Speak to Your Mountain!

Mountain Moving Faith! Mark 11:22-25 King James Version (KJV) 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that […]

Mountain Moving Faith!

mountain

Mark 11:22-25

King James Version (KJV)

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Zechariah 4:6-7

King James Version (KJV)

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Funny how the whole counsel of God comes together! In yesterday’s Bible reading, we read of a prophetic declaration to Zerubbabel, talking about how mountains move when we shout to it!

shout-unto-god

What do we shout?

Grace!

Not some kind of sloppy agape, limp wristed kind of greasy grace, but the manifest power of God in the earth.

Jesus told us to speak our faith, to speak to mountains, so let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Let’s do it!

“Father, you see the adversities I face. Now, I take my place in Jesus, and I speak to poverty, debt, lack, sickness, fear, depression, oppression, and every curse, snare, or hindering or soulical prayer prayed against me, now, and command these things MOVE! In the name and authority of Jesus, Amen.”

Mountain Moving Faith!

The First Nations Mandate – Pray!

The First Nations Mandate: Holy Ghost Mandate: If you get aggressively in the heart of God, seeking His face for revival, and for America, you are going to learn about Indians. Over the years, as I have sought His face for North America, I have discovered my answers lie in the host peoples of this […]

The First Nations Mandate:

sacred voice

Holy Ghost Mandate: If you get aggressively in the heart of God, seeking His face for revival, and for America, you are going to learn about Indians. Over the years, as I have sought His face for North America, I have discovered my answers lie in the host peoples of this land.

As I began to seek the will of the Lord for keys to unlock His power and glory to the United States, I began to get a burden to pray for the host peoples of this land. Many of you know my testimony, of the dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirit that occurred in Canada, in 1995 at an event entitled ‘Sacred Assembly’ hosted by Canadian senator Elijah Harper, where God met me, and made me into a molten puddle of tears, for 2-1/2 hours at the back of the room.

Elijah

From that moment to this, I have loved First Nations peoples .

In Richard Twiss book, ‘One Church, Many Tribes’, (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=richard+twiss&sprefix=Richard+Twi%2Caps%2C167)  there is an account of another man of God hearing the heart of God for the North American Indian mandate. I am convinced that if you really want to see America saved, see Jesus become Lord of the United States, you will find yourself in First Nations ministries, for IT IS THE PRIMARY MANDATE OF THE FATHER FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Maybe I did not make this plain enough: The Number One priority of Father God, Creator of Heaven and earth, for the United States of America, is His workings among the North American Indian tribes: It is the hour of His visitation and mandate.

I had two recent experiences that were very dramatic, in prayer.

The first, was at a Tulsa City Wide all night prayer watch, headed up by Dexter Sullivan. In this meeting, I experienced a great burden for the 39 Indian tribes of Oklahoma. During the prayer meeting, a microphone was opened to the participants, that we might share what the Lord was directing us to pray. I felt God was dispatching angels to minister to the tribes, and to raise them up to their place in Him, in honor and authority, before His throne. At the same time, a woman on the worship team collapsed in the Holy Spirit. Later in the meeting, she testified, that when I had given the word, dispatching angels to the 39 tribes of Oklahoma, she had a vision. She saw warriors, adorning themselves with war paint and regalia, as Indian warrior braves were known to do, before battle in the ancient days of their power and glory in this land. The Lord caused her to know that these warriors were real angelic hosts, actually dispatched at that time, to fight in the realm of the Spirit for the call and destiny before God, of the 39 Indian tribes of Oklahoma.

angels

The Second, was as I was introduced to defilements upon the land, and how these defilements, gave legal right, to actual demonic spirits to operating in the realm of the Spirit, across this land we call the United States of America. More about this later…

Gibeonites and broken covenants

Read Joshua 9,10, and 1 Sam 21.

God Made a Covenant with the Gibeonites through Israel:

In Joshua chapter 9, we read the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites. You know it, how Joshua had been given the land, and was to destroy and annihilate every person living there. The Gibeonites knew they would die in battle, so to preserve their lives, they deceived Joshua, and appeared before him with moldy bread, and worn out sandals and wineskins.

Josh 9:14  And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

What God might have counseled Joshua and Israel at this time, is only conjecture. They did not seek God on what their relationship with the host peoples of the land should be, and we will never know what God would have instructed them to do here.

15 ¶  And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

15 Joshua made peace with them. He made a treaty with them to protect their lives. The leaders of the community made a solemn pledge to them

15 So Joshua made peace with them by making a treaty which allowed them to live. The leaders of the congregation swore to it with an oath

v16  And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

Joshua and the leaders of Israel entered into covenant with the Gibeonites, and God honored it!

no lie

When their deception was discovered, Joshua made them slaves, (or at least laborers, the Scripture calls them hewers of wood, and drawers of water) but did not kill them, for they had come under the protection of God’s covenant with Israel.

This was the TREATY between the Gibeonites and Israel.

In Joshua Chapter 10, we see the strength of this covenant or treaty:

Gibeon was a great city, but because she entered into covenant with Joshua and the children of Israel, she had problems with her neighbors.

Josh 10:4  Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.

5  Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

6  And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

7 ¶  So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

8  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

Notice here that God honored the treaty, and sent Joshua to defend Gibeon.

9  Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

10  And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

11  And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

Who sent the hailstones? ‘that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah,’

12  Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

13  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

So the Gibeonites, came not only into covenant with Joshua, and under the military protection of the nation of Israel, but also under the protection of God, for God Himself fought at Gibeon, sending hailstones, and causing the sun to stand still in her protection, that enemies be destroyed.

God honors treaties and covenants!

Some have described the conquest of the North American Indian, as ‘manifest destiny’, that the season of their rule upon the land had ended: God had given the land to the white European settlers. “Indians are savages, pagans, worshipping idols and false gods they say, just like the Philistines and enemies of God in the Old Testament, they are to be annihilated.” was the speech and teaching of the day. Churches preached this devilish doctrine, citing Old Testament passages, of the Israelites marching into their promised land and destroying and annihilating the pagan inhabitants there, as the will of God for America. The Calvary was under divine mandate to march against the Indians, and to totally destroy them, for God had given the land to the American empire.

This is where we hear President’s and US Calvary generals making statements like: ‘The only good Indian, is a dead Indian.’ (http://www.onjinjinkta.com/NP/Discrimination/systematic-genocide.html)

scalps

History records posters, offering a $350 reward, for Indian scalps…

scalps bounty

Was this manifest destiny, as some have taught, or demonic genocide of an honorable people, who in many cases knew God, and who had prepared for generations for the coming gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?

As I study the history, traditions, culture, and worship of the host peoples of America, I am convinced that it was genocide, an abomination in the sight of God, a complete and total violation of the gospel message and the kingdom of God.

Matt 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

God is love! The very word gospel means: GOOD NEWS!

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 ¶  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

gospel

Lu 10:27  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

I do not see settlers and pilgrims coming to Indian tribes in general, in love, honor and respect, and performing the acts of Jesus, healing the sick, raising the dead, teaching all things He commanded.

Learning the traditions of the tribes, or doing as all good missionaries should: become one with the tribe, to discover the ways they lived, spoke, worshipped, the ways God already visited with them, then using these Holy Spirit visitations as entry points for the gospel, and the Word of God.

Some say, that God cannot speak to humanity until after they are born again, but

God spoke to Adam after he had fallen, and His cry is the same today: “Adam, where are you?”

Acts 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…

God is still the Creator, and is well able to speak to His creation!

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, not slaughter them….

Nope, pretty black and white what really happened.

Denominational ministers came in certain cases, and when any tribe did not comply immediately to their version of the gospel, they called the Calvary to come and slaughter anyone who did not immediately listen to them.

Okay Chris, you are an Indian lover, but really, I wasn’t there when all this happened, and neither were you, so why are you bringing this mess up again?

Remember our friends the Gibeonites?

They show up in the Bible again, and what happened to them directly applies to the plight of America, today.

God Withheld His Blessings over the Nation of Israel, because of their treatment of the Gibeonites.

2 Sam 21:1 ¶  Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

Seems genocide is nothing new….

2  And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

So we see another religious zealot slaughtering innocent people….

3  Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

Notice here, that God was on the side of the Gibeonites here, and David knew it, and needed their blessing.

In the United States today, we are seeing the hand of God removed as America has yet to fully right her wrongs in her treatment of her host peoples. God is not judging America, we are simply reaping what we have sown.

Even so, I believe, there is authority, given by God to the host peoples of America, to forgive and bless… Let’s read on:

4  And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

Justice was needed. Money would not fix it, and the Gibeonites had no authority to execute those who committed the atrocities…but David did…

gods side

5  And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,

6  Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

Notice here that it took blood to atone for blood, for justice to be served here. Now, to my knowledge of these historical events, there is no account given of what part Saul’s son’s played in the genocide committed against the Gibeonites, perhaps they themselves rode in the armies that commanded the killings….

7  But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

8  But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

9  And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 ¶  And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

11  And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

12  And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

13  And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14  And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.

Let’s encapsulate the story and see how it applies to us today:

  1. There was a famine, drought in the land, that had lasted for three years.
  2. David cried out to God, to ask Him why?
  3. God spoke to David about the Gibeonites, a people supposedly under the protection of Israel.
  4. David discovers that Saul had gone into their villages and slaughtered their people, and GOD WAS UPHOLDING THEIR CAUSE.
  5. David asks what needed to be done, and no money could atone for the innocent blood of their families slain, blood was required.
  6. They required seven descendants of Saul to be killed, that the judgment of God against the nation might be lifted.
  7. David ordered it done.
  8. God was then entreated (heard and answered prayer) for the land. He healed their land.

