Let God pick your battles:

 

As I read this morning’s Bible reading in One Year Bible, I began to think about broken people trying to leave broken lifestyles. Let’s read it together.
Ex 13:17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

¹⁸ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.^[a] Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.^[b]

 

We all know the story, 10 plagues, Moses and Pharoah, “Let my people go!”

 

Imagine if you will the mindset of these people. Beaten, broken, enslaved for as long as anyone could remember, suddenly delivered by the hand of God, yet not yet fully trusting God fully yet.

Remember when God called David, and Samuel had a hard time accepting it:

 

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

 

He knows what we are made of, and what it takes to build a strong foundation of faith into our hearts, that one day will allow us to be the warriors, delivers, and victors in life’s battles.

 

If any of you have seen the movie ‘Captain America’ there is a scene where the commanding officer says something like, ‘there is no way we can make a soldier out of him’, then in one of the drills, Cap falls upon a grenade to protect the other guys in his platoon, and the hardened soldier gets some instruction. He had looked at the small stature and fraility of the man, yet his courage in battle revealed his heart.

In this case, God knew the children of Israel were not ready for a battle yet with the Philistines, so He led them on a longer route.

 

Anyone read the Christian classic: ‘Hinds Feet on Hinds Places?”

It is the journey where a fictional character named ‘poor little much afraid’ is transformed through a journey with the Shepherd, to receive her hinds feet to be able to leap around the mountains with a new name: ‘Grace and glory” It’s a great read, but the point that comes to mind is the way that that Shepherd leads her on their journey, the horror of being led directly away from her destination into the desert, instead of up the mountain.

Seems the Shepherd was wiser than her though, because near the end of the book, she discovers the extra miles in the desert had strengthened her to climb the steep dangerous cliffs, and in exhilaration she discovered she had conquered her fears, and was able to leap the tall heights with ease and joy.

 

Over the years, I have worked with broken people, each struggling with some deep dark secret pattern of destructive behavior. Addicts especially come to mind, and how relevant this verse is in their lives. They cannot be around alcohol or drugs of any form for some time, until they become strong, the temptation is too great.

In this Bible reading, the children of Israel were about to come in between a rock and a hard place, with far worse than the Philistines to face, the entire army of Egypt was about to back them up to the Red sea, and you know the rest of the story, God fought for them that day, as a whirlwind, a sea parter, and One who is altogether faithful.

Maybe you are in a fight for your life today. Literally, or spiritually, it doesn’t matter.

 

1 Corinthians 10:13  (ASV)

¹³ There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.

Jesus is the way, and also the waymaker. He will provide, He will deliver, He will lead you away from battles you are not yet qualified to fight. He knows, He cares, He loves.

Let’s Pray:

“Father, I need you to lead and guide me today. Show me Your will and Your way. Deliver me from the brutal circumstances that seek to destroy me, and show me the straight and narrow way Jesus promised is available to me. Amen”

Why Should I Start a Bible School?

Why Should I Start a Bible School?.

Commissioning Angels – Angels on Assignment!

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Wisdom for the day!

Wisdom

In the Biblical sense, wisdom is the “ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding” (Lockyer p. 1103).

Clearly, we all need this, and God promises to give it to us if we ask:

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Jer_33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

There is natural knowledge, that comes from study, and the exercise of our mental faculties, then there is revealed wisdom, which is where God supernaturally illuminates to our understanding either a solution to a problem, or a course of action that would not be readily apparent in our own understanding or strength.

Do we need both? Surely. What I already know, I already know, which is why I discipline myself to continue to read at least two good books every week. This helps me to increase, and stay current in knowledge.

However, what I don’t know, I don’t know.

Yet, wisdom, to me, means, ‘knowledge correctly applied’. This takes a walk with Jesus, where Holy Spirit constantly gives me ‘Aha!’ moments of inspiration, that were not readily apparent through normal study and research.

Job, the wealthiest and most honored man of his day figured this out:

Job 28:

¹² But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

¹³ Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴ The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

¹⁵ It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

¹⁶ It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

¹⁷ The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸ No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

¹⁹ The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

²⁰ Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

²¹ Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

²² Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

²³ God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

True wisdom comes from God and God alone!

This, is exactly what you need today. Specifically, He has told me to post this, that you might move supernaturally into solutions that you could not have known about, had you not prayed.

Proverbs 4:7

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Let’s Pray:

“Father, I ask you for wisdom and direction for my life. Show me what I must do, and how, and when I must do it. Give me understanding, illumination, on the myriad issues I face, and make apparent, the things that are essential, critical, and urgent, that I not waste my time, and Yours, on wasted thought or activities, in light of eternity. Father, I ask this, of Lord Jesus, my personal pastor and Shepherd, in His name. Speak to me Holy Spirit I pray, Amen!”

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

The Four Stages of Manhood – The Age of the Patriarch – Leave a Legacy

The Four Stages of Manhood – The Age of the Patriarch

pa·tri·arch (pātrēˌärk/) noun

noun: patriarch; plural noun: patriarchs.

a.The male head of a family or tribe.

a man who is the oldest or most venerable of a group.

