Casualties of War…

Pr 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

A. They are all manifestations of the presence of the living God, Holy Spirit meeting with people, directly, intimately, personally, and directly, in their lives.

I have watched some of my best friends, and fellow servants of the Lord die over the past couple of years, and though we are comforted in the truth that we will see them again, I asked God, WHY?

We will meet again, in glory, in heaven, but for now, their death leaves a hole in our heart, and provokes me to write some things that have been percolating within me for some time, as I have watched some of God’s tremendous servants die, or suffer horrible attacks of sickness, or infirmity, when the Word of God is clear:

Ps 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him,

I have watched people who I love, die, prematurely, and have hurt, and mourned their loss.

WHY?

And He has answered, and shown me, and no matter how politically incorrect it may be, I’m going to preach it, for this particular truth, will save many lives….

I heard Rev. Keith Moore preach a message at some point about developing a strong spirit. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin, preached and published a book entitled ‘Developing an Excellent Spirit’, and these foundational truths are what I must share.

It’s really simple, yet incredibly deep.

We are created in the image of God. God is trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We are trinity, spirit, soul, and body.

^{1 Thess 5:23} And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is much resource in the earth to develop our body and our soul, but few take the time to develop their human spirit.

I remember my pastor Billy Joe having a vision, a revelation, of people growing up, going to college, going to work, having children, buying a house, perhaps buying a lake house or boat or some kind of toys, then dying and going into eternity, without Jesus, or, if they had somehow become born-again in their life’s journey, stepping into eternity, with little or no eternal reward, because they had developed their soul, at the expense of their spirit, and

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Somebody once made the wise comment: ‘If the devil cannot stop you, he will get behind you and push!”

Seems that I have seen great people, often servants of God, that got ahead of God, and it cost them their lives.

Here in North America, foundations for buildings are generally made of concrete. You generally dig a hole in the ground, then fill it with concrete and steel, and if you have done it correctly, you can build a structure on it.

Someone once said, that you cannot pour concrete in a hurricane, and it seems that the same thing is true in our lives.

Generally, when the storms of life hit, our foundation needs to be deep, well-laid, and able to take the weight of the structure we are trying to build.

Some people have minds like concrete though, all mixed up, and thoroughly set!

In our own particular race, or journey through life, it seems that God is continually going deep within us, setting down deep roots in His Word and His love, so that the structures we build (family, church, businesses, organizations), easily stand upon the firm foundation of our faith, with no great stress to us.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

So we will face storms, trials, and struggles in this life, Jesus Himself promised them, but we are designed to overcome them all, and the way we must do this, is by faith.

In my book, I talk about the parable of the sower in great detail, but know this: that the spiritual battles we all face, are won, only by faith.

Yet, Jesus loves us, this I know, and Ga 5:6 faith which worketh by love.

Along the road of life, I have learned this about walking with Jesus: sometimes, we need to slow down, to speed up. We need to cultivate quiet, reflective time with Jesus, and allow Holy Spirit access to our deepest hungers, and needs for intimacy, acceptance, approval, comfort, encouragement, strength, and courage.

Job 34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?

Isa 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

We are required to walk by, and fight the fight of faith, yet faith works by love. We must learn, in whatever way works for us, to allow the deep roots of God’s love to fill the deepest creaks and crevices in our souls.

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

This is done, daily, personally, in peace, quiet, and rest.

Since faith originates in the report, or comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, then we are shown that the great fight in each of our lives, is for this quiet time, this personal intimacy, the love of our heavenly Father, this one and only thing, that is the most precious thing in any of our lives, that is the presence of God.

As an addict needs their drug, as an alcoholic needs their next drink, as a drowning person needs their next breath, we need the presence and love of God in our lives. Nothing else will satisfy.

His presence is like the water that softens the soil of our hearts, that the Word of God might root, grow, and produce mountain-moving, nation shaking, history making faith!

Mt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

In what is now known as ‘The Toronto Blessing’, Holy Spirit revealed the love of the Father, to a group of hungry, broken, fatherless people, and when He came, we all fell down, and learned how to soak, usually for hours, on the lines that had been duct taped to the floor, all over the sanctuary. Some wept, some shook, some laughed, some went into a deep peace, other went into a trance like state, and many of us received powerful visions, words, dreams, or out of body experiences in the glory of God.

It was addictive! Yet, in my life, something beautiful began to occur: somewhere during the years I attended the 21 conferences in Toronto, I learned to receive directly from God, home in my bed, listening to the audio Bible, the deep needs met, that my heart hungered for.

I left Toronto in 1997 for Rhema Bible Training Center, and have only been back a couple times to Toronto since, yet still, to this day, ‘soaking’, is part of my experience with God, and though difficult to put into words, it is this ‘receiving’ that is what I am trying to describe here, for I am convinced that this is where the deepest needs of our heart are met.

Brother Hagin used to talk about meditating upon the Word of God, and I am convinced, that He met God this way, quietly spending the needed hours, to get his hearts hungers satisfied, and questions answered.

“Soaking”, has become a term, for this kind of experience.

In certain cases, holy, anointed intercessors, will pray for people, for extended periods of time, while the Holy Spirit, ‘marinates’ them, softening their hearts, and loving out their deepest, sickest secrets, trauma’s, and core pain issues, and showing them how precious they are to heaven, as royal, adopted, children of the most High God.

The Green Line is a humorous reference to the green lines in Dave Roberson’s church, where people are instructed to line up for prayer. I was listening to the band ‘Halo Jordan’s’ song by this title, and it is really funny, but the message is still there, and it is deep. Some of the band members have come out of horrible circumstances, and the drug scene, but they received healing, revelation, and restoration, directly and personally, on the green line. What happened? Exactly what I am trying to describe: Somehow, they were able to meet directly with God there, and His presence is addictive. Their song describes the hunger, and the meeting place they found with God, on the green line.

A friend and mentor of mine, the evangelist Daniel King, wrote a great book, ‘The Secret of Obed-Edom’. I liked it so much, that I read it to my children as a family devotion. In it, he describes the life transformation of Obed Edom, as he encountered, and became addicted to, the presence of God. Clearly, Daniel knows exactly what I am trying to describe here.

