HAMMER: Margaret Mullings

May this Article not only encourage you but also challenge you to continuously use the Hammer of God's Word in every situation which concern you! Be Blessed........Much Lo From a very young age it was just so fascinating for me to watch a

Carpenter use the hammer. Then at every opportunity I would

attempt to use the hammer only to experience the pain of

bruising my fingers with it. Yet a special love for the hammer

remained with me so much so that when ever I wanted to

decorate the walls in my home, I would run with excitement to

get the hammer and as I would use the hammer to drive the nail

in the wall to hang a beautiful picture or an ornament these words

rang out from my husband, "Margaret,what are you doing?” My

reply, "I’m putting another picture on the wall.” He interjected

and demonstrated to me how to effectively use the hammer by

measuring sixteen inches (16”) across to find a beam and then

use the hammer to securely fasten the nail into it thus it would

remain. This revelation reminded me of how one day while doing

some work in the front of my yard when suddenly a rock opened

up and from behind it came a large animal walking on his hind

feet, he was very angry at me but it seemed that he was being

restrained and all he could do is look at me –

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immediately though my attention was more focused on what was

inside of what looked like a cave and in it were many more larger

animals than he who opened the entrance to this place – suddenly

I threw what I had been working with into the cave, it was a

hammer! I awakened it was a dream that left me puzzled – the

Word spoke to me from Jeremiah 23:29 NKJ "Is not My Word like

a fire?” Says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in

pieces?”

In your walk with God as He advances you to your place of destiny, are you experiencing great opposition and intense disturbance from the dark world? Is your past hindering your future? What about the lies and deception along with the assignation of your character? Do you struggle with unforgiveness toward those who have hurt you deeply? Are the generational curses in your family line still evident in your life? I challenge you this day to use the hammer of the Word to effectively break not only every generational curse but to remove even the residue of the lies and the deception from your entire generation! Use the hammer to stop your past from hindering your destiny. Conquer all of your fears with the hammer!

Listen, as a young girl practicing with the hammer. I busted up my fingers many times and then when I thought I was all grown up to use it only to discover from my husband it was still not effectively being used. For I was only putting holes in the wall which resulted in the pictures and decorations falling to the floor and the walls were slowly being destroyed. What a revelation came from his instruction of how to first find a beam in the wall and then to use the hammer.

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So it is in dealing with every vice and generational curse in your life (mine too). You find the areas which are being affected then you use the hammer (The Word) and you will hit "Bull’s Eye” each camp the enemy has set up as a decoy for your demise – The hammer (The Word) will flush the enemy out like it did in my dream and will not only render him powerless to operate against you and your family, but the hammer would destroy every campsite set up against you! For me, the enemy had his decoy in my front yard. Question, do you know where the enemy has setup his camps to come against you? The Word is speaking from the book of Ephesians chapter 6:12-18. NKJ. 12 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.13 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.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breast plate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer all the saints

You will become like a highly skilled Carpenter whose work speaks for it self as you view the excellent projects he has completed with his most prized tool – The hammer! As you study the Word (me too) you will become more highly skilled in not only destroying the enemy’s camps set up against you, but God will powerfully use you to rebuild not only this nation but many nations around the world! I reiterate Jeremiah 23:29 NKJ "Is not My Word like a fire?”Says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.” Use -THE HAMMER!

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WHO DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR PREACHING PARTNER?

A Note of Caution by Christine Darg

Recently I was listening to a preacher in a conference, but suddenly, alarm bells went off in my spirit. He made a claim that some preachers are popularly making: he said when he preaches, a large angel shows up, and the power of his anointing had greatly increased ever since. He indicated how big and powerful is the angel who stands behind him. This experience prompted me to review the claims of William Branham, the 20th century Pentecostal false prophet. I quote from the following link: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~emcd/AlphaRoots_Branham_LatterRain.htm "One thing which characterized [Branham's] meetings was his total dependence upon an angel. When his angel would show up then supernatural events and manifestations would begin to occur. Once he was asked if it was the Holy Spirit that did these things in his meetings. What was Branham's response? No, my angel does these things!

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"We have no Biblical record of Jesus doing His mighty works by the assistance of any angel(s). He did them by virtue of being God the Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles in the book of Acts did what they did by the power of the Holy Spirit. . . . With this Biblical record, why then did Branham need an angel when no other Biblical prophet or apostle needed one? At best his experience with this angel is extra-Biblical and thus very suspect. It is now my opinion that this angel was an angel of light: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds (2 Cor. 11:13-15)." My dear friends, we need total dependance upon the Lord and his Holy Spirit. Without Him we can do no-thing! Recently I heard that a well-known preacher had said that he never entered the pulpit until he was assured of God's tangible presence. I disagree with that teaching also because of the progression and the cause and effects of Mark 16: 20, "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working withthem, and confirming the word with signs following."

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"WHERE ARE THE TRUE WORSHIPERS?" : BY PROPHETESS SISTER MARY

BOLDEN

John 4:23 says, "YET A TIME IS COMING AND HAS NOW COME WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, FOR THEY ARE THE KIND OF WORSHIPPERS THE FATHER SEEKS." FOLKS, BEFORE YOU CAN WORSHIP IN THE WAY THAT GOD DESIRERS, YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS SON. ENOUGH "PLAYING CHURCH" AND JUST GOING THROUGH FORM AND FORMALITY, BUT DENYING THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST TO MOVE FREELY IN GOD'S HOUSE! SO MANY CHURCHES ARE DOING JUST THAT IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY JUST DO THEIR OWN THING (A CERTAIN GENRE' AND WORLDLY DANCING THAT DOES NOT GLORIFY GOD!). GOD SEES ALL ; HEARS ALL; KNOWS ALL' AND ABOVE ALL, I'M SO GLAD TO REPORT, HE IS YET IN CONTROL OF ALL! LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHAT TRUE WORSHIP IS AND HOW WE MUST DO IT TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

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WORSHIP-(Greek definition); falling down before , paying homage to, and serving-recognizing the worth of God and offering unto HIm honor, praise, and adoration to HIm simply because He is worthy . To worship is to "know" God_ become intimate with HIm. Acknowledging His Kingship and becoming His "subject" or His servant. It's about yielding ourselves unto HIs rule and dominion. HERE ARE SOME SCRIPTURES THAT WILL HELP YOU TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO WORSHIP GOD IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 1 Chronicles 29: 10-13 says; HE IS SOVEREIGN LORD AND DESERVES TO BE HONORED AND REVERENCED. THAT'S WHAT WORSHIP DOES- IT INVITES HIS HOLY SPIRIT IN TO TAKE CHARGE COMPLETELY. TO EXTOL OR EXALT IS TO WORSHIP. Ps. 29:2 says, 'WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE SPLENDOR OF HIS HOLINESS, TREMBLE BEFORE HIM, ALL THE EARTH. Ps.100:4 says; ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE,; GIVE THANKS TO HIM AND PRAISE HIS NAME. PRAISE IS -EXPRESSION OF APPROVAL, COMMENDATION, OR ADMIRATION. THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON FOR PRAISE--MERIT. TO EXPRESS ADORATION OF; GLORIFY GOD HONOR GIVEN' APPLAUSE. THANKSGIVING FOR BLESSINGS CONFERRED, WORSHIP EXPRESSED IN SONG. PRAISE IS A PART OF OUR WORSHIP, PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING GO HAND IN HAND. WE CAN'T DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. Romans 12:1-2 states, 'THEREFORE, I URGE YOU, BROTHERS , IN VIEW OF GOD'S MERCY, TO OFFER YOUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD- THIS IS YOUR SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP.

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DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. My friends, I have visited many churches over the years and have found that most lacked in true worship! Oh yes, some had really good choirs that sang good praise and worship songs. But, then the Spirit would be cut off when they went into "man's program" of now we shall have theannouncements and then we are going to have the offering , etc. They tend to get in a hurry when it's time for prayer. You'll hear them say, "now , we shall have a quick prayer, and then the choir shall sing, etc." And I've been in prayer circles whereas the Spirit was beginning to move around the circle of sincere hearts who were all praying, but then someone hinted that the pastor was walking into the room, so the prayers were cut off, consequently so was the Spirit! Now, obviously, the people of God don't realize that the Holy Spirit is wise and knowledgeble of the timing that man goes by and it wouldn't have hurt for the pastor to have joined in with the prayer circle or at least allowed them to continue until they heard from heaven, now would it? So many are putting emphasis on the ediface of the building made by man's hands called church, that they tend to forget who that the body of Christ is the church. Others put their priorities on pleasing that man , the pastor, who they fail to realize is just an undershepherd (servant) of the Lord Jesus, who is the one and only TRUE SHEPHERD! That's right, some all but bow down to man more so than they do GOD! Others are there just to see who else came to church and what they are wearing. Others, just to hear the choir sing and may , if they can, tip on out before the preacher gets up to preach. Others are sleeping while the pastor is just beginning to get into the word of God. So, how can they be considered true worsshippers? It's time for each one to examine themselves and see if they can find a TRUE WORSHIPPER' inside. Perhaps you weren't taught before now, but now you won't be able to stand before the Father in judgement and plead ignorance, my friend. It's time , if you haven't already, to become a TRUE WORSHIPPER.

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And in order that you might do that. you must know who it is you are worshipping. Who is this God that you say you love and who the Bible teaches loves you , you and you. YOu may even have joined in with the song, "Yes, Jesus loves me." But, do you know HIM? Have you built a personal relationship with Jesus? Do you want to know who you are in Christ Jesus? Have you asked HIm what His plan and purpose is for your life? Why did God create you? It's time to get to know HIm; and who you are in Christ, also whose you are? And above all, quick playing, and start seriously praying about sincere and TRUE WORSHIP. LOVE BE TO ALL IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN PROPHETESS SISTER MARY BOLDEN

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The Purpose of the Prophetic : ADDED BY SUSAN C. CLARK A. Revelation 19:10

1. To have a personal revelation of Jesus Christ. 2. To know Him and to

make Him known; to carry a testimony of Christ – this is the primary

purpose of the prophetic. 3. To know the future is not the primary focus of

the prophetic. B. Matthew 16:13-17

1. [Jesus] said to them [disciples] "But who do you say that I am?" (v. 15).

2. And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the

living God" (v. 16). 3. ..."Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh

and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in Heaven"(v.

17). 4. Peter's bold confession of who Jesus was came by prophetic

revelation, not by natural understanding. 5. It takes God to know God! C. I Corinthians 12:3

1. Paul said, "...No one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy

Spirit." 2. The true prophetic purpose is to reveal the Lordship of Jesus. D. The True Prophetic Pierces Defenses

1. Read John 1:35-51 – In this passage, Nathanael's barriers are overcome

by piercing revelation of words of knowledge and discerning of spirits

through Jesus.

2. John 4:7-26 – In this lesson of the woman at the well, we see

demonstrated how the prophetic pierces our defenses and barriers (Photo

courtesy: Simon Dewey):

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a. She was a woman. b. She was met by a single man. c. They were not of

the same race. d. She was a "half-breed" Samaritan. e. She worshipped

false gods. f. She was an adulteress. g. She was deceitful, having lied and

withheld the truth. h. True prophetic revelation broke down the defenses

and she responded to His message. i. She acknowledged Him as a Prophet

and recognized Him as the Messiah.

3. Revelatory gifts are like anti-tank missiles used to shatter the enemy's

schemes, expose darkness, and release freedom to the captives. The Source of Hostility As it was in times before, so it is today. The people cry, "...The prophet is a

fool, the inspired man is demented..." (Hosea 9:7-8). Snares and hostility await him. A. Reasons Why Snares and Hostility Abound

1. Because of the sin of man. The original sin of man is rebellion against

God's Word. In the heart of man, there is hostility towards the entrance of

God's Word. The Holy Spirit does an intrusive work. Note the revelatory

word does not compete with the Word of God – i.e. the Scriptures – it

compliments it!)

2. Because of the offensive way it is packaged.

a. I Corinthians 1:26-28 – God chooses the foolish things to confound the

wise. b. God's package was often offensive:

i. Moses grew up as an Egyptian prince in Pharaoh's house. ii. Peter was

sent to the Jews, iii. and Paul, a Jew, was sent to the Gentiles (see

Galatians 2:7-8).

c. God offends the mind to reveal the heart.

3. Because of the method God chooses to reveal Himself. Numbers 12:6

tells us that He speaks in veiled ways prophetically through dreams and

visions. Stumbling blocks are often placed in the pathway to create a

seeking heart and the grace of humility.

