Day 7, Chapter 7: The Decision Now as they were traveling along, [Jesus] entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NASB) This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture - and one of my least favorites. While it confirms the affections of my heart, it also convicts the decisions of my mind. I’m a Mary at heart, loving my quiet times and the moments when I find myself reveling in the Lord’s presence. At other times, however, life forces me into Martha mode and I find myself trapped in the maze of a merciless schedule with seemingly no way out. Life is a constant balancing act, and too often the scales tip the wrong way. The most important thing - God, family, and good health - are sometimes outweighed by the proverbial tyranny of the urgent. If we are not careful, the American Dream can become a nightmare. I’m sure those who live in other nations face similar challenges. This passage concerning Mary and Martha is loaded with helpful insights to aid us in overcoming this tendency. To find the nuggets, we must dig below the surface and do a few word studies, but I assure you, treasure buried there is well worth the effort. Let’s begin with two Greek words used in the simple statement, “Mary...was listening to the Lord’s word.” “Listening” is akouo, and has a broad range of meanings, depending on its context. It can mean simply “to hear,” but at times it carries the stronger meaning “to understand, hear with the ear of the mind; to hear effectively so as to perform what is spoken.” “Word” is logos - Mary was listening to His logos. This is not the normal Greek term for spoken words (that is rhema). Logos, which does include spoken words, has the added meaning of “connecting” or “linking” words in order to communicate thoughts and messages. Logos, therefore, embodies the logic that words are communicating - the meaning, message, or content. It’s easy to see the connection to our English word “logic,” which is indeed derived from logos. Mary was sitting quietly, listening intently to what Jesus was saying, and therefore was hearing more than mere words. She understood the message they were conveying. She was making the connection. Jesus’ words were penetrating her heart and mind, bringing knowledge, creating paradigms, and shaping beliefs. The name of Lego construction blocks kids play with are also a derivative of logos, and they present a great picture of what was occurring in Mary. Lego blocks connect in order to build structures - buildings, bridges, etc. - just as words do in order to build thoughts. The Lord’s words were “connecting” in Mary, building a foundation for her life creating a grid for her paradigms and beliefs. Martha, on the other hand, was busy working. She was so busy, in fact, that the Lord said she was “distracted” (perispao). The literal meaning of the Greek word used is much stronger than simply being distracted. In fact, the picture it communicates is brutal: “to drag around in circles.” Ouch! Busyness can indeed be a real drag. Okay, that was bad. But the point is important. Martha was more than just distracted. Her tendency toward busyness had gotten her life out of balance. While Mary was enjoying the pleasure of His company Martha was experiencing the pressure of His company. It’s one thing to experience the frustration of being unproductive; it’s another thing to compound the lack of productivity with weariness by dragging around unnecessary weights. Ecclesiastes, the book of Scripture in which Solomon delineated his frustration with life, tells us, “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated” (Ecclesiastes 7:29 GNT). I’ve always felt the latter part of this verse is true of women. I’ve been told a time or two that the first part of it is true of us men. Actually, the entire verse is true with all of us. We allow life to get out of control and far too complex. We must de-complicate things. Paul said to the church at Corinth, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). While Mary was enjoying the simple pleasure of His company, Martha was allowing it to further complicate her life. Be like Mary - do some simplifying at His feet! There is an interesting word in the passage that adds tremendous insight to the Lord’s gentle but revealing correction to Martha. Jesus told her she was distracted with all her “preparations.” The word used here (diakonia) is also the Greek word for “ministry.” In the Scriptures, there is no distinction made between serving or ministering to someone in a general sense, or doing so in what we’ve come to call “the ministry.” As far as God is concerned, whether we’re serving a family member, a friend, or a congregation, we’re all ministers. Tell your friends to start calling you reverend! The words used by Holy Spirit in this passage were chosen carefully in order to convey a critical understanding: No matter how important or noble our activities may be, including working for Him, they don’t trump time with Him. Nothing we could possibly do in life is more important than keeping Christ as our first priority. His words provide us with equilibrium - they keep our lives balanced. Like Legos, they form the beliefs, understanding and wisdom we can use to build our lives. They provide structure and strength. If our foundations are not laid with the strengths and wisdom found in His words, they will crack under pressure. The Lord used this analogy with Joshua as he was about to take over Moses’ leadership role (see Joshua 1:1-9). What a daunting task! Yahweh told Joshua to carefully listen to His words and remember them, reminding Israel’s new leader that they would bring him success and prosperity. The Lord then gave him an interesting command: “Do not tremble or be dismayed” (v. 9). “Dismayed” is translated from the Hebrew word chathath, meaning “to break.” Hebrew scholar Spiros Zodhiates says, “The meaning ranges from a literal breaking to abstract destruction, to demoralization, and finally to panic.” He likens it to the concept we use nowadays of “cracking under stress.”1 God was telling Joshua to “chill out,” to not let the stress get to him. The Lord knew Joshua’s assignment would be difficult. Possessing the land would be more demanding than camping in the wilderness. The latter involved the stress of day-to-day life; the former would add to this the struggle of war. The pressures on Joshua would have been extreme. How was he to keep from cracking under the stress? What would maintain freshness and joy? The solution would be listening to (akouo) and building with the words (logos) of God. For you and me it will be the same. No matter how hectic your life has become, slow down for a few minutes each day and listen to Him. Get off the treadmill of life and spend some quality time enjoying the pleasure of His company. Let nothing stop you. With childlike simplicity, hang out with God. Young Tommy had been an unexpected “bonus child” to his parents, and he continued to surprise and delight his family with his spontaneous expressions of love. Shortly after he turned five, Tommy asked his mother, “How old were you when I was born?” Upon learning she had been thirty-six, he exclaimed, “What a shame!” A little puzzled, his mother asked him what he meant. Tommy’s reply: “Just think of all those years we didn’t know each other.”2 Take a lesson from Tommy. Don’t allow another day - let alone another year - go by without getting to know Him intimately. Pray with me: Father, we repent for letting the busyness of life keep us from the most important thing - time spent in devotion to You - Christ, in purity and simplicity. Jesus, we don’t want to be casual listeners; we want to sit at Your feet and listen as You speak. Be it a loud trumpet call or a gentle whisper, we want to follow every leading of Your heart. Father, we ask for wisdom and revelation, that we may truly come to know You. Holy Spirit, help us to apply our hearts to understand the messages Abba conveys, such that they’ll penetrate and transform every part of us. Let our lives be founded upon the wisdom of Your Word. Jesus, we choose to slow down today and invite You in for a time to connect. Heart to Heart. Once again, let us enjoy the pleasure of Your company. Our decree: We declare that we will sit and listen to Christ, Abba, and Holy Spirit. Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 57-63. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek key Word Study Bible: New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG, 1990), 1729. Adapted from Alice Collins, “All Those Years,” in Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, and Marci Shimoff (Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 1997), p 20.