Finally, I wish to describe why I have attended Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For several years after we had returned from the mission’s field, we were attending three different churches each week, and they are all tremendously strong ministries. Then, I had a face to face prophetic encounter with Billie Joe Daugherty, that kept me up an entire night praying. We had never been members at Victory, and though we had heard much about the ministry, had never attended church there. So, my wife said: ‘Well, we love these other churches, but Chris, you are called to world missions. Do you honestly thing you can fulfill the call of God upon your life in any of them? Why don’t we check out Victory, and see what they are up to?”

That first service, sometime in worship, I had a searing, savage, encounter with our living God, that tore away my thin façade of civilization, and met me in my deepest, most painful places. Again, I was addicted to the presence of God!

Those two encounters, got us hungry to discover more about this ministry, and for the next six months, we were in some type of service, almost every night of the week!

For many years, every week, and in almost every service, at some point, I found myself meeting with God, deeply, personally; where God Himself speaks to me, often quite apart from whatever is being sung, preached, or ministered on. When a friend of mine asked me why I had left a previous church, when there was such incredibly anointed Bible teaching there, I found myself saying: ‘You’re right! Pastor _______ is one of the most anointed Bible teachers I have ever heard in my life! Each week, he breaks down the Word in such a way, that it is like he is talking to me personally, and showing me how to apply the Scripture to my day to day world. But, at Victory, I encounter the searing, passionate presence of the living God Himself, personally, and this is what I need in my life right now!”

So why all the discussion, trying to describe this?

Well, the Lord has shown me, that clearly, this manifest, personal presence of God, that fills our hearts, and meets with us, is the difference between life and death.

In the early years, I had such deep needs for a Father in my life, that Holy Spirit would come and meet with me, granting me affirmation, acceptance, comfort, approval, confidence, that empowered me to become the man I am called to be.

In most cases, we, as men derive our self worth, from what we do, accomplish, build, develop, perform. (please read: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/not-by-works-its-all-about-love/)

God loves us, unconditionally, only because of the shed blood of Jesus, and our self-worth, our work, development, and performance is to be gauged by one yardstick: ‘Did we obey what He asked us to do?”

The Lord has shown me that many have been authentically called into their particular vocations, but have become so busy with the work of the Lord, that we forgot the Lord of the work, and like a hamster on a treadmill, we are running hard, but going no where.

In fact, this is how people die. They either work themselves to death, running, working, and laboring for acceptance, approval, love, encouragement, earthly reward, that they pour themselves out to the point, where they are so poured out, cored out, and exhausted, they cannot receive the deep, intimate presence they need, to restore, heal, and empower them for the next season of life and ministry.

Suddenly, heaven looks really, really attractive….

I remember on encounter with Jesus, on the carpet in Toronto, that bears repeating. My father had died of cancer, the church I had been attending had split, and I was hurting, badly. ,I had shut down emotionally, numb inside. During ministry time, a group of pastors and intercessors prayed for me, and I fell down under the power of God, but felt disconnected from what was happening. I kept whispering, ‘Jesus, I hurt, please heal my heart.” Suddenly, in a vision, Jesus was there! He was kneeling beside my head, and He was angry! He spoke to me clearly:

‘I am trying to heal you, but You won’t let me!’,

Suddenly, I saw the incredible wall in my heart I had erected to protect myself, and somehow, I allowed Him in! Deep, deep, searing pain, began to bleed from my heart, as He surgically opened the wound in my soul. Like a scab being torn off of a puss filled wound, He cut into my emotional pain, and purged, and healed me deep inside.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

He literally took out my heart of stone, and replaced it with a heart of flesh again…

Was reminded of the story of Mary and Martha today. Both were in the actual presence of Jesus, able to hear the same teaching, and words from the Masters lips, yet one was busy with the work of the Lord, trying to please Him through works. Mary got instructed, transformed, Martha got rebuked.

When the chips were down, and their brother Lazurus had died, Martha got a sermon, Mary got a miracle.

Seems God is a respecter of persons consecration, and attention to Him..

All comes back to this intimate, quiet time, consecrated to Him, each day…

Here’s how it is working in my life:

Pr 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

I study, I pray, I learn, and while I am working and praying, I deliberately, on purpose, pray in other tongues, usually for many hours each day.

If you have not yet experienced this miracle, please read: (https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/is-speaking-in-other-tongues-of-god/)

Then, at some point in the day, He comes…

When He does, I have learned to go to a quiet place, and let Him marinate me in His presence, as He gently fills every creak and crevice in my soul, and washes, and massages away the stress of the day, and imparts wisdom, revelation,understanding, comfort, healing, into places I had no idea I needed it.

This has been very difficult for a man like me, that is hard wired to work, perform, go, accomplish my To Do lists!

Yet, as important as fulfilling responsibilities is, He is Almighty God!

He can do more, in one second, than I can do in a lifetime, and this I know full well.

Seems as I slow down, He speeds up in my life, and things I have been working towards, suddenly happen, miracles happen, and projects get done!

Let Him search, and reach deep inside of you today.

I know not how to describe it, because, it is a literal, living encounter, with Holy Spirit, that continually recreates us into more than we were, so that

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Clearly, I see, that this living encounter, with our living God, is the difference between sickness and health, poverty and wealth, burn-out or empowerment, confusion or answers, human works vs the power of God!

Those that find, treasure, cultivate, and seek this, live long, prosperous, victorious lives.

Those that don’t, die prematurely, while those around them, wonder how?

Why?

Just the letter of the Scripture, will not produce this, nor will works of service. We must meet with Him, personally, intimately, daily…

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, only You can grant to those reading this, the experience of Your presence, I am trying, so hard to explain. Please take everyone who reads this, deep into your river, the deeper places of Your heart, Your presence, and feed, fill, lead, reveal to them, Your love, intimacy, person, passion, direction, power, miracles, and grace, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen”

The Sure Mercies of David! Cry Out to Jesus!