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4. Because of the lack of appreciation. The three-stage process of

revelation, interpretation, and application can equal a three-stage problem. B. The By-Product of Hostility On the Prophet

1. Now, the risk is not in promoting the prophetic (in a wrong way), but of

putting them to death with the sword of the tongue.

2. A prophetic person might react to the hostility and become:

a. Adversarial b. Outside of the ranks of the Church c. Judgmental in the

words released d. Isolated and unsubmitted

3. The people then begin to refuse the prophet and his word – often, then,

the prophetic person reacts accordingly.

4. God's intention, though, is for the prophetic (as well as for the other

ministries) to operate in a team-context of peers and friends, with mutual

support being a blessing to one another. The safety net of a caring

community and team ministry is a vital and necessary ingredient. C. Personal Snares

1. There can often be confusion over the issues of personal identity and

security.

a. Your identity is who you are. We must cultivate an understanding of who

Christ is in us and who we are in Him as our foundation for life and

ministry. b. Your function is what you do. But let us proceed wisely here,

as our foundation in life and in the Body of Christ will go through many

changes. A measure of significance is found in our placement, but our

proper identity must be found in Christ. c. You are not what you do! d. You

are loved because of grace, not because of how well you perform or how

dynamic your gifting may be.

2. As a result of personal internal snares:

a. The prophetic person can become stubborn and dogmatic – not so much

because he is so rebellious and wicked but because he is just trying to

survive! b. Extravagant attempts then come forth claiming "God says"

everything. These can be said louder, longer, with more emotion. c. An

unteachable spirit can settle in, "I hear from God! I learn from no man!"

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3. Misconceptions about the release of the prophetic message:

a. You are going to have a "public ministry" becomes the goal. This is the

wrong goal and idea. First you are called to function at home, at work, at

school, and then elsewhere according to His will. b. People often have the

misconception that one of the highest forms of prophetic release is the

spontaneous and ecstatic word that is spoken. Instead, one of the highest

forms of prophetic release is intercession. c. What is the prophetic

presence and gifting for, then? It is first of all for you! d. Our goal is not to

be known by being right or the best. Our goal is that Jesus Christ may be

made known! With proper foundations in place, proper ministry may

proceed forth. How We Handle Genuine Prophetic Ministry A. I John 4:1-3

Test every spirit to see if it is from God. What ideas, concepts, teachings, or information are coming forth? What is the "heart" of the issue? Is the Cross of Jesus presented as the source of life? B. Don't Be a Prophecy Junkie!

The revelatory word compliments and does not compete with the Word of God. Be a Word-aholic first! Let the revelatory gifting be the icing on the

cake – not the main course. C. Understand the Nature of the Prophetic

1. Most words are invitations to respond to God with conditions that first

be met. Few are declarations that something will automatically come into

being.

2. Few are immediate, "now" words. Most are words that help us in the

process of becoming.

3. Few words get us out of our dilemma. They are used to shed light,

comfort, and encouragement to continue on. There are no shortcuts with

God!

4. Direct your faith on the God of the Word. Your focus is not on the

promise but on the God who promised. When our faith is misplaced, it

produces fantasy and unreal expectations.

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5. Realize the clarity and cost equation. What God counts as significant will

often have great opposition by the enemy. Paul was warned repeatedly of

how much he would suffer for Christ's sake. Every promise contains a cost.

6. Give room for "time lapse." As most words are invitations toward an

end, there is a duration of time in between while the person is being

prepared for the promise.

7. Knowledge is not our primary goal! The prophetic words are tokens or

signposts pointing the way to the One Who is the answer. Don't Throw It Out! A. I Thessalonians 5:19-20

Do not put out [despise, quench] the Spirit's fire [prophecy, passion, zeal]...with contempt (NIV). Due to errors, failures, and abuses, the temptation can be to despise the whole mess! But hold on! Don't put out

the Holy Spirit's fire by overreacting (see I Thessalonians 5:19-20). B. II Thessalonians 2:2

...that you may be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed

either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

1. Do not become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy.

2. There are two ditches to avoid:

a. Discarding, rejecting, and becoming unsettled by the prophetic. b. Being

enamored and captivated by it. C. Hold Fast To That Which Is Good!

It is worth the journey. Great benefit will come as we cultivate the character needed to carry the gift (see Ephesians 4:1; I Timothy 2:2). Blessings! Dr. James W. GollEncounters Network • Prayer Storm • Compassion Acts

Team Email: info@encountersnetwork.com Website: encountersnetwork.com

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WITH DIVINE ASSISTANCE YOUR LITTLE WILL ACHIEVE MUCH! "Then Elisha said, Hear Ye the Word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley be sold for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria". (2 Kings 7 vs 1). It is interesting to observe that when God intervened in the famine in Israel! He declared that a measure (large sack) of fine flour will be sold for one

shekel! While two measures (two large sacks) of barley will go for a shekel! By that declaration, God inferred that the Israelites would use just little money to

buy so much! God didn't promise to give them money so that they would buy more! But He promised to bring them to a point where the little they had would achieve

much! God promised them the miracle of ACHIEVING MUCH WITH LITTLE! One frustrating situation we often face in life is to have little or limited

resources! We often have Little ideas! Little strength! Little skills! Little abilities! Little

finances! Little jobs! Little contacts! Little opportunities etc!

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Sometimes, we imagine all we need to achieve much is to have more! That was the case with the Disciples with the feeding of the 5,000! At first they said they had nothing to feed them! Later, a small boy volunteered his little lunch-pack it was too little! But with the little 5 loaves and 2 fishes the Lord fed the 5,000 men not counting

women and children! They eat to their satisfaction! They "Chop Remain" 12 Baskets full! Beloved, hear God's word to your heart today: YOUR LITTLE WILL ACHIEVE

MUCH! The little resources at your disposal will make a difference in your life! The efforts you consider as being little will connect you to abundance! The idea you consider as being little will take your world by storm! Your little abilities and skills would launch you into greatness and fame! 1 corinthians 1: 27 puts it in an amazing light, it says,"God hath chosen the

foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak

things of the world to confound the things which are mighty"! God is interested in using your "Little" to surprise you and to glorify His name!

Don't despise it! Pray with me,"Lord, I declare that my Little will achieve much". Have a Laughter-Filled MID-WEEK! LET SOMEBODY SHOUT HALLELUJAH! THE FATHER'S PRAYERS: "I pray for you today! Get ready for your season

of abundance! This season the Lord will cause your little to achieve much to

your satisfaction! People looking down on you because you are young, will be

surprised at what the Lord will use you to achieve! People looking down on you

saying you are too old! Shall be confounded at the great feats the Lord will do

through your little strength!

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People looking down at you, thinking that you are too poor to accomplish that

project shall be taken by surprise at the outcome of the finished edifice the Lord

will cause you to build with the little you have! The Lord is visiting you with the

miracle of none-stop abundance like He did for the widow of Zarephath! You

shall never lack anything good all the days of your life! You shall not borrow to

eat! You shall not borrow to drink! You shall not borrow to wear! You shall not

beg or borrow to fulfil your purpose! You shall not beg or burrow to achieve

your destiny! That little divine provision and divine effort with you will achieve

much and take you to reach your goal in the name of Jesus! (Amen)! EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

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Battle: By Jeff Godsown

In today’s’ hurry up, no patience, microwavable, instant this or that world, man has lost his perspective, his reason and his mind. Yes, I said man has lost his mind! When we come to Christ, and it is a real act, we just signed up to do battle, and most of the time, like with all troops, we must be trained. No self-respecting Drill Instructor or team instructor would ever consider sending their troops off to battle, unless they were prepared. In boot camp, you learn how to shut your mouth, listen carefully to instruction, and obey, all of which are necessary for maintaining composure and life on the field of battle. 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Untrained man for the most part has no idea what it takes to survive in battle, and for those of you who play video games, the real deal is nothing like the video game.

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When you’re staring down the barrel of the enemy’s weapon, what will you do to hopefully live past that moment, because there is no reset button in real life. God’s Word is the firm foundation on which we should build everything, and from which everything we build should be constructed; Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. The Word of God is the only foundation that stands when the storms strike, and they will strike! Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. Without training, we not only fail, but we fall never to get up; and with a refusal to be properly trained; Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Amazingly enough, Pastors and other chosen called leaders in the church, get to see this self-destructive, I know it all and you can’t teach me anything attitude all the time and outside of constant prayer, there is nothing any person can do to help these people. These self-willed individuals and groups, should be marked and caution should be taken regarding hanging out with them. These individuals and groups, get others killed, injured and or forever maimed, all because they believe they’re smarter than God and His Word. These are the very same individuals and groups who openly scream "judge not” in due time, never taking ownership for their failings, always blaming others. I find it very amazing that God chose this day to release this message as it is Memorial Day, but who did He release it for? Drill instructors and team instructors know the value of those who listen and do, according to their training, and for the most part,

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have no problem being in a foxhole, the trenches, or the field of battle with these obedient warriors. Some instructors will even take certain individuals under their wing in the field, and raise them up for greater things, hmmm, sounds a bit like how God would handle things. These instructors and leaders have learned what it takes to get someone motivated, and they know that molly-coddling individuals or groups, is not the key to success and life. It is the trials, tribulations, and even the persecutions that make true warriors stronger, and the correction brought on the disobedient individual, that keeps them in line. 1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. God’s chastening is actually an act of love, to keep you alive and in line; Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? So having this knowledge, why is it so hard for so many to receive correction, the kind of correction done in love to keep us alive and in-line? We all need to keep in mind, though Christ came in love, it’s not the kind of love we interpret it to be; Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. If we don’t soon repent of doing things our way, then the result is not so loving; Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Remember; if the battle is the Lord’s, and the Lord is Jesus the Word, then in order for us to fight the good fight, we need the Word of God,

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the Lord Jesus to be alive, well and in charge in our lives! There is nothing mamby pamby about our God, and when He came to earth to show us how to live, move and have our being, He came giving His all in excellence, even His own sacrifice of life! There is nothing easy about being a battlefield warrior, you must fight or die, and in order to succeed, your works must be works of excellence, not some slip-shod effort. God said to give Him your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to give them in love and faith. Stop bucking the system and the Word of God, the whole Word of God! So the choice is still yours, what’s it going to be, will you continue to live for self, or will you die to self and live whole-heartedly for God?!? Amen!

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Honor Thy Father, But Be an Original! By Christine Darg

On this Father’s Day we honour our natural fathers and our spiritual mentors. When Elisha saw the translation of his mentor Elijah to heaven, he cried, “My father! My father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” (2 Kings 2: 12) The meaning of this Hebraic expression, according to the Targum, is that Elijah’s prophetic prayers were more important to Israel as a defence than chariots and charioteers. Before the departure of a loved one, we desire a special blessing and cherished time together. On the day of Elijah’s translation, Elisha followed him ever so closely and desired a special request: knowing he would be Elijah’s successor, Elisha craved a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

Elisha requested the double portion due to firstborn sons (Deu. 21:17)–-not worldly goods but rather a double helping of Elijah’s spirit.

Elijah said he had asked a “hard thing” because it’s God’s prerogative to grant the Spirit, not man’s.

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Nevertheless, Elijah said, “If you see me depart, then it shall be so to you, but if not, you shall not have your desire.” Question: How could Elijah guarantee Elisha’s request if his protege could only behold the scene? Answer: As a prophet, Elijah well understood that Elisha could only see into the spiritual world if he had been granted the prophetic insight that comes with the office of a prophet, and thus, if Elisha could see into the Spirit world, that could only mean that Elisha’s request had been granted. If on the other hand, Elisha could not see the departure, that would mean he did not receive the gift of a seer, let alone a double portion.

Elisha DID behold the chariot of fire and the whirlwind! Thus he received the sign and the prophetic office. And it’s recorded that Elisha performed twice as many miracles as his mentor. Yet the consensus of scholars is that Elisha’s ministry was not as powerful as his mentor’s, lacking in the fire, creativity and originality of Elijah. Today we honour our fathers, but may we always strive to be God’s original. Yes, beloved mentors are necessary, but we can never be them. Rather let’s look to the Lord for our own specific marching orders and fulfil our unique callings planned from eternity past: “Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence.. .For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 1:4, 2:10)

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"Why Tell Stories".....By Kenneth White

"The disciples came up and asked, why are you telling stories?"