Day 6, Chapter 6: The Priority “Firsts” can be good or bad. First place is usually good, as are first class and first rate. First degree is usually bad, as is the need for first aid; and the first half and first baseman can be either. While thinking about this chapter, I recalled several of my firsts and a one-or two-word thought concerning them. Here are ten: First major-league baseball game attended (awe) First day of school (intimidated) First bike (fast) First car (junk) First time seeing color TV (mesmerized) First date with Ceci (priceless) First time seeing both daughters (love) First dirty diaper change (nausea) First cell phone (heavy) First sermon (nice try) Compiling a few of my firsts was fun. Some were extremely important, others only memorable. The same would be true if you compiled a list. There is one first, however, that is essential and that all of us must have in common. Jesus referred to it as our “first love.” When writing to the Ephesian church He said, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). The Greek word translated “first” in this passage is protos, meaning “foremost in time, place, order, or importance.” Since it would be illogical to assume Christ had been the first person each of them loved, it seems reasonable to conclude He was using the word in the sense of importance. “You have abandoned the love that should be your number one priority,” was His obvious meaning. The root word for protos is pro, meaning “superior to” or “in front of,” and yes, protos is where we get our word professional, or its shortened form pro. A professional is one who is superior to others in a particular field. I’m a golfer; Phil Mickelson is, as well. But there’s a big difference between us: He’s a pro, I’m an amateur. Watching each of us swing a golf club once would leave no doubt as to the difference. Shopping is another activity performed by both pros and amateurs. I shop once in a while - when God is punishing me for speeding or some other serious sin. I’m an amateur shopper, and have no desire to ever be anything but amateur. Ceci, on the other hand, is a pro. And as is fitting, she loves it. We have reached the glorious state in our marriage wherein she no longer makes me shop for her birthday or Christmas presents. Oh, I grab a few stocking stuffers and surprise her once in a while with a really cool present like a toaster or lamp, but for the most part she does all the shopping. The reason? She’d rather have what she likes most and fits her best. So I buy her gift cards - really neat ones with cool pictures - purchased from the appropriate stores. Then we both do what we do best: I fish and she shops. Life is good. Placing the literal definitions of pro and protos into the context of Revelation 2:4 makes clear what Jesus was saying: Relationship with Him should be “in front of” or “superior to” all others. He wants to be our “priority” love. Christ told us elsewhere that loving God is the first and foremost of all the other commandments (Matthew 22:37-38). This begs the question of why - why does God demand to be first? Is He conceited or egocentric, demanding that we make Him the center of attention? Or is God insecure and in need of our affirmation? The answer to both of these questions, of course, is a resounding no. The Lord is self-confident and self-assured, and yet this confidence is filtered through the utmost humility. He has neither pride nor insecurity issues. Why then, does He demand to be number one? Because He wants us to be fulfilled. Complete. Satisfied. The reason God must be first in our lives is profound in both its simplicity and importance: The very purpose for the creation of humans was relationship with God. We were formed to be one in spirit with Him, joined together spiritually like a husband and wife. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” Our union with Him completes us. There is a place in the heart of every human that God made only for Himself. Period. If we don’t get this right, life will be out of rhythm; the pieces won’t fit. Nothing else can fill this void, including other people, money, pleasure, or accomplishments. And certainly not religion; we weren’t created to connect with a system but a person. God understands this, of course, and for our benefit reminds us of His love for us and our need for Him. Jesus said to the church at Ephesus: “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false: and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2-3). What believer wouldn't be excited to hear this praise? Most of us couldn't score high in all of these areas. Yet Christ makes it clear that these accomplishments are not the heart of the matter. A good performance can't take the place of intimacy with Him. If this is allowed to occur, our good works will devolve into empty religion every time, satisfying neither God nor us. Our performance must flow out from relationship with Him, never replace or be equated to it. It is also important to understand that our first (or priority, as the word means), love is not based on emotions or feelings. It would be unrealistic to think we can maintain the same level of emotional excitement that typically occured when we first met Christ. Such a sustained emotional high is not a reasonable expectation in any relationship, whether that be with your spouse, a friend, or the Lord. Marriages built on feelings become divorces; parenting based on emotions results in fatherless and motherless children; and Christians who base their pursuit of God on feelings and emotions become lukewarm, passionless, and indifferent. They may not walk away from their faith, but they will always leave their first love. How sad this is, and so avoidable. David, the great psalmist and king of Israel, demonstrated the danger of losing first love. Known as being one of the most passionate God-seekers ever, David loved being with Him. “O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells,” he told the Lord (Psalm 26:8). There came a time, however, when compromise entered David’s life and other passions began to outweigh his passion for God. Success can be a thief, robbing us of the zeal that produced it, and this happened with David. It was his zealous heart after God that gained David the throne, not his gifts or good looks (see 1 Samuel 16:7). But success tempered this zeal, and eventually the pleasures of the palace replaced the pleasure of God’s company. When David’s compromise became great enough, temptation was presented. It always happens this way. The tempter knows that when the shield of our love commitment is lowered, the potential for compromise rises. From the palace roof, David saw a beautiful lady bathing below. Having lost the sustaining power of his first-love relationship with God, Bathsheba entered his life. His sin resulted in her becoming pregnant, which led him to cause the death of her righteous husband, Uriah, so he could marry her. How could David, a man after God’s heart, fall to such depravity? One step at a time, beginning with the loss of his first love. He eventually made it back, but it was a long and painful process involving great heartache and loss. If Christ is currently number one in your life and you are enjoying the pleasure of His company, treasure it. Let nothing come between the two of you. But if you, like David, or the church of Ephesus, have allowed other things to take priority over your relationship with Him, reprioritize. Make Him protos again - superior to all else. And if you have never yet discovered Christ as your first-love soul mate - well, get ready to find out why you exist. Amazing joys await you. Pray with me: Father, You are incomparable and superior in every way. Your name, Jesus, is above every other name. You hold the place of highest honor and all else must bow at your feet. Holy Spirit, search our hearts and show us where we’ve failed to ascribe to the Father, Jesus, and You the highest place. Reveal to us the ways in which we have compromised our commitment to You, forsaking our first love. Thank You for tenderly drawing our wayward hearts back to the priority of loving You and receiving Your love. God, we truly want to live our lives out of the first commandment: loving You first and fully. When this is right, we can share Your love with the world. Our hearts’ desires are that in all things, You would have preeminence. Without Your loving leadership, we are incomplete. May nothing else replace the pleasure of Your company. Our Decree: We declare that a church is arising, and a harvest is coming, in which Jesus will be prioritized above all! Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 49-56.

Day 5, Chapter 5: The Search I have many great memories of times with the three ladies in my life: Ceci, my wife; my older daughter, Sarah; and Hannah, my younger. The pleasure of their company has always been special to me. Of the thousands of memorable days I’ve spent with Ceci, one exciting excursion on a beautiful Saturday in the spring of ‘77 stands out. We had gone to picturesque White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas, where we enjoyed a wonderful picnic. Ceci cooked some of her great fried chicken and prepared potato salad for the occasion. After eating, we sat on a blanket not far from the lake - the setting was absolutely perfect - and enjoyed some pleasant conversation. She had brought along her guitar, and we enjoyed singing a few worship songs; the presence of Holy Spirit was sweet. In this beautiful setting, on this beautiful day, totally mesmerized by this beautiful lady, I asked her to marry me. Finding me irresistible, she said yes. Of the memories made with Sarah, her wedding is certainly one of the preeminent. I recall the pride and satisfaction I felt when she and I danced at her reception. Actually, as you might have guessed from reading yesterday’s post, shifting my weight from one foot to the other while holding her hand and shoulder was about as creative as the dancing got. But that didn’t matter. The important part was looking into her eyes, telling her how beautiful she was and how proud her mother and I were. I spent a fortune that day. “Thank you, Daddy,” was all the return I needed. In regards to Hannah, I love to recall the camping trip she and I embarked on several years ago. We found a beautiful spot on a stream in Colorado and spent the weekend enjoying nature and nature’s God. As we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park one morning, a park with views that rival anything in the world, we were also listening to beautiful worship songs she and I love. I’ll never forget the tears that flowed down Hannah’s cheeks at one point as she marveled at God’s majesty and reveled in His love. Happy tears. Peaceful tears. “I’m in love with God and He’s in love with me” tears. What was it that made those days so memorable for me? With Ceci, was it a lake, a guitar, a blanket, and some good food? Of course not; those were simply adornments that created helpful ambiance. With Sarah, was it the uniqueness and joy of a celebrative wedding atmosphere? Not really. I’ve been to many weddings that hold no such memories for me. With Hannah was it the beauty and majesty of the Colorado Rockies? As amazing as they are, and as much as they “garnished” the day, it wasn’t the mountains. It was the company. Sparkling eyes, smiles, embraces, laughter, happy tears, and hearts I connected with at a deep level - these made the memories special. It was the lady, not the lake; the girl I was dancing with, not the dance; the passenger, not the drive. Whom you’re with matters most in life. I’ve made some great memories with God, just as I have with my three ladies. He and I have laughed and cried together; and yes, we’ve danced a time or two. We have sat, walked, ridden, and bicycled in each other’s company. I’ve crawled up in His lap and napped, sang Him songs, and watched a few movies with Him. He is more than a “being” to me. He’s a companion. Not making His acquaintance would have been life’s greatest injustice. Does He feel the same way about us? Of course, He does. God loves being with us. Consider the following invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 KJV). The Almighty, the Creator, the Everlasting God of heaven and earth requests the pleasure of your company tonight for dinner. What a thought! Do you, like me, find it interesting that He knocks on the door? I suppose God could simply knock it down. Or just walk through it! But that would be an intrusion, and God doesn’t want to intrude into your space; He wants to be invited in. Like anyone, He wants to be celebrated, not tolerated. The word sup in this verse is not a generic word that refers to eating. This is the word in biblical times for the main evening meal. The Jewish new day began in the evening, at sunset. At this evening meal, the family would gather to discuss the day’s events, and the new day would begin and be planned. Jesus is saying to us in this verse, “Let me into your world. Let’s dine, fellowship, and plan the day.” We must learn to commune with the Lord as a real person and on a personal level. Hearing and discerning God’s voice is not a gift, but rather a learned art. When you take the time to wait and listen, you learn to allow God into your thinking. His thoughts become yours. In this verse, the Lord said, “If any man hears my voice . . .” The obvious insinuation is that our actions, not His, will determine whether or not we hear from Him. Again, sensitivity is learned