The Sure Mercies of David

I feel impressed to share again the famous story of a blind man named Bartimaeus:

We read of it hear in Luke chapter 18, but I need to amplify this verse:

Luke 18: 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

This is no ordinary story, it is one of deep faith, for though Bartimaeus was blind with his earthly eyes, He ‘saw’ clearly with the eye of faith. He knew Jesus would stop, He knew Jesus would heal, for He understood Jesus, who He was, and what He would do. Why?

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Bartimaeus had heard clearly this word from the Jewish writings, and He believed it:

Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

He knew a prophet had arisen in the land, and that God was with Him!

Surely he knew the stories of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and of the mighty miracles God had wrought through them, and he knew that God could not lie, and that He had made a covenant with his servant David, a covenant of mercy, open to all who would see and understand the love of God.

He surely had also heard of the mighty testimonies of how the lame walked, the deaf heard, the sick were healed through the touch of this man – Jesus of Nazareth.

This is the story of Blind Bartimaeus, crying out to Jesus as He walked by. This is a sermon I can preach, with passion and power. How Jesus is walking by….

Yet, what was interesting, is what he prayed, ‘Son of David, have mercy upon me!’

He lifted up the promise of God, in passion, and anguish of soul, recognizing his moment of eternal destiny, and suddenly, the promise, breathed life into his sightless eyes, for God is never I was, or I will be: His name is I AM!

And NOW Faith is!

Are you desperate enough to cry out to Jesus tonight?

Will you have your miracle tonight?

It is totally up to you….

Cry out to Him, Now!

“Jesus! Heal me, work in me, show me what to do, reveal Your Power, help me! Take away my pain! Amen!’

 https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/20/the-purpose-of-this-blog-2/

When God becomes your problem, pain becomes your instructor…

When God becomes your problem, pain becomes your instructor:

Hosea 5:14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

God is love! Surely He loves us, with an everlasting love.

Yet, these chapters 4 and 5 of Hosea speak of God judging His people, and actually bringing affliction to His people, to await their return to Him.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Re 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Come to Him today, and purpose to serve Him, today, and every day for the rest of your life, and you will experience only His love, no matter what happens around you, He will be for you, and will deliver you.

If you are wrong, and doing your own thing instead of His, admit it and change direction – decide to receive Jesus and fully follow your heavenly Father.

He will forgive you, and show you His love and how to get out of the mess you’ve made, no matter how complex: Remember – He created the universe – He can handle your complexity.

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, I hurt. Please forgive me where I have sinned against You. Deliver me from the mess I have made. Show me Your direction for my life, and give me courage to fully obey You in it, whatever it costs in light of consequences in this life. Jesus, have mercy upon me, and come again into my life, and bring your peace. Amen’

Identity Crisis!

Identity Crisis!

It is of the utmost importance to understand who we are in Christ, how God see’s us. In this fractured, broken society, where the family unit is ever under attack from all sides, this is critical information. Why?

Because now matter how dysfunctional your upbringing, or how messed up your parents were, you need to understand that God, the Creator of the universe, created you, and the you are not a mistake, an accident, a mess going somewhere to happen.

When that sperm hit your mothers egg in her womb, your immortal spirit was given to the earth, with unique DNA, destiny, plan, and purpose. As flesh and bone formed around your spirit, your soul and body were formed, but you, the real you, are a spirit, and your Father, your Creator, is the Father of all spirits.

Psalm 13913 For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
:
Even if you are the product of a rape, or come from a mom who had multiple partners, and you have never had any real family unit, you are not an accident.

God saw all this, and in His sovereign love, grace, and plan for this plan, He gave you as a gift to this planet, He is the one who gave you life!

Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

In order to experience that life, and life more abundantly, you are going to need to meet Jesus. Your heart, spirit and soul may be ravaged by the trauma and tragedy you have experienced. You may be an orphan in the eyes of the world, but you can be adopted into a loving family, the family of God. You have a Father, and He loves you. He is Almighty, and Jesus is not only the way, but the way-maker for your life. He is a Father to the fatherless, a friend to the widow an orphan, an ever-present help in time of need.

Ps 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Today, He wants to take you up into His arms, and teach you some things. Nestled in His love, He would show you the reason you are here, the purpose for your life, the life you were born to live.

Let’s look at the Word of God for a minute. Why? Thought there are many voices in the earth, there is One that will never change, and His Word is forever established in the heavens. He is One that, if you receive Him, will never leave nor forsake you, and He can and will give to you, your deepest needs met for affirmation, acceptance, approval, love, instruction, discipline, nurture, provision, direction, purpose and absolute truth and trust, that cannot be broken. He cannot lie, or betray you, for He is holy!

Ps 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Nu 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

He is your Father, and He loves you. He has a place for you, in the family of God.

Psalm 68:6  (AMP)
6 God places the solitary in families and gives the desolate a home in which to dwell; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Ps 107:41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2oW4ZD-0LI

He is the King, and the Church is an expression of His Kingdom, here in the earth.

Eph 3: 14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

If you have received Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, He adopts you into His family, and reveals to you your place on this planet, a far great place than you could ever ask for or think.

John 1: 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons or daughters of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I have prepared series of teachings, on who we are, in Christ, in Him, Christ in us, the Hope of Glory. I pray that you take these, personalize these, and put your name in each verse, and meditate upon them, as the truth of these loves out your deepest pain and heartache.

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

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/04/28/in-christ/

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/04/30/in-whom/

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

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

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2016/02/25/all-gods-promises-are-ours/

Faith: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/where-god-guides-he-provides/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/the-spirit-of-faith/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/not-by-works-its-all-about-love/

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, I receive Jesus, and your adoption into your family and kingdom. Place me, by your own hand, into the position you have ordained from me, from before the foundation of the world. Destroy in me, the lies, of my worthlessness, my pain, my past, my shame, and reveal to me the life I was born to live. Speak to me, lead me, guide me. In your name I pray Lord Jesus. Amen’

The Sure Mercies of David!