Eg.”Hollywood’s reigning patriarch rose to speak”

b. person or thing that is regarded as the founder of something.

“the patriarch of all spin doctors”

2.Any of those biblical figures regarded as fathers of the human race, especially Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their forefathers, or the sons of Jacob.

 

 

There is the wonderful season in Jesus, where the children are grown, we have been faithful to the Lord, and we have learned much through our life experiences, as we and our families have grown. As we have sought the Lord over the years, He has given us visionary assignments, specific directions for our lives and our families, and now, as this next season of life is upon us, we consecrate afresh to His leading, determined to both fully complete our mandate, and to train successors to our work, that the work of God through us grow and prosper in succeeding generations. Now, we live fully for the honor and glory of God, determined to see His mind spoken, His agenda promoted, His truth established in our families, communities, states, provinces, and nations of the earth.

 

We have been looking at:

The Four Stages of Manhood

This is the final teaching on manhood, and the four stages that I see from the Word of God, we grow through, both naturally and spiritually. These four stages are:

Boyhood

Manhood

Fatherhood

The Age of the Patriarch

Today we are going to talk about the age of the Patriarch

A Patriarch, is one that is head of his home, his family, his tribe. Speaking Spiritually here, he is expected to exhibit the character of spiritual adulthood, that is:

1.Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly.

2.Deadness to Censure or Praise.

3.Ability to Recognize God at Work.

 

In a perfect world, in a Christian home where the Holy Spirit was at work and the Word of God was being both submitted to and taught, one would hope that a person would grow both spiritually and naturally at roughly the same pace. Obviously, in a fallen world this has not occurred, and even in the church, there are many who hear the word, but they don’t believe it.

 

Hebrews 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

 

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

 

Yet, there are those in Scripture that have gone even beyond Spiritual Adulthood, to become legends of Old, their lives depicted in the pages of God’s Holy Word.

These are what I call spiritual Patriarchs, and it is these that I wish to set before you today, so that by faith, you too will strive to take your place among them in the hall of faith, making headlines in heaven, writing eternity upon this generation.

Leaving a legacy of honour to the glory of God, and before the eyes of man.

 

First lets look at the life of Caleb

 

We see in Numbers 13 that Caleb was a leader, chosen to lead the tribe of Judah by his peers, from the linage that would one day produce Messiah, Jesus our Lord.

 

Numbers 13:30  And Caleb ‘stilled the people’ before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

 

He was a warrior, honoring God and respected among his peers. A man of courage, vision and faith with corresponding action, to change things.

 

Even though the people had a grasshopper mentality, and refused to do what was right and follow he and Joshua into battle, yet with passion he made his case known before them, and God.

 

Numbers 14:6  And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

 

And God heard his cry and responded

 

Every single other person in the entire nation was sentenced to die without entering the promised land, except Joshua, and you guessed it, Caleb.

 

Forty years the entire nation of Israelites wandered in the desert eating Manna every day. One by one, they died there until a new generation was raised up who knew God, and who knew not Egypt. Even Moses died, and a new man was set in place to lead Israel, Joshua.

 

And Caleb was with him, still a warrior, still full of passion and faith, even though he must have now been in his eighties. Righteous, zealous for the Word of God to come to pass in his life we read:

 

Joshua 14:6 ¶ Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

7  Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8  Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

9  And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

10  And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11  As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12  Now therefore GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

Now I need you to see some things here. Caleb could have rested after fighting with the armies of Israel for five years under Joshua. He was eighty-five years old. He could have died leaving a legacy of faith and honor behind him.

Yet, He did not. Why?

He had the heart of a Patriarch.

He had gone past spiritual boyhood decades ago.

He overcame his passions to pass through spiritual childhood.

As a leader, husband, and father, he passed through spiritual adulthood and fatherhood, and now found himself as a Patriarch in the nation of Israel.

He wasn’t called to lead as head of the nation, but you can be sure He and Joshua were tightly knit friends.

The same spirit of faith was in them both.

He could have been like Moses, and not fully accomplished the plan of God.

For God cannot lie, and God’s plan for Moses was that Moses lead His people into the promised land.

Yet, Moses never fully allowed God to deal with his anger, and God judged him severely for it.

He died without seeing the promised land in his earthly life (although the Word of the Lord was fulfilled, I believe, when Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus on the mount of transfiguration)

Numbers 20:8  Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

Numbers 20:11  And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.:

Romans 14:23

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Reminds me of:

Heb 11: 36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

And Caleb made a decision. He decided that the plan of God and God’s promises to him were more important than even his earthly life, that he would FULLY fulfill all that God had promised Him, refusing to die until he did.

So, if his life is any indication, he probably figured. Well, this world is not my home anyway. I’m going to die sometime, even if it is in battle.