and developed. Like the frequencies on a radio, our minds and hearts must tune in. One of my employees a few years back related the following humorous episode about listening. While my sister-in-law was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner and planning for various family and church activities, her young daughter continued to talk to her about many different important things in her life, to which her mother would periodically respond, “Uh-huh.” Finally, wanting to do something to make this more of a two-sided conversation, the little girl tugged on her mother’s arm to get her full attention. Once she knew her mother was really listening, she said, “Mom, why don’t you talk for a while now, and I’ll say Uh-huh.”1 I can’t help but wonder how often God is knocking and calling, only to find us so busy we really aren’t listening. He will never treat us this way. You’ll never find Him so busy with others or so distracted running the universe that He feigns attentiveness to you, mumbling “uh-huh” while actually thinking about something else. He has plenty of undistracted time for you, and He wants some in return. The Scriptures tell us that God is searching for this kind of relationship. From the moment we were separated from Him by Adam’s sin, He began the search. “Where are you?” He called to Adam and Eve as they hid from Him (Genesis 3:9). We’re told that His eyes “move to and fro” throughout the earth looking for those whose hearts are fully His (2 Chronicles 16:9). One of my favorite Bible stories as a young kid was about a man named Zaccheus. He was a tax collector and had become wealthy, most likely by defrauding people, charging them more than they actually owed. Somehow this man had become enamored with Jesus, so much so that he climbed a tree to get a good look at Him as He passed through his village. Jesus wanted Zaccheus to get more than a look, however; He invited Himself over for dinner! “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). Jesus knocked and Zaccheus opened. The visit was obviously impactful. It always is when Jesus comes over for dinner. “Lord, half of my possessions I’ll give to the poor,” he promised before the meeting ended, “and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (Luke 19:8). When challenged as to why He would be the guest of a man who was a “sinner,” Jesus merely referenced His searching heart. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” (v. 10, italics mine). He simply has an insatiable desire to eat and fellowship with friends, family, and seekers. Jesus was on a mission then; He’s on the same mission now. He wants some conversation with you. The next time He knocks, open the door. Make your house one of the regular stops for His searching eyes. Let no distraction, hesitation, or slumbering soul be found within you. May your heart always remain an open door to Jesus, as you seek to mature in the art of discerning His knock and voice. As His eyes search this world for a surrendered heart with which to commune, may His gaze rest upon you. Welcome Him to sit at the supper table of your soul to dine and dialogue with you. He would love to receive the pleasure of your company today. Pray with me: Father, it’s time we made memories with You. Your thoughts toward us are prized by You. We want to be able to say the same about You. Forgive us for making You an impersonal God, an unloving Father. Adam hid from You, fearing Your heart toward his weaknesses. Yet, You pursued him. And You pursued us, and we thank You! Now we cast aside the lies that have said You are mean, cruel, judgmental, impossible to please. We accept You as Abba, Papa, and we want to make some memories. We want to walk with You, talk with You, and dream with You. Today we dream with You of the billion kids-to-be of Yours, our brothers and sisters-to-be. We call them home to Abba. We break off of them the bondages of idolatry, addiction, pride, rebellion, and pain. We free them in the name of Jesus! We release angel armies to gather them in. We declare that the gospel of the kingdom has in it the power of God and that this glorious gospel is about to go forth in tidal waves around the world. Millions will know Your love! They will kiss the Son and find the missing piece of their heart. Lord of the Harvest, send laborers. Release them NOW! Our decree: We decree this will not be stopped! Abba is coming for His inheritance! Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 41-48. Dutch Sheets, Watchman Prayer (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2000), 47. Watch the video here:

Day 4, Chapter 4: The Dance I’m not a great dancer. Okay, I’m not even an average dancer. Fine, I can’t dance at all. When I was in high school, there was a popular dance called the Funky Chicken. I think my version of this “controlled flopping” was probably the closest I’ve ever come to performing a dance properly. I actually thought I was pretty good at it until my friends tagged my version the Flopping Chicken. Mom saw me practicing once and freaked out. “Are you okay?” she screamed, thinking I was having a seizure. “Yeah, I’m good,” I assured her. “Just doing the Funky Chicken.” “Get him off sugar,” Dad murmured from across the room, “before he breaks something.” “Looks like he’s being stung by a swarm of bees,” joked my brother. Tim has always been mercy-motivated. A few years back, my wife, Ceci, talked me into taking some private ballroom dancing lessons. I resisted at first, knowing this wouldn’t end well, but it became clear it was important to her. So against all wisdom, I succumbed. You’ve probably heard the expression, but have you ever really seen a drunken sailor? My dogs actually ran outside - wouldn’t come close to me for days. “Maybe we should just take walks together,” Ceci suggested. “Yeah,” I said, “unless they bring back the Funky Chicken.” Dancing, for those who are fortunate enough to have the right genes, is considered great fun. It is, in fact, associated with joy. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “dancing for joy?” When we are sad we tend to become more inactive, but when we’re joyful or celebrating, we jump, dance, and twirl around. So does God. No, I’m not kidding. He dances. There is a little-known verse in the Old Testament that gives a wonderful description of God’s dancing heart toward His kids: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zephaniah 3:17). In Hebrew, the language in which the Old Testament was written, the word translated “rejoice” is the Hebrew word guwl, which literally means “to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion.” That’s what I said - He dances! Hebrew is a pictorial language; a word paints a picture or creates an image. With the word picture guwl presents - spinning around emotionally - it’s easy to see why it is translated into English words like joy, rejoice, glad, and delight. But really, do these translations do justice to this awesome little word? No way. I experienced “joy” last weekend when through my status as an Executive Platinum flyer with American Airlines, I was upgraded to first class. I actually “rejoiced,” sending a text to Ceci that read, “Awesome! Upgraded!” But I didn’t jump up in the terminal and dance around. I experience joy when my team wins a football game, but I don’t typically guwl over it. However, when the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl a few years back, I guwl-ed. Losing all dignity, I jumped, screamed, and spun around, shaking my fists in the air. I high-fived everyone around me, whether I knew them or not. Guwl-ing brings people together! The day I’m writing this chapter happens to be New Year’s Eve. People will be guwl-ing all over the world tonight with individuals they don’t even know! But really, Dutch, are you saying God acts this way over His kids? No, Zephaniah did. In the great story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the prodigal’s father depicts our heavenly Father. When the wayward son returns home, his father was so excited he threw a party accompanied by music, dancing, and great rejoicing. I can’t prove it, but I know who was leading the dance. Dad! The guy who ran to meet his returning son, butchered the fattened calf and threw the party. One of my favorite lexicons says the word “rejoice” (v. 32) in this passage may be related to a Hebrew word that describes a young sheep or lamb skipping and frisking for joy. The same word is used to describe how angels in heaven act when a person comes to Christ (Luke 15:10). There’s a new description of heaven for most of us - a happy, playful, skipping God with His happy, frolicking angels! Some will think I’m insulting God’s dignity by ascribing to Him human emotion and celebrative actions. Let me assure you that this is not my intention. I don’t for a moment believe God acts like us - I believe we act like Him! We were created in God’s image and likeness. That means we have emotions because He has emotions: We love because He loves, laugh because He laughs, cry because He cries, and dance because He dances. If your concept of Him is a distant, stoic and boring entity, think again. You’ve probably read the popular “Footprints” poem, which depicts the Lord carrying us through difficult situations of life. I like the following version better. A woman had a dream in which her life with Jesus was pictured by footprints in the sand. For much of the way, the Lord’s footprints went along steadily. Her prints, however, began in a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns. But gradually, her footprints were in line with the Lord’s, eventually paralleling His consistently. She and Jesus were walking as true friends. Then an interesting thing happened; her footprints began walking precisely in His steps. Inside His large footprints were her smaller prints. She and Jesus were becoming one. Then gradually, the footprints inside the larger footprints seemed to grow bigger, eventually, disappearing altogether. There was only one set of footprints; they had become one. Then something awful happened. The second set of footprints was back! Zigzags all over the place...stop, start...deep gashes in the sand...a veritable mess of prints. She was saddened and shocked. This was the end of her dream. The lady went to the Lord in prayer, seeking to understand: “Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You helped me learn to walk with You.” “That is correct,” replied the Lord. “Then, when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You closely. “Yes, very good.” “Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in Yours. I was growing so much that I was becoming more like You in every way.” “Precisely.” “But Lord, they went back again to two sets of footprints, this time more chaotic than at the first. Was there a regression in my life?” The Lord smiles, then laughs. “You didn’t know?” He says, “That was when we danced.”1 I’m fully aware that some in the super-religious crowd won’t approve of my fun-loving God. This depiction of Him will be considered irreverent by them, perhaps even heretical. If you really want to know what they believe about God’s personality, go to one of their worship services. But - and forgive me for being so blunt - you might want to drink an espresso on the way. Frankly, I think even God gets bored with many church services. Trust me, the God of Scripture isn’t starchy and religious. Our worship gatherings should be celebrations where we join hands with Papa God and have a little fun frisking, leaping, and dancing. Shabath, the Hebrew word for sabbath, means not only “to stop or cease from work” but also “to celebrate.” In much the same way we celebrate certain days - holidays, for example - by resting from work, this is the concept of Shabath. On the seventh day, God stopped working and celebrated! He was so excited about having a family He decided it would be commemorated with a “rest and celebration day.” That puts a new twist on taking a sabbath. Every seventh day we should all rest and celebrate our membership in God’s family with joy and great rejoicing. If we would do so, the gospel we preach would be a lot more appealing. Abandon your concept of a passionless, boring God. Reject all religious stereotyping of Him. Let your heavenly Father be real, relevant, relational and fun. Only then will you truly experience the pleasure of His company. Look up . . . I think He’s asking for this dance. Pray with me: Father, I am amazed at Your passionate love toward us, leaping and rejoicing over us, just as we do our kids. We have allowed religion to tell us satan is fun, You’re boring; He laughs, You’re always somber. Forgive us! You CREATED fun and laughter! We are thrilled to think our Father is a fun-loving God who is real, relevant, and relational. May our heart’s response to Your passionate love be ever-increasingly undignified. Like David, may we dance unashamedly over our relationship with You. Teach us that holy doesn’t mean somber, omnipotence isn’t stoicism and “above all others” doesn’t equate to unreachable. Bring a presence movement to the church that reveals Your true nature and shows the world how irresistable You truly are. Our decree: We believe and declare that the coming great awakening will result in the greatest celebrations of worship in earth’s history! Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 33-40. 1. Adapted from Mark Littleton, escaping the Time Crunch (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), Used by permission.