Jesus replied, "you`ve been given insight into God`s Kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn`t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understanding will flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That`s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they`re blue in the face and not get it." "But you have God blessed eyes---eyes that see! And God blessed ears, ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you see, to hear what you are hearing,but never had the chance". Take for instance "The seed cast into the gravel(stoney ground)--This is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

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"Jesus continued:"The Kingdom of Heaven is like the seed being cast into some thorns and thistles which choke out the word of the Kingdom. The thistles are pulled up and burned up which is from the final act. The angels will weed out the weeds from the thistles from His Kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They`re going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At that same time, ripe Holy lives will mature and adorn the Kingdom of their Father.""Are you listening to this? Are you really listening?" These verses were taken from Matthew chapter 13 concerning the parables of the Kingdom. I quoted some verses from "The Message". It is plain to see that God has a remnant who understand the principles of the Kingdom, and that the Kingdom will come from within a people who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Father is saying in this hour we live in. He`s not getting ready to rapture us out of here like the false teachings of the Scholfield Bible teaches, and the message of the hirelings who are in this only for the cash and publicity. God has a people who are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, " and to the overcomer will I grant to sit with me in My Throne." There are some overcomers out there and they`re headed for the "mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus". They`re not waiting for a rapture but for a move from the Father within them to turn this earth upside down with the Gospel(Good News) of the Kingdom. Isn`t that great?

"Thy Kingdom come, Thou Will be done on EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"...

Kenneth and Joseph White...

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Emotions Move Money Into Ministry: By Dr. Leonard Robinson

A couple of days ago the Lord spoke to my heart and said

"Emotions move money into ministry" and He was showing me

how showy Pastors and other ministers are in performing for the

people in an aim to excite the emotions of people and raise their

expectations of God moving on their behalf.

Now I thought the statement "Emotions move money into

ministry" was an interesting one to say the least, so I wrote it

down and then forgot that I wrote it. Lately the Lord has had me

going to youtube and typing in certain preachers names and

bringing up their video-taped messages to really pay attention to

what they are preaching.

What I noticed from video to video and from preacher to preacher

is of the ones the Lord had me pull up, what they all had in

common was that they had a stylized delivery, usually with a hoop

or some other audio and theatrical delivery, and they would say in

so many words that they were speaking prophetically about what

God was "getting ready to do." These preachers would also go

into the Old Testament to pull out Old Testament concepts and

then unfold the teaching as "revelation" for today yet the

revelation would actually either outright deny what God has

"already" done, or would most certainly be a revelation that no

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doubt showed that the preacher had no understanding of the right

now presence of God's Kingdom and the reign of God or our reign

as being the sons and daughters of God who have received all

things that pertain unto life and godliness. Two people were using

their television time mass marketing Hebrew prayer shawls, that

was last week when the Lord first told me "Emotions move money

into ministry". And the other was insisting that you purchase his

dvd series so that you could experience the coming covering of

the anointing so that you wouldn't miss your blessing. Now that

was last night when the Lord reminded me of what He told me the

week before and I am going to say it again...."Emotions move

money into ministry"

What these preachers had in common was that they were aiming

at stirring the people emotionally to become expectant of a

coming blessing for their obedience in listening to these preachers

with the result being that the people would give their money, in

effect trying to purchase the blessing.

The Word of God in Matthew's account records the disciples

saying to Jesus:

“Tell us … what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of

the world?”

Jesus responded: “Take heed that no man deceive you.

“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall

deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: …

and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,

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in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matt.

24:3–8).

The Apostle Paul warned of these days: “For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own

lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth” (2 Tim. 4:3–

4).

Paul also taught that the Lord “gave some, apostles; and some,

prophets …

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for

the edifying of the body of Christ:

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of

the Son of God, …

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and

carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,

and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph.

4:11–14).

Jeremiah 23:16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not

listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you

with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not

from the mouth of the LORD.

Acts 20:30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort

the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

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2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people,

just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly

introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord

who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Revelation 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your

perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people,

that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not,

and have found them false.

Now remember what the Lord said to me. "Emotions move money

into ministry" Now think back to almost every service where you

were bribed and extorted to give money so that you could get

your blessing because it was your do season. It just may be that

you were a victim of Believer's Identity Theft in not knowing who

you are, or you were a victim most certainly of witchcraft from the

pulpit.

If at the end of the day the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor

and Teacher are not equipping you to do the work of the ministry,

teaching you how to advance God's Kingdom, preaching the

message Jesus preached, and that He is the Anointed King of the

Kingdom here and now, and to come, and the only means of

salvation for man, that you would mature in the full stature of

Christ we all walking in unity, then you are in the darkness of

religion masquerading as revelation and someone somewhere is

trying to get your emotions to move money into their ministry.

Matthew 6:33Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His

righteousness ......

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SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by MARSHA BURNS & OTHER QUOTES : By Babsie Hannah VD Berg

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by MARSHA BURNS: Even though change is sometimes frightening and difficult, you will begin to see the advantage in the changes that are now taking place. Things that are no longer relevant or advantageous to your walk in the Spirit will suddenly be removed. And, you will be relieved and free rather than experiencing a sense of regret or loss. Set your heart to be willing to let go, says the Lord. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

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a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." -Luke 12:32 As a father, there’s no one I’d rather bless than my own children. There’s no one I’d rather see increase and rise higher in life. It’s the same way with our heavenly Father. It gives Him pleasure to give His children His Kingdom. It brings a smile to His face. Today, know that God loves you with an everlasting love. He longs to be good to you. He wants you to come boldly to Him. He wants you to make your requests known. Trust that when you call on Him, He will answer. He will show you His love and lead you in everlasting life.

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HE CARRIED ME!!!! Apostle Jessie Striggles To my brothers and sisters; my testimony is so much like many of you today. BUT LOOK AT ME NOW!!!! DEPRESSION - I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't socialize, didn't care whether I lived or died. Heartbreak, pain, abandonment, lost and ashame. HAVE U EVER QUESTION GOD? How can this be - what happen to my life, where are the people that claim they love me so much? Lord - I don't want to pray anymore, I don't want to hear scripture; nor read the Bible; for you can't be real. Daughter I know you don't understand - but I am sorry that you must go thru this like my son Jesus - WHO KNEW NOR SIN; YET TOOK ON ALL SINS, ALL SICKNESS, ALL BURDENS, ALL HEARTBREAKS AND NAILED THEM TO THE CROSS. I am preparing you to do THE GREATER WORKS FOR HOW CAN YOU LEAD MY PEOPLE IF YOU REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND OR BEEN THRU ANYTHING - LIKE JESUS!!!! HE CARRIED ME!!!! SICKNESSES - Until I really thought they had a room with my name on it at the hospital. In and out so many times - being overcome & healed EVERYTIME by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB (JESUS THE CHRIST). Every time - the doctors said NO. EVERYTIME I BEAT THE ODDS!!! HE CARRIED ME!!!! I now know that thru it all I had to be seperated, sanctified and set aside that I would come to know that in order to be JESUS DISCIPLE - I MUST BE ABLE TO BEAR MY OWN CROSS!!!!! They were suppose to leave me so ordered by the Lord!!!

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I tell you all I WOULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR MY JOURNEY FOR IT BROUGHT ME TO A PLACE IN GOD THAT HE & I ALONE MEET AT & HE DOWNLOAD GREAT MYSTERIES THAT WERE KNOWN ONLY UNTO HIM INSIDE OF ME. Don't tell ANYONE because they won't believe you!!!! HE CARRIED ME - THRU EVERY STORM, EVERY SICKNESS AND MAJOR DEPRESSION FOR I HAD SURELY FAINTED. The picture of HIM CARRYING ME tells my complete story!!!!! A clear purpose, plan & destiny for my life. I tried to pull my hand out of God's hand; but He wouldn't let me go - HE CARRIED ME!!!! So many things I want to share with you all; but I must share in my book. I must encourage you though to never let go of His hand. He is the Author & Finisher of our Faith - though for real - I had lost all Faith & all Hope was gone. He restored my mind, my body, my spirit. He put in me FEARLESSNESS, A BOLDNESS to speak what He says speak even if they don't want to hear it. I HAVE BEEN RESTORED - FOR HE CARRIED ME!!! final word: I am getting emotional right now because I really want to inspire, encourage you to know Jesus is right there with you - TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT (I just heard that in the spirit)!!! WHEN U R DOWN AND OUT - HE WILL CARRY YOU!!!! AJS HE CARRIED ME!!!!

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FALSE TEACHERS, PROPHETS OF OUR DAYS PREACHING FALSE DOCTRINES!

Evangelist Stephen-Bonita Richie

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How many false teachers and false preachers are telling

Christians lies from hell! They want us all to believe we are great,

we are going to have a "good" life, etc., etc., whereas God calls no

one good but The LORD Jesus Christ and He promises us that

those in Christ Jesus WILL have tribulations in this old world. The

false preachers and false teachers promise us wealth, etc. God

does not promise us this. He says that if we seek first the kingdom

of God and His righteousness that we will have food and raiment.

Period. The sick are welcomed into prayer lines by false teachers

and false preachers that never explain to the sick that it could

very well be that sin may be the door whereby satan has entered

with his diseases and sicknesses with true repentance of sin

necessary. The false teachers and false preachers promise peace

to those who profess salvation yet are living like devils. These

false teachers and false preachers are wicked ear-ticklers that

serve themselves off of the fleecing of the deceived flock. Since

few read and study their Bibles in these last days, the false

teachers and false preachers are having a hey-day deceiving

multitudes and walking them step-by-step away from Jesus and

into the eternal flames of hell.

"They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye

shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after

the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For

who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived

and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

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Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a

grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the

wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have

executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in

the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." (Jeremiah 23:17-20)

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KINGDOM LESSONS: By Dr. Leonard Robinson

Listen saints of the most High God, possessors of the Kingdom

under the heavens....at some point you not only have to ask

yourself how much do you know about the doctrine of the

Kingdom of God that Jesus preached, but you will also have to

come to grips with the fact that if you know the doctrine and

others refused to receive it, they are Pharisees, heretics in their

own right and well sometimes you are just going to have to let go

of Pharisees and heretics.

People who revel in half truths and preach a partial gospel can

become like parasites on you only wanting to suck the life out of

you and adding absolutely nothing to you. Contend with them for

as long as the Lord allows but when the Lord says 'that's it" you

are done....don't linger on trying to convince them of the truth.

God has given you grace for them that want to receive and grace

to seek to persuade them that do not, but then there comes a

time when you are to shake the dust off of your feet and say to

them..."This day the Kingdom of God has come upon you."

I've had to do that recently with a brother who just persisted in

maligning the words of Jesus as though somehow the teachings

of Jesus on the Kingdom of God were irrelevant.

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No matter how I outlined the doctrine of the Kingdom for him the

brother just refused the receive the truth. Sadly, all the things

that he was right about, about preachers needing to preach the

truth, and that we are not to chew the meat and spit out the

bones is spot on. The scriptures tell us to mark them that preach a

doctrine contrary to what we've received. Yet this same brother

refused to see that we've received anything more than the

doctrine of salvation.

His whole world is based on the doctrine of salvation. He couldn't

see the doctrine of the Kingdom with a 10x lens. So reluctantly,

but no less necessary....I expelled him from Kingdom University.

That being said...I must encourage you to ask questions, but at

the same time, you must be teachable or all you are going to do is

wind up fighting against the truth of God's word and making

yourself to be religiously foolish (call no man a fool), and

becoming an obstacle to the truth of God's word.

I pray that God gives the brother the Spirit of wisdom and

revelation in the knowledge of Him because clearly all the brother

has is the letter and not the Spirit.

Study the Kingdom of God. Don't be a Pharisee or a heretic. You

must give yourself over to the whole counsel of God. If you put all

the scriptures and doctrine you know all together in one book, but

don't know the doctrine of the Kingdom of God that Jesus Christ

and the disciples preached and demonstrated then you don't

really know anything at all the way God wants it to be known.

That is dangerous and that is where we are in the body of Christ

today.

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How much do you know about the Kingdom of God? The

authenticity of your ministry, the integrity of your call, and your

ability to lead people into the fulfillment of their divine destiny

hinges on your answer to this question. No need to panic though.

Start today seeking first God's Kingdom and righteousness by

launching a forensic study on the subject. And I've got good news

for you. What the Father tells you in secret concerning the

Kingdom of God He wants you to declare from the rooftops. In

other words, He won't just reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom to

you for you, He actually wants you to tell the world what you've

found. That is what the disciples did from the first until the last

and we are to do the same.

Watch, you will experience your mind, will and emotions being

restored, and you will discover your purpose, identity and divine

destiny, and will walk in the fullness of the power of God's love

and authority, and experience the provision of God for your

material needs, all because you make God's kingdom and

righteousness your number one priority. That's just too much to

allow Pharisees and heretics to deny you off.