Great story Chris, but what does this have to do with America?

Well, since 1492, when Columbus supposedly discovered America, white men were eventually ‘discovered’ upon Indian lands. From that day until this, there has been a trail of blood across this continent. Some was shed in battle, in the war of conquest, but much was shed through treachery, clearly genocide of great peoples, who had neither the weaponry to defend themselves, nor in most cases, the desire to war against these foreigners to their soils.

Historians also record multitudes died in what is known as ‘the great plagues’ that often exterminated entire tribes in a years time, that did not have the immune systems to fight these diseases. Yet, if you understand the very nature of sickness as a demonically inspired result of the fall of mankind, as one man of God stated: ‘Sickness is the foul offspring of mother sin and father satan’ then you see the death of the great indian races such a horrible tragedy in light of the gospel, for the gospel is supposed to be preached with a demonstration of the love and power of God in healing the sick, and demonstration of God’s miracles. Yet I digress…

The US Government, formed and wrote treaties with the host peoples of this land, for in almost every case, each tribe had either received the first American government, in peace, or in cases of war, terms of peace were carefully written by treaties.

These treaties were taken carefully before God, and GOD HIMSELF BORE WITNESS TO THEM, AND UPHELD THEM. In the courts of heaven, these treaties are eternal covenants written, and upheld by God between the United States government, and the host peoples of this land.

Even the language of the treaties was clear to both parties: “Each tribe or band shall have the right to posses, occupy, and use the reserve allotted to it, as long as grass shall grow and water run, and the reserves shall be their own property like their horses and cattle.”

Article 5 of the Treaty with the Comanches and Other Tribes and Bands, 12 August 1861

As in the case of the Gibeonites, where the US government has broken her part, God is now bearing witness to the treachery and genocide that occurred to First Nations peoples in the US, and this root, is what is causing much ugly fruit in US politics presently.

Let’s look at a couple of thoughts on how God views innocent bloodshed.

2Ki 24:4  And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

Ps 106:38  And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Joel 3:19  Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

De 19:10  That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

Each tribe, has it’s own particular ‘trail of tears’ in their conquest by the US government. Please read ‘Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee’ by Dee Brown, to learn of some of these.

Truthfully, every treaty, ever written between any Indian tribe, and the US government, was systematically broken by the US government, and any Indian that rose up to discuss it, or who picked up arms to defend his land or family, was killed, without discussion, or anything remotely representing a legal trial. Even our great President Abraham Lincoln depicted above is no hero in native American history, just ask the Lakota Sioux about the Dakota 38, the largest public hanging in US history, of 38 natives accused of war crimes for defending their lands. There was no trial, simply capture of supposed killers, and a public hanging…

So much for freedom, liberty, and justice for all….

The Uneducated Savage?

It was said, ‘the uneducated savage’, could not understand the white man’s ways…

Though English, and white man’s law was new to the Indian, civilization was not. Five tribes had formed the Iroquois confederacy, in the year 1050, and governed this land we call America, according to ‘The Great Law of Peace’, until almost 1800. This ‘Great Law of peace” was passed down through the generations recorded on Wampum belts, carefully given to each generation, as the governing documents or constitution of the confederacy. This constitution was recited, and explained to the framers of the US Constitution (http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/) and is clearly the main line of thought that allowed the creation of our US Constitution.

iroquois founding fathers

During the Albany congress of July 1754, Benjamin Franklin said of the Iroquois confederacy: “It would be a strange thing.. if six nations of ignorant savages should be capable of forming such a union, and yet it has subsisted for ages and appears indissolvable, and yet like a union should be impractical for 10 or a dozen English colonies.”

The contribution of this was finally recognized by congress in 1988: https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/hconres331.pdf

Yet, the long awaited gospel, came to the First Nations peoples, and in most cases, was received in love, respect, and great honor.

Please read of George Washington, the man that bullets could not kill:

http://www.christiscreator.com/GeorgeWashington.htm

Washington’s Commendation to the Delaware Indian Chiefs

While encamped on the banks of a river, Washington was approached by the Delaware Indian chiefs who desired that their youth be trained in American schools. Washington commended the chiefs for their decision, saying:

“You do well to wish to learn our arts and our ways of life and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention.” [4]

george-washington-indian
Yet, though the heart of God was sure, from Columbus til now, to bring the good news of His Son Jesus to the host peoples of the United States, in general, greed, and lust for land and gold has corrupted the dealings of the US government with each and every tribe they interacted with.,

To understand more of God’s plan for America from it’s inception, please read: The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, where it is clear, that God Himself has been speaking to Christopher Columbus for many years before he sailed about His plan for this nation we call the United States of America. In his journal entries, we clearly hear the heart of God for the host peoples of the land, that Columbus bring to them the gospel of Jesus Christ and teach them Christian ways. It is also clear from his entries, that he saw the great riches of this new land, and was corrupted by greed and lust for power, and committed many, many atrocities here, setting a precedent for conquistadors to follow…

Yet, we are talking about the United States government treatment of host peoples, not just Columbus.

The Cherokee Trail of Tears:

One of the most famous cases, of US government treachery, is what resulted in what is now known as the Cherokee ‘Trail of Tears’.

As you know, we have three branches of government here in the US, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative.

These three branches of government, or divisions of powers, were given to the framers of our constitution, directly from the Bible:

Isaiah 33: (NKJV)

22 (For the Lord is our Judge,

The Lord is our Lawgiver,

The Lord is our King;

He will save us);

In the case of the Cherokee, they had written a treaty with the US government in 1785.

Just like the Gibeonites, they had submitted to the government of the United States, AND the United States government had recognized that submission, and granted them a treaty, clearly delineating the lands and rights of the Cherokee in the eyes of the US.

Yet, a new nation was being formed, and a new state wanted their land…

By the 1820’s, Cherokee lands were invaded by citizens of Georgia, and the new found state of Georgia imposed its jurisdiction upon Cherokee lands and inhabitants.

The Cherokees tried many legal remedies to enforce their treaty rights, and in fact won their case against the state of Georgia, in the US Supreme court in 1832.

They now had judicial authority to protect their lands, but not enough military might to do so.

They appealed to the office of the President, to send military to protect and defend them, from Georgia trespassers upon their lands.

President Andrew Jackson, refused to do so. his chilling words: ‘They may have a supreme court decision, now let’s see them enforce it!’

Now the plight of the Cherokee remained in the vote of Congress, and to Congress their case went, holding it in session, for a full five days.

During this time, many impassioned speeches were made, but I quote only one:

Sacred Fire

council fire

Before the removal of the Cherokees (The trail of tears) there was heated debate in Congress. Senator Edward Everett of Massachusetts fought against the removal of the Cherokees, holding the house in session for two whole days, speaking on Cherokee affairs, sometimes with effective irony, On Feb 21st, 1831 he said:

‘Here, at the center of the nation, beneath the portals of the Capitol, let us solemnly auspicate the new era of violated promises, and tarnished faith. Let us kindle a grand council fire, not of treaties made and ratified, but of treaties annulled and broken. Let us send to our archives for the worthless parchments, and burn them in the face of day. There will be some yearnings of humanity as we perform this solemn act. They were negotiated for valuable considerations; we keep the considerations, and break the bond. One gave peace to our afflicted frontier, another protected our infant settlements; nearly all were at our earnest request. Many were negotiated under the instructions of Washington, of Adams, and of Jefferson-the fathers of our liberty. They are gone, and will not witness the spectacle; but our present Chief magistrate, as he lays them, one by one, on the fire, will see his own name subscribed to a goodly number of them. Sir, they ought to be destroyed as a warning to the Indians to make them no more compacts with us.’

John Ridge (Cherokee) and one of his colleagues sat in the gallery of the House and were deeply moved by Everett’s sonorous words reverberating through the chamber. ‘I happened to be a spectator of this debate,’ wrote the correspondent for The New York Observer. On the second day, towards the close of the long speech, he found it hard to “shield his heart” against the “subduing power” of Everett’s words. “Two of the Cherokees stood immediately behind me and over me. In the midst of Mr. Everett’s peroration, I thought I heard something like a drop of rain fall upon…my cloak, near my ear. I looked up, and the head of one of these Cherokees had fallen upon his hand, and he was endeavoring to conceal his tears.”

Excerpt from the book – The Cherokee Tragedy, – Thurmans Wilkins, p 220,221

Despite the just cause of the Cherokee, Congress voted as to whether or not the Cherokee were to be removed from, or protected on their homelands, and the vote went to the state of Georgia, by one vote.

So, we now had two branches of government, directly opposing one, and the result was a compromise of integrity of this nation, that still affects us today.

A Treaty had been made, and then broken by political treachery.

History records that the Cherokee were forcibly removed from their lands, and placed upon the ‘trail of tears’ where it is estimated that over 4000 Cherokees died. They were removed to supposed ‘Indian territory’ here in the state of Oklahoma, where they still reside today.

The great tragedy of the Cherokee, sets historic precedent on the dealings of the US government with North American Indian tribes. Between the years 1860-1890, each Indian tribe was betrayed in some fashion or another, and warriors who rose up to defend their families and lands were slaughtered, those that peacefully submitted were forcibly removed from their homes and lands, and placed upon reservations. Each tribe has its own particular ‘trail of tears’, as solemn oaths and covenants were systematically broken by the Federal government, and any disputes were not handled by rule of law as promised, but at the end of a gun barrel. Any Indian that dared challenge the Calvary, or arbitrary dealings of a treacherous government or Indian agent, was shot without trial, and in many cases, this still goes on today….

And God heard, saw, and watched it all….