Happy Mother's Day! Day 3, Chapter 3: The Discovery Yesterday we saw God as a seeker, always searching for those who have hearts that want to know Him. The reciprocal must be true, as well. In any true relationship, there can only be fulfillment if the pursuit is both ways. When it is, the seeking becomes an exciting adventure and leads to the joy of discovery. Judging by kids, there’s something born into our hearts that makes us enjoy the pursuit. Whether it’s a treasure hunt, an Easter egg hunt, or hide-and-seek, the buildup of anticipation and expectation adds a sense of mystique to the process and the search becomes an adventure. I started playing hide-and-seek indoors with my daughters, Sarah and Hannah, when they were very young. Early on, they weren’t good at it. I could always find places to hide - under a blanket, in a closet, under a table. Wanting them to enjoy the game, however, I would make small noises to reveal my hiding place. They would fling open the door or jerk back the blanket and shriek for joy as I acted bummed out because they had found me. They knew, of course, I wasn’t really upset, just having fun. I actually loved it when they found me. God plays hide-and-seek with His kids, as well. And He, too, loves it when we find Him. “If you seek Him, He will let you find Him,” said Azariah, an Old Testament prophet, to Israel (2 Chronicles 15:2). The people listened to Azariah and sought the Lord, and, just as God promised, He allowed them to find Him: “All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side” (2 Chronicles 15:15). When we “discover” God, as He allowed Israel to do, we find far more than just the pleasure of His company, as wonderful as that is. We also find our purpose. Jeremiah spoke of finding both God and purpose in the following verses: “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). The Hebrew word translated “future” in this passage is achariyth. It also means “destiny.” “When you search for Me with all your heart,” the Lord was assuring them, “not only will I let you find Me, I’ll also allow you to discover My plans and purposes for you. Pleasure and purpose are both found in My company.” As with any created thing, our purpose can only be found in the heart and mind of our Creator. When we seek Him, we are actually pursuing destiny; find one, you’ve found the other. William Wilberforce, the great English statesman who was used by God to end slavery in the British Empire, is a great example. Wilberforce sought God, found Him, and in so doing also discovered his destiny as a reformer. In the movie chronicling his life, Amazing Grace, there is a scene in which Wilberforce’s butler stumbles upon him praying and meditating. This was unusual, so the butler asks Wilberforce if he has found God. “I think He found me,” was the poignant response. When the seeking starts, sometimes it’s hard to know who finds whom! Did we find God or did He find us? Actually, it’s both. He initiates the process by pursuing us; we respond by returning His love. “We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). This pattern occurred several years ago in my life in a most dramatic way. It was 1973, and I was attending college, traveling fast but going nowhere. I had been running from God for two years, serving the god of alcohol, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. Though I had been raised in church (Dad was an evangelist and then a pastor) and had surrendered my life to Christ at a young age, at seventeen I turned away from God. My rebellion started when my dad had an affair with his administrative assistant, left our family, and married her. As you can imagine, our lives were shattered. Mom found a job in a meat market, my brother and I found part-time jobs, and somehow we survived. At least physically. We didn’t fare so well emotionally and spiritually. My brother and I rebelled, turning away from God and everything associated with Him. My younger sister was also emotionally devastated; obviously, so was mom. Deep within my heart, I knew this wasn’t God’s fault, but nonetheless, I was angry and bitter. The pain was so strong and my confusion so great that I simply couldn’t cope with it. And I certainly couldn’t understand it. Perhaps the lowest point in my life was the day when, as a seventeen-year-old, I held my mother in my arms and listened to her sob and tell me she no longer wanted to live. At that moment, I became a very bitter and hate-filled young man. God was very patient with me. He knew my rebellion was caused by my pain. He allowed me to run, loved me through my pain-filled responses, and didn’t take them personally. Two years later, at a bar named The Boar’s Head - aptly so, since I was a prodigal and this was one of my pigpens - while I was listening to a rock band and stoned out of my mind, He “found” me. “What are you doing here?” He asked. The Lord’s voice was so clear it may as well have been audible. The question wasn’t a rebuke but rather a tender prompting of my heart. “You know this is not who you are,” He continued, “and you’ll never find the fulfillment and peace you’re looking for through this lifestyle.” Shocked and amazing that God would pursue me into a place like this, my first response was, “What are YOU doing here?!” Instantly sober, I went outside to walk and think for a while. The Lord and I had several more conversations over the next couple of months, until I was finally healed enough to respond to His seeking. I sought Him back . . . and He let me find Him. Like the prodigal returning to his father’s embrace, I walked back into the loving embrace of Papa God. When I did, I found more than pleasure; I discovered purpose. Realizing that the field of study I was pursuing was not what I was created to do, I withdrew from college, leaving behind a nice scholarship. As He had Wilberforce, the Lord had found me and was now awakening passions and desires from deep within. Just as I had done with my girls, He started making small “noises” and I experienced the excitement of discovery. I entered into a passionate pursuit of God, became active in a good local church, and connected with other hungry seekers. I also began going on short-term mission trips, serving missionaries and the poor in Guatemala. Eventually realizing I wanted to serve God in full-time ministry, I decided to attend Christ For The Nations Institute (a Bible college), in Dallas, Texas. There I discovered God over and over - and eventually I discovered my wife, to whom I’ve been married for over forty wonderful years. It has been a great journey. When the Lord pursued me and helped me find Him, my destiny truly was launched. Finding Him is finding the source of everything good. Out of the deep resources of His nature, all good things flow. He and I have been pursuing each other now for almost fifty years. I have found Him in forests, on mountains, at the edge of streams, riding in my truck, in front of fireplaces, and yes, in worship services. The discoveries require time and effort, of course - any worthwhile relationship does - but each time I rediscover Him I realize again that He is life’s treasure. I’ll bet if you listen closely right now, you’ll find that He’s making some noises. Why don’t you go find Him? Pray with me: Father, I thank You for relentlessly pursuing me with Your unconditional love and making a way for me to reconnect through the life of Your glorious Son. I respond to Your love-driven seeking today and set myself upon a continued steadfast pursuit of Your heart. Jesus, You are the source of both pleasure and purpose - dreams discovered and realized through hearts totally committed to You. Thank You for revealing and releasing me into my destiny as I draw near to know the depths of Your heart. May Your goodness continue to lead me into more discoveries and amazing adventures that lie within the pleasure of Your company. Father, we know there are billions whom You love that have not yet realized who You are. That’s why You’re coming in the greatest of all revivals to reveal Yourself to them. We ask for this; we decree it. And like You, we are so excited about it. Bring it quickly! Our decree: The “pig pens” of this world will soon become birthing rooms! Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 25-32.