Yet, he knew that darkness and light will never mix. Enemies will remain enemies. Even though there might be an apparent end to hostilities at present, he knew what would happen. If left alone, the children of Anak would multiply, and the day of reckoning deferred today would only rise up again in future generations. Anak would attack or defile either his children or his grandchildren.

Join me if you will in an imaginary journey into the thought life of Caleb at this time. Could it be that he reasoned, “Well, I could die, and leave things as they are. Israel is established in this land, and I don’t really need Horeb. I’m well respected in the community, my family is fine. Who cares about Anak?”

Yet notice Caleb. He was determined not to die before all the plan of God for His life was fulfilled.

God had promised him Horeb, and he was going to take it!

To whom much is given, much is required.

And Caleb went to war, determined to see the Word of God fulfilled or die trying!

 

And the Word of God came to pass, and he lived victorious.

Read with me Josh 15:

¹³ And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.

¹⁴ And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

¹⁵ And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.

¹⁶ And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

¹⁷ And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. ¹⁸ And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?

¹⁹ Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.

So then, a godly patriarch leaves a legacy for the next generation, and refuses to die, before his time is up!

 Psalms 118:17  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

Let go of your fears, and live your dreams, do the impossible!

 

Hebrews 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

If you are a Christian you need never fear death or the whimsical temporal approval of man.

 

Believe God, and change your nation or perhaps go as a missionary somewhere.

 

There are enemies in the land Patriarchs: same sex marriages that threaten the family unit. Unprecedented divorce rates and destruction of the family unit. Legalization of Marijuana, Abortion, Child Pornography. Islam, the homosexual agenda, child-sex trafficking, corruption in government to name a few.

As young David said when considering fighting Goliath – IS THERE NOT A CAUSE!

These are: Enemies of honor, enemies of the Word of God, enemies of freedom, enemies of God.

 

As a patriarch, you have a position of influence in the community, that others do not. People of influence will listen to you because of your age, that others will not.

Reminds me of a story: When we were missionaries, living in Val des Monts, Quebec, Canada, I shared this message with our neighbor, who was clearly the patriarch in our community. Though I was pastoring a small Bible study there , ,but as an English speaking evangelical pastor in a French community, I was tolerated at best. Yet I told him that in order for evil to triumph over good, good people do nothing. That God could use him, to quietly have lunch with one of his old friends, and more could be accomplished for the kingdom of God, than I could work in a lifetime.

He was very quiet, but very thoughtful, yet I was pleasantly surprised, when several weeks later, he called me over to talk. Seems he had taken this message to heart, and had lunch with the local judge. The word was that this particular judge would sentence guys arrested for drinking and driving to 30 days in jail, and community service, yet, when one of his own relatives appeared before him, he was pardoning them, and tension was rising in our small town, because of this.

Proverbs 21:3

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice

He spoke to his old friend about it, and his friend saw the error of his ways. The following week, one of his nephews appeared before Him, and received prison time, and the community rejoiced.

Leadership is influence, and you can use your position to work righteousness for the kingdom of God, by affecting people in positions of authority, quietly, sometimes behind closed doors.

Galatians 2:2

I went because it was specially and divinely revealed to me that I should go, and I put before them the Gospel [declaring to them that] which I preach among the Gentiles. However, [I presented the matter] privately before those of repute, [for I wanted to make certain, by thus at first confining my communication to this private conference] that I was not running or had not run in vain [guarding against being discredited either in what I was planning to do or had already done].

Sometimes a quiet, simple coffee with a key leader will do more than all the public protests and clanging noise…

Yet in this culture: The disrespect exhibited for the elderly is appalling.

 

Leviticus 19:32  Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

 

While we pastored in Canada, before God moved in the Inuit, elderly people were considered excesses, and were told to go out upon the ice and die. Now, since Holy Spirit has moved in the North, elders are again respected, revered, and are set in place to help govern this new territory Nunavet.

 

It is said in Africa, “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.”

Patriarchs and Matriarchs we need you to guide us with righteousness in this hour.

 

Phil 1: 21 ¶ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

23  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

24  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

Dying is easy. Living takes faith. So the children have grown, and the grandchildren have come.

Live for God!

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

Surely you are not satisfied that you have run your race through yet, finished your course for Jesus!

You need a vision from heaven!

Pr 29:1 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

If you get alone with God, and fill yourself with His Word, and seek Him faithfully in prayer, He will give you vision for your life, to make headlines in heaven, to have eternal impact. There is always someone to love, to pray for, to support, to teach, to help in some way….

Don’t retire, refire!

And don’t let the devil tell you that you are getting weaker, nor that you must be sick!

^{Psalm 103 1} Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. ² Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: ³ who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; ⁴ who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; ⁵ who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

As you get older, you do not need to get sicker. You can still execise, and eat healthily, and He will renew your youth.

I close with this word:

 

‘With long life will I satisfy him’

 

Are you satisfied that you have fully obeyed God, and done everything you can for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?

If not, get involved in a prayer group. Seek God for His plan. Stop Abortion. Picket the courts until just laws reflecting righteousness prevail. Leave a legacy that reaps eternal rewards.