Leonard,

267-357-9816

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God is not mock : BY VIVIAN KESHANE

A man of 32 years, was smoking,

while smoking his cigarette, he

puffed out some smoke into the

air and said:'God, that's for you.'

He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.

The man who built the Titanic

After the construction of Titanic, a

reporter asked him how safe the

Titanic would be.

With an ironic tone he said: 'Not even God can sink it'

The result: I think you all know

what happened to the Titanic

Marilyn Monroe (Actress)

She was visited by Billy Graham

during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had

sent

him to preach to her.

After hearing what the Preacher

had to say, she said:

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'I don't need your Jesus'.

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment

Bon Scott (Singer)

The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On

one of his 1979 songs he sang:

'Don't stop me; I'm going down all

the way, down the highway to hell'.

On the 19th of February 1980, Bon

Scott was found dead, he had been

choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (IN 2005)

In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a

friend.....

The mother accompanied her to

the car and was so worried about

the drunkenness of her friends

and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was

already seated in the car:

'My Daughter, Go With God And

May He Protect You.'

She responded: 'Only If He (God)

Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here.....It's Already Full '

Hours later, news came by that

they had been involved in a fatal

accident, everyone had died, the

car could not be recognized what

type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact.

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The police said there was no way

the trunk could have remained

intact.

To their surprise, inside the

trunk was a crate of eggs, none

was broken Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist & entertainer)

said the Bible (Word of God) was

the worst book ever written.

In June 2006 she was found burnt

beyond recognition in her motor

vehicle.

Many more important people have

forgotten that there is no other

name that was given so much

authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus

died and rose again, and he is still alive forever more!!

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Moments in The Kingdom: By Amos J. Young Sr.

Teaching The Kingdom of God and Christ: Mat 3:13-15 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him, but John forbad him, "saying, I have need To Be Baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” And Jesus answering said unto him, "Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he suffered him. Righteousness: the conditions acceptable to God concerning the way in which man attain by the grace of God a state approved of God: (for example "ye must be born-again… Jhn 3:7… being a living sacrifice in the integrity, virtue, rightness and correctness of thinking (Phil 2:5), feeling and acting [1Pe 1:16]). And so here we see the doctrine of baptism spoken to and acted upon by Jesus Christ The Anointed King. Jesus submits to the fulfilling of all righteousness as Son of Man being baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptizer (immersed, not sprinkled … Matt 13:16);

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Jesus’ ministry is the pattern, the example for those who are called by His Name. Jesus not only said His doctrine, He demonstrated His doctrine (teaching). Needless to say, we are to do the same in/to the full, all, total, complete counsel of God (Matt 28:20). Teaching Kingdom doctrine (Eph 4:11-16) is for the edifying of the Believer (Eph 4:13), we strengthening "one another” in love. Teaching Kingdom doctrine is for that we grow into the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2Cor 4:6, Eph 1:17, 2Pe 1:3). Teaching Kingdom doctrine is not a slice of their statement of belief verses those over there statement of belief, coupled with a sprinkling in as it may be of picking out some and leaving, ignoring of some - of Jesus’ doctrine He taught: for that surely cannot be the unity of the faith no matter how much the doctrine of men may say; for how can two walk together except they agree? (Amos 3:3) And so with the doctrine of baptism, we identify with Him, His death, burial and resurrection as Jesus decrees we be obedient in Him: suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. : 16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

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And the "Beloved Son, firstborn from the dead (Rev 1:5-6) says: "I must preach the [good news, the glad-tidings] of the Kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent (Luk 4:43) [of My FATHER, and your FATHER ... our Source]. Kingdom First … To be continued… (2Pet 3:18) (Acts 28:30-31)

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Abba Father

Luke chapter 5 takes us to Lake Gennesaret where Jesus had been preaching to a

swelling crowd. In the distance he noticed two empty boats on the shoreline, near

where the fishermen were washing their empty nets. He asked the owner Peter to help

him push it out a little into the water and used the boat as a platform from which he

preached. A short while later, he asked Peter and his team to venture out into deeper

water and to cast their nets on the opposite side to where they originally fished. A

perplexed, frustrated Peter vented, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't

caught anything, But because you say so, I will let down the nets." There's nothing

worse, more frightening than when our livelihoods are challenged, when the jobs, the

careers, the work we earn our keep from yields nothing. Missed opportunities are

costly; it has devastating ripple effects on the entire supply chain, from supplier to

consumer. No fish that day meant no money, no food, no provision and unpaid bills.

That was it, all the attempts, all the alternative methods and creative contingencies

turned out nothing. Many of us if not all of us, know how Peter felt, what anxiety

overwhelms us when our source of income is suddenly threatened. We scramble to

work our way around our predicament. Our minds race helter skelter, we feel alone

and abandoned and things can speedily spiral out of control if no relief is in sight.

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Do you think Jesus had to wait for Peter to explain what happened? Jesus saw the

empty boats, just like He sees our lost opportunity. He spoke from the empty boat, a

"podium of unused capacity" When we hand over our emptiness to Him, all He can

and ever will do is fill it to overflowing, an abundance too perplexing for us to

understand. This miracle was tantamount to an expert businessman coming alongside

a failed business transaction and offering his expertise at no cost. Like a father who

comes beside a disappointed hurting child and offers comfort and advice, Jesus

motioned for Peter to set out into the deep. The key is obedience. What do we do

with the instruction Jesus gives? Yes we can challenge Him and talk ourselves out of

it, but Lord the economic climate, the poor exchange rates, my overdrawn funds, my

lack of skill and yes we can go on tabulating and itemizing all our fears and

shortcomings but when Jesus challenges to go deeper, then deeper we must go. Our

faith must rise like the burgeoning rough waters, for it's in these deep waters that our

miraculous "catch of fish" lies.

Casting their nets onto the other side, Peter and his partners caught their biggest ever

catch of fish, it was the same lake, the same water, but a different result From the

empty vessels, to boats that began to sink under the weight of the catch. It was more

than enough to share with the others. Astonishment and elation aside, Peter threw

himself to the feet of Jesus "Go away from me Lord I am a sinful man!" Peter cried.

"Don't be afraid from now on you will fish for people." Jesus said. So they pulled

their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. When you are exposed to

the Supernatural Provision of God you are able to abandon your natural capacities and

provisions. Jesus identifies and ministers to our need. He is Abba Father. Many do

not have the privilege of a Father, a mentor or Father-Figure but you have Jesus.

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life" Proverbs

13:12. Your Hope must be in Him who is able to keep you from falling, the one, able

to do far more exceedingly above your imaginings. He remains the same God

yesterday, today and forever.

When all the dependencies are gone, when all avenues exhausted, Jesus steps in and

turns it all around so swiftly that our response is not so much at the wonder of the

miracle but like Peter we're awestruck at His Mastery, and humbled by our

unrighteousness and unworthiness, we can leave it all, to follow Him, our Provider,

our Master, our Abba Father.

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Women of Worth International assist Pastors to start and maintain an effective Women's Ministry. Pastors in over 90 countries like the simple,

free program because it gets many people involved, freeing up their time to do what only they can do. Women love it because it allows them to use their Spiritual Gifts within their church. Register to start a WOW chapter

in your church at

www.wowintl.net

You will be glad you did!

Will You Be Our Partner?

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Partakers of His Divine Nature ~ by Susan C. Clark

The Lord says, I have created you to be partakers of My divine

nature. You have been called and set apart for My purposes and

plans. My kingdom shall be manifested on this earth as it is in

heaven through those of you who understand this spiritual reality.

As you value My word, you will walk in a new authority. It is those

who know Me, spend time with Me, and have developed a

personal relationship with Me which others cannot comprehend.

Those who are partakers of My divine nature are those who

receive what I have given to them and release it to others. They

position themselves and are always ready to receive a fresh

revelation. My presence will once again be evident in your life as

you walk in a manner worthy of your calling. I am about to

release My Shekinah glory once again on this earth and I am

seeking those whom I could trust to be carriers. The spiritual

realm will become just as real to you as the natural realm and you

will begin to discern the mysteries of heaven.

Kingdom Advancement

As you rely on Me in all things, you will see the kingdom advance

in your life as well as those around you. As you understand what it

is to partake of My divine nature you will begin to bring this

reality into your homes and will see your families change. You will

contend in intercession to have it brought back into your schools

as well as your countries.

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You will always defend the faith no matter what the cost. A new

voice will arise from My people as they begin to walk in a different

way than the world walks. They are those who are not conformed

to the pattern of this world. As you empty yourselves of

everything concerning the carnal nature, you will learn what it is

to walk in the divine nature. As you submit yourselves to

righteousness you will being to walk in a new way. As you

conform your lives to My word, your mind will be transformed.

Allow My kingdom to begin on the inside of you. You have been

called to advance My kingdom on this earth and those who are

partakers of My divine nature will do so says the Lord.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be

transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove

what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the

knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has

given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through

the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which

have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,

that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to

walk just as He walked.

Elaine Tavolacci

www.awordinseason.info

www.TheVoiceOfProphecy.com

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Patience I cannot take any credit at all for anything I am blessed to pen that comes from God the Father, and I will not take credit for this either. I saw this out of the corner of my eye, so-to-speak, someone else had posted the remark, ‘how come we expect God to be patient with us, but we have no patience for Him”? When something like that catches my attention and peaks my interest, I must have a conversation with the Lord, regarding it, and this time is no different, and here is what Father said! In a world filled with instant this and microwavable that, man has lost all concept of what patience and waiting are all about. The whole man made, satan driven, commercialization of buy now, pay later, and you’ve got to have this right now attitude, has put man’s ability to wait and be patient, so far out of sight, that it has become pathetic. This whole attitude and theology is based on the, “got to keep up with the Joneses” thought pattern. Even sickness has become the same way, if someone’s sickness is greater in our minds, then jealousy sets in, and our minds develop a hypochondriac’s response syndrome. This in turn screams my sickness has to be equal to or greater than, the other. To top that off, there are those who have to have the latest in medical drugs, no matter the danger, or for what purpose? Could it be the disclaimers of risk are lesser than our ability to reason, are people really so foolish. God knows the truth, about all things, especially matters of our heart! Have we actually made ourselves so mentally deceived, not standing on and in faith that God heals, that our sickness is a mental disorder, brought about by lack of patience and disobedience towards God’s Word,

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thus further enhancing this attitude? Time and time again, men and women, mouth-pieces of God, chosen personally by God, have brought forth God’s warnings, regarding our disobedience, and still we choose of our own free will to disobey. Does our lack of patience dictate our destruction? Now there’s a question that should be examined thoroughly, does our lack of patience dictate our destruction? Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Luk 16:24 And

he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that

he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented

in this flame. The rich man’s torment of judgment was his greed, maybe our torment in judgment is our lack of patience. Our lack of patience is also destructive in other ways; one of those ways, as shown in the above scripture is our attempt to manipulate circumstances, even to our attempting to manipulate God. Hopefully all have heard the expression, God give me patience and give it to me right now, or how about don’t ask God for patience, because you won’t like what happens. We have become a society of lost Christians. Where there is no patience, there is no foundation of truth, nor is there succession in trials. Commercialism in the world has had a profound effect on the church in to many ways, even to the destruction of the church, and we are supposed to be the church. 1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

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Did you ever stop to wonder about the depth of the things Christ said to us? Though His words are simple, they are profound and full of richness regarding every situation we find ourselves in, bringing us through process into patience. Today is no different in our approach, than it was when Jesus walked the earth, if we read and study the scriptures He teaches us. What about the ones who do not read and study, and I’m not referring to those who cannot; Mar 14:49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. Through our reading and our studying God’s Word, seeking His truth, we are strengthened to handle every situation that comes our way, making us patient to wait on God! Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; In this process unto patience, fruit is produced, even patience with each other, giving others the grace and mercy we’re called to give. Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Why should we think for one moment we deserve any kind of patience from God,

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if we can’t be patient with Him and each other? If we can’t be obedient to God in all the ways He said to, then how is it we think we show Him we love Him? Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Our obedience to the truth of God’s Word, bring purification and love for one another, to the point where we become patient with God, and because of God, we become patient with each other, ceasing from our manipulative impatient attitudes and actions. Through our continued obedience, our minds are healed, our hearts are purified, and we walk in the newness of life! God has warned us time and again, just out of curiosity, when Christ returns, what side of the fence do we want to be on? Will it be His side, because we obeyed fully, or the dark side, because we refuse to obey, or will we straddle the fence in hopes our partial obedience is good enough? If we’re not doing things God’s way, then we’re just not obedient at all and it’s time to repent before time runs out. Amen!