Day 2, Chapter 2: The Seeker Elevators are convenient. . .and sometimes awkward. Who in their right mind likes being in an elevator with people they don’t know? The longer the ride, the louder the silence. A few months ago, I was trapped in the back of one of those torture chambers in the airport of one of the vacation capitals of the world - Orlando, Florida. There were only about a HUNDRED people on this elevator! Who hasn’t heard of Disney World, Epcot, and other hot spots there? And based on the lines at these tourist attractions, every person in the world has been there! Consequently, the airport is crowded and hectic. When the elevator stopped at my floor and the door opened, no one moved. After a couple of seconds, thinking no one else was getting off at this level, I spoke up rather urgently from the back, “Excuse me, I need to get off here.” You’d have thought I asked for everyone’s phone number! Backs stiffened, eyes glared, and the man closest to the door turned and - in a most condescending tone - scolded me. “Be patient,” he snarled. “I’m just trying to be a gentleman and let the ladies off first.” After we all exited, one of the ladies with him turned to me and, rather snootily, decided to become my counselor: “You need a vacation, sir. We are in Orlando; why don’t you take a few days off and chill.” I was tired, and perhaps this had caused me to unintentionally speak louder than I realized. Or maybe my urgency sounded like impatience. What did I do? Being the gentleman that I am, I took it on the chin and calmly moved on - with my blood pressure elevated and my inner thoughts explaining to them what idiots they were! And being the spiritual giant I am, within a few short weeks I had forgiven them and moved on! Doesn’t take me long! Most of us dislike being misunderstood and misjudged - especially on an elevator! I don’t think God likes it either; and He is, without doubt, the most misunderstood person in existence. Perceived as distant, He is often ignored. Considered judgmental and legalistic, He is thought by some to be intimidating and one to steer clear of. And mistakenly thought of by His children as one who likes hearing how great He is, He is praised. LOL - Okay...I had you; then I lost you. Before you throw away this book, let me explain. Obviously, praising and worshiping God is good and appropriate. It’s our reason for doing so that needs some tweaking. Yahweh isn’t narcissistic, needing to be told how wonderful He is in order to satisfy an inflated ego. He isn’t insecure, needing to be reassured that He really is awesome. He doesn’t show off - praise doesn’t stimulate some macho corner of His heart, motivating Him to action in order to demonstrate His power. And He can’t be bought - our worship doesn’t cause Him to “reward” us with His presence simply because we made Him feel good. We, in the body of Christ have some wrong ideas about praise and worship. Frankly, God neither needs nor desires to be told how great, unique, powerful or loving He is. He does, however, seek worshipers. The difference is huge - immeasurably so. We ARE the worship. God longs for the singer, not the song. Our hearts are what transforms singing into worship, not the words and music. God would rather have a love-filled glance from our eyes than a song parroted from our lips. We can, in fact, worship without even opening our mouths. I’m not downplaying the incredible power or importance of music and singing. I’m simply pointing out what makes them worship. When my kids were young and anxiously waited for daddy to come home from work, they didn’t meet me at the door with a song. They jumped into my arms and gave me a big hug. When God created us, He made kids, not a choir; family members, not church members; He’s into love, not liturgy. Too often we make worship simply a segment of a service, rather than a time to connect with God. I doubt if some church attendees understand, or have even heard, that He is a lover as well as the Lord. And it wasn’t His lording nature that prompted Him to create us - He could have made a few billion more angels had that been His desire. It was His loving nature. God is a father at heart. Jesus, who came to earth to show us what God is truly like (John 1:18), gave a great glimpse of Abba’s loving and relational heart through an encounter with a rather loose-living woman. Looking for love in all the wrong places, this five-time divorced, currently shacked-up societal outcast was about to meet a man who wanted her heart, not her body. Christ told her He knew her life-style, yet His actions proved He wasn’t condemning her. He had assured her He could satisfy her thirsty heart by placing a well of salvation in her. Then He went to the heart of the matter: relationship. He shifted the concept of worship from the place to the person, which was a radical paradigm shift in her day. I’m sure she had never thought about this, and certainly not that God was actually seeking worshipers. “He’d like you to be one” was the obvious invitation. She was hooked. That God might actually be seeking her companionship was beyond this woman’s wildest dreams. How could He possibly want her? But He did. In one moment her shame was broken and joy filled her heart. It feels good to be wanted for the right reasons. This new worshiper was so excited, she ran and told her village about Jesus and ultimately, the entire community believed on Him. Jesus was too excited to eat! When the disciples returned, they were amazed that He was speaking to this immoral woman. Jesus was impervious to their shock, however, and completely unconcerned about His reputation. His excitement about transforming lives and reestablishing heart connections with His lost family was far greater than any concern over His reputation. On one occasion, Christ actually allowed a prostitute to enter a person’s home and, during the meal, bathe His feet with her tears. Awkward! But not to Him; He was on a search for hungry hearts with which to connect and their pasts weren’t an issue with Him. Christ is still seeking heart connections today. If the God you’ve been introduced to is distant, uncaring, stoic, or enamored with Himself, you’ve been duped. The real God is passionate, caring, a lover of people, and a seeker of companionship - yours. While others seek His help, why don’t you seek His heart? Make His day...by giving Him the pleasure of some company. Pray with me: Father, thank You for sending Jesus, who shattered false ideologies regarding Your nature. We are grateful that You, the God of the universe - lovingly long for our companionship. You desire our hearts, not religious activities. What an amazing Father and Friend You are. We also desire a relationship with You. We want to see Your face and connect Your heart. You love all people and nations. We ask that You and Your love would sweep across our land, drawing people to Yourself. We pray for a worldwide move of Your Spirit to be released. Supernaturally draw people to Yourself. Give them dreams, angelic visitations, divine appointments, healings for their bodies that can only come from You. Let this outpouring be profound! We ask for these things in the name of Christ, our access to You. Amen. Our decree: The coming move of God will be marked by passion - God’s passion for us and ours for Him. The mask of religion will be pulled off, unveiling Him to human-kind. Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 17-24.