 

Go on with God.

Let’s Pray: “Father God in heaven, Creator of all life, renew my youth, my passion, my fire, my vision, my creativity, my health, my strength, my courage, and give me grace to live for Jesus, with fire and intensity and purpose today, and for the rest of my life, AMEN!’

 

Some great articles and videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjljqReu1Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7_X-Gu51xs

http://www.revivalthoughts.org/Recent%20Articles%202013/Serving%20God%20in%20the%20Sunset%20Years.htm

http://www.wholesomewords.org/etexts/troester/elderly.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaihOIVVQ98

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjW3zv2A1s

Need Prayer:

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

 

 

 

Four Stages of MANHOOD – Man Up!

Manhood – Part Two

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things

 

As you recall, we are talking about the development of men of God, generally in four stages that were: boyhood, manhood, fatherhood, and the age of the patriarch.

 

No matter how great our earthly family may have been, we are now part of the royal family of God, training for reigning with Jesus!

 

As always, we begin and end with the Word of God!

 

Training and discipline can develop our soul, forge our will, but the Word of God has the power to change our very heart motives….

 

Ephesians 4:14

that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

 

Hebrews 12:5

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

 

Galatians 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you

 

Fathers in the faith, pray, for us to grow up spiritually, to embrace our manhood, to rise up to honor and responsibility in this fight of faith in this generation.

 

 

2 Timothy 3:15

and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus

 

We teach our children the Scriptures, but it is our life of honor that they watch!

 

Back in the days when I used to pastor, we used to do a ‘passage of rites’ ceremony with young men and women between the ages of 13-18. I took the idea from a book I read by an author named Craig Hill, where he teaches on the development of boys into men: http://www.promisekeepers.org.nz/bar_mitzvah.html

 

I agree with Craig, as I have endeavoured to learn protocol, the traditions and cultures of the host peoples of North America, North American Indians. In many tribes, a boy becomes a brave or warrior, only after their initiation ceremony, where acts of bravery needed to be exhibited. In some tribes, a young man had to ‘count coup’ riding up to an enemy with his ‘coup stick’ and touching him without being killed, and riding away in victory, having ‘counted coup.’ In other tribes, there were ‘rites of passage’ ceremonies that included running through tunnels of pain, where seasoned warriors beat them with sticks, or culturally required acts of bravery, where they had to complete a vision quest, or spend a night blindfolded in the forest over night.

From what I understand in the Jewish Bar Mitzva ceremony, boys were expected to go to work with their fathers after school, to learn responsibility, earn money and learn how to manage it, and become men.

 

What we used to do, is plan ahead, and get either the fathers, uncles, grandparents or older men in a young man’s life to write a declaration of honor, love and respect to be read over the young man. We would tape a line on the carpet, and all the men in the church would come forward to the front side of the line. The young teens would stand on the outer side of the tape. I would read a proclamation declaring that this day, they were forever leaving boyhood, to become strong men of honor, embracing the risks and responsibilities of manhood in their community, standing strong for their families, against evil in society, as men. I would present them with some token of manhood (usually a pocket knife, although some dads gave firearms etc), and then had the prepared proclamations of blessing read over each one by their elders. I would then have them leave childhood forever, by stepping across the line. All of us men would then lay hands upon them and pray and proclaim blessing over each participant.

 

Saw dramatic change in young peoples lives! Young gangsters would suddenly leave criminal lifestyles, and often join cadets, or get job to help at home. Shoulders would square up, and chests would swell with pride, as they embraced the call to be men!

 

This is so needed today! With a 50-60% divorce rate in America, boys are not taught to be men, and we, the church must rise to the challenge, and become fathers to the fatherless, accepting, affirming, challenging, exhorting, and discipling and calling forth warriors of righteousness for this generation!

 

 

Whether it was the Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony, or getting ‘jumped into’ a street gang, it is clearly part of the process for boys to become men, warriors, through initiation ceremony by the men of the community or tribe.

 

Seems this has been forgotten in many sectors of North American society, but the hunger in the heart of every man will be fulfilled in battle, or the essential part of him dies…

So much can be said here, but I will say this, after years in Promise Keepers, my childhood growing up on military bases as the son of a military officer, or in the various men’s ministries in which I have participated over the years, that boys must become men! Sure warriors get wounded in battle, but the church is the army of God! We have an infirmary, and there should be no man left behind, but make no mistake about it, we are an army, the army of God, called and commissioned to fight!

Luke 19:13

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

 

Recognizing the huge hole in this culture by fatherless families, I built and co-owned a construction company for many years simply, primarily, to take boys, and make men out of them.

Read a quote by another author I respect:

From a sermon entitled: ‘Fathered by God, by John Eldredge’

“In the lesson, John touched on some topics that he covered in his bestselling book Wild At Heart, such as answering the question that plagues all men: “Do I have what it takes?” But he also introduced six new stages of initiation that he has taken his boys through that have proved to be great steps for Christian discipleship.