Cain’s blood

Gen 4:8 ¶  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9 ¶  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

In this case, we see the first murder recorded in Scripture. Cain killed Abel, and God judged him for it, and this unjust bloodshed had a voice that God hears: ‘the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.’

Secondly, there were spiritual repercussions from this murder in the earth itself:

11  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength;

Notice, here, the earth itself is defiled by unjust bloodshed, and refuses to yield her produce…

 Martyrs before the throne

Rev 6:9 ¶  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

As we study the history of the North American Indian, we discover many tribes had received Christ enmasse, and entered into Christian worship.

Yet, treacherous people, devoid of truth, or fear of the Lord, had them slaughtered.

One night as I was praying, I saw the throne of God, and heard a deep cry, from the throne of God:

‘How long until you avenge our blood?’

Suddenly, Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see before the throne, a great cloud of martyrs, and they were North American Indians!

In an instant, God caused me to know that these had kept their side of the treaty, the covenant between the US government and their tribe, but had been treacherously murdered for their lands…And they loved Jesus, and knew Him! They bear eternal witness to truth before the throne of God still….These are the voices of the ancestors, that still live before the throne of God…

That over the generations, millions of innocent, Christian, native Americans have been slaughtered, and though their spirits have left their bodies, they live, and stand before the throne of God, still crying out for justice in the earth.

In America today, that justice is being worked out…

Time does not heal wounds, only truth, the cross and blood of Jesus can do that.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

God is speaking to His church to fix this mess!

Today, Heaven is speaking loudly on behalf of the its host peoples, and I pray we have ears to hear, and eyes to see what our Father is doing at this time in the earth!

God speaks

What does all this look like spiritually?

In the earth:

Innocent bloodshed brings a curse to the land, part of the groanings heard in

Romans 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Many elders and native people, feel the distress of the land, and many know it is the unjust bloodshed of their ancestors still crying out!

 

Gen 4:9 ¶  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

We in the traditional church, love to quote:

2 Chron 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will HEAL THEIR LAND.

Yet, we do not know what this looks like practically.

Does the land itself feel the weight of sin and injustice?

Clearly, YES!

(For More discussion on this, read my article: Redeeming the Land: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/redeeming-the-land/)

The truth is, there are four main categories of sin listed in the Word of God, that will defile the land.

Winkie Pratney states in his book Healing the Land, “Famine, ecological devastation, war, and disease are four prophetic voices designed to get our attention when our moral madness is full. What we do not want to acknowledge will not be overlooked – that we cannot get away with living as if God does not exist or as if He has nothing to say to us.”

Scripture teaches us that there are at least four major categories of sin and defilement, the result of fallen stewardship and disobedience.

  1. Idolatry (Ex. 20:3-5; Jer. 3:6-10, 16:18; Rom. 1:24-25)
  2. Immorality and Fornication (Lev. 18:1-25, 19:29; Rom. 1:24-25; Ezek. 16:25-27; Gal. 5:16-26: Col. 3:5-10)
  3. Bloodshed (Num. 35:33; Is. 59:2-3, Ps 106:38, Pr 6:17, 2Kings 24:4) – Includes the shedding of innocent blood (abortion) and slaughter of suppressed people groups.
  4. Broken Covenants (Is. 24:5-6; 1 Sam. 18:3-4, 1 Sam 21:1-14)

broken

Remember in the beginning, I said that I had two powerful experiences in the Holy Spirit, that affected my life? Well the second came as I was listening to my audio Bible, and I heard this verse:

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,

So we pray, and seek the Lord, and ask Him for mercy, to forgive our sins, and the sin of our nation, to heal our land, but are we asking accurately?

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

How many people are willing to pray accurate prayers for the sake of truth, justice, and the manifest glory of God?

Or, do we simply pray, as my friend Billy Joe Daugherty once aptly quoted: ‘Just throw one up there” hoping we might hit something?

Try putting a pump action shotgun to your shoulder, and aim at nothing, and start blasting off rounds into the air. Sure you make a lot noise, and feel the recoil through your whole body, but did you hit anything? No!

Now, set a target out 100 yards, and find yourself a 30/30 deer rifle with a scope, correctly sighted in. Allow for windage, sight in, let out half a breath, remember to squeeze off your shot (not pull the trigger), and bam! Bulls Eye, every time!

Our prayer life is exactly like that. When we pray, we release power from heaven in the earth, to destroy evil and sin.

Yet, are we hitting the mark?

national prayer4

In the case of the groanings in the earth, I heard chief Anne Richardson state it this way:

“In a large measure our people can walk unto any piece of land and literally feel, and intuitively know what the land is feeling and saying, and intuitively know what caused it, and what must be done to heal it.”

Yet, we must read the preceding couple of verses in Romans 8 to understand this:

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Those of us who know Jesus, have been adopted into the family of God, sons and daughters of the most High God. We are the ones, according to these verses that must deliver creation from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty we have as children of God. God is raising up ‘land warriors’ across America, many of whom are host peoples, to actively, aggressively break curses and shatter demonic destructions over land regions, literally cleansing the lands upon which we walk.

OK, so we see the problem: broken covenants and innocent bloodshed defile the land, and cause God to withhold His blessings from our nation. Now, we need to look at what it takes to fix this, spiritually.

God calls men everywhere to repent!

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Broken Covenants – Now what?

The treaties have all been broken. Millions have been murdered in unjust bloodshed. The lands have been taken, either by conquest or treachery, and the white man now rules, by the law of piracy: dead men tell no tales…

Or do they? Before God, we never die, and clearly our ancestors still live.

Yes, we are all going to live forever, the question is where: Heaven or Hell? Justice will be served, either in this life or the next. We either do business with God now, or we will most surely upon the moment of our death for  Jesus is Lord of Heaven and of earth.

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

So what must be done?

Well, some time ago, my wife and I experienced marital difficulties. Seemed we could not get along, and no matter what she did, I just wanted out of the relationship, I just wanted out! Seemed nothing I could do was good enough for her, so we went and met with a couple of pastors at the church where we attended.

As we got into the ‘He said, she said’ painful dialogue, one of the pastors said boldly: ‘Stop it!, the way I see you two is that you have erected a wall about 20 feet high between you two, and all you are doing is throwing rocks over the wall at each other! What I want you to consider is this: I’m not saying that there are not serious problems in your marriage and in your home, but can you simply forgive each other, and come over to the same side of the wall, and look at it together? Fight the problems, not each other!”

The lights went on in me. My wife is not my enemy, and pain makes a lousy Lord. Unforgiveness, offense, and bitterness are like drinking poison, and hoping our enemy will die! We must forgive, Jesus commands it!

Mt 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If we want forgiveness from God, we must forgive. Period.

In the case of broken covenants, and treaties, we must recognize past injustices and begin to attack the problems, not each other…

It is all about the cross of Jesus, the only place we discover true victory and justice in this life: ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN FORGIVE SIN AND REMOVE CURSES.

Remember our friends the Gibeonites?

Only the blood of Saul’s sons could provide the justice and atonement needed to heal the land. Likewise, only the cross and blood of Jesus can forgive and remove judgments from this nation.

The message of the cross, must be mixed with faith, in a very living, and active God in this: For the sinner, or oppressor in a historic, or temporal setting, they must see the truth of God’s holiness, and fear Him enough to ask forgiveness, and let those they are oppressing go free. This takes faith, when much money is being generated from their labor and oppression. They must believe the 1. What they are doing is wrong AND 2. That God is love, and well able to supply and provide for them more than they give up monetarily through their oppression. This has been done with words, by the US government…https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/07/07/us-government-apology-to-natives/, yet whether they will take responsibility for their deeds is another question..

talk

Like wise, for the oppressed. When their cries reach heaven, and God moves in power to deliver them from the hands of their oppressors, they must forgive their enemies, but with understanding that when they obey God and forgive their enemies, that He, the Creator of Heaven and earth, is well able to create, provide, and bless them, far greater, than what was stolen and robbed from them.  My friend Quincy AfraidofLightning is right, grace is the gospel, Grace being the power of God made available to any person, anyway, that will look to Jesus, to receive His power, love, and creativity, wisdom, restoration, to literally recreate a new and beautiful way for anyone, anywhere that will believe.

Remember the Gibeonites?

They were mentioned again in Scripture, after God had judged Israel for breaking His covenant with Him. God called everyone together to renew the covenant. Seems idolatry and sin against God is nothing new.

Let’s look at it:

Deut 29:10 Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: 12 that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day: 13 that he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 15 but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: 1

Notice in this passage that God the Creator, Himself, came down to renew the covenant and He clearly recognized and included the Gibeonites. Today, God has no grandchildren, only children, and He gives no race, language or skin color preferential treatment before His throne. We have all sinned, gone our own way, and can only come to Him humbly, seeking mercy and forgiveness, through the blood of Jesus.

Isaiah 53:All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all

Native American

In the case of the Indian, we cannot remain bitter, hating all white men. Just as all Indians are not perfect, neither are all white men. Forgive, and you go free…Look to our Creator for justice, and let Him deal with the government! He will supply, bless, and move on your behalf, He cannot lie!

At his time in US History, God is again visiting His people and renewing His covenant through Jesus shed blood. There is a major difference between the account of the Gibeonites, and what God is doing presently. In this historic account, the Gibeonites were in covenant with God, only through Israel. Now, He has now second class citizens, only royal children adopted into His family, through Jesus shed blood. Seeing ourselves as he sees us, and moving in His power and authority.. Here are a couple of articles I wrote on this:

Who we are:

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/in-him-we-live-and-move-and-have-our-being/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/seeing-ourselves-as-god-sees-us/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/youre-who-affects-your-do-until-we-are-through/

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Ephesians 1:5 [Full Chapter]

having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will..
to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Yet Forgive in faith recognizing that when we come to our Creator in faith, giving Him our broken Hearts, dreams and promises HE AGGRESSIVELY GETS INVOLVED TO RECREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR US AND OUR PEOPLE!