The Sure Mercies of David

Luke 18: 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

This is the story of Blind Bartimaeus, crying out to Jesus as He walked by. This is a sermon I can preach, with passion and power. How Jesus is walking by….

Yet, what was interesting, is what he prayed, ‘Son of David, have mercy upon me!’

He lifted up the promise of God, in passion, and anguish of soul, recognizing his moment of eternal destiny, and suddenly, the promise, breathed life into his sightless eyes, for God is never I was, or I will be: His name is I AM!

And NOW Faith is!

Are you desperate enough to cry out to Jesus tonight?

Will you have your miracle tonight?

It is totally up to you….

Cry out to Him, Now!

“Jesus! Heal me, work in me, show me what to do! Take away my pain! Amen!’

You’re not in a Church, you are in a bar!

A Critical Spirit

Church Bar in Dublin, Ireland

Tim Hawkins, the comedian, makes the joke that, if you go to a church where others do not judge you, you’re really in a bar, not a church.

So many women will not set foot in a church because they are sure that they will be judged (criticized). Some women are even called to ministry but would rather hide in the woods than take their place because of other women judging.

 

You can go to church and enjoy it, even if you are a pastor’s wife or a pastor yourself. You cannot worry what people think. Not your responsibility. When you see someone, try to think of something positive about them, even if you don’t like the way they dress, make a decision to love and empower them anyway.

Church must be a place of love, acceptance and forgiveness, where wounded people can find wholeness….

Karen

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, please forgive us for our pride, and harsh, judgmental attitudes. Deliver us that we might truly love and see the broken through Your eyes, that they might be healed, empowered, and helped to become more like Jesus. In Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen!’

Mad at God?

Mad at God?

Job 40:1 ¶ Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Proverbs 19:3
Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
3 The folly of man perverteth his way, And against Jehovah is his heart wroth.

Proverbs 19:3
Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 The foolishness of man subverts his way [ruins his affairs]; then his heart is resentful and frets against the Lord.

Familiarity and intimacy are not the same. Each has a value in life, certainly in married life, but one is no substitute for the other. If one is confused for the other, we have the basis for major human and marital unrest. In marriage, familiarity is inescapable. It happens almost imperceptibly. Intimacy is usually hard to come by. It must be deliberately sought and opened up and responded to. Familiarity brings a degree of ease and comfort. Intimacy anxiously searches for deep understanding and personal appreciation.
Gordon Lester, Homemade, Vol. 4, No. 11.

Ever been angry at God? I have! I remember after the death of my mother, I threw my Bible against the wall exclaiming: “What kind of God are you! We bring hundreds to church off the streets on the bus, and you heal them all, and my own mother, who I love, you let die!”

Well, God is love, and He graciously comforted me over my mothers death before He rebuked me, yet even though His rebuke cost me a trip to the cross, it was still His love, restoring my faith in His Word, and showing me the error of my ways! Maybe horrible things happened to you that in your heart, you still blame God for. I mean, He is almighty God right, He could have prevented them!

Maybe.

People have free will, and there is a mad dog loose in the system named satan, that plays the same old game in each generation: influencing the minds of men to do evil, then blaming God for it.

It is okay to vent your feelings before God, He loves you, but don’t blame Him for evil in the earth. He may allow it, but He did not create it.

I remember one heated exchange, where I yelled at God, where He was challenging me to trust Him to protect me, and I screamed: ‘You want me to trust you to protect me, you say you love me, then why did you let all the crap happen to me as a child. I could do nothing to defend myself…so why should I trust you now?”

Like Job, I had God show up in my bedroom in His glory, but not with a rebuke, I will forever remember what He said that day:
“Child, you do not understand everything yet, but you will in time. I take responsibility for what happened to you as a child, can you forgive me?”

Suddenly all my pride, rage, pain and frustration melted before His love. “Me, forgive you? You are Holy, you can’t do anything wrong!”
Suddenly, I realized our heavenly Father has the character of Jesus, like when He wash His disciples feet. He is not our angry judge, but a loving Father, who will love out our deepest hurts if we let Him, and will gently explain things to us, if we listen.”

May His presence, bring healing and understanding to your deepest darkest nightmares, hurts, frustrations: May the fire of your anger, meet the fire of His love!

Let’s pray:
“Father, I need you. I hurt, too deep for words. How did it happen? I’m trying to serve you? Please heal me, and touch me, and bring understanding, please I ask, in your name, Lord Jesus, Amen”

God’s Word Is Medicine!

God’s Word is medicine

Now this medicine is wonderful medicine. You cannot overdose, and it has wonderful side effects like wisdom, peace, prosperity and so on.

Proverbs 4:

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life

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Health = marpe: a medicine, a cure, a deliverance, a healing, a remedy, with the sense of soundness and wholeness.

Though I am no Hebrew scholar, my study in Strong’s only shows five verses that this verse is used in. The one above, and the following four verses.

1. Proverbs 12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

This is a beautiful verse, when you insert the definition of the word ‘marpe’ into it. Our words, spoken gently, become healing, a remedy, a deliverance, soundness and wholeness to people, and the wisdom of God spoken, will literally produce healing in every area of life.

2. Proverbs 13:17 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.In the new testament, or covenant we read: The old Testament, is the new testament concealed, the new testament the old testament revealed.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God

Ambassadors represent the country that sends them. As citizens of heaven, ambassadors of Christ, we are good news where we are sent, for the kingdom of heaven has no sickness. When God sends us to someone sick or suffering, we heal the sick!

When we reconcile someone to God, the author of all health and life, they get healed!

3. Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Again we see marpe being used for healing of the bones. Why the bones? Science shows us that in the marrow of our bones is where our blood is produced. Scripture tells us that life is in the blood. Healthy bones equal new fresh blood, Life to all of our bodies!

4.Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall

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Jesus rose from the dead! He is alive! He is the Son of righteousness risen with healing, a remedy, medicine, a deliverance, and soundness in His wings.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I ask You to heal me today! I believe I receive my healing, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus. As You are working in me, I choose to take the medicine of Your Word, the comfort and anesthetic of Holy Spirit today, trusting You, who cannot lie, to fully bring it to pass. Amen

If you would like more teaching on healing, or to listen to the teaching I did after my 40 day fast: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/be-healed-jesus-wants-you-strong/

Seven Ways That God Speaks to You: Part 3 -VISIONS

Seven That Ways God Speaks to You: VISIONS

God speaks through Visions!