 

According to Eldredge, all men have to go through these steps to become whole and holy men. It begins with “Boyhood,” where a boy learns that he is the “Beloved Son” and entirely delighted in by his father. Then, it moves into “Cowboy,” where the young man must experience adventure and danger (think: David’s teenage years of battling lions and bears as a shepherd). Following that, the boy becomes a “Warrior,” often leaving home to pursue a cause or a mission.

At roughly the same time (but hopefully not before) the man is learning that life is a battle, the Warrior must learn to fight for his beloved and become a “Lover,” but still remaining a warrior for the rest of his life. Many years later, with the right humility and direction, the Warrior-Lover becomes a “King.” That is, the man steps into true leadership and responsibility, guiding and directing the lives of others. And lastly, he finishes his latter years as a “Sage,” sharing his wisdom with other men and women, guiding them in their journey.”

If you haven’t read John’s book: Wild at Heart, I highly recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Heart-Discovering-Secret-Mans-ebook/dp/B00527N04O/ref=dp_kinw_strp_exp_1_1

In short, John calls his stages of manhood by different names, but the principals are the same.

 

Let’s talk about the transition from boyhood to manhood for a minute.

I’ve noticed that boys all go through what John calls the ‘cowboy’ stage,  warriorhood.

I watch young men race cars, ride bulls, become soldiers, martial arts experts, hunters, adventurers, because I believe God created all men with this natural ‘wild side’.

Becoming a man is becoming a warrior, developing courage under control.  I watch young men all making their mark in the world, joining the military, oil industry, rodeo, construction, or any other rough and ready world. Testosterone going somewhere to happen, working long brutal hours in the face of real danger to life and limb, to make their mark on this generation.

Like David before confronting Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

 

Yes, there is a cause! Freedom has never been free, just pick your battlefield, enlist in God’s army, and fight!

Whether in prayer, preaching, missions, business, education, military, cival services, finance, or media, truth is a sword, and there are battles to be fought.

No matter what stage you are at in your life, there are injustices to be confronted, but like the wise mentor of Willam Wallace in the movie ‘Braveheart’,  ‘First the mind, then the sword!’

Get educated, skilled, and choose your battles wisely, so that as you fight, you fight to win!

Seemed when I had my construction company, I would have to throw a rope on those often unbroken wild men, and teach them respect, responsibility, faithfulness, dependability, keeping your word, craftsmanship, and directed work ethic, without breaking their spirit, and still keeping the fire in them!

I am raising up men of honor, respectful, full of honesty, integrity, excellence, but when they look you in the eye, they look right through you, because there is still fire and steel there!

I’ve noticed this about myself: if I go too long simply keeping the schedule, making the deadlines, and punching the clock, I get to feeling like a hamster on a treadmill: running hard, but going no where.

There must be some mountain to climb, race to run, adrenaline pumping fast machine to drive, water-skiing, or some other impossible task or death defying deed in my schedule, or I quietly die inside. Gone through months of numbness, physically showing up, but not really alive!

Do something radical! Go on a mission trip to a different country, language, culture – confront the oppression, the poverty, the ignorance and fight for the oppressed!

Maybe you are called as a soldier or law enforcement agent, to literally take on crime and the ‘bad guys’ on the front lines. Everyone hates a bully – don’t be one, but be strong enough to dethrone any merchandizing the weak – the drug lords, the child sex traffickers, the pimps and religious bullies who beat women and children. Dad served 32 years in the navy and his counsel is still valid:

Real Men don’t hit women, they stand strong in defense of women and children.

Ok, enough sharing for a bit, if I go longer, you won’t take time to read it.

I’m pretty big on action so here’s some things you can do:

1. If you have never been affirmed as a man, take this article to your pastor men’s group, and have them first of all affirm you, and pray that God complete you as a man, a warrior, and eventually as a husband, father, and responsible member of society.
2. If you had a dad (what a concept!), and you have been through a ‘passage of rites’ type of ceremony, create one in your community. Deliberately reach out to teens and young men, and call them to excellence, warriorhood, responsibility, and honor. If your pastor is not interested, organize some sort of men’s advance (the army of God never retreats), and get in touch with me, and I will come preach and lead it.
3. Not sure what the next men’s movement in America is going to look like. Promise Keepers in its day was a powerful force for good, full gospel businessman had a day in the sun too. Whatever it’s called, get involved, and get your business, family, and church on board too. Manhood means excellence, honor, holiness – Man up!Father, I come before you today with my brother. I ask You Father to do for me, what no man can do: put into me all the things a perfect father would have if he could have. Pour into me the courage, boldness, affirmation, strength, passion and fire I need to radically impact my world, and restore to me all the things I never got growing up. Cause me to walk in honor, free from profanity, bullying, cowardice, perversion, pornography, lying, and develop in me an excellent spirit, strong in You and the power of Your might. I ask Father, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!”