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The WOW Connection: Marilyn Orton

Women of Worth International is an organization that distributes a

simple, free program that will help churches start and maintain an

effective Women's Ministry. We are getting requests from Pastor's

because they see the benefit of having their women involved in

ministry. It also helps the women to do the work of the ministry,

freeing up some of the Pastors time.

The women love it because it adds structure to their Women’s

Ministry, and gives them a leadership role in their church (under their

Pastor’s direction.) It also gives women a place to develop their

spiritual gifts.

WOW is many things. It is leadership, on the job, training. It is using

spiritual gifts in ministry. It is Spiritual growth. It is fun and

fellowship. It connects churches with a common purpose. It is

evangelistic in nature. It brings the churches together to work on a

community project, such as feeding the poor. It creates a national

sisterhood. WOW is much more than a simple program that works. It

unites the Body of Christ, sets aside denominational differences, and

brings glory to God!

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This program, if followed as outlined, will greatly generate excitement

and enlarge your Women's Ministry in a short period of time. It is

designed to involve all of the women of your church, and community.

WOW is international, and operates in more than 90 countries. If you

would like to know more about WOW, and what it can do for you,

please go to our website is http://www.wowintl.net comeplete the

form, and the simple, free program will be emailed to you promptly.

The quickest way to expand WOW in your country is to copy this

sheet and distribute it to Pastors and women that you know. Once

they see it they will want it.

WOW is totally free. There is never any charge for anything we do.

But we do ask:

That the name of your Women’s Ministry be called Women of Worth International.

Each chapter is asked to register online at http://www.wowintl.net We need to know where you are so that we can send updates, announcements and new information.

That you send periodic emails with pictures and updates to be posted on our website.

No one in WOW, including its officers and Board of Directors receives a salary.

We are Servant Leaders. Freely, Freely we have received. Freely we give.

That all money collected within your chapter must be dispersed by your chapter.

No one outside of your WOW chapter, is authorized to collect funds on behalf of WOW

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Your service, through WOW, is not to an organization, but to the Lord

Jesus Christ. God is doing what only He can do, and we give Him

praise and honor and glory for the movement of the Holy Spirit.

WOW empowers you to have a ministry that is accountable to

Him. We are here to cheer you on! You are beginning a great

adventure with God and with each other. I am so very excited for you!

Every Blessing and much love,

Marilyn

Marilyn Orton, President Women of Worth Internationa http:// www.wowintl.net wow@wowintl.net

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Frustrating The Grace Of God : By Apostle Lee Ann Marino

I am not the world's most patient person. In fact, I have an

extremely low tolerance threshold for nagging or for repeated

questioning. I get annoyed when people are condescending with

me, especially when they are in the wrong. I don't like to be

interrupted when I am working. I dislike it when people come to

me, I tell them what to do because they ask, and then they do

what they want anyway (I see it as a disrespect of my time). I'll

outright tell people that I don't like them if I don't. I don't have

time for nonsense. I don't have time to baby people. Not only

that, I am not good at nonsense or babying.

Recently when someone irritated me, I thought, "I wonder if this

is how God feels when we know what we are supposed to do

something, and just don't do it." Immediately the Spirit dropped

within me, "Frustrating the grace of God."

The Spirit was echoing the words of Galatians 2:16-21: "Knowing

that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the

faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that

we may be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of

the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But

if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are

found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? By no

means.

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For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a

transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I

may live to God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in

the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and

gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if

righteousness is attainable by the law, then Christ hath died in

vain."(WBS)

This passage is important today, just as it was in days gone by, for

a lot of reasons. I think every one of us needs the reminder that

we are not saved by ourselves, nor are we saved by the works of

the law (or our own re-created concepts therein). All throughout

history, people have attempted to operate via their own means of

righteousness. They do this by creating their own law, or their

own version of the law. No matter what tower we are building to

ourselves in order to keep ourselves sheltered therein by it, we

are creating a means by which we do not have to confront

ourselves as sinners. If we simply do not associate with certain

people out of a sense of self-righteousness, we are creating our

own law. If we hold ourselves above other people because we

consider ourselves to be superior, we are creating our own law. If

we are not doing what God has asked of us and calling that

"grace," we are creating our own law.

All around me, I see extremes. I see one excessive end of "dos

and don'ts," and another extreme of people who just don't obey

God in the least. Both are equally frustrating to God, and are a

frustration of His grace to us.

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Grace has not been given to us as an excuse for us to disobey

what God is saying to us, nor is it an excuse to just modify our

relationship with Him to suit our own personal need to be self-

righteous and personally glorified. As with all things in the

Father, God calls us to seek the balance - the middle ground -

between these two excessive extremes. When we find balance,

we are grounded in a place that ceases to frustrate His grace.

Just as I see my time as valuable and see it as a form of

disrespect when it is dishonored, so too does God see His grace as

a valuable and precious thing. When we dishonor the grace He

has freely given us, God feels dishonored. We focus a lot on the

character development away from impatience and intolerance,

but I think we often don't flip the coin and look at the reverse.

Sometimes people are as patient as they have within them to be,

and people continue to grate on that. Sometimes people lash out

or say things that perhaps they shouldn't, but sometimes they are

provoked. In this instance, the goodness they have has been

frustrated - and the result is a sense of anger. It is not a vain

anger, but a righteous one - one that in an honest setting should

cause all to step back and look at themselves.

Today, we don't like to think of God as angry or displeased. We

certainly don't like to think of ourselves as having the ability to

"frustrate" God's grace. We want to think it's not possible to

frustrate it, simply because it's from God - but the Word doesn't

give us that perspective. Modern-day ministries tend to

emphasize certain attributes of God that are appealing to people -

and, in turn, advocate these attributes in people, which often

equates to a manipulative form of people-pleasing.

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This turns, over time, into a source of control for people, who

think the witchcraft they work is some sort of mainstream for

"faith." I call it the "First Church of MakeNice." People today

think Jesus came to earth to "MakeNice" with humanity and now

God "MakesNice" with us. In such ridiculous theory, this also

means that we should "MakeNice" with each other. It's not

supposed to matter if they are frustrating not just us, but God, as

well. It doesn't matter how annoying or frustrating someone is -

we're supposed to pretend we are all right with how they behave.

This is considered character-building. No, what it is is dishonest.

I agree that sometimes we need to be understanding, but

sometimes we need to just tell people, with a true spirit of love

and honesty, that their behavior is unacceptable. Grace does not

exist so we can be endlessly needy or annoying, nor does it exist

so we can be self-righteous and pompous with one another.

We want to hear about the mercy, grace, and patience of God, but

we don't want to hear about the flip side, which is our own doing:

frustrating the grace of God. God IS loving and merciful and

patient, but the Bible specifically commands us not to frustrate

the grace of God. In other words, the Word commands us with

the same commandment found since the beginning: to be

obedient. God still doesn't cotton well to self-righteousness. He

still does not like disobedience. His work and grace still stand,

but we are still called to cooperate with the work He is doing in

us. In the end, the choice remains ours as to whether or not we

frustrate God's grace. I write this so all of us can take a good,

long look at ourselves, and the things each one of us needs to

work out in order to move to the place He has for us. How are we

out of balance in our lives? How is that frustrating God's grace?

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How are we, as a type, frustrating others with our out-of-balance

approach? How can we be better prepared for what God is asking

us to do?

Our personal frustration is a type, a shadow, a reminder, of what

God goes through with each one of us when we frustrate His

grace. Next time you have this experience, step back and think

about the work God wants to do within you...and take the steps to

do it.

(c) 2013 Lee Ann B. Marino. All rights reserved.

83

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ADDED BY BOBBI JENSEN Hebrew Word Study | Skip Moen - http://skipmoen.com/ -

Support Appeal

Posted By Skip Moen

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who

diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord

and give you instruction. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 NASB

Appreciate – Why would Paul need to tell his own brothers to

appreciate his efforts and the efforts of those like him? It seems a

bit pedantic, doesn’t it? These people were followers of Yeshua

because of Paul. Does he really have to instruct them to

appreciate that fact? Clearly Paul has something more in mind

than a hardy greeting or an affirmation that his last sermon was a

blockbuster.

The actual word Paul uses is a form of the verb oida. It is like

ginosko; i.e., both words mean “to know,” but Zodhiates

distinguishes them with the following: “Contrasted with oida,

ginosko (1097), to know experientially, frequently suggests the

inception or progress in knowledge, while oida suggest fullness of

knowledge.”[1] [1] In this context, Paul suggests that those who

receive instruction and oversight are to be fully aware of their

teachers.

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In the Hebraic world, that undoubtedly implies shalom, well-

being. It is not merely a matter of respect (ESV) nor

acknowledgment (NIV). Shalom is a matter of caring for someone

else’s needs. Paul is encouraging those who have benefitted from

his ministry to take care of his needs, to be fully aware of what is

happening in his life and look after him as they are able. There is

no muzzle on the ox except the one put there by ungrateful

talmidim.

Perhaps Paul’s appeal to the Thessalonian followers has some

larger application. Not all that Paul writes does, but in this case, it

seems reasonable to suggest that those who benefit should

contribute. Paul may be offering only aggadah, not halachah, but

his words strike close to the truth. Notice, if you will, that he isn’t

writing about a building or programs or equipment. He is writing

about knowing the stress points of his life. And he wants the

letter read to all the assemblies in the region. Paul sacrificed a lot

to bring the truth about YHWH and His Son to these believers and

now he asks them to offer something in return. The message

might be about experiencing freedom from guilt and punishment

but it doesn’t arrive freely. Paul paid a big price to deliver God’s

words.

I think it is important to notice that Paul’s appeal is directed

entirely toward personal involvement. He asks that those who

have received pay full attention to the people who have diligently

labored. He isn’t starting a building campaign or raising money for

better equipment. His focus is on the needs of individuals who

labor for the truth. And just in case you thought this was simply a

voluntary appeal, the opening word is erotomen, “to ask, to seek,

to demand,” where the TDNT notes that “to request, to demand”

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is “the chief meaning outside the Gospels.” Perhaps Paul is

thinking “payment due.”

What do you think? Or better, what are you going to do?

Topical Index: appreciate, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, oida, ginosko,

shalom, erotomen

[1] [2] Spiros Zodhaites, The Complete Word Study Dictionary:

New Testament, p. 509.

9 Comments (Open | Close)

9 Comments To "Support Appeal"

#1 Comment By Kees Brakshoofden On June 23, 2013 @ 7:54 am

This open, willing attitude is very important. Let me tell you why.

Once upon a time there was a man that loved his Lord so much,

he wanted to serve Him no matter what. He was a member of a

congregation that wanted to follow Paul in everything. So this

congregation had no paid pastors. Everyone did everything

voluntary. So this man started to be a worker in the vineyard and

because he loved His Lord, he gave everything he had. But

ofcourse his family had to be taken care of, so he had a fulltime

job also. Every minute of his spare time went into the work:

sermons, biblestudies, youthwork, etc. etc. Because people liked

his way of working, he became a member of the board. That

meant even more work, so he was hardly at home any more.

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Sometimes he was so exhausted after the weekend, he had to

recover during his job-hours. His family suffered much because

daddy was never there… Result: after 15 or more years of

working every hour of every day (he didn’t keep shabbat, that

was for the Jews), he plunged in a severe burn out, his wife left

him and his children blamed him for never being there.

Stupid, isn’t it? He gave everything for His Lord and because of

that lost everything. Why? Because his congregation didn’t see

the need to set him free for the work… Ofcourse he should have

known better, ofcourse he should have asked for help. But the

example of Paul was clear, wasn’t it? He worked to earn his own

living. At least, that was how it was interpreted. By people who

could have easily afforded to help this worker in the vineyard. But

who chose to spend their money on expesive holydays far away in

stead of caring for their pastor. After all, tithing was for the Jews

also, not for us….

Luckily for this pastor this crisis led him to stumble upon the

Hebrew roots of the faith. He found a site called “Today’s Word”.

And now he is more than happy, praises Yehovah who broke down

all his own works to bring him back to Him. Praise Yehovah!

I know this karakter quite well, because it is me.

#2 Comment By Kees Brakshoofden On June 23, 2013 @ 8:03 am

B.t.w.: Sorry, Skip, for only being able to contribute so little. I

would love to give more, but I simply don’t have it. I hope God

also provides wealthier members….

#3 Comment By John Adam On June 23, 2013 @ 8:38 am

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Wow, Kees, what a testimony. Thank you your courage in sharing

this.

#4 Comment By Kees Brakshoofden On June 23, 2013 @ 8:51 am

Actually, I’m quite ashamed of this period now.