The Person Pleasure. The word brings to mind many different pictures and thoughts. For many, it might be an exquisite candlelit dinner with someone they love. A relaxing vacation in Hawaii would certainly qualify as pleasure for most people. To the sports enthusiast, attending a great college football game on a perfect fall day is the ticket. And for the sunbather, there is nothing like a day at the beach. For me, a walk in the woods is the best; it calms my soul and awakens creativity. The list could be almost endless, for just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, pleasure is in the heart of the one experiencing it. For my wife, Ceci, a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich is one of life’s simple pleasures. (I know...it’s a Southern thing. My gag reflex kicks in just thinking about it.) Pleasure is not only determined by the things we do, but also by the company we keep. Personally, I’d rather eat a tomato sandwich with my wife (don’t tell her I said that!) than a filet mignon with a few other people I can think of. In fact, I’d prefer a root canal over an evening with some of them. A few years back, a series of effective television commercials featured “The most interesting man in the world” as their spokesperson. Their descriptions of this superman were so witty and comical they inspired enthusiasts to collect and post them on the Internet. The one-liners described him as having inside jokes with complete strangers, winning sporting events with his game face alone, and other hilarious claims to fame. The quips are witty but, of course, so impossible no one could ever fulfill them. Though an outrageous claim for mere mortals, there actually is an identifiable most interesting person in the world. Yahweh is His name. His son, Jesus, is just like Him, as is Holy Spirit; so much so that Yahweh actually sent this Son to earth to reveal His true nature and characteristics. “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father,” Jesus contended (John 14:9). Words are certainly inadequate to describe God’s attributes, abilities, intellect, and accomplishments. He is breathtaking yet calming, all-powerful but gentle, unsearchably wise though humble, and awe-inspiring while completely approachable. Perfection defines Him, intrigue surrounds Him, and eternity is in Him. His intricacies are so complex it requires oxymoronic words and phrases to describe Him: He is the God-man, both human and divine; He’s the Ancient of Days, yet is forever new and exists in a perpetual now; His omnipresent existence contradicts every natural law of time, space, and physics. Young and old, male and female, rich and poor, moral and immoral - they all found Jesus interesting. He was so magnetic and gentle in His personality that children loved and trusted Him. Yet He was so overpowering in His masculinity and multifaceted in His gifts that intellectual businessmen, as well as coarse, tough fishermen left their careers at His simple invitation to “follow Me.” Grown men fell before Jesus in worship, and anointing oil worth thousands of dollars was poured upon His feet. A multitude of men, women and children - yes, children - sat for days at a time listening to Him teach. Families loved having Him in their homes. Scholars enjoyed picking His brain - when He was only twelve years old! Many more books have been written concerning Him than about any other person, and people sit for hours writing songs about Him - by the thousands. My meager list barely scratches the surface. Consider the following facts: A fish supplied Him with a mouthful of money. Storms obeyed His commands. His spit healed blind eyes and His touch cured leprosy. He walked on water . . . and through walls! He turned water into wine and multiplied by thousands a few fish and loaves of bread. He raised the dead. He reversed insanity. Demons fled from Him. Fire goes before Him and consumes His enemies. His eyes are like fire, His voice like a waterfall. Angels worship Him; rulers cast their crowns at His feet. He created everything . . . with just His words. He keeps the universe operating in perfect order . . . yep, with just His words. What if I told you this Man requests the pleasure of your company; that this incredible person, the only true and living God, not only loves you, He likes you. He created we humans because He wanted family and friends, not distant servants. When Jesus was asked by His disciples to teach them how to pray, His response introduced them to a completely new and radical way of thinking. “Start your prayer by addressing God as Father,” He answered (Matthew 6:7). Other references encourage us to call Him “Abba - Papa” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). When Jesus said this, He forever changed the playing field. He rewrote the rules. Religious leaders were offended, philosophers found it ridiculous, but hungry hearts like yours and mine, looking for our roots, found it incredibly hope-inspiring. “You mean God told us to call Him Dad, not Your Highness or Most Holy One?” “Yep,” Jesus said. “God would prefer that you call Him ‘Dad’.” May that forever shape your approach to Yahweh. Father God wants YOU, not some shallow religious loyalty. The affirmation of your praise and the admiration of your worship blesses Him, not because He needs affirmation or likes to hear how great He is, but because He wants to connect with you. The Scriptures tell us He is seeking “worshipers,” not worship. (John 4:23) Think about it. God isn’t insecure, needing our praise in order to feel good about Himself; nor is He proud, needing worship to feed or satisfy His ego. It’s the relationship He desires. Intimacy. Family. When we worship, He is captivated by the singer, not the song. Our company is what He longs for. Enlightened worshipers know this. They also know that when we approach Him, He responds; and the pleasure of His company becomes our reward. Make it yours. Pray with me: Father, thank You for wanting us in Your world. Thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us back to You when we rebelled from the plan. We marvel at Your grace and love. Jesus, we are grateful beyond words at Your willingness to come into our world, amazed that You were willing to become one of us, a flesh and blood human being, in order to redeem us. We want to get to know You better. As we embark on this journey, drawing closer to You, may enjoying the pleasure of Your company become our reward. And we thank You for sharing Your authority with us, for giving us Your name. Teach us how to more skillfully and wisely partner with You in stewarding and managing the Earth. May we represent and reveal You more effectively, doing so out of relationship, not just responsibility. In Your name we pray, Amen. Our decree: We confess and boldly declare that we are accepting Abba’s invitation to draw near. We will find and enjoy the pleasure of His company. Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 9-16. Click here to watch today's full video:

The Pathway to Grace and Mercy It remains a very sad mystery to me why many in the church think it is unimportant to involve themselves in the process of government. Most of them do not even pray for our nation or government. It is also sad when they rationalize decisions to vote for people who oppose the ways and commandments of God. I have still not quite figured out how a dislike of “mean tweets” and an outspoken, sometimes brash, personality carries more weight than the lives of millions of babies. I don’t suppose I ever will. The plight of unborn babies, i.e. abortion, is rarely thought of by most Christians and never mentioned in most churches. It’s been going on so long now they’ve gotten used to the idea. For some - Millennials and Gen Z - abortion has been legal for their entire lifetimes. America is facing unprecedented crises, perhaps in part due to the open door caused by abortion. We have an inept and corrupt government that continues to weaken and march us toward the godlessness and the insanity of socialism. In a recent article titled “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight,” Larry Tomczak lists 10 failures of the current administration. Here are six of them: “Entering office, Biden pledged with lofty rhetoric to unify us but has divided us in a way not seen since the Civil War era. $163 billion of our taxpayer federal pandemic aid has been lost to fraud (Labor Department) because of incompetent oversight and lack of proper accountability. Our southern border crisis escalates daily endangering our national security as 2,000,000 illegal immigrants, some of whom are drug traffickers, criminals, sexual predators, kidnappers, prisoners, and terrorists (43 on our ‘watchlist’) have poured into our country. The cartels supply gangs with fentanyl which resulted in 107,000 deaths in 2021 and skyrocketing gang-related violent crime in our cities. As a professing Catholic, Joe Biden has hypocritically and aggressively championed the most radical abortion position in US history, celebrating the extermination of unborn babies so that at any time, for any reason up until the moment of birth, developing infants can be killed. Inflation, gas prices, interest rates, goods and services, stock market, national debt, savings accounts 401 (k)s, supply chains (baby formula), our entire economy…all are shaking violently while Biden blames the Virus and Putin, seemingly clueless as to the severity of what’s happening and worsening. Like the Carter years, this was preventable as we were prospering during the past administration with 1.4% inflation and gas prices averaging $2.56. From day one Biden capitulated to Green New Deal zealots, stopped the XL Pipeline, and instituted regulations on the energy industry causing disastrous consequences by violating basic laws of supply and demand. Biden’s reckless and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan remains one of the low points in our history. Our state-of-the-art airbase and $80 billion of sophisticated equipment were handed to a gleeful Taliban (now reconstituting with ISIS, committed to destroying the ‘infidels’ of America.”(1) America desperately needs revival, along with abounding grace and mercy. I believe we will receive these gifts. Prayer is the pathway to them. Intercessors For America (IFA) hosts daily prayer calls to do just that; this week they will be highlighting the upcoming Dobbs abortion decision. Quoting IFA: “Join us Monday through Friday to pray together at 12:15 pm ET for all things related to this Supreme Court decision. Join us to pray daily until the decision is rendered and announced. Then we will shift our prayer strategy for the next phase of the spiritual battle for life--in the states. Prayer kicks off on Tuesday, June 14th at 12:15 pm ET. Call in to pray (667) 771-7910, code 2452#”.(2) For today’s prayer, I am using one sent me by a GH15 participant, Robin Lorenzen. Holy Spirit gave her the prayer, compiled from the scriptures, 20 years ago. It is strong and encouraging. Join me as we pray it now. Pray with me: “Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We lift the United States of America up to You and stand in the gap for her before You. We repent for the willingness of our leaders to see her fall. We repent for ourselves, America’s citizens, for not having been vigilant to guard the gift You gave us. In the Name of Jesus Christ, we call those sins our own, we bring them to the Cross, and ask You to remove them from us and from this land. According to Your Word, we speak this word over the United States of America: “Lord, we have heard of Your fame; we stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath, remember mercy. “Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered and saved. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. “‘Instead of the tyranny of the present, I will appoint peace as your officers and righteousness as your taskmasters. Violence shall no more be heard in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Your people also shall all be uncompromisingly and consistently righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. “‘Instead of your former shame, you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach, your people shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore, in their land they shall possess double what they had forfeited; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong. I will faithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with them. And you shall know, understand, and realize that I am in the midst of [you] and that I the Lord am your God and there is none other. My people shall never be put to shame.’ “Listen, O heavens, and we will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. We will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of God! He is the Rock. His words are perfect, and all of His ways are just. A faithful God Who does no wrong, upright and just is He. “In the name of Jesus Christ, we loose this nation from every assignment of satan set against her. And in His name, we bind Your promises, Father, to her. Thank You for Your healing work in this land, precious Lord. Amen.” (3) [Scriptures quoted in this prayer are (in order): Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV) Jeremiah 18:5, 7, 8, (NIV) Joel 2:32a (Amplified) Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) Isaiah 60:17b, 18 (Amplified) Isaiah 60: 21 (Amplified) Isaiah 61:4 (Amplified) Isaiah 61:7, 8 (Amplified Joel 2:27 (Amplified) Deuteronomy 32:1, 3, 4 (NIV) ] Our Decree: America shall be saved! Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/heres-the-deal/89389-the-gang-that-couldn-t-shoot-straight-biden-a-10-point-expose www.ifapray.org Used by permission from Robin Lorenzen