Let’s Pray:

Father, I come before you today with my brother. I ask You Father to do for me, what no man can do: put into me all the things a perfect father would have if he could have. Pour into me the courage, boldness, affirmation, strength, passion and fire I need to radically impact my world, and restore to me all the things I never got growing up. Cause me to walk in honor, free from profanity, bullying, cowardice, perversion, pornography, lying, and develop in me an excellent spirit, strong in You and the power of Your might. I ask Father, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!”

If forever reason, you have not come to God on His terms yet, here’s what He expects:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/

For prayer, comments, or to donate online:

Email: chris.aomministries@gmail.com

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 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!

 

Angels – Go to Work!

If you love Jesus, and have received Him as your Lord and Savior, you have angels watching over you! Today as we seek first Jesus for His will for our day, and read our daily Bible reading, these thoughts come to mind.

God knew you would serve Him, and from the time you were born, angels, guardian angels have been assigned to your life, to report to heaven and await instructions on your behalf.

Matthew 18:10

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

These angels are looking to the throne of God, for instructions on how to help you, and direct you into the plan of God for your life! They love you!

I remember hearing astronauts stating that their mind’s cleared in outer space, that they experienced a clarity of thought that was amazing to them.

Why?

2 Corinthians 4:4

in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So, consider that no matter how brilliant we think we are, that here on this earth, evil spirits still work upon our brains, trying to keep our mind blinded from the eternal truths of the calling and destiny of God upon our lives, whereby angels see things from heaven’s perspective.

I believe that is part of the reason God gave us the Holy Spirit as a supernatural language when we speak in other tongues. (If for some reason you have not yet experienced this particular heavenly gift, please read:

(https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/is-speaking-in-other-tongues-of-god/)

In our heavenly language, we bypass our minds, and our heart of hearts, the place where Jesus lives, Christ in us the hope of glory, prays directly to our heavenly Father, without corruption.

It appears that sometimes the language we speak, though unintelligent to human understanding, is literally an angelic language:

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Could it be, that as we speak, we are literally commissioning angels on our own behalf?

The Scripture is clear that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to work FOR those of us who love Jesus.

Hebrews 1:14 Are they(angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

They are listening for the voice of God spoken through us, for their assignments in our lives!

Ps 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments…, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

 

Ever thought about praying in the Holy Spirit in other tongues?  1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. In this verse, we are told to seek the gifts of the Spirit, but everything must work the love of God. While love is greater than spiritual gifts, let’s desire spiritual gifts.

When we pray in other tongues, we: edify ourselves, we reveal mysteries, we pray the perfect will of God, and we make intercession for the saints, to name a few benefits.

Been thinking about angels though. We know they are with us, protecting, providing,and working for us, the perfect will of God.

Charles Capps, before he went home to be with the Lord, has brought much teaching on how confession of the Word of God, will commission angels, for they listen for and do the voice of God’s Word in the earth.

Yet, though I am a lifetime student of the Word of God, I am not God, and as I grow in Him over the years, see more and more my need of seeking Him in every decision.

John 15:5

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

 

Jesus Himself, fully relied upon the Holy Spirit to reveal the will of our heavenly Father:

John 5:19

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

John 5:30

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me

How much more, in using my authority to correctly assign and commission the angels of God dispatched to me, my office, ministry, family and calling. as I fear and greatly respect God, see this wonderful truth here in the Word of God:

When we pray in tongues, we can pray in not only other earthly languages, but also in heavenly ones, tongues of angels.

I believe we can literally spend time over praying in the Holy Spirit, and commission angels to do wonderful exploits for the kingdom of God.

What’s the bottom line. Deliberatly, on purpose, make time in your day, to confess God’s promises in faith and authority, then pray in the Holy Spirit in other tongues, and let’s see God’s kingdom advance!

Angels are on assignment, let’s give them something to do, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!!

Here is a song to encourage you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOkImV2cJDg&list=RDqOkImV2cJDg#t=0

Prayer Requests: If you or your family need specific prayer for anything, please send us a prayer request. We as a family will pray for you today, and if you would, please let us know the wonderful ways God answers. This is a great encouragement to us.

Daily, I face the needs of not only my family, but the orphans we support in Karimnagar, India. It is our dream to increase this as there are very real excruciating needs in the lives of children around the world, and God loves them every bit as much as He loves my precious children. Any donation designated for orphans, goes directly to them, 100%. All donations will receive a tax receipt for your giving.

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!

If you want to know a little bit more about who we are: https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/20/the-purpose-of-this-blog-2/

The Responsibility of Discipleship – A Word for Leaders

The Responsibility of Discipleship

Some time ago, I attended the leadership portion of Word Explosion here at Victory in Tulsa, OK.

A pastor that I had never heard of, who reportedly pastors a church of 15,000+ somewhere in the Eastern United States brought a word about the seasons of God in the church, and he was very articulate and relevant, in bringing out the various things Holy Spirit was accenting, decade by decade here in churches  in the United States.

From the Healing movement, to the Charismatic renewal, to teaching and the Word of Faith, to leadership, etc.