Let’s look at a couple of Scriptures, cause faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God….

2Co 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Acts 2:17 and your young men shall see visions,

Ac 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

Ac 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Ge 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Nu 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

2Ch 32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of  the kings of Judah and Israel.
Jer 23:16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you:they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

Eze 8:4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

Eze 11:24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.

Da 10:16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O
my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me and I have retained no strength.

Na 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Many of you know my story, my testimony. How I graduated college and went to work as a mechanical designer. I had served on the Carleton University swim team for my time at college, and in my final year, served on student government. Then, upon graduation, I was hired at Robotic Systems International in Sidney, BC, then when things did not work out there, went across to Vancouver, on the UBC campus, to work in the cyclotron for Nordion International, as a mechanical designer, helping design targeting stations in the cyclotron, to produce I123, a radioactive isotope, used in treatment of Thyroid cancer, that was shipped all over the world.

At school, I had studied under Dr. Marvin Glass, philosphy of atheism, and had pretty much discarded my Roman Catholic, or Christian upbringing. If God was real, and good, and all powerful, why did He allow so much evil in the world?

No, God could not be real, I reasoned, He was simply a crutch for the weak, an  opiate for the masses.

Yet, I had rented a room in a Baptist bed and breakfast in Sidney, British Columbia and the very loving older couple that ran it, invited me to church several times, to hear an evangelist. I dutifully went, and even went up to the alter call several times, but felt nothing….Religion I thought…

Then, a missionary named Louise, stayed a week. She was a missionary to the Aleutian Island Indians, and she spoke little when she visited with me, yet emanated a peace, joy, and unruffled calm in the face of my academic arguments, that stopped me in my tracks. She gave me two books: ‘Mere Christianity’ by CS Lewis, and ‘Prison to Praise’ by Merlin Carruthers. I read them, and they made sense.

I said the prayers at the back, but still, felt nothing. The older couple gave me a Bible, that I began to read.

Yet, suddenly, I was unemployed, and needed a job.

One of our suppliers, Mantek, a machine shop in Port Coquitlam, hired me to install a CAM system on one of their 4 axis mills. Four months of intensity, but got it done. During this time, I had found a basement apartment with a Eastern European couple, and began to work out in the pool in North Vancouver.

I had just ended a 4-1/2 year relationship through college to my fiance, in a messy break-up (is there any other kind?).

On the rebound, I met a blonde bombshell of a lifeguard, who was taking her pschology degree at Simon Fraser University.

Within 3 weeks we had moved in together, and then broke the lease on our basement apartment, to rent a loft in Kitsalano. Her dad was a stock broker, so we started to hit the trendy places around town, the wine tasting shows, dinner up on Grouse mountain, coffee on the boardwalk, trendy.

I was still attempting to read my Bible, and she would watch Dr. Robert Shuller, and we would talk Jesus, but our relationship was not working. The cyclotron where I worked, busted a water line, and to avoid a potential water leak of radioactive water into the city sewage system, our team of seven men worked a 40 day turn-around, ordering meals in, only coming home to sleep a couple hours. Because of the sensitivity of the repair, we were instructed to not tell anyone why we had to work such long hours, to avoid some sort of Media scandal. So, I did not explain my long absences to my fiancé’. Her way of dealing with this period, was to hit the clubs, get drunk, and go home with several other men.

Even in my madness, my parents had set the example of monogamy, and I was always a one woman man.

My way of dealing with pressure at college, was to blow it out in the pool, and then triathlon.

So, in my sleep deprived state, I tried to blow it out running, and tore out the patella tendon in my knee again. I had done this previously competing for triathlon, and had been in a tensor bandage and on crutches for nine months, wondering if I would ever walk pain free, much less compete triathlon, but God, through a Christian acupuncturist healed my knee, and I got a couple more seasons of competition in.

Well, my fiancé and I had no where else to go, but our relationship had degenerated from screaming fits, to simply hugging each other and weeping, as we could not speak without fighting.

After the turnaround, instead of being rewarded as conquering hero’s and promoted, our team was put in a basement lab, my boss was used as the scapegoat for this mess, and we were expected to come to work quietly, and make no waves.

I resigned, the pain too great for words, my idols shattered.

I believed that if you worked hard, got the degree, and got a job, that you would make a good living, get married, and have a happy family.

Believed that if you trained hard in sports, you could excel…

Yet, did not figure Jesus into the equation, nor the Word of God.

My engagement was doomed, for we violated about every rule in the Bible regarding relationships. My career was doomed, for except the Lord build the house, we labor in vain. My sports career was doomed, for our bodies are designed as temples of the Holy Spirit, not to be abused…

Well, the worst part, is that this season of my life was four months long. When I would come home, to discover my fiance out partying with her friends, I would try and read the Bible, and often hurl it against the wall in frustration. It just didn’t work…

Then, one dark night, when I drove across Lions gate bridge, I asked my fiancé why they had chain-link fence all the way across. She said that was because so many people had committed suicide by jumping off there. A seed had been planted in my thought life…

Night after night, I would walk Kitsilano bike path in the dark, quietly praying, and often ended walking all the way to Burrard street bridge. I liked standing there over the wind and the waves, the ocean often bringing peace to my troubled soul…

Yet, my engineering mind would not stop. I looked at how this bridge was built, and saw the massive concrete footings that ran deep down to the ocean floor.

A thought crossed my mind: I wonder why they don’t have chain link fence on this bridge? Someone could jump, and if they hit the footing, surely they could kill themselves here? The seed had taken root….

So, over the next four lonely months, almost nightly, I would find myself limping out into the darkness, alone, always ending up on Burrard street bridge, the seed had become a plan….