The Undefeatable Warrior “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. Scarcely have they been planted, scarcely have they been sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, but He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the storm carries them away like stubble. ‘To whom then will you liken Me that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:22-26; NASB) “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, ‘I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; and the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deeps cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff. At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing waters stood up like a heap; the deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.’ “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.’ "You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders? You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.” (Exodus 15:1-12; NASB) These are two great passages describing God’s awesome power. The passage from Exodus is what the Israelites sang after He delivered them from Egypt and conquered Egypt’s god of wind and the sea, Baal-Zephon. We are in the process of seeing this spirit overthrown again, this time in America. We have done several posts revealing him as the strongman over the U.S. But God has said He is breaking the hold of this principality off of America, and re-establishing Christ’s rule and purpose in our land. Of course, the issue has never been power - no evil spirit could ever overpower God - the issue has been the authority we have granted this spirit through our sin and rebellion. God is spoken of in scripture as a Warrior. Yes, His nature is love (1John 4:8) and His mercies endure forever (Psalm 118). But when necessary, God is a fierce and undefeatable warrior. For the most part, the church does not consider this aspect of His nature. We have lost sight of it primarily because our warfare is not visible or natural; it is not against individuals. Rather, it is an invisible and spiritual war; our weapons are spiritual, as well. Nonetheless, though our battle is spiritual, it is very real. And we must allow God to awaken His warrior heart in us. The war on earth for the souls of men and women, and for control over regions of the world is raging. Satan is ruthless in this war, always wanting to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Second Corinthians 10:3-4 speaks of our spiritual war: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…”(KJV). Ephesians 6:12 also speaks of the battle in which we are engaged: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (KJV). Failing to understand or acknowledge this spiritual war is to lose by default. How do we release our spiritual power, our spiritual weapons and authority in this spiritual war? We do so primarily with our words. When Jesus was confronted by satan, He provided our example of how to war against the devil and his spiritual forces: “It is written!” (Matthew 4:1-11). God’s Word is the most powerful force on earth. With it He creates, releases life, tears down and builds up. And Holy Spirit tells us that His word in our mouth (Greek: rhema: “spoken words”) is a sword against satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:17). When we speak God’s words in spiritual war, they are an overpowering weapon, a sword; leaving them unsaid leaves our sword in its scabbard. When we are fearful or tempted to fear, we should speak God’s word that promises freedom from fear. When we are sick, we should speak promises that relate to healing. When we are in turmoil and unrest, we should speak verses of scripture regarding peace. And when we see satan stealing, killing, and destroying, we should speak and declare God‘s word regarding deliverance and salvation over the situation. Release the sword! Heaven’s will does not automatically occur on the earth. We are the instruments and vessels God uses to operate on this planet. One way He does so is through prayer, including decrees. The church has failed tremendously in understanding this, which has caused much harm to us and frustration to the cause of Christ. There are many biblical references to support this fact, one of them simply being “you have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). Certainly, there are other principles which govern how and for what we can ask, but some things are not received simply because we fail to ask for them. Let’s ask now! Pray with me: Father, awaken the Ekklesia to Your warrior nature. There is no contradiction between the fact that You are love and are also a warrior. You heal, but You also destroy evil. When necessary, You are fierce. You experience anger, even hatred - You hate evil, oppression, the destruction of innocent people, and all that satan does. We ask You to wage war against the powers of evil in Ukraine. We ask You to do so in Afghanistan. We ask You to do so against the demonic powers that kill babies. We ask You to save those involved in these evils; we do not wish them harm. But we do hate what they do, and we ask You to cause it to end. Do something supernatural to stop this senseless war in Ukraine. Almost 2,000,000 people are now homeless, refugees. Please end this, and send salvation to them, both spiritually and physically. Make satan pay once again. Send unprecedented revival to Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. And we pray regarding the Dobbs abortion case. Move on the Supreme Court to reverse Roe versus Wade. Save the Justices who do not know You and deliver them from deception. We ask that those who have opposed You will become champions for You and for life. We bind demonic spirits of deception that keep them blinded to truth and the gospel, in Jesus’ name, amen (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Our decree: We decree that the warrior nature of Christ is being awakened in the Ekklesia around the world! Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Power of Honor “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Deuteronomy 5:16; NASB The Message translates this verse: “Respect your father and mother— God, your God, commands it! You’ll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well.” Deuteronomy 5:16; MSG “Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:7; NASB God places a high premium on giving honor where it is due. The Old Testament word also means esteem, respect, and even glory. The above verse from Deuteronomy regarding honoring parents, one of the Ten Commandments, was quoted by Christ, Himself (Matthew 15:13). Paul references it again in Ephesians 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” (NASB) Holy Spirit reminds us through Paul, who wrote the book of Ephesians, that Deuteronomy 5:16 is the first commandment “with a promise.” And the promise is a powerful one - a long life! But that isn’t all it promises. The Message translation of the final part of this verse says: “The land that God is giving you will treat you well.” What a statement. Honoring covenant and obedience to God blesses not only us but also our livelihood and that which we own. When Adam sinned, the land was cursed along with him, because it was under his authority (Genesis 3:17-19). On the other hand, Deuteronomy 28 tells us our land and crops will be blessed if we honor and obey God. Insects, plagues, drought, untimely rain - all will be kept at bay (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Honoring God - and parents, according to these verses - causes even nature to be in balance and harmony with us; the land will treat us well. When America was controlled predominantly by a biblical worldview, honor was taught and practiced much more consistently. In our culture today, honoring God, those in authority, parents, elders (those older than us), and even friends, has diminished greatly. We need to re-examine this biblical truth and its importance. I want to give some honor today. It would be very appropriate to honor my biological parents in this post, both of whom are in heaven. I loved them very much and still do. I also owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude for the spiritual heritage they gave me. One day, perhaps I will say more about them. I also have many friends and coworkers I could honor. In this post, however, I want to honor two spiritual leaders God has used greatly in my life. One of them is now in heaven, the other, thankfully, is still running the race here on earth. C. Peter Wagner, along with his incredible wife, Doris, was a missionary in Bolivia for 16 years. "The Great Commission has been central to my life," Peter wrote in a 2012 article for Charisma Magazine. "I committed myself to missions the night I was saved when I was 19. I spent my first 16 years of ministry as a field missionary and the next 30 years as a professor of missions." (1) Author of over 70 books, Peter was a prolific writer. He held positions at Fuller Theological Seminary, serving as Vice President of the Charles E. Fuller Institute for Evangelism and Church Growth from 1971-79 and as a professor in the School of World Missions from 1971-99. Peter’s concept of church growth was leading people to Christ, not the transfer growth so often seen in America today. Millions have come to Christ, in part, because of his efforts. In the 1990s, God began stirring Peter’s heart toward prayer. He studied prayer, wrote several books on the subject, gathered tens of thousands of people for prayer assemblies, and was the single greatest catalyst for the worldwide prayer movement that began in the 1990s and continues today. It was at this point that Holy Spirit brought Peter into my life. His strong belief in the power of the pen caused him to urge those of us with teachings on prayer to put them in book form. This is when I wrote the book, Intercessory Prayer, which has been used around the world. Peter wrote the foreword. His influence in my life cannot be overstated. Dr. Wagner graduated to Heaven in 2016; his wife, Doris, is still with us and continues to minister effectively for the Lord. I thank both of these spiritual giants for their tireless, selfless dedication to the cause of Christ, and the noble examples they have been. The world is better because of Peter and Doris Wagner. Jim and Jean Hodges are Ceci’s and my spiritual parents; Jim is the apostle we have been aligned with for over 35 years. Jim was one of our professors at Christ For the Nations Bible Institute in the late 70s. He was teaching insights on the Ekklesia and the 5-fold ministry gifts of Ephesians 4 - including apostles - way back then. I know of no one with a greater understanding of and maturity