Refuse to remain bitter or oppressed.

Learn your language, honor your elders, help your tribe heal.

Get educated, and become a force for good in this nation that cannot be stopped, because God is with you!

Warriors

warriors

There is a call to war being issued to you and your people from heaven. In certain cases this will be walked out in military service, but the ultimate call is to hear the voice of our Father in Heaven, and to do like Jesus does, in taking the battle to the real enemy, the demonic spirits that influence and control the minds and souls of men. Please read this and determine to rise up and fight for your people and this nation. When Jesus closest friend, John the Baptist was beheaded, He took the fight to the demonic spirits that caused his death, not in earthly military action.

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-warrior-heart-of-god/integration

White Man

Wake up! America is in great peril! Repent! Learn, and understand the foolishness of our historic Indian policy, and begin to pray, fervently, for God to open your eyes to the plight, culture, and condition of the red man. Truthfully, how many prayer meetings have you ever attended, that even mentioned Indians, or Indian issues? This will not go away, time will not heal it, prayer, true repentance, and the blood of Jesus will.

cross1

If you love America, fess up where we have messed up, and educate yourself to the culture, rich tribal history and traditions of whatever host peoples are around you.

Ask Holy Spirit for ways to reconcile…to be involved in restitution wherever possible.matthew Henry

Educate yourself and get involved with reconciliation, restitution and healing and understanding, wherever possible.

With the Navajo, the Lord directed us to donate 100 peach trees to the tribe as a peace offering for what happened when the Calvary burned their beloved peach orchards under Kit Carson in canyon des Chelley in 1864, and made over 8000 people walk over 800 miles through the snow, in what is now called ‘the long walk of the Navajo’. Over 4000 died on this journey.

Warriors heal warriors. While this was being planned, combat veterans asked to get involved, claiming this is not the freedom, liberty, and justice for all that I fought to defend. One man said, ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, warriors heal warriors’ He then asked for forgiveness for what the military did to their people. He and a marine then presented a medal received in operation Desert Storm, and a Marine Corps K-bar(combat knife) as honor gifts to the tribe, and we worked to plant a garden of reconciliation together. https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/navajo-ministry-report/

On July 11th, 2014 we had a flag-raising ceremony with Navajo president Ben Shelley:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5pO_8gzR6s. This was part of the Gathering of Tribal Nations where I understand 57 indian tribes were in attendance.

Here is the story of how and why the cedar stage and amphitheatre was donated and constructed in Window Rock, AZ, across from the Sports Complex.

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/the-legend-of-the-cedars/

The strength of America is its commitment to truth and honor…Freedom has never been free, but where we mess up, we correct ourselves and heal. This is what honor does, this is the heart of America.

Ii heard a man on the radio say this: The wisdom of the ages is simply this: find out what God is doing in this generation and then partner with Him to get it done.

There are many great people here, we can fix this…

The Land

Most First Nations leaders intimately understand the land…

Please read: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/redeeming-the-land/

The Blessing

blessing

The Blessing of Abraham is still working!

Ge 32:12  And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Deut 1:11  (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

Hosea1:10  Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

In these verses, we see the promise God made to Abraham, manifesting down the corridor of time…Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Hosea echos the same promise, being fulfilled through the seed of Abraham, Israel, the Jewish people.

Yet Jesus came, born of a Jewish lineage, fulfillment of the seed of Abraham, the promised Messiah. He fulfilled the prophecies, and He died upon the cross, as Isaiah said he would suffer. Yet, He rose from the dead! He’s alive! He ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of Elohim, God our Father.

And so we are commanded to believe, to become adopted into the family of God, sons of the living God…

Ga 3:7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Ga 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Ga 3:9  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

No longer is the covenant only to the Jew, but God, in His infinite mercy, has opened it to us Gentiles too! We can now worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, only through the shed blood of Yeshua! Jesus has made a way, for He is the way, the truth and the life!

Ga 3:14  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Ga 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Ga 3:18  For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Ga 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

It is by faith that we are saved, not by works. If you believe in Jesus as your Lord, Savior, and redeemer, you shall be saved, and the blessing of Abraham is working in your life.

We are blessed, and called of heaven to establish His blessing in the earth: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/recreating-eden/

Take Away!

This discussion is not yet complete until we take something away from it!

The Word of God is alive, and so are you and I.

The Question is: What are we to do with what we just learned?

Here are some thoughts:

  1. Begin to seek the heart of our Father, for His heart with respect to the host peoples of this land.
  2. Add the names of the Indian tribes in your area, to your daily prayer list.
  3. Begin to include Indians in corporate prayer.
  4. Ask Holy Spirit for what He would have you to do to heal your land.
  5. Study, treaties, covenants, history, of the host peoples in your area.
  6. Go, and learn from them, and ask to pray with them.
  7. Guard your heart against bitterness, offense, and deliberately take the pain of what you are discovering to the heart of the Father in prayer.
  8. Pray for the bureau of Indian affairs.
  9. Pray for the tribal councils, chiefs, and elders in your area.
  10. Organize events of reconciliation based upon what you have learned.
  11. Always tell the story of Jesus, He is still the answer, and only His power and wisdom can fix this…
  12. Tell others what you are learning, educate the next generation….

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/and-the-young-white-ones-will-come/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/reading-the-bible-with-red-mans-eyes/

For prayer, comments, or to donate online:

Email: chris.aomministries@gmail.com

paypal

Donate on-line: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=95XHSDDXDS7MC

Give in faith!

1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits?

1 Corinthians 9:14 [On the same principle] the Lord directed that those who publish the good news (the Gospel) should live (get their maintenance) by the Gospel.

Paul goes on to say, that he did not use his position as a minister of the gospel to take up offerings, rather he worked, making tents, to support himself. You might notice here, that Paul was not married, nor did he have children. Family responsibilities take time, and just as you bust a move on your job to provide for your family, I work every bit as hard, doing this, faithful to the Lord in prayer and the ministry of His Word, to you.

I will never charge for this: it my responsibility to God, my calling. Freely I have been given, now, I freely give…

As you give, hear Holy Spirit what to give, and honestly expect God to reward you for your giving.

Matt 10: 41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

I am a five-fold ministry gift and office – this is my life – I pray, I hear, I write, and wonderful things happen. You have your job description, I have mine – this is mine….

I have ‘see through’ faith for you, in this: Gal 3: 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

I believe I have a responsibility before God to be like Jesus, in every offering I receive. I receive it with thanksgiving, just like Jesus did the little boys lunch.

Then, because I walk and live by faith according to the blessing of Abraham, I believe that God will take your seed sown, and multiply it, according to what the blessing of Abraham promises:

Genesis 22:17 In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies

It has been a joy to me, to see the hand of the living God act in the lives of those of you who have supported us this year!

Many have seen tremendous blessing come into your households, and for this we give thanks, and give Jesus all the glory!

Mountain Moving Faith! USE IT!

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Mountain Moving Faith!

Speak to Your Mountain!

This is a message, I first preached, over 10 years ago. I have edited it some, to make it easier to read, but it’s truths have never changed! They are eternal! I have changed, and my understanding of these things has deepened, as I have grown in character and the fruit of the spirit, yet I am still a faith preacher, and God is still only pleased, by faith!

I have learned over the years, that faith works by love, and that love is an action. To make any of what I am about to teach you actually work, you need to believe, act, and first speak and live:
love-shed-abroad

The love of God, shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, is Jesus, loving people through us. This is what we must do, to be actually living the love of God:

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; 5 it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 8 Love will never become obsolete.

In one version, verse 8 reads: Love never fails.

love-never-fails1

If you determine to walk in love, no matter what, you won’t ever fail either.

If you have true faith in God, you will be full of love, for God is love, and whenever we authentically meet with Him, He meets with us, and fills us with His love, so that His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“The fruit of faith is love, and the fruit of love, is service’ Mother Theresa

If you think about it, Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, preach the gospel, visit the sick and the prisoner, and overcome evil with good. These actions of our faith, are only possible from a living vital relationship with an Almighty loving God!

In order for the rest of what I must teach on faith, the muscle of God in the earth, you must be:

1. Established and walking in the love of God.

2. Committed to doing the Will of God

3. Calling those things that be not as though they are.

4. Speaking to your mountain!

Let’s look at our decision to commit to doing the Will of God.

committed
Now most of us who have been on here know that I am committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In previous lessons and blogs, we have looked at the concept of Lordship. That is, if Jesus is our Lord, we need to do what He says. It is clearly established from the Word of God, that we need to seek Him first. How you meet with Jesus, first thing in the morning, may differ for each person, but seek, is an action word, and whether you are a prayer, praiser, or studier, we all need to seek Him first, every day. Like the Nike ad, as far as putting God first goes in your life ‘Just Do it!”. Establish your morning watch.
seek

We have looked at whether or not Jesus was Lord of our time. We introduced you to Mr. Tel E. Vision, and told you that most North Americans spend 2-1/2 hours each day glued to the tube. Finding now, that as I look at my time, Social Media can also become a distraction…It is a great ministry tool, but like anything, the question is ‘What am I doing with my time spent on the internet’. The Scripture is clear, that we are ‘to redeem our time’

Take that time, and put it into praise and worship, prayer, reading your Bible or listening to it on cassette, or simply changing the station and watching some good solid Bible teachers, or other fine television ministries instead of the sit-coms and soaps, and watch your life change!