#5 Comment By Skip Moen On June 23, 2013 @ 12:58 pm

ANd your willingness speaks volumes and is worth more than all

the money you could offer

#6 Comment By Judi Baldwin On June 23, 2013 @ 2:23 pm

Hi Kees,

You said that you “stumbled upon Today’s Word,” but I’m

guessing you realize that it was no accident.

I truly believe God hand picks the people He wants to get to know

Skip and learn more of the biblical truths he is teaching. And He

probably knew you were finally ready to hear those truths.

As for me…I have NO doubt in my mind that it was divine

intervention that brought me to the place where I would meet

Skip. Life has never been the same…in a positive way, (but not

always easy.)

Praise God for what He is doing in your life and that you were one

of the chosen…to meet Skip Moen . I pray that your problems of

the past will find resolution in Yeshua.

Blessings.

#7 Comment By Gabe On June 23, 2013 @ 3:01 pm

89

Thanks Kees.

#8 Comment By Kees Brakshoofden On June 23, 2013 @ 4:33 pm

Indeed it was no accident! The Spirit pushed me in the right

direction. Skip helped me with his knowledge so I recognised

being stuck in a very Greek mindset. And than it came like a tidal

wave: from many sides at the same time: from Tim Hegg, Avi Ben

Mordechai, Michael Rood, Mark Biltz, 119ministries, Keith

Johnson, etc. etc.

My former traditional beliefsystem disappeared, melted like snow.

But it’s hard to find brothers and sisters who are also touched by

the Spirit this way. I met an old friend last year, not having seen

him for over 30 years. To our surprise we are at exactly the same

track! What a joy!!! We sometimes do kiddush together. Celebrate

the Feasts of the Lord. Are having discussions on all kinds of

subjects.

I think you all recognise this, having identical stories yourselves.

I believe the Kingdom is coming soon! We should be ready. We

should not be silent any more, but proclaim it with force! The King

is coming! Prepare!

Shalom, Kees

#9 Comment By Judi Baldwin On June 23, 2013 @ 5:13 pm

Hi Skip,

90

Welcome back. I’m trusting that your time as a guest lecturer at

sea offered some great opportunities for teaching as well as

providing some wonderful down time for you and Rosanne.

Thanks for your Word today.

Yes, you have definitely labored diligently to bring the truth to

your readers and my prayer is that more folks get on board in the

“giving arena” when ever possible. I’m not talking about those

who can’t…just those who can. I think it is easy for many to take

for granted the time and energy you spend on “Today’s Word” 365

days a year. And, not just in the teaching…but the time you take

to answer blog postings as well.

I count it a privilege and a blessing to be able to contribute to

your ministry, but my concern is that you’re going to start feeling

burned out if more people don’t step up to help lessen some of the

financial burdens of your ministry.

Praying for more consciences to be pricked.

Article printed from Hebrew Word Study | Skip Moen:http://skipmoen.com/

URL to article: http://skipmoen.com/2013/06/23/support-appeal/

URLs in this post:

[1] [1]: #_ftn1

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Click here to print.

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92

Make Time to Pray : BY Kathi Macias

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,

intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings

and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and

peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Nearly thirty-five years ago, as a relatively new believer, I was

getting ready to leave a Sunday morning church service when I

noticed a newcomer sitting in the pew in front of me, a few seats

down. As we all made our way toward the center aisle to exit the

building, my eyes caught his so I smiled and introduced myself.

We exchanged brief pleasantries, and then, as I turned to move

on, I wished him well and promised to pray for him and his family

during the week. I had no sooner climbed into my car, however,

than I felt convicted of not having taken the time to pray for him

on the spot. The feeling that I needed to offer to do so would not

go away, though I argued with myself that he had probably

already left. Still, I decided to go back into the building to check.

Sure enough, though the sanctuary was otherwise empty by then,

the young man sat alone in a pew, his head in his hands, and I

realized my sense of urgency had been God’s call to prayer. I went

to him and told him I believed the Lord wanted me to pray with

him, and he began to weep.

93

“I live just down the street a few houses from this church,” he

said. “My wife left me a few days ago and took the kids, and I’ve

been so depressed. This morning I decided to give life one more

chance by coming here to this church. I told myself that if God

would send someone to pray with me, I wouldn’t kill myself when

I got home. I’m so glad He sent you.”

And I’m so glad I obeyed! How often do we say we will pray for

someone and then forget our promise? And how important is it to

obey God’s specific call to prayer? Sometimes that call to prayer

comes as a nudge from the Holy Spirit, as it did for me that day

more than three decades ago, but other times it comes through a

command in the Scriptures. First Timothy 2:1-2 is explicit in its

call to all believers to pray “first of all” for those in authority,

whether political or church leaders. Are we heeding that

command? Do we regularly pray for our pastors, our congres sm

en, our President, regardless of how we may feel about them

personally?

I’ve been a part of the presidential prayer team since its inception

in 2001, meaning that I daily prayed for President George W.

Bush, those who worked with him, and their families. It also

means that I now pray daily for President Barack Obama, those

who work with him, and their families. As a believer I have no

choice. If I fail to pray for those in authority simply because I

don’t happen to agree with them, then I am being disobedient to

God. And yet I have heard Christians complain about George Bush

and his policies, as well as Barack Obama and his. We seem to be

quite accomplished as complainers, but not so faithful as

intercessors.

94

In addition to being disobedient, that makes us poor witnesses to

those who don’t yet know the One who issued the commandment

to pray.

I for one have been guilty many times of promising to pray but

not following through. As a result, I find myself becoming critical

of others. Whether a young man contemplating suicide or

individuals in positions of authority with nearly unfathomable

responsibilities on their shoulders, people need us to be obedient

and to intercede for them. Let’s commit together to use our words

“first of all,” as the scripture instructs, to pray for and bless

people, rather than criticize them. If we do, God will be faithful to

fulfill His purpose.

***Please take a moment to visit my website at www.kathimacias.com to sign my guestbook or leave a comment on

my blog for a chance to win one of my new books. Please check out my new blog as well:http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com.

***Also, please visit www.setfreetoday.com, where I serve as Spiritual

Director. Come as you are…leave with a new beginning! Drop us a

note or prayer request while you’re there.

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It only takes a spark…but I’ve lost it!

Posted by Karen Zeigler

I received an email from a fan this week asking for help. Here’s the gist of it…

I was also wondering if you would write an article for women about inspiration at work—finding that spark in the “daily grind”. The kind that makes it more rewarding or fulfilling. I think it would be valuable to a lot of people –not to mention me!

Perhaps you’ve been there. I know I have! While the lyrics of the old hymn says it only takes a spark to get a fire going….the truth is sometimes we can’t find the spark! But no worries my friend the spark is in YOU! As a woman leader it’s easy for the busyness, problems, craziness (or sometimes boredom) of life to hide your spark but believe me it’s in there. I pray this article will help you find the spark that contains the power to set the world ablaze with the uniqueness that only you can. Just as there are 3 elements to fire (aka the spark) – oxygen, fuel and heat. You are also comprised of 3 elements – mind, body & spirit.

96

Very much like fire if one of the 3 elements is missing or out of sync then the spark that is within you can be snuffed out. A quick review of these 3 elements can help you identify what the culprit of the missing spark may be. Spirit - is about who you are being. It’s about living life authentically, living in personal integrity, operating as much as possible in your strengths and for the Christian woman leader, living connected to God. Body - is about what we are doing. As women and definitely as women leaders we have a long list of “doings”. Unfortunately, we are prone to put more on the doing list than belongs on there. Yet when our doing lists closely mirrors our being list then the pieces begin to come together for the spark. Mind - is about the how. How you think (attitude), allowing yourself space to think (solitude), where your thoughts are each moment (being present vs. worried about the past/future) and the values that make you tick.

Just like fire, it’s is the combination of these 3 elements that make up the spark that lies within you. It’s why the world is a warmer, brighter and better place because you are in it.

So what part is standing between you and your spark?

97

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98

LETTER FROM UGANDA EAST AFRICA: EVANGELIST JOSEPH SENOGA RICHARD

Dear friend Papa,

Blessed be the name of the living God for the great work they are doing in his kingdom, I pray that this email finds you well in the Lord. For the names, I'm Richard Joseph Senoga pastoring a local church here in Uganda, East Africa and an evangelist and holding outdoor crusades and conferences, doing work of church planting and working with orphans and vulnerable children starving without help and support they need school supplies of food, clothing and medical care. I am very interested in being part of his ministry, so we can worktogether for the glory of God as a corporate body under an umbrella with a mission to win souls for Christ and plunder hell to populate heaven, and the effect and move the kingdom of God on earth.And I have the honor to welcome to Uganda for an outreach ministry.

99

We love to welcome dear friend together as a team to get to Uganda, Africa for planting outreach ministry crusade, conference, seminar and Church, equip and train pastors and church leaders, andhas here Orphanage in Uganda for outreach ministry. May God bless you all! Amen. In Him

Joseph Senoga Richard. Restoration Ministries International P.O Box 30056 Kampala, Uganda, East Africa

Muzana Zone Kabalagala, Kampala. Zip-Code # 00256 Phone: +256-772-090765 +256-712-684023, +256-750-346824 E-mail: jsenogar@gmail.com

Together4christgospeloutreach@gmail.com Facebook ID. Joseph Senoga Richard Skype ID joseph.senoga.richard http://www.restorationwcc.org

100

Have You Been Betrayed? Christine Darg

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come

times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of

money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their

parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable,

slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous,

reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather

than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying

the power of it. Avoid such people." (2 Timothy 3: 1-5)

By Christine Darg

101

The Apostle Paul described the general state of mind and

actions of people in the last days. One of the chief

characteristics of men will be treachery. To survive the

stress of these times in a spirit of victory, we need to learn

how to deal with the increasing heartless treachery that is

found surprisingly amongst fellow believers.

The pain is worse because the treachery does not come

from an enemy but from a friend and brother who should

have been loyal. We will find loyalty more and more at a

premium.

When you have been dealt a treacherous blow and demand

moral justice, learn like King David to bring your shock and

anguish to God: "Unload your burden on Adonai, and he will

sustain you. He will never permit the righteous to be

moved...But for my part, [Adonai,] I put my trust in you."

(Psalm 55: 22-23, Complete Jewish Bible). Trust the Lord of

Justice. He handles treacherous persons supremely well and

exonerates his own plans and purposes in the fullness of

time.

We are often lacking in faith and patience that God will right

the injustice. But trusting believers who truly know God will

be patient and exercise faith that nothing goes unnoticed by

him.

102

In fact, one of the most beautiful and ironic chapters in the

Bible is found in Esther 6, which is often subtitled,

"Mordechai Honored." In this account, a big plot for the

destruction of the Jewish people is being hatched in a major

power play by a treacherous man named Haman. But on the

night between Queen Esther's first and second banquets to

expose Haman's treachery, the king's sleep evaded him, and

so he commanded for the book of records to be read to him.

Such oriental chronicles were poetic and should have made

good "bedtime reading." But instead the king hears that a

plot to assassinate himself was exposed and thus thwarted

by a true man of God, Morcechai, and so the king asked in

verse 3, "What honor or dignity has been bestowed on

Mordecai for this?" The king's servants said, "Nothing has

been done for him." We don't know why Morcechai had

never received honor: perhaps it was the king's

forgetfulness; or perhaps the good deed had been covered

up by jealous courtiers. But God's timing for vindication

always being perfect, and in this exquisite turn of events,

the king orders that Haman, the arrogant power broker,

must humiliate himself by honouring and leading Mordechai

on a parade. And thus the treacherous Haman began to fall

….

Both David and our Lord Yeshua experienced treachery more

than most. David was betrayed by his own son and Yeshua

was betrayed by one of his 12 chosen disciples.

103

If you have been betrayed, meditating on Psalm 55, which

was so prophetic of Yeshua's betrayal, is an important

exercise in your healing:

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of

David.

Psalm 55 Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself

from my supplication.

2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my

complaint, and moan,

3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the

oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me,

And in anger they persecute me.

4 My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death

are fallen upon me.

5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror

hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I

fly away, and be at rest.

7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the

wilderness. Selah

8 I would haste me to a shelter From the stormy wind and

tempest.

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; For I have seen

violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:

Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile

depart not from its streets.

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12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could

have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did

magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself

from him:

13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and

my familiar friend.

14 We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house

of God with the throng.

15 Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down

alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the

midst of them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me.

17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain,

and moan; And he will hear my voice.

18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that

was against me; For they were many that strove with me.

19 God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of

old, Selah The men who have no changes, And who fear not

God.

20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at

peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.