Then he made a couple of statements that confirmed things that Holy Spirit is screaming to me.

He explained that the day of a person simply accepting Jesus, receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and attending church, is not enough in this upcoming season of God, but that what must occur is discipleship.

He went on to say, that to the average pastor, you would look for someone saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, attending regular worship services, attending a small group, and then serving somewhere in the ministry as good indicators of what a disciple should look like, and I agree these are good indicators, but here is where he and I take a different path to the same objective.

I believe a true disciple of Jesus, is a person that is fully led of the Holy Spirit, all day, every day.

Historically, there has been grave excesses in what is called ‘the discipleship, or Shepherding movement’

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherding_Movement

Yet, what about true discipleship?

Jesus said: Matthew 28:19

Go out and make disciples in all the nations.

I think back on my own discipleship experience with my pastor, where, for a period of 5-7 years, he had me read every book in his library, develop a strong devotional life and Bible reading plan, and had me serve in every area of the church for 3-6months.

Was that the end of my spiritual growth?

Was I fully prepared for ministry by this process?

No, but it was a great foundation.

Luke 16:12

And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

So let’s dig into this concept of discipleship a bit:

Let’s begin by looking at the definition of a disciple:

Full Definition of DISCIPLE

1

:  one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: as

a :  one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ’s followers according to the Gospel accounts

b :  a convinced adherent of a school or individual

2

capitalized :  a member of the Disciples of Christ founded in the United States in 1809 that holds the Bible alone to be the rule of faith and practice, usually baptizes by immersion, and has a congregational polity

 

For the sake of simplicity, I call a disciple ‘a disciplined one’.

For example, when I swam on the college varsity swim team, I was expected to make 7 swim practices a week, and we usually did 2 weight work-outs on top of this. In order to stay on the team, I had to be a full time student and maintain a ‘C’ average academically.

What this meant, was that literally every minute of my week, seven days/week was scheduled, so that we could survive not only the training schedule, but the weekends spent on buses travelling to inter-varsity swim meets all over the province.

I was a disciple of competitive swimming and robotics engineering, listening carefully to my Olympic coach on how to make all this possible.

Obviously I survived and completed three varsity seasons, and completed my BSc in robotics, by being a disciplined one…

I was a disciple of robotics and swimming. No Jesus anywhere though.

Yet, we are called to follow Jesus…

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/your-great-commission-embracing-your-destiny/

So what does a disciple of Jesus look like in today’s world?

Here are some thoughts:

1. Aggressively following Jesus, having established a morning prayer watch, deliberately seeking Him first thing, every day.
2. Walking in the Word in deliberate Bible reading, confession, memorization, study, and meditation.
3. Consistently demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs, wonders and miracles flowing in everyday life, in spirit-led days. Flowing in God all day, every day, not merely on Sundays, or in devotional times. Walking with Holy Spirit, one day at a time, fully submitted to Jesus Lordship.
4. Consistently exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our character, carefully watching over our words, that they be faith-filled, representing Jesus well, as an ambassador should.
5. Consistently witnessing and sharing the gospel.(Here is a way to do this on-line:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/)
6. Consistently growing their families in the call of God, through their example, love, consecration, and recognition and fulfillment of their responsibility in their role in the home
7. Consistently attending church, and seeking to serve and build it, growing in faithfulness and responsibility.  https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/
8. Living a lifestyle of worship, singing, praying in the spirit, with an attitude of humility and gratefulness, demonstrating the acts of compassion the gospel commands: helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoner, the sick, clothing the naked, empowering the fatherless. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/15/we-worship-by-serving-the-people-god-loves/
9. Consistently seeking to grow in their gift and calling, spiritually, academically, and physically. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/03/the-chinese-bamboo-a-parable-of-growth/
10.  Consistently seeking to grow others in their gifts and callings, empowering, equipping, and encouraging them to hear and fully obey God in all things.
11.    Consistently giving and growing financially, learning how best to keep money under the Lordship of Jesus as a good steward.
12.    Deliberately seeking and pursuing our personal mandate, vocation, and assignment, individually, growing in responsibility levels, on purpose.

Jesus had 12 disciples.

These are simply 12 guidelines I seek to live by.

Yet, as I have meditated upon the concept of discipleship, I discover questions that have difficult answers.

I remember many years ago, an organization called Promise Keepers, encouraged us to find a Paul, and Barnabas, and a Timothy in our lives. The ‘Paul’ being a spiritual leader we could look to for leadership, mentorship, and instruction. The ‘Barnabas’ being a ‘son of encouragement’, another brother in the Lord we could look to for encouragement in the day to day battles of life, and the ‘Timothy’ being one we could pour life and wisdom into, one we were deliberately discipling.

This is a good start surely.

As we grow in our Christian walk, we surely need a pastor who can gently help us learn the basics of this Christian life and character development.