In previous lessons, we looked at our vocations. Our jobs. Making Jesus Lord of our employment and doing our work unto Him, so that we could receive the promotions, raises, and better jobs that He has for us, remembering:

Psalms 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God wants to promote us, to place us in positions of greater effectiveness for the kingdom of God. Yet He judges your heart attitude, not just your outward performance. Seems He first judges our faithfulness and character, then promotes:

Proverbs 28:20

A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

Yet, I am a faith preacher, and we are going to get back over to looking at faith here in a couple of minutes.

Yet, I need to make sure ‘seek ye first’ is working in your life, or you are not in position to have all these other things added unto you.

Isaiah 1:19 (KJV)

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

2. Commit thy way unto Him:

Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Now, many of us are determined to live for Jesus, and to walk with Him every day. Before I preach faith to you, I need to talk about commitment.

Commit: Oxford Dictionary says

1. To do, to perform

2. To entrust for safe keeping.

3. To pledge, to bind with an obligation

Today I need to preach for a commitment. Many of us take Jesus as our Saviour, but how many of us are committed to making Him Lord of our lives? You see the first definition of commitment is to do, to perform. We need to do what He says, both in the written Word, and in the hearing of the Holy Spirit.

Henry Ford said it this way, “You can’t make a reputation on what you are going to do.”

I still like that quote by Will Rogers, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
right-track
Helen Keller, you remember, the lady who lived her life blind and deaf, said this: “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

I get really frustrated with people who refuse to move on in their lives. Why? I remember visiting CHEO (The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) and seeing the receptionist there, who was a quadriplegic, answering the telephone with his headset, and operating his computer with a mouth stick. He was cheerful and happy, and doing a great job. Yet, I see people that can walk, see, talk and learn, yet who refuse to invest their lives in anything, and it ticks me off. Look at Nick Vujicic, if you want to see what a man with no arms and no legs can do! He is a husband, father, adventurer, and incredibly gifted public speaker.

nick

Self Pity is from hell! Why? Because it mocks God’s power. It says that the God we serve is not big enough to help us move beyond our own little world. It is blasphemy in light of what Jesus died to provide for us.

“Winners are just ex-losers who got mad”, Van Crouch

The second, is easy, we have entrusted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to save us, and to take us eternally to heaven to live with Him. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. More than a children’s bedtime prayer, it’s our eternal security. Yet, before I preach here a bit, I need to talk about our pledge, our obligation. You see if we decide to commit to the Lord, we make a solemn pledge to live for Him. We bind ourselves to the plan of God, determined to die if necessary rather than fail in it.

I pray for you every day:

Colossians 1:9-12  (KJV)

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;

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;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

I desire that you might KNOW the will of God, and understand it.

I pray that you DO the will of God.

know-do

I pray you INCREASE in the knowledge of God.

I pray God grant you STRENGTH, to endure joyfully all the challenges this world throws at you.

I pray you remain humble and GRATEFUL, as He shows you your inheritance, and who you are by royal decree and privilege. (We a king’s kids!)

Many of us have been tossed to and fro by every wind of the Media, and teaching that comes across our path.

Why?

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

We need to recall the plan of God. We need to plead the Blood of Jesus over our homes and families. We need to tell others the great things God has done for us, for our testimony is a weapon of war enforcing Satan’s defeat. Yet, look at the final part of this verse, ‘loving not our lives unto death.

I heard a minister say it this way. If you have received a promise of God, and you are determined to believe it, stand upon it, unto death if necessary, you won’t be standing very long. There needs to be in the heart of every Christian the willingness to die rather than compromise the Word of God. If you want to read a few stories along this line, pick up a copy of ‘Foxes book of Martyrs, many have paid the ultimate price for our faith.
martyrs

Freedom is not free, and I am prepared to live for Jesus, beyond death if necessary: you cannot threaten a true Christian with heaven!

Yet, I’m not going to die, for it is written: ‘With long life, will He satisfy thee!’ I will live and not die, and declare the glory of God! Seems, as a warrior, I am more use to Him, here, in the earth, than up in heaven!

This type of commitment to truth, will cause true Bible faith to produce anything you need in this life.

A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.” Livingstone wrote back, “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

Good News Broadcaster, April, 1985, p. 12
road-make

The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters. He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus’s last words were, “What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood.”

Source Unknown

Some of us need to make a fresh commitment to Him today. Sure He is still the Lord, but He has not been YOUR Lord for quite some time. You haven’t sought Him and obeyed Him like you need to. We are going to do that publically now, so that you qualify for the rest of this teaching:

Let’s Pray:

‘Jesus, I know you are the Lord, yet today, I ask You to become my Lord. Show me Your way, and plan for my life, and give me courage and grace, to live for You, without compromise, all the days of my life, Amen’

We are talking about faith here today. It is going to take commitment. Let’s look at a couple of classic faith Scriptures:

extreme faith

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Revelation 17:14

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
faith voice
Faith has a voice. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Notice here, that as we abound in faith, we also abound in utterance, because again we see, that faith has a voice!

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

3. Let’s look at ‘Calling those things that be not as though they were’

Certain things belong to us from the Word of God.

Some of these include: healing, direction, comfort, provision, wisdom, supernatural favor from heaven with people, protection, encouragement, and deliverance.

How I wish these things were automatic if you simply followed Jesus! Some of them are, but most require violent faith to actually appropriate and receive.

If you want to receive healing, you need to know that Jesus took stripes in His body that your body be healed.

If you want divine direction for your life, you need to believe that the Holy Spirit actually wants to show you your future:

John 16:13

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

You need to know how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, how to recognize the inward witness He provides, how to recognize the peace of God leading you in your heart. I wrote a seven part teaching entitled ‘Knowing Your Future’ in my book, ‘The Parable of the Sower’.

 

Here is an excerpt:  https://chrisaomministries.com/2013/11/21/your-future-revealed/

Or here, on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Sower-Christopher-Walsh-ebook/dp/B00E9I9H1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384288775&sr=1-1&keywords=The+parable+of+the+Sower+Christopher

If you are lonely or discouraged, and you need the comfort and strength of the living Holy Spirit, then call to your remembrance: Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Matthew 6: 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
faith wave

A little faith will get you a little provision, yet if you are going to prosper in God financially, you are going to have to tithe, give offerings, exercise stewardship, and then use your faith to work and aggressively to reap.

Don’t know how to do something? Ask God.

He will give you supernatural wisdom.

wisdom-gift

James 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.

Don’t know how to deal with a person, who is not a Christian?

Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

God couldn’t ask you to walk in wisdom towards sinners, if He did not provide that wisdom you need for you.

How about favor? There is supernatural favor to be received from heaven, simply by asking for it. Esther fasted and prayed, and asked God for favor from the king. God gave it to her. Nehemiah prayed as asked God for favor with the king. God gave it.
thank you for favor

Like Jesus, God expects you to Luke 2:52 increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Psalms 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 5:12 (Douay) (5-13) For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.

Because you have been made righteous in God’s sight, you have the right to ask Him for supernatural favor with people. Glory! See if that doesn’t help your business and family life!
faith protection

Protection: Read the 91st Psalm. You are a child of faith Gal 3:7-9 declares, that the blessings of Abraham are yours. As God was for Abraham, so He is to you. He is your shield and exceedingly great reward. Gen 12:1

Deliverance: Ps 91: 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

When the day of trouble comes to your life, if you serve God. He will deliver you!

Now, these are things we need to be in faith about, every day. Deliberately pleading and possessing the promises of God, before His throne. We need to press into God for them. These are things that if they are not happening, need to happen, and they will if you believe and obey God. Each day, I call for these things into my life, whether I feel like it or not. I believe God’s Word on purpose. So should you. This is how we call those things that be not, as though they are.

These things have been freely given to us, but they must be received, by faith.

Ephesians 6:16

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

Notice here, that the shield of faith does us no good, unless we actually take it!
mountain

4. Now, let’s talk about mountains.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Let’s look at a couple of versions of this:

Mark 11:22-25 The Voice (VOICE)

Jesus: 22 Trust in God. 23 If you do, honestly, you can say to this mountain, “Mountain, uproot yourself and throw yourself into the sea.” If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you say will take place, then it will happen. 24 So listen to what I’m saying: Whatever you pray for or ask from God, believe that you’ll receive it and you will.

Mark 11:22-25 Amplified Bible (AMP)

22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly].

23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.

24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [a]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Remember, faith has a voice. You need to discover what are the roadblocks in your life, and then call them what they are, mountains. You need to command them to move. Your mountain needs to hear your voice. Your voice is your address in the realm of the Spirit, it is the place God delivers your personal blessing to.

Do you have problems in your life that never have seemed to go away? They do not mean that you are not a royal heir, a child of the king, and that you are out of the will of God. Satan is still alive, and not in hell yet (tick, tick, but his time is running out!) and whether you like it or not, he is opposing the plan of God in your life. He sets up roadblocks that only the power of God can move, but hear this. If you do not speak to them, they will not move.

Some may say, “I heard that before, and I tried that, and it didn’t work”

Well let me tell you something about mountains. I have my CIL blasting ticket, that I took as part of my commercial diving training.

Ever seen a road crew build a road?
blast

Pastor Kenneth Hagin(Jr) gives the following testimony that bears repeating:

“Ever watched a road crew remove a mountain so they can put in a road? It’s a big job. It doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes it takes days and weeks to bring that mountain down to size.

I remember as a child, traveling with dad back and forth to California holding meetings.

I remember seeing those road construction crews out there blasting their way through the sides of mountains.

They literally blew up a mountain, piece by piece.

All the traffic was stopped on that stretch of the road, and we had to turn off our radios and two-way equipment because the road crew was getting ready to blast. They’d drilled into the mountainside, and now they were getting ready to set off the charges.