in these subjects than Jim Hodges. Papa Jim is the greatest example of a godly man I have ever known. He has taught, equipped, and imparted to me in the areas of worship, prayer, teaching, leadership, missions, and theology. His knowledge is profound, his humility is unsurpassed, and his giftings are as great as any person I’ve ever known. Jean is his stabilizing influence, faithful co-laborer, and intercessor. Jim and Jean lead an apostolic network - they were doing so before most people in the movement today even knew what that was - assisting hundreds of leaders, who touch millions of people, in numerous nations. These two dedicated warriors have and continue to lay down their lives for others. Unquestionably, Ceci and I are where we are today, doing what we do, because of Jim and Jean Hodges. To you both we say: “Thank you. Words are inadequate and, truly, we could never repay you. We love you dearly.” All of you, grab your phone or paper and pen - or perhaps you’re fortunate enough to be able to do so face to face - and let someone know how grateful you are for their life. It may lengthen yours. Pray with me: Father, You place great value on honor. You buried Moses Yourself, washed Your disciples’ feet, and stood in honor when Stephen was ushered into Heaven. You’re amazing. May we follow Your example and demonstrate the same appreciation for our families and friends. We thank You for the pathfinders whose road we follow. We honor the teachers and instructors upon whose insights we have fed. And we salute the cloud of witnesses whose blood, sweat, and tears have pioneered Kingdom accomplishments upon which we build today. May they find us faithful…and grateful. In the coming revival, may we model the principle of honor. Awaken in us hearts that prefer others above ourselves, and give us Kingdom mindsets that serve the greater good. Tear down earthly kingdoms, built to promote the reputations of men and help us build only Yours. You are worthy - only You - of the highest glory. We honor You. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the coming revival will be one that values honor. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _________________________________ https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2016/october/apostolic-leader-and-authority-on-church-growth-c-peter-wagner-dies

An Update on Operation Outcry – Part 2 [Many of you have signed a petition to the Supreme Court to end abortion through The Moral Outcry. Constitutional Attorney Allan Parker concludes his update on the Moral Outcry today.] “I want to thank the 375 Women of Operation Outcry who suffered late term abortions and allowed us to share their testimonies with the Supreme Court as Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) parties in the case. Here is the Appendix where, starting at page 4, you can read their testimonies (about two excerpts from each state). The Brief itself has testimonies from Mississippi Operation Outcry women who had late term abortions. “The courageous testimony of Operation Outcry women like these has already been proven to move the heart of the Supreme Court Justices. First, the Court twice cited The Justice Foundation Brief which gave the testimony of 180 Women Injured By Abortion as Amicus Curiae in Gonzales v. Carhart.  The Court upheld the federal partial birth abortion ban. Second, in the recent Louisiana abortion case, Justice Alito writing (unfortunately only for the minority of four Justices) cited the women’s testimonies stated as follows: “‘Amici who have had abortions recount similarly distant relationships with their abortion doctors. See Brief for 2,624 Women Injured by Abortion, et al. as Amicus Curiae 14-22 (first-hand accounts of abortion procedures in Louisiana)…’ “You can click here to read p. 14-22 of that Brief. We know, because they cited to it, that the Court read it and was impacted by the courageous women’s testimonies, which otherwise would not have been in the record. If you click on footnote 6 of the Brief on page 14, you can read all 425 testimonies of women’s late term abortions. “We are monitoring cases across the country right now on their way to the Supreme Court, including cases that ban all abortions. We estimate our Center Against Forced Abortions saves 1,000 to 2,000 babies a year in the short-term and their mothers from devastation. The work of Operation Outcry continues to share the testimony of women injured by abortion to show the courts the third argument of The Moral Outcry Petition which counsels that abortion does not help women, abortion hurts them.” “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32; GWT) Give Him 15 minutes in prayer: Worship the Lord and let His compassion rise in your heart for women who have suffered from abortion. Intercede for the 375 Women of Operation Outcry who suffered late term abortions and allowed thier testimonies to be shared with the Supreme Court as Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) parties in the case. Ask the Lord to continue to grant them safety, protection, and boldness, as their case progresses through the Supreme Court system. Pray that the voices of these women would be heard and reverberate throughout the land! Abortion causes harm to pre-born babies and to the women that carried them. Intercede for the Center Against Forced Abortions, which saves 1,000 to 2,000 babies a year in the short-term and their mothers from devastation. A prayer you can pray: Dear Lord Jesus, give me Your heart of compassion for the women that have suffered physically and emotionally from undergoing abortions. They were lied to and it is time to set the national record straight. Hundreds of women have now come forward to tell the world that abortion is not safe for women, physically or psychologically. Besides the fact that our nation has legalized abortion, resulting in more than 61 million abortions, women have been harmed as well. These few hundred are representing perhaps thousands who would never come forward, but who live with the aftermath daily. They silently suffer physically, perhaps never able to have children, and emotionally from guilt and shame. Most of us are not able to imagine what they have seen and heard through the death process of abortion. It makes my heart break. Oh God, forgive this nation for Roe v Wade and similar cases. Let them know there is hope, healing, and the shalom of God waiting for them in You. We pray for the Center Against Forced Abortions and other organizations like them that seek to help teens and women with options to abortion. Help the Church to educate ourselves on alternatives. We need to know what to do if we discover a friend or family member is pregnant and considering abortion. We have to get ready for the ending of abortion. We need to get alternatives, such as adoption agencies, up and running now. Again, Jesus, give us Your heart and Your mind and Your creative ideas. Amen. Today’s decree: The Supreme Court will see the scientific and psychological truth about abortion and will reverse Roe v Wade! Learn more about Allan Parker, The Justice Foundation, and The Moral Outcry here.

Hope for the Nation – Part 1 [Recently, friends Anthony and Melissa Medina of Hopefires International interviewed me on their broadcast on the subject of hope. With all that’s happening in our world, discouragement and disillusionment are trying to push their way into our lives, however, we must hang onto hope, so we can move forward and not give up. I am going to share some of that conversation over the next few days. Let hope arise in you and in our nation, as you intercede through it with me.] Melissa Medina Our ministry, Hopefires International, is focussed on igniting hope and the fires of revival within hearts and nations worldwide. There’s so much darkness and so much strife going on in our nation right now. There’s violence and division. In the midst of this, we felt God was inviting us to release hope into America. Dutch Sheets is an apostolic father to this nation, so we wanted to dialogue with him on this theme of hope for America. Dutch I see a lot of hope for America. I have seen the Lord working on us for over 20 years. For example, there is a praying Church now. God has a people that have been listening and have been obeying Him. He never needs a majority. He only needs a remnant. We now have a praying, fasting, worshipping remnant that is saying, “Whatever it takes, we’re going to see a turnaround.” God is going to answer our prayers and we are going to see a Third Great Awakening. This will happen in America, but it will touch the whole world. Don’t be distracted by all the chaos the enemy’s causing. He’s trying to stop what God is doing, but that’s not going to happen. We are going to see this Third Great Awakening. Anthony Tell us how you see that remnant right now. Are they still strong in this COVID-19 season or are they struggling? Dutch There are huge facets of the Church in general that are discouraged and distracted by everything going on. They are the sleeping giant overwhelmed by hopelessness that you saw in a dream last week, Anthony. I have seen some of that, and have even seen it affecting the praying Church. However, I see another group of people who are really listening to the Lord. Even though they are not in denial about what’s going on, they are not discouraged or hopeless. They have withstood the onslaught and have stayed strong in faith. I think what God wants to do now is say, “I haven’t been taken by surprise, and I am going to do what I have been saying I am going to do.” So, I see two groups of Believers. There is a group that has to be awakened to hope again, but there is another remnant group that is interceding and carrying the others, and they are still strong. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3; BSB) Give Him 15 minutes in prayer: Declare Hebrews 23:2-3 over the Body of Christ. Intercede for those in the Church who are suffering, feeling lost or hopeless. Intercede for the remnant that is still strong in their faith. Say over them, “Church, it is time to rise up and do exploits in Jesus’ Name!” Intercede for the lost. Many are hopeless and confused, even terrified, in this environment. Pray that they will find Jesus, their Savior and Redeemer, who longs to be their friend and give them peace. Intercede for ministries like Hopefires International that are working to advance God’s Kingdom in their realm of authority. They are bringing hope to the people of America. A prayer you can pray: Lord, we thank You for Your Word. Jesus, we fix our eyes on You, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before You endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Today, we focus our attention on You, who endured such hostility from sinners, so that we would not grow weary and lose heart in the challenges we are facing. We pray for those who know You, but who are facing hardships, like sickness or financial instability. These things shake our faith. They cause us to lose hope if we focus on them. Lift their faces to You, Lord. Reveal Your love to them as they go to Your Word. Bring hope and encouragement to them through the kindness of other Believers. Renew their hope. We also pray for those strong in faith who have not wavered in their faith. They know Who they have placed their trust in – only You, Jesus. Keep them strong and focussed on You and what You want done right now. We say to this remnant, “Church, it is time to rise up and do exploits in Jesus’ Name! Bring hope to the hopeless all around you. The fields are ripe for harvest!” Lord, let the harvest fields of the earth yield their fullness to us now as we pray and share the love of Jesus with those that don’t yet know You. We ask for the millions of souls You have promised us! Show us where to go and tell us what to say. Only Jesus can give them peace in these times. We bless all the ministries that are working to bring hope to the hopeless. Give them all the resources they need and bless the work of their hands in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Today’s decree: Jesus and His remnant Church are bringing hope to America! Learn more about Anthony and Melissa Medina and Hopefires International here.