Through our growth process, God will bring the other 4 ministry offices to add strength and structure to the formation of Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Yet, as I have walked with God these years I see many of these ministers see the kingdom of God only through their particular ministry gift, and for humor I write:

The pastor:

GO TO CHURCH! Is it not written: Ps 122: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:25

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 92:13

Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God

They are right! We all need to be part of a local church, https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/

The apostle:

Then we have the apostle, often called the missionary today, whose favorite verse might be

Romans 15:20

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation

Kind like the old Star Trek television series, ‘To Go Boldly Where No Man Has Gone Before”

1 Corinthians 4:9

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

Since the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all, the true apostles I have met over the years are often gentle, suffering, humble servants of Jesus, who almost glow when they walk, carrying great spiritual authority and power….

We call them missionaries….

The Prophet:

Then there are prophets:

Wild creatures!

Dreams, Visions, revelations, ‘This is the Way Walk Ye in It!’ people.

A couple of verses from the office of the prophet, you often hear, when they show up:

Numbers 11:29

Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

Acts 2:17

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams

1 Corinthians 14:1

[ Prophecy and Tongues ] Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy

It has been my experience that true prophets stir up controversy by what they say, apostles by what they do…

Evangelists:

Repent, and get saved!

If you are not winning souls, I question your salvation!

These are the great soul winners, those called to train and equip believers for the work of winning the lost.

Biblically, they usually demonstrate great miracles to draw the crowds to the gospel.

Acts 8:6

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did

A perfect modern day example of a firely evangelist is Rhinhart Bonnke, or now Danial King.

The Teacher:

Then there are the teachers

2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Isaiah 28:13

But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon  precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

There have been great studies in the life of Jesus, showing how He is the ultimate apostle, pastor, prophet, evangelist and teacher, but what is the purpose of all of these gifts?

Here is a passage of Scripture I continually come back to:

Eph 4⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”^[b]

⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first^[c] descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

So we are given men and women of God, from God, to grow us in the things of God, that we can be delivered from the trickery of men, that we can take our place in the Body of Christ, our particular spot, gift, place and calling, that the whole Body of Christ might grow as we edify each other in love.

Been thinking about some what a disciple might look like in 2015, and I see questions, not full answers before me.

Since Jesus only ministered on the earth to His 12 disciples for 3-1/2 years before appointing them leaders in His kingdom in the earth, as His representatives, can we as leaders raise up people to send, in a similar three and a half year time period?

Yes, He promised that we would perform greater works than His, yet He lived with His disciples 24/7 for His entire earthly ministry.

How many of us are willing to embrace twelve people, and lovingly live with, teach, train, equip, and work with for 3-1/2 years until they are raised up in their particular ministries?

As I thought about the church structures in place across the earth, I see churches that place pastoral staff on salaries, but then how are the other four ministry gifts supposed to ethically receive financial support?

Do they simply attend a strong local church, and then perform their particular ministries outside of it’s four walls?

Evangelists raising up evangelistic centers that receive donations from the Body of Christ to finance their living support, and to host the crusades and conferences that train and equip us in the work of evangelism.

Prophets, who host conferences, and produce books and teaching materials to train and equip us in the prophetic…

Missionaries who solicit support to GO and perform missionary assignments, and to raise their families on the missions field.

Teachers, who receive salaries for teaching in the various educational institutes where they are called.

Somehow all this must flow through the local church, and how I have seen cat fights over money!

Should never be. All of us should tithe where the Lord directs, and I honestly believe if the Holy Spirit is fully in charge of the finances of His people, there will be no lack in God’s work being fully supported…

I was speaking about this today with Richard Lyons, who pastors the church we are helping pioneer.

I asked him: ‘Richard, here, in 2015, what does a true disciple of Jesus look like?’

He replied:

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:35

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So we see the fruit of a true disciple of Jesus, is true love exhibited in the earth, unconditional love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

John 15:10

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:12

[ Disciples’ Relation to Each Other ] “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:17

This I command you, that you love one another

Romans 5:5

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears muchfruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:8

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear muchfruit, and so prove to be My disciples

So, as we deliberately seek to receive the love of Jesus, we find ourselves thrust out into this war-torn, sin-sick, broken world, with one great weapon, His love beating in our hearts.

This is the mark of a true disciple, loving people, with no strings attached, simply because He first loved us.

Love Loud Today Leader!

All the evangelism, miracles, works of the ministry mean nothing without love…and love never fails!

Neither will you or I, as we deliberately love…

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Come on disciple, let’s pray:

Father, I come to You today, knowing my needs! I need Your love, Your direction, Your strength and power to serve You in this, my generation. Flow through me to love loud today, those You have placed in my path today. I ask this, knowing I am loved and heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus! AMEN!

Why Should I Start a Bible School?

Today, Holy Spirit told me to again post this article:

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/why-should-i-start-a-bible-school/

Why Should I Start a Bible School?.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Mountain Moving Faith! USE IT!

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.”
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.

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.

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.

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

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:

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 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?

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.

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.

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!

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!

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?

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”

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:

‘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