Once they pushed the button on that detonator, you could see rocks flying everywhere. It looked like a volcano going off. Some of the small fragments even came sailing down on top of the cars, that were parked quite a distance from the mountain.

Then the workman would go back to the mountain site, clean up the rocks and debris, start drilling again, and pack the mountain with dynamite again. Then they would set off another blast, and it would cause the mountain to crumble some more.

After a few days, they had blasted out of their way what had seemed to be an impenetrable mountain. What was once a mountain of hindrance was reduced to flat land, and the road crew would go back in and start laying roadbed.”

That’s the way it is in the spiritual realm when you start quoting God’s Word against the mountains in your life.

When you quote God’s Word in faith, and authority, you are setting off the detonator of a powerful blast of God’s power that is demolishing your mountain, piece by piece. That’s why you can’t give up after quoting a few Scriptures one time.

As you faithfully quote the Word, give the Word time to work on your problem. Many times these mountains in your life are not going to leave, overnight. Some of them took years to develop, and are bigger than you think. Ever seen a ship, a tanker go by?

It’s moving, but it is so big that it takes a long time to pass from view. Yet, if you keep your confidence in God’s Word, and diligently quote it over your problems, they will leave.

I heard a minister say: ‘When you speak to your mountain, it begins to move. However, you may be unaware of just how big the mountain is, and how long it took to develop in your life. It’s moving, powerfully out of your way by the hand of God, but it may take some time to disappear from view”
pick

Today, we are going to blast a few mountains in our lives, according to the Word of God, but first of all let’s pray:

col-pray

‘Heavenly Father, I thank you that your Word declares that I have the authority to speak to the mountains in my life. Therefore I exercise my rights and privileges according to Mark 11:23.

Father, your Son, my Lord Jesus said that if I would speak to the mountains in my life, that are hindering me, and not doubt in my heart, that they would be removed. So, as I stand before your throne today, I ask you Holy Spirit to grant me wisdom as to the mountains in my life, and in the life of my church, now.’

Now, I am not going to pretend that I am the Holy Spirit. As He shows you what the obstacles are in your life, give them a name, and command them, in violent faith, to MOVE, in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!

They gotta go!

(name) move! Repeat

Testimony Thursday!

Testimony Thursday!

testimony

For all of you Social Media peeps, we have heard the term: ‘throwback Thursday’ where we are supposed to post pictures from the past.

 

Well, I think it would do much more good to make a new event called ‘Testimony Thursday’, where we post quips, quotes, Scriptures, and pictures of thing Jesus has clearly done in our lives.

Last night I was simply sitting in church, thinking about Thanksgiving today, and these following three verses came to mind:

Revelation 12:11 [Full Chapter]

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

 

Psalm 19:7

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple

 

Revelation 19:10

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

 

Seems fitting that today is Thanksgiving here in America. Great day to be thankful!

What are you thankful to God for today?

testimony1

Is speaking in other tongues of God?

Is Speaking in tongues of God?

spirit

Many of you have already received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues. For you, this is just a useful note set you can copy or email to your friends as an answer to a Biblical question. For some of you though, this is spirit and life, and although you have heard about people speaking in tongues, and perhaps been around it, it has not yet been your experience. Well, it can be, and this little teaching explains emphatically that this is a Biblical doctrine, not just the emotional experience of a few fringe elements. Let’s look at it.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

  1. Why do we need to be filled with the Spirit?
  1. After you make Jesus the Lord of your life, it is the will of God that you experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit’s ministry not only to impart the nature of God to the spirit of man at salvation, but to come and live in the new creature. His job is to reveal the exact knowledge of God from the heart of the Father. A believer cannot understand, by his own spirit alone, the profound wisdom of God. This is why Jesus said in John 14:26 that the Father would send us the Comforter to teach us “all things.”

When you receive the Holy Spirit, you receive the ability of God. Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” The word power in that verse is translated dunamis, which means ability and might. It is through the energizing force of the Holy Spirit living in us that we are transformed into effective witnesses. So, to be born again and not filled with the Spirit is like being a train without a track.

The ability you receive to pray with your spirit when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit is powerful. It edifies and builds up your spirit man and puts you in contact with the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 14:4, 2:10). For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

  • He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

We see in Romans 8:26 ¶  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

  • And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

It also allows you to pray God’s perfect will apart from your natural understanding and aids you in interceding for others (Romans 8:26-27).

HS perfect

And according to Jude 1:20-21,

20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Praying in the Spirit strengthens and intensifies your personal relationship with God, and helps us in our love walk.

  1. How can I receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

HS tongues

  1. The promise of receiving the Holy Spirit is for everyone in the Body of Christ because God gave His Spirit to the Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33, 39). As a partaker of your covenant with God, however, you must individually receive what He has given you.

HS personal flame

 I like this picture, reminds me of Rhinhart Bonnke preaching: “A Flame for every name! Your own personal flame!”

When you ask for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God promises that you shall receive.

Luke 11:9-13 says: And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?…Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

HS promise

In the Bible, when believers received the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in a heavenly language. Acts 2:4 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” This is still true today. When you accept the Spirit’s indwelling, your spirit will immediately have a desire to express itself in praise to God. The Holy Spirit will give utterance through you as you give Him permission.

When you pray in tongues, you are praying in the Spirit. You are letting the Holy Spirit pray through your spirit. The Amplified Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:14, “My spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays….” Just as your native language is the voice of your mind, your prayer language is the voice of your spirit.

A Brief Bible study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The promise:

Is 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

  • To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Acts 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

HS belly

Praying in other tongues will cause the weary to rest, and brings refreshing from the presence of the Lord. In today’s fast paced world, who doesn’t need rest and refreshing?

I heard Gloria Copeland testify that the Lord told her, thirty years ago, that if she would pray in tongues one hour/day that everything would be alright. Well, she has been faithful to do this, and everything in their life, health, finances and family are still alright.

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It is the promise of God, uttered through the lips of Jesus before He left the earth.

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

  • For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

All who are afar off, means you, right there where you are reading this, for the Lord our God has called you. Now, if we are going to study a certain doctrine or area of theology, we need to look at what it looked like in the Bible. I have recorded here the experiences of other Christians who have received the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to see what happened, and how we can learn from their experience.

Instances where believers were filled with the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2:1 ¶  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 ¶  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Read v 4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and who spoke? The Holy Spirit?

No, they spoke as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. God will fill you with His Holy Spirit whenever you ask. He will not overpower you and force you to speak. You must, by faith, open your mouth and speak a heavenly language that you have never spoken before.

Act 8:14 ¶  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

We see here a number of interesting things.

  1. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an event that occurs after salvation. People had already been saved under Phillips ministry, but then God moved, sent the apostles to them, and then the believers received the Holy Ghost.
  2. One of the ways to receive the Holy Spirit is through the laying on of hands.
  3. Simon saw something after the Holy Spirit was given. Many preachers have added their interpretation of what they think Simon saw, but let’s stick with the Scripture. There was obviously some type of physical manifestation when believers received the Holy Spirit. I think they spoke in other tongues, but the Scripture does not say, so THIS IS STILL ONLY MY OPINION!

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

We see here a number of interesting things:

  1. God couldn’t wait for Peter to finish preaching before He baptized these folks in the Holy Spirit. Seems one can get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit all in one shot.
  2. These believers did not need hands laid upon them to receive the Holy Spirit, they simply believed the Word they heard.
  3. One of the initial evidences of receiving the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongues.

Acts 19:1 ¶  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

We see again, a number of interesting things:

  1. Again, the Holy Spirit baptism is a different event than salvation. These people Paul preached to were already saved.
  2. Again these people received through the laying on of hands.
  3. They spoke with tongues as initial evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
  4. They also prophesied: they did not have to wait years before prophetic gifts from the Holy Spirit were given to them.

Overview:

These are the only four accounts recorded in the Scripture of believers being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Two received through laying on of hands, two received directly. You can receive this gift directly from God, right now as a direct response to this Word that you have heard.

Scripture interprets Scripture and Jesus said: Matthew 18:16

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Three of the four cases, and possibly the fourth, spoke in tongues as initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

You will speak in other tongues after you are filled.

I remember a couple of years ago, a friend of mine asked me to prove to him from the Scripture that the infilling of the Holy Spirit is Biblical. I shared with him, the verses I just gave you. He was still not convinced, and argued vehemently that these Pentecostal and Charismatic gifts had passed away with the 1st Century church. I asked him to show me that in the Scripture, and he showed me several vague references, but nothing concrete. Seems the denomination he came out of didn’t believe in the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and they were well grounded in their unbelief.

Well, I brought this man to a Pentacostal Church, and as God would have it, the pastor asked everyone to pray in tongues for five minutes before the service. This man was shocked at the heavenly roar, and obvious power in what happened, but still unconvinced. He invited me over for coffee and then argued vehemently that speaking in other tongues was of the devil, and that I was involved in some cult.

So, I said to him this: “Do you believe Jesus is God the Son, and that God raised Him from the dead?” Yes, of course he replied. “Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord?” Of course! He replied heatedly. “Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?” I pressed. Yes, he replied angrily. Ok then what do make of these two verses:

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

“The fact that we are here debating the Word of God shows me that you are diligently seeking God, looking for His best for your life. Right?”

What are you getting at? He asked.

Read: Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Jesus said these signs would follow those people that believe. I believe, therefore I speak in other tongues, you don’t believe so you don’t. Don’t let this bother you any more. God is not going to force His good gifts upon you, for tongues are only a sign for those that have faith, for one who believes. You refuse to believe, so you will not speak in tongues.