Well, as my knee healed, I insisted on following the running circuit, running 10km runs on Saturday mornings when I was able. In April of 1989, there was one in Victoria, B.C. and though I worked late, I decided to catch the ferry across, and run it the following morning. My fiancé had a night class anyway, and I would see her for brunch Saturday, I thought.

Yet, as usual, I worked longer than I planned, and traffic was slow, so, as God would have it, I missed the last ferry across. So, I called my fiancé on her cell, to discover that she was not home as we discussed, but had gone over to one of her ex boyfriends apartments.

In the pained silence, I asked her if she was coming home that night, and she said, she would think about it.

I remember, that we had that poster on our wall: ‘If you love something, set it free, if it comes back, it is yours, if it doesn’t, it never was..’

I quoted that to her, and told her to make her own decision, for I honestly believed that I loved her….

Yet, I got back to the apartment, went to the 24 movie rental place, rented a VCR, and a couple of movies, expecting her home any minute. Yet, midnight turned into one o’clock, then two, then three.

One of the movies I saw had Mel Gibson in it. I think he had been to Vancouver to film during that time, and his movie, Lethal Weapon, really spoke to me.

In one of the scenes he stuck a pistol in his mouth, planning to kill himself, and the phone rang, and he said: ‘Okay, not today…’, in another scene, where he was having flashbacks from the war, he was crucified on the mast  of a ship in the desert someplace, and somehow, I saw Jesus on the cross in that scene. Yet, as the clock ticked on, it became obvious that she was not coming home, and I switched into numb, analytic mode.

One by one, I evaluated my reasons for living, and they all came up short. Robotics, my belief that I could automate the mundane jobs of slavery, drudgery, that freed up more time for people to exercise, spend time with their families, and pursue higher education: destroyed when an automobile plant automated in Canada, and laid off 1500 employees, some of whom who had been there for over 20 years…My experience watching my intellectual physics professor boss get betrayed and spit out by the corporate machine.

Sports, having trained for seven years for an Olympic dream, to discover that the sport of triathlon was not accepted in Seoul, Korea, so it would be another 4 years for a potential chance to go…My dream of marriage, family, career shattered, and I knew I was in trouble. I thought of my friends and family, that I had isolated myself from in my tunnel minded pursuit of my goals, and there I was alone, with no God….

I was in trouble, and I knew it. I remembered that when my dad had been posted to Victoria, BC as a naval officer, as a young teen, my mom had volunteered on ‘Crisis Line’, a suicide intervention line, and she had always told us to call it if we were in any trouble. Had thought about calling her, but they had come to Vancouver some months earlier to meet my fiancé, and there had been a cat fight between both her and my mom, they did not approve of us living together, nor my marriage.

Bitter waters run deep, and we were not speaking…

So I called “Crisis line.” Looked it up in the telephone book. There were three of them in Vancouver. One was busy, one was out of service, and on the third, I reached a stressed out woman, who told me to call back later, as there were more serious cases on the line….The seed suddenly bore fruit…

With a sigh. I hung up the phone, and picked up a pen, explaining to my fiance and parents that I loved them, forgave them, but that I could not take the pain anymore, and I carefully placed it on the night table by the bed….

I guess, in a twisted cry for help, I even returned the videos, and VCR, but even in the business of street night life, no one seemed to notice nor care….

Truly there is no lonelier place, than to be surrounded by people, totally isolated, totally misunderstood, and totally alone in your pain…

I walked to my usual place on the bridge, and stood, above the wind and the waves, enjoying the breeze upon my face, carefully planning my trajectory unto the concrete footing that I was sure would end my life, when I thought to breath one last simple prayer: ‘God, if you are real, I am coming to meet You….”

Suddenly, my darkness was shattered by a blinding light, and Jesus, God the Son stood before me, in midair:
high above the wind and waves. His hair glowed, and His eyes looked right through me. He cared, He was not angry, He understood, and He spoke: “Chris, you have been an athlete all of your life, if you jump right now, could you handle the rest of your life in a wheelchair?”

I quickly replied: “Lord, I don’t even believe in You!”

He said, ‘Call Chappy!” and disappeared, but there was peace in that place.

I have thought back many times about this event, for a man with an experience, is never at the mercy of a man with an argument. I believe I had either an open vision, or Jesus literally appeared to me, it doesn’t matter. He knows my name, He knew what I was doing in my life, and He is Lord, for He told me exactly what would have happened had I jumped. I would not have died, but spent the rest of my life in a wheelchair.

Out of the mouth, the heart speaks, and in hindsight, I saw my problem. I did not believe.

Romans 10:10

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I had said the prayers before, but I had not believed them. Evidently though, Jesus had…He loves us!

So, I walked back to my apartment, thoughts still screaming in my head, but the experience revolutionized my life.

When I got back upstairs, the phone was ringing. It was my mom. She was crying and said: “Son, come home!”. I was so tired of her emotional outbursts, I said: “Why would I do that, I have to go to work on Monday?”

She replied: “Son, this is more important than work, I just had a nightmare that you killed yourself tonight, and I have been praying for you…”

Perhaps, when I come to speak in an area near you, the Lord will let me tell you the rest of the story, but for the sake of this lesson, let’s just say: Jesus is Lord, and He is well able to speak through visions and dreams…

In summation, a vision may be as simple as a mini-pic that flashes across your mind, or a movie explaining supernatural events, but visions are part of what God has surely promised for us that believe. I remember some years ago, a series of all night prayer meetings, we would all meet for dinner at 6PM, and would eat together, then would begin to worship God until midnight.

We had learned that we were the ‘Bride of Christ’, so we called these meetings ‘date nights with Jesus’. Now, any good date would include dinner and a movie. We cooked the dinner, and fell in love with Jesus, in worship. He would supply the movie, with many, if not all of us experiencing some sort of supernatural visions during those times…

He still gives visions!

Let’s Pray:

“Father, please grant me heavenly visions, for You promised that Your young people shall see visions. I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen”
If you need prayer, right now, there are several 24 hour prayer lines here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here are some telephone numbers:

Abundant Life Prayer Group 918 495 7777
Victory Christian Center Prayer Line 918 496 0700
After Hours: 866 295 8442

Or simply email me at chris.aomministries@gmail.com

Casulties of War…

Casualties of War…

Pr 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

A. They are all manifestations of the presence of the living God, Holy Spirit meeting with people, directly, intimately, personally, and directly, in their lives.