21 His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war:

His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee:

He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.

23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of

destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out

half their days; But I will trust in thee.

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The Father's ways and timings are not ours, but he ALWAYS

vindicates his innocent, trusting children in one way or the

other.

From Psalm 55 and other Biblical principles, I prayerfully

offer some points on coping with treachery:

1. Take your shock, pain and deep hurt to the Father in

prayer.

2. Do not take matters into your own hands, such as

resorting to lawsuits and other retaliations. Rather,

believe in Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things

work together for good to those who love God, to those

who are the called according to His purpose."

3. Entrust the future and consequences to the Lord with

great confidence.

4. Refuse destructive bitterness into your heart. Strongly

purpose to release forgiveness. With great insight, Paul

J. Bucknell stated in an article entitled, "Trusting

Through Treacherous Times," "…. forgiveness doesn't

mean you minimize what they have done. What they

have done is tragic. Forgiveness means you personally

will release the guilt against you. 'Revenge is mine' the

Lord says."

5. Appreciate, cultivate and cherish those relationship

that have proven loyal and faithful.

6. Finally, be happy and be patient, realizing that this hurt

means a promotion for you in God's calendar.

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Prayer: Father, thank you that although these are especially

treacherous times, you are faithful and your character is

changeless. I trust you and know that you do all things well!

In Yeshua's Name, Hallelu-Yah!

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Raising 1st Century Churches Out of the Ashes of the 21st

Century Church

By Apostle Robert Straube

I was at a Five Fold Roundtable Conference this last weekend and this came to me when we started comparing today’s church to Star Trek’s, The BORG. Controlled, no individuality, under the watchful eye of one all powerful individual. This was only one of many images and discussions I was involved. So, when I got home, my mind was on these images and I decided that I had to get all of these thoughts out onto paper. Allow me to start off with some quotes and by saying...this is gonna hurt! Paul wrote, “Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Galatians 3:3 “Christianity has achieved apparent success by ignoring the precepts of its Founder.” (H. Richard Neibuhr) “How long? Not long. ’Cause what you reap is what you sow.” (Rage Against the Machine, Wake Up) “Size matters not.” (Master Yoda)

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As I watched his video, there he was, kicking down his radical manifesto to a crew of pastors who were very clearly not getting what he was driving at. Francis Chan was speaking about his unconventional move to leave his thriving California mega-church, travel to the developing world, and visit the underground Chinese church in hopes of radically rethinking what church was meant to be. Free-falling into the hands of God, he was on a mission of discovery to scrape together some paradigm of ministry that he could believe in: something that nurtured discipleship, was less self-serving to the pastor, and had more practical impact. And that’s when it happened. He said he had begun to wonder if there was something missing in our current setup. Then he dropped the A-word (and it ain’t what you’re thinking).

Apostle! It’s the new A-bomb in church circles. It’s a word that’s used in nearly every book in the New Testament, and yet twenty-first-century Christians dodge it like Superman recoiling from kryptonite. As it echoed in the vacuum of stunned silence, the hackles rose on the nape of my neck. I thought, Holy New Testament vocabulary, Batman! This guy is going to blow the doors off the church if he keeps dropping the biblical A-bomb! About thirty years ago, the word apostle had become like the ark of the covenant to me, and I was feeling the contrast between the pastoral Dr. Jones’s mundane routine of charming the ladies with stuffy indoor academic type pulpit lectures, and the alter-ego adventurer Indiana Jones inside me, desperately trying to break out. When reading the book of Acts, I’d often ask myself, “Why does what we do in ministry today look so different from the way Paul did it?”

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I’d been rediscovering the biblical role of the apostle for these thirty-some years, and I realized that men like Evangelist Leonard Ravenhill and Prophet David Wilkerson had been brought to my doorstep so that they could be used to deliver a divine kick up my backside by being so bold as to use that “A” word to speak into my life. The end result was me chaining myself to my Bible and writing about what I’d begun to witness in the church. For over a 3 decades I’d been involved in various forms of church planting and ministry. Almost immediately I slammed into two important facts: First, the secular ethos and post-Christian mind-set were swallowing churches alive like the mighty Sarlacc pit’s digestive juices slowly eroding Boba Fett’s mandalorian body armor. Second, I was going to have to completely relearn ministry from the foundations up if I was going to get anywhere in this God-forsaken mission field. Those two realizations made me desperate. In the natural world, desperation creates a fight-or-flight reflex. In the spiritual realm, it’s not too different. The second you realize that it’s either sink or swim, the adrenaline starts to juice you up, and you get radical. Fighting isn’t usually my first instinct; flighting is. Nonetheless, I’ve always been the kind of guy who was willing to do anything, no matter how crazy it sounded, or how scared I was, as long as I knew God was in it. I can relate to Gideon. I understand all of his hesitation and boldness in alternating steps. That’s usually the cadence of my footsteps as well. Although I may not like it at the time, most often I’ll eventually drag myself to the electric chair, reluctantly strapping in with Thomas’s helpless, but sarcastic, words ringing in my head: “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16).

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I had been called by God to make an impact in a culture that saw a small percent of the population attending church—and I had to change. The way I did ministry had to change. So I started reading the Bible even more….Oh yeah, and I started paying more attention to the book of Acts.

The New Testament Word for Missionary Let me ask you: doesn’t it seem weird that our missionary manifesto, the New Testament, lacks the word missionary in the English translations? Think about that. Can that be right? On the contrary, my dear Watson, the word you’ve been looking for has been under your nose all along. It is there. You just haven’t recognized it because of how it has been translated. It’s the word apostle. “Apostolos” in the Greek means “sent one” and can be translated as “missionary.” Now what did the New Testament missionaries do? They planted churches. What if all the buzz about church planting and missional church wasn’t something new that plaid-clad, horn-rimmed-glasses-wearing hipsters had invented, but rather something that was inherent in the word apostolos? Before the A-bomb sends you running for cover, screaming what a freak I am, let me assure you that I mean apostle with a little a. I don’t mean a guy with superpowers or somebody who still writes Scripture in his spare time. Nor am I a member of the Apostolic denomination. Bear with me. Most people out there believe the term apostle belongs exclusively to the Twelve. True, the Twelve were “sent ones,” but the New Testament term apostle is not exclusively used for the Twelve. Once Paul used apostle to describe his role, there were thirteen, but did you know that the Greek word apostolos is used for nine other individuals in the New Testament as well? Oh yeah, it is, but the English translators rendered it as messenger or representative because it didn’t gel with their theology to translate it literally from apostolos to apostle.

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What if the church had a theological blind spot that was obstructing a biblical theology of church planting? What the translators fail to understand is that the New Testament knows two different types of apostles. The first group was known as “the Twelve.” They were capital-A Apostles and missionaries to the twelve tribes of Israel, and they were never to be replicated or replaced. They were handpicked by Jesus for a specific time in history. The second category—little-a apostles—was a lesser group of church planters who served under Paul. He gave them the title of apostolos. The word apostolos is definitely used for the Twelve, as in Matthew 10:2, but not for them alone. The word is also used for Paul, and he wasn’t one of the Twelve. Here are nine other people called apostles (apostolos, plural: apostoloi) in the New Testament, none of whom were part of the Twelve: • Titus (2 Cor. 8:23) • James, the Lord’s brother, not John’s brother from Club 12 (Gal. 1:18–19) • Barnabas (Acts 14:14) • Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6–9) • Andronicus (Rom. 16:7) • Junias (Rom. 16:7) • Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25) • Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1–2:6) • Silas/Silvanus (1 Thess. 1:1–2:6) Those are just the ones Paul mentioned. Paul worked with a network of missionaries who were also sent out by Jesus on a frontline, life-or-death church-planting commando recon mission. In fact, Paul used the title of apostle for what he did in church planting: “for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles” (Gal. 2:8). He said to the Corinthians, “Are you not my workmanship in the Lord?

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If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord” (1 Cor. 9:1–2). A paraphrase of that could be, “If to others I am not a ‘sent-out one,’ a test I am to you, for you are a proof or validation of my ‘sent-outness’ in the Lord.” His apostleship was proved by the fact that the Corinthian church existed. Why? Because apostle = church planter. The lesser apostles didn’t meet the same criteria as the Twelve. Instead, these lesser apostles operated as church-planting missionaries. There may be a parallel between the lesser apostles and the seventy-two disciples that Jesus sent out. Although these disciples didn’t have special status or authority, their role was nonetheless to spread the word to villages and towns that needed to hear. Paul was not one of the Twelve, but he was a kind of link between the twelve apostles who were there from the beginning and those who would take his place: Timothy, Titus, and the others. This makes sense of why, in Ephesians 4, Paul said apostles (and prophets and evangelists) are necessary for building up the church alongside pastors and teachers. Paul spoke of them as if they were commonplace. True, there are those who say, as I once was told, that the roles of apostle and prophet faded into oblivion upon the completion of Scripture. In the modern church, however, we’ve managed to exterminate teacher and evangelist as well so that we’re left with the pastor-only model. What if, as a result of amputating these roles, the church were a dismembered quadriplegic? Would that explain why it isn’t moving? Would it shed light on why the church inchworms pathetically on its mission like a fat little grub? If we ignore the biblical roles Christ gave us to accomplish the mission, then our structure will be wrong. If the structure is wrong, then the functionality will be limited. If the functionality is limited,then our mission will be compromised.

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If our mission is compromised, we won’t be as effective as Jesus intended. We have been ignoring these important roles to our peril. The Western church is beginning to wake up to the reality that with all the sound and fury of our success, we’ve lost something. This has happened throughout history. Did you know that it’s possible for a society to go backward in its understanding? An entire civilization can devolve technologically and lose vital stratagems for engineering because they’ve forgotten certain methods. For example, the Romans knew how to make fifty-foot-high hydraulic cement aqueducts that spanned valleys. If you go to modern Britain, you will still see their ruins towering against the backdrop of impossible landscapes. Centuries later, however, the engineers of the Dark Ages couldn’t replicate these feats because they’d lost the Roman technology to make structural cement. What if the church has lost vital biblical technology essential to advancing the kingdom of Christ? Like medieval Europe, we’d be scratching our scalps, wondering how they did it in the past, yet we’d be hindered from making real progress ourselves. The church planting/discipling network that I run may be called Rock of Zion, but you’re probably beginning to piece together that we’re really kicking it old school. Like, two-thousand-years-old school. If the church recovers the apostolic-style ministry that made the first century tick, then it will jump-start the church back to the threatening force that it was two thousand years ago. Like Indiana Jones uncovering the ark of the covenant in the Well of Souls, we need to unearth the divine technology that has lain hidden in the depths of God’s Word all along. Before we do, let’s look at the current weakened structure of Western evangelicalism.

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Formulas for Disaster Francis Chan’s dissatisfaction with the current model of evangelical hierarchy is only the beginning of the shakedown that is happening in Western Christianity. It points to cracks in our foundation.The emergent movement began with disenchantment with the evangelical mega-church movement in America, where many of them ran like big-business enterprises. Here are the nuts and bolts of the machine broken down from the instruction manual: How to Build a Mega-church in Five Easy Dance Steps 1. Get more people 2. More people = more money 3. More money = more toys 4. More toys = more ways to get more people 5. Get more people (rinse and repeat) This is the model that has been used for decades in America, but to what aim? Many young men in leadership during the 1990s stood at the top of the mega-church pyramid, rolled their idle crowns on their index fingers, and muttered, “Now what?” After the emergent movement dissed the mega-church movement, dissidents of evangelicalism flocked to these churches that put the “hip” in discipleship. When the emergent churches became “successful” in numbers, they simply reproduced what they had come from—except that now people did finger painting to punk music onstage. As history repeated itself, the emergent leaders sat on thrones built out of solid cool, forlorn with chin in palm, asking the familiar question, “Now what?” Thus history “repeateth.” Why did the early church that had seen so many conversions and changed the first-century landscape not face this same problem? Well, it almost did. Picture yourself in Jerusalem at the dawn of the apostolic age, circa Acts 3. You had given up everything once you discovered God’s Sacrificial Lamb. Now you sat at the feet of eleven guys who were ordinary just like you, yet extraordinary.