He was so angry that he asked me to leave! Well, I thought that was the end of it, and I went down the road rejoicing. Yet, I met him again several weeks later. Seems he went back to that Pentecostal church to argue more, but during worship, he got filled with the Holy Spirit, and began speaking in other tongues, and has continued to do so, every day since. To God be the glory!

If you desire the infilling of the Holy Spirit or if you are unsure whether you have received it, say the prayer below:

“Father, I am a new creature in Christ. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to enable me to be a powerful witness of Jesus. I believe that I now receive the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did on the day of Pentecost. Amen”

 

Now open your mouth and speak!

 

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Thanksgiving Eve – Thank Jesus!

 

It is time to write of my thanksgiving to God, my family, this country, and all the great churches we have visited or been a part of over the years. I am so grateful for all the people who have helped us make the impossible, possible – people of great hearts and generosity that have made our lives enriched in so many, many ways.

thanksgiving
I am also thankful to the host peoples of this land, the Indian nations, that have given us so much in welcoming us to their lands, and helping our ancestors to survive in this land we call the United States. I believe that again, they will rise up, and help us to survive in this land, in this critical hour of history….

I am thankful to Jesus, for His life, His love, His plan, His comfort, direction, grace and power and purpose to serve this generation,

And, I am like the one leper who found healing, I have come back to Him, again, today to simply say, Thank You Lord, for everything!
thanks-leper

Jesus expects a thank-you, and truly, giving thanks, completes our miracles. Let’s look at:

Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Jesus heals, performs miracles, gives us purpose and direction for our lives, and all He expects, is that we say, like this leper: ‘Thank-you!”

Why did only one cleansed leper return to thank Jesus?  The following are nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return:

One waited to see if the cure was real.

One waited to see if it would last.

One said he would see Jesus later.

One decided that he had never had leprosy.

One said he would have gotten well anyway.

One gave the glory to the priests.

One said, “O, well, Jesus didn’t really do anything.”

One said, “Any rabbi could have done it.”

One said, “I was already much improved.”

Charles L. Brown, Content The Newsletter, June, 1990, p. 3
I read the following little story, and it makes this Bible story, so much more relevant today:

Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersby illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

Our Daily Bread, February 20, 1994.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Have you taken time to thank Him today?:

thankful
Let’s Pray:

‘Father, Creator of all life, I come to you this day, simply to say ‘Thank-you’ for all you have given to me, my family, our country, and Your church. Thank-you Jesus for dying for me upon the cross, and that you having risen from the dead, live forevermore, that we too, might experience eternal life in You. Please come into our lives, our families, our churches, and again into this nation, that like the leper, we might be made whole in You. Amen’

For those of us who have the privilege of living in this incredible nation named the United States of America, please be reminded of why, historically, we celebrate Thanksgiving:
thanksgiving-george-washington

First National Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; Whereas, both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me

“to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness!”

Now therefore, I do recommend next, to be devoted by the people of the states to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be, that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country.

George Washington, 1779.

lincoln-thanksgiving

Two 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamations which are said to be by Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln’s
Thanksgiving Proclamation
of 1863

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.

Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

A. Lincoln, October 3, 1863.

Abraham Lincoln’s
Thanksgiving Proclamation
of 1863

It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.

We know that by His divine law, nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world. May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?

We have been the recipients of the choisest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father Who dwelleth in the heavens.

A. Lincoln, October 3, 1863

 

Money With a Mission

Some Biblical thoughts on wealth….

wealth

Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 11:19

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

wealth greater love

John 15:14

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

wealth obey

Deuteronomy 8:18Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Acts 1:8Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

wealth power

Proverbs 19:4

Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

Luke 16:9

And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

wealth mammon

Job 42:10 When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!

Here’s the way I see these verses:

  1. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and He loves all people.
  2. When bad (sinful) people do us wrong, we are commanded to forgive and love them.
  3. We must pray for our enemies, because the power of God is what will set them free, and break mind-blinding spirits off of them.
  4. If our personal mission is the great commission, then God gives us power to get wealth, the power of the Holy Spirit.
  5. This power gives us grace to love the unlovable, to literally become friends of sinners like Jesus.
  6. There are many more things MORE important than money and wealth: Freedom, family, and truth to name a few…
  7. This friendship, that is loving the unlovable, allows us to receive unrighteous money (Money received through wrong means)
  8. This is the wealth transfer, where the wealth of the sinner stored up for the righteous comes to us.
  9. If we want double for our trouble in dealing with people we know who are not walking with God the way we are, we need to be continually praying for our friends….Jesus is still a friend of sinners….

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, I see my life is all about love and redemption. Your harvest of souls and disciples in this, my generation. Help me to love, forgive, and honestly pray for those who are not doing right, with honest concern for their best interests, eternal life. As I do this, I trust that You will release to me wealth and finances, to obey you in what You have created me to do, as I daily hear and obey what You have called me to do Lord Jesus, Amen!’wealth

Obedience – Whatever HE says, DO IT!

obey whatever He says

Obedience: Whatever He says: Do it!

obedience (2)

I’ve read that when Edward VI, the king of England in the 16th century, attended a worship service, he stood while the Word of God was read. He took notes during this time and later studied them with great care. Through the week he earnestly tried to apply them to his life. That’s the kind of serious-minded response to truth the apostle James calls for in today’s Scripture reading. A single revealed fact cherished in the heart and acted upon is more vital to our growth than a head filled with lofty ideas about God.

One step forward in obedience is worth years of study about it.

Chambers, Our Daily Bread, March 4, 1993

Jesus is a living Lord, and He speaks to His children!

John 10:27 New Living Translation (NLT)

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

obey hear voice

Some people are so busy, trying to make a living; they forget the author of all life.

Like you can have a better plan than Jesus?!?

Christ went more readily ad crucem (to the cross), than we do to the throne of grace.

Thomas Watson

It would be good to develop the humility and heart of Jesus earthly mother, Mary as she says:

 John 2:5

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

obey whatever He says

Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master”.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, p. 22

It’s always a question of Lordship, is Jesus truly in charge of your heart and decisions?

Are we seeking Him first?

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

obey seek first

It is easy to say Jesus is Lord of our decisions, when we are alone with Him in prayer, but challenges will come!

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family’s housekeeper:

It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House.

“Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson.”

“He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him.”

“Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him.”

“No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you. When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. “Tell that woman I want her here in the White House.”

John Kenneth Galbraith, A Life in Our Times,  Houghton Mifflin, Reader’s Digest, December, 1981

Always obey God, not man!

obey not man

Deuteronomy 13:4

Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him and cleave unto Him

Dr. B.J. Miller once said, “It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.”

Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.11

Luke 9:23

And He said to them all, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

“It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience…Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these as trifling. But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle which was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands? Is He a holy Lawgiver? Are His creatures bound to give implicit assent to His will?”

Andrew Bonar, referring to the laws found in Leviticus, quoted in J. Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness,   p. 23.

Matthew 22:37

 Jesus said unto him, “‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’

Isaiah 33:22 21st Century King James Version

22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.

obey lawgiver

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I’m away. I will write you regularly. When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip.” Everyone agrees.

He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is in a mess–weeds flourishing in the flower beds, windows broken across the front of the building, the gal at the front desk dozing, loud music roaring from several offices, two or three people engaged in horseplay in the back room. Instead of making a profit, the business has suffered a great loss. Without hesitation he calls everyone together and with a frown asks, “What happened? Didn’t you get my letters?”

You say, “Oh, yeah, sure. We got all your letters. We’ve even bound them in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have ‘letter study’ every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters.” I think the president would then ask, “But what did you do about my instructions?” And, no doubt the employees would respond, “Do? Well, nothing. But we read every one!”

Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p. 242.

Matthew 7:21

“Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven.

obey1

James 1:22 [Full Chapter]

But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Well, simple preaching, now I need to do what I just preached, and get on with the work of my day:

Let’s pray:

‘Father God in Heaven, Creator of Heaven and earth, You who created me, Speak to me I pray. Lord Jesus, cause me to hear your voice in every area of my life, and grant me the courage to fully obey you, above every other voice, no compromise. Amen!”

obey no compromise

A Shark Story

A Shark Story

shark4 lemon

When I was young and full of fire, living for adventure, I completed the Underwater Skills program at Seneca College in King City, Ontario, qualifying me as a commercial diver and underwater welder. When I was 16, my dad had been posted to Norfolk, VA, to take the next level of his officer training as a naval officer, and they had a great youth program, that allowed me to take my NAUI scuba certification. I loved diving, and the ocean, and so Seneca’s training was a great fit for my adventurous personality. After graduation, I went up to Honey Harbour, Ontario, and worked a couple seasons on a cable laying barge, laying telephone cable that connected telephone lines to what is known as the ’10,000 islands’ on the East side of Georgian Bay. Round about October, or November, when things were starting to freeze up, I would buy myself a ticket, and head south to Key West, Florida to go treasure hunting with Mel Fisher. Got to work one winter for Mel’s son, captain Kane, aboard the ‘Dauntless’.

http://www.melfisher.com/SalvageOperations/TributeToMel.asp

shark2

Now this treasure hunting is quite an experience. Mel had 8 or nine boats working for him in his fleet, and people signed a contract for a percentage of treasure found. Mel had previously discovered the ‘Marguerita’, with 22 million dollars of silver and gold recovered, and investors made money, as did crew members that year, for contracts were signed by the year, anticipating the find of the sister ship, ‘the Atocha’, that historians record as having sunk in the same storm with hundreds of millions of gold and silver bullion aboard.