I have watched some of my best friends, and fellow servants of the Lord die over the past couple of years, and though we are comforted in the truth that we will see them again, I asked God, WHY?

We will meet again, in glory, in heaven, but for now, their death leaves a hole in our heart, and provokes me to write some things that have been percolating within me for some time, as I have watched some of God’s tremendous servants die, or suffer horrible attacks of sickness, or infirmity, when the Word of God is clear:

Ps 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him,

I have watched people who I love, die, prematurely, and have hurt, and mourned their loss.

WHY?

And He has answered, and shown me, and no matter how politically incorrect it may be, I’m going to preach it, for this particular truth, will save many lives….

I heard Rev. Keith Moore preach a message at some point about developing a strong spirit. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin, preached and published a book entitled ‘Developing an Excellent Spirit’, and these foundational truths are what I must share.

It’s really simple, yet incredibly deep.

We are created in the image of God. God is trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We are trinity, spirit, soul, and body.

^{1 Thess 5:23} And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is much resource in the earth to develop our body and our soul, but few take the time to develop their human spirit.

I remember my pastor Billy Joe having a vision, a revelation, of people growing up, going to college, going to work, having children, buying a house, perhaps buying a lake house or boat or some kind of toys, then dying and going into eternity, without Jesus, or, if they had somehow become born-again in their life’s journey, stepping into eternity, with little or no eternal reward, because they had developed their soul, at the expense of their spirit, and

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Somebody once made the wise comment: ‘If the devil cannot stop you, he will get behind you and push!”

Seems that I have seen great people, often servants of God, that got ahead of God, and it cost them their lives.

Here in North America, foundations for buildings are generally made of concrete. You generally dig a hole in the ground, then fill it with concrete and steel, and if you have done it correctly, you can build a structure on it.

Someone once said, that you cannot pour concrete in a hurricane, and it seems that the same thing is true in our lives.

Generally, when the storms of life hit, our foundation needs to be deep, well-laid, and able to take the weight of the structure we are trying to build.

Some people have minds like concrete though, all mixed up, and thoroughly set!

In our own particular race, or journey through life, it seems that God is continually going deep within us, setting down deep roots in His Word and His love, so that the structures we build (family, church, businesses, organizations), easily stand upon the firm foundation of our faith, with no great stress to us.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

So we will face storms, trials, and struggles in this life, Jesus Himself promised them, but we are designed to overcome them all, and the way we must do this, is by faith.

In my book, I talk about the parable of the sower in great detail, but know this: that the spiritual battles we all face, are won, only by faith.

Yet, Jesus loves us, this I know, and Ga 5:6 faith which worketh by love.

Along the road of life, I have learned this about walking with Jesus: sometimes, we need to slow down, to speed up. We need to cultivate quiet, reflective time with Jesus, and allow Holy Spirit access to our deepest hungers, and needs for intimacy, acceptance, approval, comfort, encouragement, strength, and courage.

Job 34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?

Isa 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

We are required to walk by, and fight the fight of faith, yet faith works by love. We must learn, in whatever way works for us, to allow the deep roots of God’s love to fill the deepest creaks and crevices in our souls.

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

This is done, daily, personally, in peace, quiet, and rest.

Since faith originates in the report, or comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, then we are shown that the great fight in each of our lives, is for this quiet time, this personal intimacy, the love of our heavenly Father, this one and only thing, that is the most precious thing in any of our lives, that is the presence of God.

As an addict needs their drug, as an alcoholic needs their next drink, as a drowning person needs their next breath, we need the presence and love of God in our lives. Nothing else will satisfy.

His presence is like the water that softens the soil of our hearts, that the Word of God might root, grow, and produce mountain-moving, nation shaking, history making faith!

Mt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

In what is now known as ‘The Toronto Blessing’, Holy Spirit revealed the love of the Father, to a group of hungry, broken, fatherless people, and when He came, we all fell down, and learned how to soak, usually for hours, on the lines that had been duct taped to the floor, all over the sanctuary. Some wept, some shook, some laughed, some went into a deep peace, other went into a trance like state, and many of us received powerful visions, words, dreams, or out of body experiences in the glory of God.

It was addictive! Yet, in my life, something beautiful began to occur: somewhere during the years I attended the 21 conferences in Toronto, I learned to receive directly from God, home in my bed, listening to the audio Bible, the deep needs met, that my heart hungered for.

I left Toronto in 1997 for Rhema Bible Training Center, and have only been back a couple times to Toronto since, yet still, to this day, ‘soaking’, is part of my experience with God, and though difficult to put into words, it is this ‘receiving’ that is what I am trying to describe here, for I am convinced that this is where the deepest needs of our heart are met.

Brother Hagin used to talk about meditating upon the Word of God, and I am convinced, that He met God this way, quietly spending the needed hours, to get his hearts hungers satisfied, and questions answered.

“Soaking”, has become a term, for this kind of experience.

In certain cases, holy, anointed intercessors, will pray for people, for extended periods of time, while the Holy Spirit, ‘marinates’ them, softening their hearts, and loving out their deepest, sickest secrets, trauma’s, and core pain issues, and showing them how precious they are to heaven, as royal, adopted, children of the most High God.

The Green Line is a humorous reference to the green lines in Dave Roberson’s church, where people are instructed to line up for prayer. I was listening to the band ‘Halo Jordan’s’ song by this title, and it is really funny, but the message is still there, and it is deep. Some of the band members have come out of horrible circumstances, and the drug scene, but they received healing, revelation, and restoration, directly and personally, on the green line. What happened? Exactly what I am trying to describe: Somehow, they were able to meet directly with God there, and His presence is addictive. Their song describes the hunger, and the meeting place they found with God, on the green line.