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Ordinary fishermen and tradesmen, they were transformed, like you, by an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth. Their ministry was so powerful that you never wanted to leave their teaching or the warm fellowship of the community, or the fear and awe-tinged miracles that buzzed the atmosphere with supernatural power.It had all the makings of a mega-church experience: thousands of people, money to do anything they wanted, and ministry coming out of their ears. There was only one problem. The kingdom couldn’t advance in a holy huddle. God had to give them a spiritual kick up the backside. Enter Saul of Tarsus. Persecution smacked down on the church like Gallagher’s twenty-five-pound sledgehammer on a watermelon, splattering the seeds of the church to the far reaches of Asia Minor. If the church wouldn’t go out willingly, they’d be scattered unwillingly. That is God’s time-tested method of getting His people to heed the Great Commission. As an example, in Britain today, postmodernism has been forcing churches to venture outside to reach the unreached. There is desperation in leaders who have realized that it’s either sink or swim. Pioneer third-world missionary C. T. Studd once said: “Some want to live within the sound Of Church or Chapel bell I want to run a Rescue Shop within a yard of hell.” The churches that won’t heed Jesus’s call to get out there will die—and in fact are already dying from within. This isn’t just happening in the third world. The dry rot in America has already been set. We’re just repeating Britain’s pattern fifty years later. In the 1950s in Britain, the churches were full, packed with families. Preaching legend Peter Jeffery recalls how on the streets of Britain in the fifties, an open-air preacher would draw folks out of their front doors, toting folding chairs so they could listen.

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In the sixties, however, the sexual revolution put the church to bed, and the youth slowly trickled out of the church scene. Nobody panicked. Do you know why? The churches were still relatively full. One decade, two decades later, and the silver heads woke up to the widening maw of an irreversible generation gap as they literally died off one by one. As the numbers in the church graveyard increased, the numbers in the pews decreased. When they woke up to the shrinking church—evidenced by the empty pews—the panic finally broke out. But by then it was too late. When I began to look at the church through born-again eyes, the first thing I noticed was that we’d lost the youth on a Sunday. Nobody is worried; the numbers are still big. Wait ten years. Churches that depend on their size tend to rest on their laurels. That’s what happened in the early church. When the book of Acts closes, the Holy Spirit leaves us with an important message. Mega-church Jerusalem had faded to the narrative background and ceased to be an influential presence in the world. Instead, the focus of Acts is on the smaller, nondescript churches that were springing up in the most remote parts of the map. The kingdom was clawing its way outward, fighting for every inch of pagan ground taken. The expanding church was apostolic, and that made it vibrant and dangerous. Impossible to ignore. So much so that we still look back at it for inspiration. But have we put its principles into practice? I’m not opposed to mega-churches. Please believe me. Overnight, God created the first mega-church in Jerusalem at Pentecost, but I don’t think we’re learning the lessons that God intended by studying their example.

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The mega-church model can be useful, but it can also provide a huge hurdle to kingdom expansion if the model is more concerned with bringing people in than sending people out. Let’s face it—that was largely the trend in the eighties and nineties. Mega-churches in the book of Acts, like Jerusalem in the early days—and Antioch and Ephesus—were biblical sending agencies, mission powerhouses. This is what God designed mega-churches to be. Ever wonder who planted the seven churches of Asia? Acts 19:10 indicates that Paul used the mega-church at Ephesus as a church planting hub while he trained the planters daily in the school of Tyrannous: “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Rick Warren models the right use of mega-church might by using Saddleback’s accumulated money, influence, and energy to establish gospel work in every nation on earth. In the past twenty years, Warren has become a multi-church planting machine, equipping and empowering young people to plant around the globe. Likewise,there’s another pastor in Huntington Beach. A reluctant mega-church pastor and true missionary at heart, he vowed in the 1990s to break the trend and send his best guys to the mission field without fail. Anyone who stays behind is repeatedly told that they are left behind to—you guessed it—help send others out. The irony is that only leaders who have the priority of sending people out will foster the type of church that will continue to bring people in. You have to be willing to lose your life if you want to find it.

Nobody Uses An Eight-track Anymore When I was a kid, people still had turntables for vinyl records (they hadn’t discovered mixing yet). They also had an eight-track. I just lost half of you.…It was supposed to be the next big thing. The problem was that somebody came up with a better format that made the eight-track obsolete.

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The church keeps rolling out formats that are supposed to bring the next big wave of some kind of wonderful. Like the eight-track, they get dated, lose steam, and are forgotten. Some of you reading this are actually saying, “Oh yeah, the eight-track. Forgot about that.” Eight-tracks didn’t replace vinyl, but they opened the door for other formats. They gave way to cassette tapes, cassette tapes to CD, CD to digital mp3. Likewise, the church has replaced one format with another over the years, seeking to reinvent itself without questioning whether the next big thing is biblical. The end result is always the same. We’ve changed the format without revolutionizing the church into a time-tested format. As a result, we can’t even remember the previous formats that the apostles laid down for us. The church is trying to play the eight-track tape of church to an iTunes world. What if there was a time-tested model in the Bible? What if it was laid out in the book of Acts, but we missed it because it doesn’t fit our church structure? What if the next big thing is going back to the biblical methodology? If God drew up the battle plan for us two thousand years ago, why do we feel the need to draft another one? It’s time for us to go back to the future.

Acts of the Church Most of our modern books about church tell us how to do church. The book of Acts never does this. It never offers us a model of church that guarantees success if we follow the template. I would have thought that the basic “power principles” of church growth and dynamics would have been found there, not in a book by some author who lives in today’s anemic church culture. But Acts surpasses culture and time by refusing to provide a model and instead lists basic core components that every healthy church should have: breaking of bread, sharing with those in need, continuing in teaching, meeting together often, praying, and so on (2:42).

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But it never goes any further than that in telling us how to have a church service. Isn’t that a bit strange? That depends on your assumption of what Acts was written for. Was Acts written to show pastors how to make church good, or was it written to show how the kingdom of God expanded through church planting? The more I read the Acts of the Apostles, the more I’m convinced that it’s the script of the first-century version of “How the West Was Won.” Maybe God isn’t so concerned about what the church looks like on the ground as long as those things in Acts 2:42 are all present. Maybe what God is more concerned about is that we understand how the kingdom expanded effectively through church planting so that we don’t merely hobble along in obedience to the Great Commission. If the Holy Spirit chose to invest great detail in a record of how churches got planted in a pagan world (against impossible odds), we’d be fools to ignore His advice. Like I mentioned earlier, Rock of Zion isn’t very new. It’s really old school. It’s just not been done like that for a long time. Rock of Zion Church Planting is using the time-tested method, tried and true by the apostles, abandoned only when the church became “successful” in the fourth century. In roughly ten years of church planting, Paul was able to say in Romans 15:19 “that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ.” Did you catch that? Paul considered that he’d fulfilled his mission in Asia Minor. Having fulfilled that task, he could now move on to another area where Christ hadn’t been named. Ten years, and a minimum of fourteen church plants later, and Paul was done. Why can’t we do this today? In trying to expand the kingdom of heaven, what on earth have we been missing?

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Church Planting in Black and White This is basically what church planting has looked like for a long time. Rod Sterling of Twilight Zone appears from the shadows and narrates what we’ve been watching for the past few decades: “Picture a man … a man who has nowhere to go up the pyramid ladder in his local mega-church … a man who is rightly dressed up for the ministry but has nowhere to go. He starts a home study in his living room, hoping to find others who are ready for change. Like attracts like, and soon he manages to reel in other cheesed-off Christians who attract even more dissidents. In his own twisted and distorted lexicon he will call it biblical church planting, never realizing that he is about to enter into what his forbears have already discovered is in fact … the twilight zone.” Duh duh duh duh duh duh dumb dumb! This model has given church planting a bad name. Why do the eyes of so many pastors widen and twitch with fear at the mention of church planting? Planting that starts with Christians rather than nonbelievers strikes fear into the heart of any established pastor because it means that sheep stealing is afoot—and that’s a hanging offense in most churches! The error, however, is on both sides of the divide. Shame on the church planter who is church planting simply because nobody will give him a church of his own! Perhaps if he keeps at it for ten years or so, he’ll have a mega-church that resembles the one he left and be at the apex of his own pyramid. King of the Mountain is fun if you’re at the top. Equal shame, however, is also due to the pastor who is afraid to lose people because he needs their money for fuel to keep the machine running. The church is in the numbers business now, baby, and as Keith Green once said at Jesus NorthWest, “There is money to be made in Jesus’s name!”

Formulas for Failure (Remember the 1st formula from earlier? Check it in reverse:) Formula 2: Fewer people = less money = fewer toys = less ability to get people, which equals less money again.

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The people are just a means to an end after all. How have we let this happen to the church? How have we allowed this machine to grow into a giant Borg that desires to assimilate all species into the mothership for world domination? It’s building your own personal empire versus building Christ’s kingdom, and make no mistake, the world out there is watching. Church can become a pastor’s own personal tower of Babel in which he refuses to spread out and multiply to the glory of God. Babel teaches us that bigger is not always better. You can tell the difference between empire builders and kingdom builders: personal empires build upward rather than outward. The kingdom, however, is not of this world and always builds outward. The size that it’s concerned about is global, not local. Why then is the current model all about keeping people in? And why does evangelism seem to be merely a way of getting people in so that we can keep them there? Ernest Hemingway may shed light on this. In Green Hills of Africa, Hemingway said that the writer only writes one pure book, and it’s always his first. The first book is written out of his heart, as an expression of literary art. After his first book gets published, and he gains popularity, he becomes accustomed to a certain lifestyle. The need to keep this lifestyle going becomes a concern, and thereafter he writes to get published so that he can continue to maintain that higher standard of living. Many are beginning to feel this way about the ministry. When the success brings affluence and prestige, they leave the reckless abandon that caused them to go into the ministry in the first place. Once-daring pastors are waking up fifteen or twenty years later asking, “Is this what I signed up for?” They wanted to impact the world, serve Jesus, and grow in the process.

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But this isn’t happening anymore.Instead, pastors are reluctant to fulfill the Great Commission because their church would shrink, and with it their capacity to buy toys. Coming from a church that started out of the Jesus Movement, I’ve long rubbed shoulders with guys who saw miracles and witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon a sex-crazed, drug-hazed generation. Years ago, there was a ceremony at a well-known Christian university where one of these ex-hippy pastors was asked to speak. He was known in the seventies as a countercultural, draft-card-burning, antiestablishment radical who’d do anything for Jesus, but his speech was a moralistic, right-wing diatribe that exhorted the students to “stay in school and get good grades” so they could be successful. When interviewed, a bystander nearby was asked, “What happened to him?” The reply was, “He got rich.” It explains a lot. We have more now, which means that we have more to lose if we invest it in kingdom expansion. Formula 3: Having more = having more to lose. Once upon a time, a Franciscan monk visited Vatican City with a gift for the church. The pope took him on a personal tour, displaying the vast wealth of the Catholic Church. “Never again will the church be able to say, ‘Silver and gold I do not have,’” he said. The Franciscan replied, “That may be true, but never again will the church be able to say, ‘Rise up, take your mat, and walk.’” The more we think kingdom expansion rather than empire building, the less we’ll resemble CEOs and start looking like Neos; less businessmen, more radical revolutionaries; less pleasing to flesh,more threat to the Enemy. Are you ready to change things? Then you’ve got to be ready to change. And if you’re ready to change, then the church is going to change. It’s time for judgment to begin with the house of God. When we get it right, they’ll get it right.

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When I was trying to fit into a traditional pastorate like a square peg in a round hole, I came across an article in the Ikea catalog that profiled twenty-eight-year-olds. The article said this was the age when a man was most likely to disappear, change his name, leave his family, and drop off the face of the earth without a trace. Radiohead wrote a song about it: “How to Disappear Completely.” The article clawed fishhooks into my soul. I would guess that many pastors are feeling the same way, but not because they shouldn’t be in the ministry. They are called, but the church only has one caliber of bullet when it fires a man out of the barrel. Some of these guys who are church planting are biblical apostles (or missionaries) and, like Indiana Jones, were never meant to be Princeton lecturers. They were born to be temple-raiding adventurers. But they’ve been told they have to be pastors to serve God full-time. They’ve been tamed, castrated, stripped of their ability to fly. These guys either discover who they really are, and like Neo get freed from the Matrix, or they claw at the walls until they burn out, sabotage themselves, or get fired. Every once in a while one of them wakes up and begins to see the Matrix code behind the illusion. Then it’s kung-fu-kicking-butt-in-the-subway-time. So before you flip this page, let me ask you: do you really want to take the red pill? It could cost you more than you’re willing to lose. And I warn ya, it’s gonna hurt like heaven! A Slave of Jesus Christ, Your Servant, Apostle Robert Straube

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Rev-Oladiran Bola David storms Dakar Senegal with the Gospel of Salvation ,

Repentance and Forgiveness at the “MORE OF HIS GLORY” CONFERENCE!(PICTORIAL

FOCUS OF HAPPENINGS IN THE VINEYARD)

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