There were generally two types of boats in the fleet, search boats and dive boats. Search boats tow various metal detecting equipment, and dive boats are equipped with digging equipment, as the area the ships were known to have been lost, is known as ‘The Quicksands’, with the bottom covered with constantly moving and shifting underwater sand dunes, that are often 30-40’ high. The dive boats are equipped with air lifts, and a neat thing called ‘mailboxes’. These mailboxes, are huge elbow shaped tubes, that fold down over the propellers of the ship. We had little Boston whaler skiffs with outboard motors, that we would use to fly anchors out on three or four sides of the dive boat, so that these mailboxes could be folded down over the propellers of the dive boat, and pinned in place. The boat would them rev up it’s engines, and blast the prop wash down into the bottom, quickly digging a hole in the bottom 30’ or more deep, all the way down to bedrock. Then, the engines are idled back, to direct a stream of clear, surface water down into the hole. We then, as divers, would grab metal detectors, and would scoot down to the bottom, to see if any silver, gold, or lead musket balls had been uncovered by the blast.

shark shark1

We were allowed to keep our first silver or gold coin found, I still have my 1622 silver piece of eight to this day.

There was a wonderful side benefit to all of this digging in the sand. When we dug the first hole in the morning, the props would immediately uncover any clams, worms, crabs etc, that had been under the sand. Huge schools of fish would begin to congregate around the digging area, so that by the end of an 8-10 hour day of digging, there were literally thousands of fish swimming around the hole with us as we continue to work our metal detectors. We would begin to view the menu for the evenings feast throughout the day…

Now, we were not allowed to spear fish during the day, as any blood in the water would attract sharks, but at the end of the day, just as the sun was setting, we would descend with spear guns, and shoot a dozen or so fish, for Hor De Orby’s (hors d’oeuvres). Probably 8-10 of these fish were grouper or snappers, or some type of delicacy, that we would quickly fillet and hand to the cook, to bread and fry up, as we began the evening chores of washing out dive equipment, greasing ‘O’ rings, filling tanks, cleaning the deck, etc, as we began the three hour ride into harbour, where we would anchor out for the night. These were gratefully served as snacks enroute, before our evening feast. Usually, we anchored at Marquesis Key, as it’s channel enters into the only coral atoll in US waters.

shark spear

We would take all the fish guts, scales, etc, with any trash fish we had speared, and put this in a 45 gallon garbage container, with about 5 gallons of sea water. Someone, over the years, had welded a shark hook to a 3’ length of chain, that we would attach to a clevis on the end of one of our spare anchor lines.

Then after the traditional nightly feast, we play cards on deck, and then hook up a 2-5lb trash fish to this shark hook, and let the line drift back behind the boat 50-100 yards. Every couple of minutes, we would scoop up some of the blood and guts from the 45 gallon trash can, and we would chum for sharks.

For a couple of weeks, all we caught was one skinny little 5’ hammerhead, so I had a hard time believing the stories of the monster sharks the crew had caught in previous years. Sounded like fish stories to me….

Well, one night, there was a ‘glow in the dark’ plankton bloom that was awesome to see. The water was really clear and calm, and you could look down into the dark, and anywhere something moved, these plankton would light up, leaving a glowing trail when a fish swam. Every crest of every wavelet would light up, and it was really peaceful and picturesque. Looked like those greenish glow sticks that people wave around on July 4th fireworks: Really beautiful.

shark glow

Round about 10-11Pm captain Kane told me to pull in that shark hook, and go to bed. I was really tired, and nodding off, but I really wanted to catch one of those big sharks everyone talked about. I pleaded with him to leave the shark hook out, and he said I could on one condition: ‘If you hook a big tiger shark, and it fouls that line in the props, you are first diver in with a knife, to cut the props free.”

“Sure!” I said!

So, I dumped the whole trash can full of chum over the side, and rinsed out the container. Then I thought: ‘How will I know if I get a bite in the middle of the night?’ So, I pulled in about 40 feet of rope, and figure-eighted it around a 70 lb spare Danforth anchor that we had stowed around a set of bollards behind the cabin where we slept. I figured that if a shark hooked itself, it would rattle that anchor on the metal deck, and I would wake up and pull him in.

Finally, I went to bed, and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

In the middle of the night, I was awakened the sound of a loud ‘clang’, and the boat was shaking, and everyone was up, and men were yelling: ‘We got a shark, we got a shark!’ There was the sound of gun shots, as I sleepily ran to the back deck of the Dauntless. They had a spotlight, trying to spot the fin of this huge shark exploding through the surf behind the boat. When the monster had taken the bait, it had flown that 70lb anchor 40’ through the air, and the anchor was pinned against the back guard rail so hard that two men, could not pull it off. As the fish exploded from side to side behind the boat, it seemed like the entire ocean lit up from the line, like a ‘glow in the dark’ football field. A couple of us tried to pull it in, but the rope just tore open our hands, and the entire boat was shaking from the fight!

Each time the fin of this thing would surface, captain Kane would squeeze off a couple of rounds from the .303 rifle we kept on clips for sharks and pirates.

“Bam, Bam! I think I hit him! Bam! Bam!’

Finally, someone had an idea to fire up the big 6-71 Jimmy motors, and hook up one of the winches we used for pulling anchors. Quickly, a snatch block was run off the side, and the rope run through it. We then engaged the winch, and began hauling this beast in. As it got closer, Kane managed to get a couple rounds into it’s head, and the fight was over. Yet, we couldn’t lift it!

So, we placed the rope around a brace, and began winching it in, to discover we had caught a 9 foot, 550 lb lemon shark. Teeth, going somewhere to happen.

Problem was, that even though the fish was dead, it’s jaws would still clamp shut involuntarily, and I had to duct tape a fillet knife to the end of a broom handle to cut the hook out. I wanted to gut it, and put it in our walk in cooler, but Kane wouldn’t let me, so as the knife did its work, the body of the beast dropped off, and descended into the deep, clear waters. We followed it with the spotlight into the deep, and I remember the words my father had ingrained in me as a young boy: “Son, if you are going to kill something, you better eat it!’ I thought about what a waste of good meat that was, and how that shark would never have bothered us diving, or probably even come close to us, as lemon sharks are fish eaters, not generally known to attack people.

shark teeth

Well, the moral of the story:

Sharks are rather amazing creatures I’ve found. A shark’s primary sense is a keen sense of smell. It can detect one drop of blood in a million drops of water (25 gallons or 100 liters) and can smell blood 0.25 mile (0.4 km) away. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/sharks/anatomy/Senses.shtml

By throwing ladlefuls of blood into the water behind the boat, sharks would hone in on the scent trail, and would readily take the bait placed for them.

So it is in our life. God is love, and we who know Jesus, are His children, designed to walk in love, life, light, strength, power and authority in the earth. With Him, we are invincible, and satan knows this.

So, he has to do something to get through our impregnable armor.

God forgives us, but commands us to forgive others:

shark forgive

Colossians 3:13

Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].

Luke 6:37  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Mark 11:25

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Mark 11:26

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.

God commands us to forgive people who do us wrong, but in the business of life, people can tick us off, and we can get offended. This is a bait of satan, designed to get us out of the will of God for our lives. John Bevere has a tremendous book by this title http://archive.org/details/JohnBevereTheBaitOfSatan that you can download.

shark un

2 Corinthians 2:11

To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.

This is one of the wiles of satan, a trap designed to destroy us.

Unforgiveness to the devil, is like blood is to a shark.

1 Peter 5:8

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

shark rent free

Satan is a predator, trying to devour our lives. He cannot touch us when we are fully walking with God, in love towards our fellow man, so, he sends people to do us wrong, with the intent purpose to get us in unforgiveness. Why?

Remember the story Jesus told in Matt 18 about the servant who owed a huge debt he could not pay, and how he was brought before the king? He asked for mercy, and the king graciously forgave him, and released him from his debt. This man then went out, saw another guy that owed him a small amount, and had the man thrown in prison. Servants told the king, who then had him arrested and brought back to court. His verdict?

(Mat 18:33 NIV)  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’

(Mat 18:34 NIV)  In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

I want you to see this. Unforgiveness will produce torment in your life.!

When you or I choose not to forgive, we go into bondage. You get turned over to the tormenters.

(Mat 18:35 NIV)  “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Unforgiveness brings torment into our lives, and allows the devil to come and do what he does, kill our dreams, steal our joy, blessing, or perhaps our lives, and destroy things that may have taken us years to build.

Grudges only hurt us, not the person we hate or stonewall, for they allow demonic spirits to torture us, and steal our peace. Forgive: It’s your life at stake…

Homework:

  1.      Come clean with God. Ask Him to show you all the things you’ve done that offend him, and ask Him to Forgive you Come clean with others. Ask God to show you all the people who have hurt you, and forgive them. I had to make a 21 page list, forgive them, then burn the list.
  2.      Come clean with yourself. Ask God to show you all the areas of your life where you are beating yourself up, and forgive yourself.
  3.   Ask God to show you other people that are caught in this trap, and pray for them. There will be healing in it for you. (Job 42:10 NIV)  After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Days of Heaven upon the Earth?

Days of Heaven upon the earth!

Days northern lights

One night, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, we attended an all-night prayer meeting at what was then called ‘The Downtown Church’ (it’s now called City Church), and as we left the building, in the pre-dawn darkness of Canadian winter, the sky exploded in living colors, in what we now call ‘The Northern Lights’.

I heard pastor Rod Parsley say, in a revival service a term that is the topic of this teaching:

“Seed the heavens, and establish the earth”.

David Ingles, a well known Christian song writer, has written a song, on this reality, and taught extensively about days of heaven upon the earth. (http://www.davidinglesmusic.org/~shop/02—these-are-days-of-heaven-on-the-earth/166353/)

Days Heaven quote

Let’s look at this concept, as we continue in our life of faith (Fantastic Adventures in Trusting Him).

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