A friend and mentor of mine, the evangelist Daniel King, wrote a great book, ‘The Secret of Obed-Edom’. I liked it so much, that I read it to my children as a family devotion. In it, he describes the life transformation of Obed Edom, as he encountered, and became addicted to, the presence of God. Clearly, Daniel knows exactly what I am trying to describe here.

Finally, I wish to describe why I have attended Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For several years after we had returned from the mission’s field, we were attending three different churches each week, and they are all tremendously strong ministries. Then, I had a face to face prophetic encounter with Billie Joe Daugherty, that kept me up an entire night praying. We had never been members at Victory, and though we had heard much about the ministry, had never attended church there. So, my wife said: ‘Well, we love these other churches, but Chris, you are called to world missions. Do you honestly thing you can fulfill the call of God upon your life in any of them? Why don’t we check out Victory, and see what they are up to?”

That first service, sometime in worship, I had a searing, savage, encounter with our living God, that tore away my thin façade of civilization, and met me in my deepest, most painful places. Again, I was addicted to the presence of God!

Those two encounters, got us hungry to discover more about this ministry, and for the next six months, we were in some type of service, almost every night of the week!

Every week, and now, in almost every service, at some point, I find myself meeting with God, deeply, personally; where God Himself speaks to me, often quite apart from whatever is being sung, preached, or ministered on. When a friend of mine asked me why I had left a previous church, when there was such incredibly anointed Bible teaching there, I found myself saying: ‘You’re right! Pastor _______ is one of the most anointed Bible teachers I have ever heard in my life! Each week, he breaks down the Word in such a way, that it is like he is talking to me personally, and showing me how to apply the Scripture to my day to day world. But, at Victory, I encounter the searing, passionate presence of the living God Himself, personally, and this is what I need in my life right now!”

So why all the discussion, trying to describe this?

Well, the Lord has shown me, that clearly, this manifest, personal presence of God, that fills our hearts, and meets with us, is the difference between life and death.

In the early years, I had such deep needs for a Father in my life, that Holy Spirit would come and meet with me, granting me affirmation, acceptance, comfort, approval, confidence, that empowered me to become the man I am called to be.

In most cases, we, as men derive our self worth, from what we do, accomplish, build, develop, perform. (please read: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/not-by-works-its-all-about-love/)

God loves us, unconditionally, only because of the shed blood of Jesus, and our self-worth, our work, development, and performance is to be gauged by one yardstick: ‘Did we obey what He asked us to do?”

The Lord has shown me that many have been authentically called into their particular vocations, but have become so busy with the work of the Lord, that we forgot the Lord of the work, and like a hamster on a treadmill, we are running hard, but going no where.

In fact, this is how people die. They either work themselves to death, running, working, and laboring for acceptance, approval, love, encouragement, earthly reward, that they pour themselves out to the point, where they are so poured out, cored out, and exhausted, they cannot receive the deep, intimate presence they need, to restore, heal, and empower them for the next season of life and ministry.
Suddenly, heaven looks really, really attractive….

I remember on encounter with Jesus, on the carpet in Toronto, that bears repeating. My father had died of cancer, the church I had been attending had split, and I was hurting, badly. ,I had shut down emotionally, numb inside. During ministry time, a group of pastors and intercessors prayed for me, and I fell down under the power of God, but felt disconnected from what was happening. I kept whispering, ‘Jesus, I hurt, please heal my heart.” Suddenly, in a vision, Jesus was there! He was kneeling beside my head, and He was angry! He spoke to me clearly:

‘I am trying to heal you, but You won’t let me!’,

Suddenly, I saw the incredible wall in my heart I had erected to protect myself, and somehow, I allowed Him in! Deep, deep, searing pain, began to bleed from my heart, as He surgically opened the wound in my soul. Like a scab being torn off of a puss filled wound, He cut into my emotional pain, and purged, and healed me deep inside.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

He literally took out my heart of stone, and replaced it with a heart of flesh again…

Was reminded of the story of Mary and Martha today. Both were in the actual presence of Jesus, able to hear the same teaching, and words from the Masters lips, yet one was busy with the work of the Lord, trying to please Him through works. Mary got instructed, transformed, Martha got rebuked.

When the chips were down, and their brother Lazurus had died, Martha got a sermon, Mary got a miracle.

Seems God is a respecter of persons consecration, and attention to Him..
All comes back to this intimate, quiet time, consecrated to Him, each day…

Here’s how it is working in my life:
Pr 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

I study, I pray, I learn, and while I am working and praying, I deliberately, on purpose, pray in other tongues, usually for many hours each day.

If you have not yet experienced this miracle, please read: (https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/is-speaking-in-other-tongues-of-god/)

Then, at some point in the day, He comes…

When He does, I have learned to go to a quiet place, and let Him marinate me in His presence, as He gently fills every creak and crevice in my soul, and washes, and massages away the stress of the day, and imparts wisdom, revelation,understanding, comfort, healing, into places I had no idea I needed it.

This has been very difficult for a man like me, that is hard wired to work, perform, go, accomplish my To Do lists!

Yet, as important as fulfilling responsibilities is, He is Almighty God!

He can do more, in one second, than I can do in a lifetime, and this I know full well.

Seems as I slow down, He speeds up in my life, and things I have been working towards, suddenly happen, miracles happen, and projects get done!

Let Him search, and reach deep inside of you today.

I know not how to describe it, because, it is a literal, living encounter, with Holy Spirit, that continually recreates us into more than we were, so that

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Clearly, I see, that this living encounter, with our living God, is the difference between sickness and health, poverty and wealth, burn-out or empowerment, confusion or answers, human works vs the power of God!

Those that find, treasure, cultivate, and seek this, live long, prosperous, victorious lives.

Those that don’t, die prematurely, while those around them, wonder how?

Why?

Just the letter of the Scripture, will not produce this, nor will works of service. We must meet with Him, personally, intimately, daily…

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, only You can grant to those reading this, the experience of Your presence, I am trying, so hard to explain. Please take everyone who reads this, deep into your river, the deeper places of Your heart, Your presence, and feed, fill, lead, reveal to them, Your love, intimacy, person, passion, direction, power, miracles, and grace, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen”