Is There Not a Cause? In the end of the movie The Patriot, Benjamin Martin’s sister-in-law attempted to comfort him, defending his initial decision not to fight the British. “You have done nothing for which to be ashamed,” she claimed. Martin's thoughtful and poignant response was: “I have done nothing. For that I am ashamed.” God forbid that Martin’s lament would become the tragic epitaph of our generation of Americans. I pray it is never what history writes of us! May we, like Martin, finally awaken to the cause and fight. Another characteristic we will need to change America is the willingness to fight for a cause bigger than ourselves. If your personal desires and comfort are more important than Christ’s cause, you will never be one of the change-agents used by God to transform America. Stay in a settlement; enjoy the safety of a village. Find a congregation that has decided to live a tame and non-radical version of Christianity, and join them for an hour or two once a week as they try to make everyone in the settlement feel happy and cared for. If, on the other hand, you’re tired of casual Christianity - passivity, ritual, routine, programs, grown-up day care centers - follow the ever increasing number leaving this modern version of Christianity in search of the old road. Difference-makers are being sought by Holy Spirit, not pacifists and comfort-seekers. The Corporate Cause When Moses led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, three tribes received their land inheritance long before the other nine. The region they asked for and were given, well-suited for their livestock, was on the outskirts of Canaan and could therefore be conquered and awarded them in advance of the other tribes. However, Moses gave one stipulation to these three tribes. Regardless of how long before the remaining nine began their fight (which turned out to be decades), the men from these tribes would have to leave their families, their established homes and livestock, and fight for the others. Joshua held them to this requirement. Although Israel was divided into twelve tribes, numerous cities and thousands of households, the Lord instituted principles such as this to insure that an independent mindset didn’t control them. All Israelites were required to observe several national feasts annually, and all had to leave their territory to fight for one another whenever wars occurred. God wanted the entire nation to remember that while they didn’t practice communism, they nevertheless must honor community. Yes, it would be appropriate to live and prosper as individuals and separate tribes, but not exclusively. There would always be causes bigger than their individual selves. America was formed in much the same way. Forged in the fires of adversity which demanded hard work and self-sufficiency, it is also true that America was built upon the concept of unity. At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.“(1) This mentality - a willingness to fight and, if necessary, die for others - has been in the fabric of America since it’s beginning. David, who later became king of Israel, spoke of this type of corporality when facing Goliath. After hearing the taunts of his older brother regarding his offer to fight Goliath, David responded with the powerful question, “Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29, KJV). His obvious insinuation was, although death was certainly possible, something more important than his life was at stake: the reputation of God and preservation of the nation were at risk. Is There Not a History? As powerful and poignant as David’s question was, when analyzed more closely, the Hebrew word used actually has other strong implications, as well. The word translated “cause” (Hebrew: dabar) also means “history.” Interestingly, David may have been asking, “Is there not a history?” – a past history to honor, and a future history to write. “What about Abraham and our history through him?” David may have been asking. Or, “Has anyone considered Moses and the miracles our forefathers experienced in their deliverance from Egypt? Aren’t there instances in our past we can look back on and draw sufficient courage to face this giant?” “And by the way, I have some personal history from which to draw inspiration,” David added. “I killed a lion and a bear while defending my father's sheep, and the same God that empowered me for those victories will empower me to defeat this giant.” It is also possible that David was referencing future history. There’s an oxymoron for you. “Isn’t there a history to write? What will history record concerning our response to this giant? Will it state that we fought bravely and defended God’s honor? Will it read that we were willing to die, if necessary, to defend our wives and children? I, for one, would rather die with integrity and honor than live with my shame if I cower to this giant.” Amazing parallels exist with this scenario and America today. In our past history God has helped us. And the continuance of our history as a Christian nation is also at stake. God‘s plans for America, which are integrally connected to His purposes for all the earth, are hanging in the balance of our decisions. Evil systems, political parties, false religions and ungodly leaders mock Him, His Ways, and His word, just as Goliath did centuries ago. Tomorrow’s history books are awaiting our response. What will our children and grandchildren read? The verdict isn’t in but closing arguments are certainly being made. Is There Not a Promise? Dabar, the word for “cause“ and “history,“ has other possible meanings, as well. It could be translated as “promise“ – “Is there not a promise?” David may have been challenging his brothers to consider the past promises God made to Israel: “What about the promises made to our forefathers? Has anyone read the twenty eighth chapter of Deuteronomy lately which, among other things, promises that God will cause our enemies to be smitten before us; that they will come against us from one direction, but will scatter as they flee from us (verses 1-7)? Don’t we have promises we can stand on?” As we face today’s Goliaths, we also must lay hold of God’s promises and believe that He will honor them. Nations are still blessed whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12). He continues to forgive and heal the land of those who fulfill 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.“ These are promises to stand on as we face our giants. Is There Not a Strategy? And finally, dabar also means “a word,” as used in the phrase “the word of the Lord.” Can you see in this the concept of a strategy? David may have been asking, “Hasn’t anyone yet heard a word or strategy from God concerning how to deal with this evil giant?” He obviously felt that he had one. It involved a sling and five smooth stones, only one of which was needed. For America today, there are strategies waiting to be heard and acted on that will bring national deliverance and healing. God is never without a plan in dealing with His enemies and accomplishing His will. These strategies will, however, only be given to those willing to risk everything for the cause - those who will leave the safety of the settlement to find the old road. Are you one of them? We Are Pioneers In Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s movie depicting Scotland’s history - can you tell I like this movie? - William Wallace was desperately trying to rally Scotland’s leaders to fight for the cause of freedom. In one powerful scene, King Edward, also known as Longshanks, spoke of how to control and neutralize the Scottish leaders: “The nobles are the key to Scotland. Give them lands and titles in Yorkshire. Make them too greedy to oppose us.” Whoa! That hurts. Hollywood sometimes unwittingly prophesies. What poignant words and, sadly, words true of America today. One can almost hear satan strategizing on how to neutralize the church: “Make them lazy in their passivity and complacent in their comfort. Promise them fun and fortune while you steal their freedom!” This must end! A generation of cause-minded pioneers must arise and declare, “We will fight!” Our determination must be like that of Wallace: “They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!” God is looking for a generation of warriors who will anchor to their God-given history, stand on His eternal promises, and fulfill their God-given assignment. We CAN win the war for the soul of America. We CAN defeat today’s giants. We CAN find the old road and follow it back to our roots as “one nation under God.” Find your voice, pioneer. Let Christ find you, fill you with His pioneer Spirit, and sing His pioneer song over you. And when your life is over, “What have you done, others will do, bigger and better, and faster than you.” Let’s go find the road! Pray with me: Father, we respond to the words You shared with us from the brave-hearted warrior, David: “Is there not a cause?” We say, in agreement with his passionate heart, “Yes, there is a cause that is worth the giving of our all.” We denounce casual Christianity, passivity, religious ritual and routine, and a feel good gospel that leaves self on the throne of our hearts. We cry out, “Jesus is Lord! And He is worthy of owning all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength!” Father, we believe in biblical history. We believe in the church’s history. We believe in America’s righteous history. And we believe the history we are writing will be a glorious history of revival and worldwide transformation. We CAN defeat every giant. We CAN find the old road. We will tap into the strength of former pioneers of the faith, and we will leave a well-marked road for those coming after us. By the grace, mercy and strength of God, we will not fail! Our decree: Our God reigns! Always! Everywhere! Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. 1.Franklin, Benjamin. In the continental Congress at the signing of the declaration of independence, 1776.

The Need for Passion! God loves wholeheartedness. Divided and lukewarm hearts, on the other hand, nauseate Him (see Rev. 3:15 - 16). He refuses to tolerate indifference. The Almighty epitomizes passion and, to those who accept it, offers to share with them His passionate love of people. If we are going to turn America back to Him, we must be a people of extreme passion. I love the definitions of these two words, “extreme” and “passion,” when applying them to the cause of Christ. “The greatest possible degree of intensity” – that’s exactly what our cause requires. “Beyond the norm” – right on. Status quo desire will never change America. The liberals, humanists and antichrist forces in America have been far more passionate about their cause than we, the body of Christ have. “The point farthest from the middle” – I love that! This is exactly where I want to be. No middle ground. I’m not a moderate; I’m a radical, passionate reformer! Balanced? No thanks. “Intensely emotional” – you bet. Of all the accusations made toward me, I don’t want lack of intensity to be one of them. I thought perhaps I should also look up the word intense, just to make sure I was striving for the right qualities: possess a distinctive feature to a heightened degree. Yep, that works. I want a heightened degree of passion. Passionless Christianity is a contradiction. I’m certainly not setting the standard for passion and commitment - many believers convict me with their level of passion for Christ and His cause - but I’m working on mine. My goal is to always burn with extreme passion! Pioneers are Cause-Minded David had the kind of zealous love for God I’m speaking of. When listening to Goliath mock the Lord, he quickly reached his threshold. “Who is this guy to curse the living God in the name of his false gods?“ David asked. Then he asked the poignant and loaded question, “Is there not a cause?“ (1 Samuel 17:29, KJV). Through this rhetorical question, David was declaring, “The ramifications of this threat are bigger than just the nation of Israel; they’re more important than our lands, and even our lives. God’s reputation is at stake!” Perhaps this is why David actually ran to face the 9 1/2 foot tall giant. Death was possible, yes, but David’s passion for God was stronger than his fear of death. Where are the David’s of our day who will run to face today’s spiritual giants – the forces of evil who oppose God and His purposes? Where are those willing to lay their lives down for His cause? I believe passionate warriors such as this are on the increase. Though they will never be the majority, there will be enough. God will empower them, just as He did David, and they will prevail. Years later, David was still passionate after God. As the Ark of God’s presence (abandoned and ignored during Saul’s reign) was making its way to Jerusalem, David threw off his kingly robes, laying aside his royal pomp and dignity, and danced wildly. (see 2 Samuel 12:23 and 1 Chronicles 15:29). He was celebrating the fact that God’s presence was coming home where it belonged. I love it! His wife Michal, however, not a worshiper and certainly not passionate about God, did not like his passion nor his humility. She actually mocked David’s zeal and lack of dignity. Incidentally, prioritization of dignity over passion would be quite appropriate in most American worship services. What was David’s response to Michal? “You haven’t seen anything yet,” he stated. I will be much more undignified than this!” On your journey to find the old road, Christ’s cause will ultimately have to outweigh your pride, and passion will need to overcome personal dignity. Christ and His cause must trump all. Incidentally, God‘s response to Michal’s spiritual indifference and disdain for David’s passion was much stronger than David’s response. The Lord judged her with barrenness - He didn’t want her nature passed on. That’s pretty serious. Assuredly, God loves passion and loathes apathetic indifference. A Prisoner of Love The Apostle Paul was another pioneer who demonstrated extreme passion. “The love of God controls us,“ he said, in describing his commitment to the cause of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:14). “Controls“ (Greek: sunecho) is a word actually meaning “to be a prisoner.” God‘s love had possessed Paul to the point that its hold was inescapable. Bound by love, he faced hunger, thirst, numerous beatings, imprisonment, and much more to lead people to Christ. The need for pleasure and comfort didn’t control Paul; passion for Christ’s cause had enslaved him. The Founders of America had extreme passion and were willing to die for the cause of freedom. “Give me liberty or give me death,” was more than a slick campaign speech. When Patrick Henry made this now famous statement he was stating unequivocally, “I am willing to die for this cause.” Look up his entire speech and you’ll see his unwavering passion for God and this nation. Passionate Until Death! I have mentioned John Adams elsewhere but it is appropriate to include him here, as well. Adams was such a passionate pioneer of liberty that Thomas Jefferson referred to him as a “colossus of independence.“ Though the two of them didn’t always see eye-to-eye, their passion for America enabled them to put aside their differences and they died as close friends – on the same day! Most people aren’t aware that both Adams and Jefferson died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826! Incredibly, it was as though both men willed themselves to live until that landmark day. Their passion to see the survival of this holy “experiment“ - as many described America in that day - kept them alive until this milestone was reached. Adams, too weak to attend the national Fourth of July celebration, asked to be sat in a chair by his window in order to watch the festivities. While there, he drifted into unconsciousness and died later that night. Two of Adams’ last words before he graduated to heaven: “Independence forever.” (1) Passionate in life; passionate in death. Adams and our other Founders were God-honoring, pioneer-patriots with the steel of mind and heart to face perhaps the greatest empire in all of history. Like David, they asked the profound question, “Is there not a cause?” And they answered it with their lives. That is the question we must ask today. Is Christ’s cause in America important enough to live - and die - for? There are now millions of young people in the United States who have had their opportunity to know Him stolen by ungodly educators, liberal politicians, legistating judges and lukewarm preachers. Are not these young people worth our prayers and passion? How many more of them must die in gangs, school shootings, suicides, overdoses, drunken car accidents and sex trafficking before the church of America has the courage and passion to stand up and shout, “Enough!” How many more babies must be murdered in the womb of their mothers? How many more children will be raised in fatherless homes? When will enough be enough? America has, indeed, lost the old road. God is calling for a new generation of passionate pioneers to rise up and boldly declare, “We’re going to find the road. Come hell or high water - persecution, mocking, or loss – we will find the way back to God’s plan and purpose for America.” Many are familiar with the movie Braveheart. At the end of this stirring film, the great warrior, William Wallace, is being tortured to death. He is offered mercy, however, if he will renounce his quest for freedom from England’s tyranny. Wallace’s answer to their offer was a thunderous roar that rang from the depths of his passionate, warrior heart: “Freedom!!!” Wallace’s passion and commitment, even in death, inspired a nation to fight and gain their freedom. I certainly have no desire to identify with the method of Wallace’s death, but I do want to end my life with the same message. Like Wallace, I hope my shout is still heard when my mouth is silenced by the grave. And if and when my name is mentioned, I’d like it to provoke passion and action, not praise or acclaim. How about you? Pray with me: Father, You like passion, hunger, and wholeheartedness. You made it clear that You dislike lukewarmness and indifference. We want to be a people of passion, walking in the greatest possible degree of intensity regarding You and Your cause. With passionate hearts we cry out for revival. With passionate hearts we cry out for a presence movement to sweep the earth. With passionate hearts we ask You for the greatest harvest ever - by far - of people coming out of death into life. With passionate hearts we ask You to set captives free, open prison doors and heal the brokenhearted. With passionate hearts we declare that America shall be saved, the earth will hear the gospel of the kingdom, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! Our decree: We declare that the “burning ones,” those with hearts aflame, are arising in the earth. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. Adams, John. July 4, 1826 Booth, William. “Who Cares?”.

Hold On With Your Heart At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, General George Washington instructed his troops: “The fate of the unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die” (italics mine).(1) The warrior spirit was essential in order to win America’s freedom. This kind of warrior-heart is also necessary spiritually. The kingdom of God is full of paradoxes - seeming contradictions. This is one of them: though called to possess the quality of love more than any other, even to the point of laying down our lives (2 Corinthians 13), and to pursue peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), we believers are also called to fight spiritually (Ephesians 6:12-20). We must war against the kingdom and powers of darkness, false ideologies, and the strategies spawned by both. Also, though “we wrestle not against flesh and blood“ (Ephesians 6:12 KJV), we must boldly oppose, through spiritual weapons, those individuals who war against Christ’s cause. Another attribute, therefore, necessary to be an agent of change is to possess the heart of a warrior. General Patton once said to his troops, “You must acquire the warrior’s soul.” (2) It seems that far too many Americans have lost the warrior's soul, both naturally and spiritually. Most people want someone else to do their fighting for them. Warriors, on the other hand, fight when necessary and push forward. They are willing to war for what they love and believe in. I recently revisited the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. I was inspired once again as I read about the sacrifices of so many warriors - women and men who gave it all to save the world from tyranny. I also grieved as several individuals ignored the signs asking that, in order to honor our lost veterans, the fountain and pool not be used for wading and play. For many, this hallowed place was nothing more than a place to cool off on a hot day. We have become a shallow and ungrateful nation. Millions of apathetic and ungrateful Americans need to be shown the old road of honor and patriotism. We must never forget that someone died purchasing our freedom - a child lost a parent, a spouse lost a husband or wife, a parent lost a child. Old Testament Warriors In the Old Testament God shares examples with us of warrior hearts. They are our examples, not because we are called to force His will on people, but so that their internal traits can be applied to our spiritual battles. David was one such warrior. This brave fighter killed a lion and a bear to protect his father’s sheep, and was ever ready to fight the enemies of God when they attempted to destroy Israel. David possessed such a strong warrior's heart that he actually ran to face Goliath! (See 1 Samuel 17:48) Then there was Benaiah, one of David‘s “mighty men” (see 1 Chronicles 11:22-24). Like David, this heroic and bold warrior also killed a lion. It seems the marauding lion was threatening a village in Israel, which motivated the villagers to set a trap by digging a pit, then baiting the lion into it. OK, so now what? Without today’s tranquilizing methods, how would they dispose of the lion? Cage it and move it to another region? Or perhaps kill it using spears, arrows, even stones? Several options were possible - just stay out of the pit! Not Benaiah! For some reason, inexplicable except to the warrior heart, this warrior didn’t want to kill the lion from above. “Out of my way,” he shouted. Before anyone could stop him, Benaiah jumped into the pit - “on a snowy day,” scripture adds for good measure - and killed the lion (see 2 Samuel 23:20). Warrior? I think so. He once killed, “A man of great stature five cubits tall [seven and one-half feet]. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear” (1 Chronicles 11:23). Warrior times two! Warriors Reproduce Warriors Incidentally, from whom do you think Benaiah acquired his warring nature? He was obviously inspired by the heart of his leader David, who also killed a lion and giant. Warriors reproduce warriors. I’m praying God will raise up a generation of spiritual Davids and Benaiahs who will challenge satan, the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), who is devouring many in our day. Eleazer was another David-inspired warrior. “He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day,” (2 Samuel 23:10). What determination! In defending the nation of Israel, Eleazer fought past his weariness and when no longer possessing the physical strength needed to control his hand, he held onto the sword with his heart! When the battle was over, his comrades waded through the bodies and peeled Eleazer’s hand from his sword. Warrior! We Need Warriors Today How does this warrior spirit translate into action today against the spiritual giants of our land? Obviously, it begins with prayer - spiritual warfare. But there is more. Standing for truth through acts of protest and civil disobedience, voting out of office individuals with unbiblical ideals, giving to righteous causes, speaking out against all that oppose the rule of God - all are ways by which we war. To turn America back to the ancient path, we must tenaciously resist evil and tyranny, let our voices be heard, and pray until revival is seen in our land. Can we really see a reformation of America? If pioneer warriors with hearts like David, Benaiah and Eleazer arise, with a determination to find and walk the old road, we can. I am asking God to raise up spiritual warriors in America. We desperately need men and women with hearts strong enough to face whatever firepower satan and his allies can throw at them and, in spite of it all, turn this nation back to Christ. We need 21st century burning-heart revivalists in the mold of John and Charles Wesley. We are desperate for Jonathan Edwards level anointings causing such Holy Spirit unction that sinners cry out for forgiveness and salvation. We must have modern day Finneys whose preaching births such conviction that men run to altars weeping and mourning; and Peter Cartwrights - Circuit Riders - who will brave wilderness paths and freezing winters on a horseback to preach the gospel. We desperately need “praying Hydes,” Reese Howells and Jeremiah Landphiers, who will shape history and birth awakenings in regions of the earth through prayer. Perhaps you were never taught about these heroes of the faith and are wondering who some of them are. That is part of the problem. America’s heroes today are athletes, movie stars, and singers. Many are good people, but heroes? I don’t think so. And frankly, some are not good. Many in America emulate losers - adulterers, the foul-mouthed, rebels, irresponsible fathers, and lying politicians. May God give us holy, selfless warriors who will fight for truth and honor. May God awaken the pioneer spirit again in our land and mantle a generation with the vision and tenacity needed to find the old road. Pray with me: Father, in Your word You use words like wrestle, warfare, fight and soldier to describe our activities. Even though Christ defeated our enemy and took from him his authority, it is still our responsibility to enforce that victory on the earth. We must use Your name, power and the sword of the Spirit to bind and loose, open and close. We ARE Your Ekklesia on the earth. We pray that warrior hearts will be resurrected in Your church; that people of faith and passion will be raised up who will run to face Goliaths in the earth. Give us the warrior’s soul! May we fight until our hands cleave to the sword, holding on with impassioned hearts that refuse to yield to demonic forces in the earth. May the zeal of the Lord of Hosts consume us! We ask for this in faith, and in the name of Jesus. We believe this is done! Our decree: We decree that a fresh generation of spiritual warriors is arising on the earth, and will enforce the victory of Calvary all over the world. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. 1. Coffey. Patriot Hearts. 118. 2. Ibid., 144.

Total Commitment Jesus told His disciples, "follow me." "Follow you where?" Would have been the obvious and fair question. "To the unknown," would have been His answer. Much like Jehovah's dealings with our spiritual father, Abraham, who was told to leave home but not where that would lead him, this was the offer Christ made to His disciples, "I don't want you picking and choosing the ways and places you're willing to follow Me. I want carte blanche access to your will. Follow Me...period." Pioneers of change can't be those who need the security of the familiar. They are trailblazers, not trail-followers. The rules haven't changed. Uncommon and unqualified commitment, combined with a willingness to take risks, is what Christ requires; and it is an absolutely essential characteristic for those He uses as change-agents. All trailblazers and pioneers must have this type of dedication. The challenges are simply too great, the adversity too strong for light-hearted, shallow commitment. Change-agents must be "all in," or they will most certainly "back out." A non-advancing church in America has turned to routine, to living in the safety of the familiar, rather than moving into the challenges of cultural and societal transformation. Such a mindset produces what I call "gazelle Christians." The African gazelle can jump fairly high and up to 30 feet in distance, yet can be confined in zoos with only a 3-foot high wall! The reason? Gazelles won't jump if they can't see where their feet will land. Like these timid, captive creatures, we will never escape our man-made walls and religious enclosures if we are controlled by a fear of the unknown. Jump! Leave the familiar! Finding the old road will require highly committed spiritual leaders - not only from those working in the church - but also from those employed in secular arenas. Far too often we separate biblical ideals and principles from the secular realm. This is unbiblical. God's principles are applicable to all aspects of life and culture. Saving America's destiny will require radically committed, spiritual pioneers in government, education, business, and every other sector of American life - not just in our churches. Ronald Reagan was a secular leader who modeled radical commitment. Though serving in government, he was also a spiritual man. Combining spirituality, patriotism, and uncommon commitment, he was an example of the pioneer spirit. Only a person with radical commitment would stand on the world stage and against the advice of all his advisors, forcefully decree, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” (1) Although he made this audacious statement while President in 1987, the seeds of a pioneer were growing in Mr. Reagan much earlier. On October 27, 1964, he issued the following poignant decree: "They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is right."(2) May God give America more Ronald Reagan's! His words remind me of those in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "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." Simple devotion. Simple answers. Doing the right thing isn't usually complicated - sometimes costly, yes, but not complicated. General George Patton was also a man of uncommon commitment. I love his heart. Patton's language was strong and raw, but it simply reflected his passion. And the intensity of his passionate heart always propelled him forward. In one difficult battle, when told by his officers of the need to retreat, Patton is quoted as saying, "Retreat, hell, we'll advance to the rear." You gotta love it. Winston Churchill led Great Britain and helped save the world from Hitler's Third Reich. What an important, committed leader he was. Led by his passion, determination, and amazing ability to communicate, England fought the good fight against Hitler when it looked like the Nazis were unstoppable. One of Churchill's many poignant quotes from that time was about duty: "The destiny of man is not measured by material computation. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we are spirits - not animals. There is something going on... which, whether we like it or not, spells duty" (italics mine). (3) Indeed! Likewise, whether we like it or not, there are challenges in America today that spell "duty." Abortion spells duty. A spiritually lost generation spells duty. Gender confusion, an exploding sex trade, an anti-Christ spirit and attitude, an attack on traditional marriage, a compromising church - all of these, and many more problems in the world are issuing duty's call. God is asking for difference-makers to arise who are willing to find the old road of service, commitment, and sacrifice. A while back, I read the compelling book, Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell. It is the story of the greatest loss ever suffered, up to that point in time, by the US Navy SEALs. Uncommon commitment is an understatement when describing the warriors in all of our special forces. I spent much time quietly and solitarily thinking about what I was reading. Among other things, I analyzed my level of commitment to Christ's great cause. Do I demonstrate the same level of commitment to Him those brave soldiers did to one another and to their cause? Just as the king in scripture, I felt I was "weighed in the balances and found wanting." (see Daniel 5:27) Most of us will never have to endure the physical pain and suffering those brave men endured, nor could we. But at a heart level, we should possess the same degree of commitment to Christ and His cause, including to this nation He raised up to be a light to the world. As I read portions of the SEALs' creed, I couldn't help but think parts of it should be the Christian's creed. I have included all of it here for you to read. But I will read a few portions. In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our nation's call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man. My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of My chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day. My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own. I serve with Honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of the circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond. We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders, I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations. I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight. We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete. We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend. Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammate steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail. (4) Committed hearts like this in the church would change the world! Committed, spiritual special forces must rise up with their spiritual weapons before it is too late. We’re in critical condition, on life-support. Having denied our Godly roots and the stability they provided, America is now adrift in the mooring-less ideologies of humanism and relativism. The same idiocy that shuts down industries and food sources in order to save frogs, also fights to kill babies. Marriage between one man and one woman is mocked, while "marriage" between two men or two women is praised. The Constitution and its true intent are ignored. Depending on the source, Americans now acknowledge 60 or more gender options; so much for “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). We've lost our way. It is time for a generation of Godly, patriotic, committed pioneers to arise and lead us out of this maze of mindless ideas. If not, we will perish in the wilderness. I believe, however, these warriors are being raised up. And like the SEALs, they will NEVER quit!...they are NEVER out of the fight!...their training is NEVER complete!...they will NOT fail! Pray with me: Father, as You move us into this great worldwide awakening we pray that a new commitment to Your cause is an outflow of it. A total commitment to You, Your kingdom and the commission You gave us. Raise up committed spiritual warriors in every realm of society. Just as natural soldiers must have discipline and a commitment to their cause, put hearts in us that will demonstrate these same qualities. We pledge to You that we will follow You without conditions. We will go where You send us, say what You tell us, and do as You command us. Unqualified commitment - that is what we will demonstrate. Lead us back to the old road of truth and life. Lead America back to her righteous roots, her destiny. Thank You for cutting us off from the evil in our past. We boldly declare: America shall be saved! Our decree We decree that we will never quit, we are never out of the fight, and we will not fail! Today’s post was taken from my book The Way Back. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. Reagan, Ronald. Address at the Brandenburg Gate. 12 June, 1987. Coffey, Major T., Jr. Patriot hearts: An anthology of American patriotism. (Colorado Springs, CO: Purple Mountain Publishing, 2000). 68. Ibid., 68. Naval Special Warfare Command. “SEAL Ethos?Creed.” (November 15, 2010). http://www.public.navy.mil?nsw?Pages?EthosCreed.aspx

The Price of Freedom When Christ was preparing His original 12 world-changing pioneers, He made the cost clear to them: Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues (Matthew 10:16-17). Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it," (Matthew 16:24 -25) What price did these first disciples eventually pay to partner with Christ? Were Christ's words simply symbolic language, not to be taken literally? Surely He wouldn't actually allow His followers to lay down their lives, would He? History answers these questions: ● Andrew was crucified. ● Bartholomew was crucified. ● James, the son of Alphaeus, was stoned to death. ● James, the son of Zebedee, was beheaded. ● John, the son of Zebedee, was tortured and banished to the uninhabited island of Patmos. ● Peter was crucified upside down. ● Philip was crucified upside down. ● Thomas was martyred in India. ● The apostle Paul and John the Baptist, not part of the original 12 disciples but two of Christ's early leaders, were beheaded. To be a true disciple of Christ - and a nation-changing pioneer - we must be willing to lay down our very lives. This mindset should permeate and influence all we do and live for. And if we are to see America turn, it is one of the non-negotiables. Another quality, therefore, that will be required in order to turn this nation around, is a determination that no cost is too great. William Wilberforce, who led the efforts to eradicate slavery from Great Britain, understood and demonstrated this. In the great movie about his life, Amazing Grace, Wilberforce's butler surprised him in a moment of private prayer. When asked if he had found God, Wilberforce's poignant reply was, "I think He found me." Indeed, God "found" Wilberforce, who became so joined to His heart and desires that no price was too great for the cause. This reformer’s passion to see the end of slavery caused him stomach ailments, nightmares, ridicule, and four decades of tireless work. Days before his death, however, the decisive vote came to eliminate slavery from England. Amazingly, when the law became formal three days after the vote, Wilberforce's spirit left this world! Thomas Buxton, a personal friend and member of the House of Commons at the time said of him, "The day which was the termination of his labors was the termination of his life." (1) Have you been found? Has the cause of Christ possessed you? When God led the early Pilgrims to this land - He was obviously involved in the process - they came with hearts willing to pay whatever price the dream would cost them. A part of their stated cause was, "For the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith..." (2) The Pilgrims arrived on a cramped and dirty ship, in sloshing water filled with human waste and vomit. And ill-prepared for the trials of this new land, including a brutal winter, more than half would perish before the end of their first summer. These Pilgrims weren't failures, however. Planting a cross on the beach where they landed at Cape Henry, and dedicating this land to the gospel and the glory of God, they created a holy legacy. Heaven still honors the trail they blazed and the prayers they prayed. Buried in the soil of freedom, they became a vital part of the heritage we now enjoy. Pioneers all, their legacies live. The price they paid to create an outpost for the gospel created a debt for those who followed, including us today. The debt we owe is not only to preserve freedom, but it is also to preserve this land as a light of truth - a beacon, a city on a hill - to all other nations. If we pay our debt today, the difficult trail we blaze back to the old road will become the glorious path our children walk tomorrow. America was formed with the blood, sweat, and tears of many price-paying pioneers. When John Adams was elected as a Boston delegate in 1770, he knew it was considered treason to the King of England; Adams believed the decision would cost him everything. He informed his wife Abigail, "I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin..." (3) How many today would accept a seat in Congress if they knew it could cost them everything? In Adams' day, by the way, members of Congress weren't even paid a salary - only a small per diem. Not many currently in government would serve our nation without pay, let alone do so at the risk of their lives. Adams wasn't finished with his declaration, however. After informing Abigail that he had consented to his own ruin, this patriot pioneer continued, "...to your ruin, and the ruin of our children. I give you this warning, that you may prepare your mind for your fate." (4) Incredible, but Adams had been found! His love of liberty and his belief that God was raising up the United States of America meant that, to him, no price was too great to pay. How did Abigail feel about this? Betrayed? Horrified? Did she threaten to leave him? Not even close. She too, like Wilberforce, had been found. According to Adams, Abigail burst into tears and cried out, "Well, I am willing in this cause to run all risks with you, and be ruined with you, if you are ruined." (5) What amazing passion these two patriots possessed for the cause! Contrast this sacrificial and servant motivated attitude with the selfish lust for prestige, power, and financial gain motivating many civic leaders in America today. The difference is disgusting. From buying and selling votes to taxpayer-funded vacations to private jets. For so many, Washington, D.C. has become the home of the rich, the famous, and the exploiters. At the signing of the Declaration of Independence a few years later, Adams, along with his fellow-signers, again accepted the potential and probable cost of freedom: "For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." (6) Adams would later state to Abigail, "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means." (7) If America is to find her way back to the old road, it will be because another generation of patriotic and God-honoring Americans put on pioneer mantles and search for it - no matter the cost. Some will accuse me of inappropriately marrying the love of God and country, but it is my love for God and His cause in the earth that fuels my passion to see America restored. Like Adams and our other founding fathers, I realize God chose to raise up this nation as part of His plan to redeem the human race. America wasn't established solely for us Americans. And it certainly wasn't for the enjoyment of the narcissistic "American Dream" we've allowed our desires to devolve into. Partnering with God in His great dream was to be our privilege and destiny. For this, no cost is too great. Let's pray and work to end selfishness in the church and in Washington, D.C. Let's cry out for another generation of pioneers who will lose their lives to find His; believers that will accept their debt to the cross and pay any price necessary to lead America back to the old road. “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it,” (Jeremiah 6:16, The Message). Pray with me: Father, we are grateful for those in the great cloud of witnesses who have paid such high prices for our cause. We are humbled by the sacrifices so many of them have made. We ask You to forgive us in the American church for allowing our commitment to You and Your cause to become so low. Forgive us for preaching watered-down messages and a human-centered gospel. We agree in intercession today that in the coming revival hearts will be awakened. Passion for You and Your kingdom will outweigh our devotion to self. Millions will give their hearts to You and millions more will have their first love restored. You are worth our full devotion. Heal our broken nation. Lead us back to the old road of truth, integrity, righteousness, and common sense. Lead us back to servanthood, loving our neighbors, and the golden rule. Give us leaders who love and honor You and Your ways. Deliver us from evil rulers. We ask You for this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the purpose of God for America will not be lost - not on our watch. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. 1. Dyer, Steven G., Transforming a Nation: How England turned back to God in the eighteenthcentury. Can it happen in America?. (Oklahoma, OK : Steven J. Dyer, 2010). 54. 2. Mayflower Compact 1620. 3. Bennett, William J. Our sacred honor: Words of advice from the Founders in stories, letters, poems, and speeches. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1997), 40 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid., 64. 7. Ibid.

Difference Makers Yesterday we talked about the pioneer spirit that must be possessed by an element of the church to lead us back to the old road. Over the next 6 days, I’ll be sharing some of the character traits and mindsets we must possess in order to do so. This series comes from my book, The Way Back. If you do not currently recognize all of these characteristics in your life, please don’t assume you’re not a member of this company. If you are a born-again follower of Christ, His DNA is in you. In many ways, the Christian’s life is a treasure hunt, a process of internal discovery, searching for the hidden facets of the glorious Christ that Father God buried in our nature. When we find them, even radical change, if needed, is possible. Robert the Bruce, infamous for his cowardly betrayal of William Wallace, later rose up to lead Scotland’s struggle for freedom. The apostle Peter just weeks after denying Christ was leading the pioneering efforts of the early church. The apostle Paul was persecuting Christians one day, suffering with them the next. Change happens. America has become a nation of conformists. Whether we are being led down the latest fashion path, parroting the latest buzz words, or allowing the time-honored standards of morality to be altered, we are - in so many ways - a nation of followers. God’s word, however, commands us not to conform to our culture (Romans 12:1-2), but to change it by being salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14). The salt and light analogy means we should supply flavor, preservation, direction, and revelation to the world around us. We believers should be the change-agents. However - and I know I’m stating the obvious - one cannot be an agent of change while following the crowd! Going with the flow is only smart when you’re on the right road, moving in the right diffraction. Pioneers, forerunners, pathfinders, etc., all have one thing in common: They don’t go with the flow, they create it. One of the requirements, therefore, for those whom God will use to lead America back to our roots is a willingness to be different. People are more apt to ride the bandwagon of conformity than leave the herd. But only those who dare to be different become dreamers, and only dreamers make a difference. There is originality in you, a uniqueness that God wrote into your DNA. Don’t waste it by becoming a clone or copy. Become a Voice John the Baptist, the pioneering forerunner who prepared the way for Christ’s earthly ministry, was certainly different; and through his unique life and message, he was successful in creating a different flow in Israel. John was “a voice of preparation” (see John 1:23), a road builder; and his message bulldozed through the spiritual and cultural issues of his day, paving the way for Christ. America desperately needs some 21st-century road-building voices of change. For societal change to occur, paradigms, mindsets, ideologies - the components societal roads are made of - must be altered. John the Baptist built a highway of change by challenging the paradigms of his day. Change-agents think differently than the masses; over time, they influence those masses to think differently, as well. We certainly won’t change America by standing on street corners screaming for passersby to repent. We will change it, however, by the mind-altering power of truth. Many in America, including the church, naïvely believe they can change our nation through laws and statutes. Successful agents of change, however, know this is futile. They understand that for change to be both real and permanent, there must be a change of heart and mind. This is why the radicals of the ’60s and ’70s sought to take over our education system. Sad to say, they succeeded and, consequently, have shaped the thinking of a generation into radically new paradigms regarding government, education, morality, and religion. There are many religious voices in America today. Few, however, have produced any degree of societal change. Sadly, the “change” many leaders in the American church want is simply the size of their congregations and ministries. Their paradigm for success is defined by numbers. To do so they innovate, produce better graphics, use brighter lights, provide more entertainment and shorter services. This, of course, has failed. America is still speeding pell-mell down the wrong road. Difference-makers know that the way forward is often backward - to the old road. We must lead people to Jesus, not to ourselves; to truth, not a religious system; to a lifestyle, not a building. Referring to Jesus, John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” (John 3:30). The true purpose of becoming a voice for God should be to point people to Christ, not grow our ministry or congregation. It is worth noting that John, whom Jesus described as the greatest man born at the time (Luke 7:28), eventually lost his head. We are expendable and so are our ministries; Christ is not. He is looking for voices who care more about His kingdom than they do their careers...difference-makers. Pioneers Are Giant Killers Caleb, one of the 12 spies whom Moses sent to spy out the land promised by God to Israel, was certainly different. He went against the grain and made it into God’s “Hall of Difference Makers” (Hebrews 11). In fact, God used this very word to describe him. “Caleb,” He said, “has a different spirit” (Numbers 14:24). Indeed! By describing Caleb as different, the Lord was actually comparing him to 10 of the other spies who were conformists, weak in their faith, and sadly, still slaves at heart. These spineless, pioneer wannabes affirmed that the Promised Land truly was as wonderful as God said. Unfortunately, they also pointed out that it was ruled by giants, protected by strong armies, and filled with fortified cities. God forgot to tell us about the giants - 9 feet plus in height, they opined. And as cowards often do, these 10 spies poisoned Israel with their fear and unbelief. To fear-controlled believers, “giants” seem bigger than God. Ironically, the 10 fearful spies were actually leaders in Israel (Numbers 13:2), yet didn’t possess the faith needed to advance into the land of promise and challenge the demonized giants living there. They were leaders who wouldn’t lead, fathers who wouldn’t fight. They had become settlers - not pioneers - and settlers fear giants. Fearful and faithless people build walls to keep giants out; pioneers dispossess them. Shockingly, the 10 “settlers” actually preferred going back into slavery in Egypt (where their masters fed and clothed them, and they didn’t have to fight) than risking their lives for the cause of freedom. Conformists. Safety seekers. Caleb, however, was different. Not only was he willing to fight the giants, but Caleb offered to tackle the biggest. He requested the town of Kiriath-Arba as his battle assignment. Why is this significant? Kiriath Arba means “the city of Arba” and Arba was “the greatest of all the giants,” (Joshua 14:15). Caleb’s attitude toward the giants and their fortified cities was simple: Let’s go kill these evil giants and possess the land. I’ll take the biggest! There’s a different spirit for you! Nameless, Faceless Pioneers America was built on the backs of different-spirited pioneers. Somewhere on the Continental Divide are the bleached bones of a nameless, faceless pathfinder who died opening up a pathway for you. Arlington Cemetery houses the graves of unknown soldiers who died preparing the way for your freedom. America now needs another generation of selfless, no compromising pioneers. The frontier these 21st-century pioneers must conquer is one of mindsets and beliefs, not a mountain range; and the minefield we face is one of ideas and ideologies, not an Omaha Beach. But the need for different-spirited pioneers is just as great. The church, too, was built by forerunning pioneers. The soil under the Roman Coliseum is stained with the blood of pioneering martyrs - our brothers and sisters - who died to advance the cause of our pioneering Leader. They’re watching us from the balcony of Heaven and their blood is crying out for a generation to emerge who won’t lower the standard. This great “cloud of witnesses” is waiting for a generation of difference-makers to arise in America that will once again be willing to lay down their lives for Heaven’s holy cause. I pray you choose the path of a pioneer. Leave the crowd - don’t be a follower - be different! Buck the broken system and rock the proverbial boat. May your commitment to the cause make the complacent nervous. Let’s go find the old road. Pray with me: Father, only the different make a difference. We ask You to awaken the spirit of reformation in the church. Raise up individuals who refuse to accept things as they are and determine to be difference-makers. Your church should be leading the way in this, but we have become conformists. Awaken the Spirit of Christ in us. We ask you to give creative ideas to individuals, ideas that will cause them to have great influence, even wealth. Give them loud voices. Use their ideas, strategies, and passion to take out giants in this season. Change our bloated, overfed government; remove the leftists, socialists, and secularists. Give us those who love America…and You. We ask this in the name of the exalted Lord of all the earth, Jesus. Amen. Our decree: The difference-makers are being awakened and will take out the spiritual giants in our land. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer.

The Song It was 11 years ago, July 4th weekend, 2010, our nation’s birthday. I should have been in a celebrative mood; instead, I found myself pensive and in deep thought. At times, tears flowed. Thankfully, none of this was caused by bad news. It was actually a song causing this strange frame of mind. Music has incredible power to touch us at a deep level; and like the inaudible voice of God calling a salmon back to the place of its birth, the lyrics and powerful melody of this song were calling to something buried deep within my DNA. I couldn’t shake it...I didn’t want to. The song was Pioneer, written by the incredible Nancy Honeytree and recorded again by my friend, Rick Pino. Rick had sent me a pre-release of his recording, stating that the song had an intense impact on him. I was its next victim. Pioneer speaks to the calling, challenges, often lonely life and rewards of a spiritual pioneer. CHORUS: Pioneer, pioneer Keep pressing onward, beyond your fear Only the Father goes before you To your own frontier You’re a pioneer VERSES: Uncharted wilderness stretches before you And you thrive on going where no one has gone Still it gets lonely when darkness deepens So sing by the fire until the dawn You travel light, you travel alone And when you arrive, nobody knows But the Father in heaven, He’s glad you can go For those who come after you will need the road What you have done others will do Bigger and better, and faster than you But you can’t look back, you gotta keep pressing through There’s a wilderness pathway, calling you Calling you, calling you clear Keep pressing onward, you can’t stay here Only the Father goes before you To your own frontier You’re a pioneer (1) (You can hear the song by clicking here.) I knew why the song was impacting me so intensely. It was describing me: my calling, my nature, my goals, and yes, at times, even my emotions. I am a pioneer, and the lyrics were calling to this nature deep within my spirit. The powerful words and melody were penetrating and searching my soul, forcing me to delve deep into the circuitry of my inner self: Are you still up for this forerunning calling? Is the price you’re paying still worth the potential rewards? Are you willing to travel a few million more miles, be misunderstood at times, sacrifice family and fun times in order to be a pioneer of spiritual and societal change? Like all pioneers, I’ve known the lonely roads and uncharted wilderness pathways. Pioneering isn’t easy, but it is essential. As the song states, those who come after these agents of change will need the paths they find and the roads they build. And at this point in history, America is in desperate need of those who can lead the way back to the old road. There are different aspects and levels of this calling. Few are called to do what I do, traveling millions of miles and leading prayer efforts in every state. I’ve been to all of them, multiple times. But as we shall see, conditions on earth sometimes demand that God place a degree of this pioneering spirit on many in a generation. Christ is currently placing a holy restlessness, a heavenly dissatisfaction, in many of His followers. A growing number of believers realize radical change is needed in America, and are becoming increasingly unwilling to accept status quo. A pioneer generation will usually think differently than the one preceding them. Some people mistake the questioning nature of pioneers as rebelliousness but it is often simply a God-given predisposition toward change. “If it ain’t broken,” they’ll reject southern wisdom and “fix it” anyway. After all, there might just be a better way! Leave well enough alone? Not this crowd. They would rather create the flow than go with it. Creativity doesn’t bow to conformity. Pioneers love to explore - ideas, possibility, a forest, small towns, new places - it doesn’t matter what. They just need to explore, search, scout around. The dictionary defines a pioneer as someone who explores, prepares or opens up a new way; someone who takes the lead or initiative. We’ve all read or heard about the early pioneers who opened up the American frontier, preparing the way for others to follow. We often refer to those who forerun in space exploration, technology, medicine, or science as pioneers. They’re found in every area of life, including religion. Pioneers initiate; they go first, always ready to try something new. Not only are these way-makers open to change, they insist on it. There must be a better way, is never far from the thinking of a pioneer. They’re inventors, explorers, scouts, pathfinders, trailblazers, innovators, change-agents, reformers, and forerunners. Pioneers are the research and development crowd - the “what if” bunch, the “why” and “why not” folks. They’d rather write history than read it. They’ll rock any boat, buck any system and go against any flow. Status quo is never safe with a pioneer. Here are a few more identifying traits of those who have the pioneer gene: They are often dissatisfied with things as they are, AND want to be part of the change. Something deep inside their nature comes alive when they hear about making a difference. To them, being in the right is more important than being in the majority. The inconvenience of change doesn’t dissuade them; the stench of stagnation does. Trying - even when they fail - is more appealing to these change-agents than risk-free living. They refuse to quit, realizing that dead-ends and failed attempts are just part of the path-finding process. The beaten path doesn’t beckon pioneers, but uncharted wilderness does. Playing it safe doesn’t apply to forerunners - the boredom of the familiar scares them more than the fear of the unknown. These instruments of change are never satisfied with status quo. They have a warrior spirit that would rather fight, even die, than forfeit liberty. As forward thinkers, they would rather advance a cause than maintain a position. Always hungry for change, a pioneer can’t leave well enough alone - ever. They want their life to count for more than making money or experiencing pleasure. Making a difference means more to this crowd than making it big. They would rather die trying than live trying not to die. They march to the beat of a different drummer...and they often hear a completely different song! If you’re a pioneer, don’t settle for being a settler! Don’t allow the need for the “known” to tame you. Doing so would mean part of who God created you to be will never find its voice. Voiceless pioneers experience a living death - their inner nature never finds its expression and the world they were created to change remains the same. Determine never to allow that. Find your voice. Better yet, find your SHOUT, and make a difference. America Desperately Needs Pioneers Deep in the soil of this land is pioneer blood, crying out for a new generation of trailblazers to answer a path-finding, pioneering call. This spirit is so needed now because America has lost her moral and spiritual bearings, straying from the basic principles that made her great. Truth, integrity, personal and corporate responsibility, self-discipline, biblical morality and the ideals of our founders - all have been at least partially lost. America now needs a new generation of pathfinders and way-makers to arise and lead us back to our roots. Ironically, the way forward is sometimes behind us. Contrary to what many people believe, “old” is not synonymous with “outdated.” The future must always be built on yesterday’s strong foundation The Psalmist said, in fact, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). The church should have been leading America back to our foundations, but Christians seem to have lost their connection to the pioneer spirit. Deep within the DNA of every believer is the spirit of Christ, the Pioneer of all pioneers, but this nature has been lost in the wilderness of conformity, religion, and compromise. God, however, is issuing a fresh and powerful invitation to believers: Leave behind the safety and boredom of tame, anemic religion. Abandon the shallow life lived by the all-too-common narcissistic Christian in America. Overcome the fear of death, loss, and the unknown. Follow me back to what I birthed 2000 years ago: radical, world-changing, miracle-working, fearless, love-not-your-lives-unto-death, passionate, warrior-hearted pioneers! Heaven is waiting for a remnant of God-fearing Americans to answer this call and begin a path-finding journey. Earth is waiting, also. Broken hearts, hungry bellies, enslaved people, war-ravaged nations, and the unsaved - they’re all desperately waiting for a 21st-century breed of pioneers to arise and lead. Perhaps you’re one of them. Pray with me: Father, we need a remnant of pioneers to rise up in this moment of history. Change agents. Pathfinders. Trailblazers. Those with the same spiritual DNA and predisposition as the early church. Fearless. Bold. Different. Risk takers. Anoint them powerfully and help them find their voice. I ask You to break the conformity to the world off of the church. Bring conviction, repentance and passion. Let the zeal of the Lord of Hosts come alive in a dormant, hibernating church. Awaken us!!!! Bring revival. Then bring great reformation. Yes, we are desperate. But we are also confident! We know this will be granted. And we ask it in the name of the greatest Trailblazer who ever walked this planet, Yeshua. Our decree: We decree that we will blaze a trail for God’s will to be done in America. To find out more about Nancy Honeytree, click on the link here. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. ________________________________ Miller, Nancy Honeytree, Pioneer © 1993 by Oak Table Publishing, Inc/ASCAP.

The Way Back Our Founders would not recognize the America we’ve become. They were men and women of uncommon virtue and character, patriots fueled by a love of liberty and a willingness to pay any price to attain it. Not only were they patriots, but most of them - contrary to what dishonest liberals and deceptive revisionists want us to believe - were Christian patriots. As such, these pioneers believed America was also God’s idea, not theirs alone. They were convinced that our nation was destined to become, in the words of Christ, “a city [nation] set on a hill that can’t be hidden...a light to the world,” (Matthew 5:14). This was their stated desire and belief, the driving force behind what they did. Early pilgrim John Winthrop quoted this verse prophesying America’s destiny in 1630, and no less than 12 U.S. presidents have restated this divine purpose! (1) Pilgrim Robert Hunt, after landing at Cape Henry in 1607, planted a cross on the beach and declared, “...from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World but the entire world.” (2) Our Founders were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to birth - not only their dream of freedom - but God’s ultimate dream of an outpost for the gospel. Desiring the blessing and aid of Almighty God, the framers of our constitution were determined to establish it under His authority and according to His principles. Consider the revealing words of George Washington and John Quincy Adams. Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. (George Washington) (3) The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity. (John Quincy Adams) (4) It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Quotes such as these make it evident that our Founding Fathers had no intention of separating America and her government from God and the Bible. America was founded in partnership with, and under, God. Secularists would have us believe America can be great without God, that our greatness is due to our own abilities, determination, and natural resources - American exceptionalism. This is foolish pride and deception. The scriptures teach that righteousness exalts a nation, and the nation is blessed whose God is the Lord (Proverbs 14:34; Psalm 33:12, italics mine). Abraham Lincoln clearly understood this when he wrote in his March, 1863 proclamation of prayer: We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.(5) These sobering words are as relevant today as they were 150 years ago; perhaps more so. America has again lost her way. Not only have we done so in a secular sense, but American Christianity also became confused and powerless. Filled with complacent Christians, the church became a sub-culture, not the counter-culture intended by Christ; conformists, not the nation-discipling people He commanded us to be (see Matthew 28:19). Frenchman Alex de Tocqueville came to America in 1831 to study our nation. Sadly, we have experienced what he warned of: I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.(6) “...her pulpits aflame with righteousness…” Dear God, what a change from today’s entertaining, often compromising and tepid church! By Tocqueville’s assessment, we’re looking for greatness in the wrong places. Centuries ago, the prophet Jeremiah lamented the fallen condition of Israel. Like America today, the nation had been overtaken by compromise, complacency and idolatry. God’s dream for Israel seemed lost. Holy Spirit’s admonition to them, however, was, “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it,” (Jeremiah 6:16, The Message). The Lord was offering them a resurrection. Just as Israel in Jeremiah’s day, America has lost her way. Having deviated from “the old road,” we are wandering aimlessly in the wilderness of godless humanism and moral relativism. Many of our national leaders are drunk with power and dizzied with deception. They routinely lie and say whatever they believe people want to hear in order to be elected and re-elected. And make no mistake about it, many - if not most - of them want a different America than the nation envisioned by our Founders. They desire a secular, not a Christian nation. Far too many spiritual leaders have also lost their way to “the old road.” Like a GPS that cannot connect to a satellite, they are without heaven’s direction. Sold a package of unbiblical ideals, they run toward misdefined goals and are fueled by untamed egos. The quick growth of their churches and size of their congregations have become their standard for success. Many have forgotten Christ’s mission statement: preaching the good news to the poor, releasing captives, opening blind eyes, setting free the oppressed, casting out demons, healing the sick, and discipling nations (Luke 4:18; Mark 16:16-28; Matthew 28:19). American has abandoned the old road, and we’re “flatlining” fast. Where has the new road led us? Our schools have no prayer, scripture reading, or moral standards. Consequently, without the stabilizing anchor of truth, our kids wander aimlessly through the maze of moral relativism. After the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage - yes, 5 individuals arrogantly contended that the Constitution gave them the right to redefine marriage - President Obama dishonored God and mocked all Bible-believing Christians by lighting the White House in the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ movement. He then threatened all public schools in America with lawsuits and the loss of federal, taxpayer-funded dollars if they refused to allow boys and girls to bathe together. Lunacy! Our history is being rewritten, our government is a disgrace, our national debt is shocking, our media is dishonest, our schools are propaganda outlets, we hate and dishonor our police, murder rates are skyrocketing, and we kill our babies. We’ve lost our way; we’ve lost the old road! Our journey down the path of unbiblical and amoral philosophies has brought shocking but predictable results. When the slow death began, we had no answer. We’ve lost our mooring, our moral compass. Consequently, we are now stuck in the mire of a foundationless culture and the quicksand of humanistic, “no absolutes” thinking. What will it take to find our way back? A Third Great Awakening - the greatest revival in our history - is America’s ONLY hope. This will lead us back to the old road. Then we must experience a great reformation of our government, education system, media, and more. This will require a pioneering spirit. We must have a generation of Bible-believing, path-finding, trailblazing change-agents who will brave the unknown, confront their fears and fight their way through the obstacles standing in the way. Joshua led an entire generation of fearless pioneers. America’s founders were trailblazers, emboldened by their passion and desire for freedom. Sometimes God has to place a pioneer spirit in an entire generation! I believe this is now occurring. The great revival is coming and Holy Spirit is raising up a generation of God-honoring Americans with a pioneer spirit. Unwilling to settle for things as they are, this ardent generation will help us find the old road, the path that leads back to our roots and forward into a glorious future. Pray with me: Father, we have made a mess of things. We have fallen very far. But we thank You for Your immeasurable grace and mercy. Your ability to save and redeem is greater than the power of any sin. We believe You are coming to save America. America shall be saved! A great revival is coming to the entire earth. This will not be stopped. And as You have admonished us, we do NOT doubt it. Bring it quickly, we pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America will find the old road and take it. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. Winthrop, John. “A model of Christian charity.” 1630. Kennedy, John F. “The city upon a hill.” Speech egiven at Massachusetts General Court. January 9, 1961. Reagan, Ronald. “We will be a city upon a hill.” Speech given at the First Conservative Political Action Conference, January 25, 1974. Also quoted by Presidents John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton. Hunt, Robert, Rev. Prayer of dedication for the New World. April 29, 1607. Simpson, Douglas, Looking for America: Rediscovering the meaning of freedom. (Enumclaw, WA: WinePress Publishing, 2006), 304. Ibid. Lincoln, Abraham. “Proclamation 97 - Appointing a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer.” 30 March, 1863. Though not a quote from Alex de Tocqueville,s books, this statement is routinely and widely attributed to him and has been used by U.S. Presidents and leaders as such.

The Living Gospel As we move toward the earth’s greatest harvest of souls, we must begin asking ourselves how we can help prepare for and facilitate this. It will not occur simply because God wills for it to happen; He will do it through us, the church. And it will not occur just because we preach the gospel with our mouths. We will need to preach it with our hearts and actions. Someone once said, “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary use words.” I was in Guatemala in 1976 when a devastating earthquake killed 30,000 people in 30 seconds and left 1,000,000 homeless. Our mission changed; we immediately began assisting the victims. In San Pedro, I helped a lady look for a watch. It was her husband’s - he died in the earthquake, as did three of her children. She and her surviving 3-year-old had nothing left but the clothes on their backs. Their small adobe home was now a mound of dirt. Our interpreter asked her what she was looking for as she dug through the dirt. “A bag of beans we had and my husband’s watch [a very cheap watch]. He was sleeping about here when he was killed,” she said, pointing at a small area. “It would mean so much to me if I could find his watch and the food.” We started digging. Although it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, we asked God to help us and waded into the three-foot-deep pile of dirt. Right then I’d have charged hell for that watch! We found it an hour or so later. “Muchas gracias,” she repeated through tears, as she clutched the watch to her breast. “Treasure” is such a relative term, I thought as I wiped my eyes. I wish the world could see this. Maybe some priorities would change. I watched another lady, holding her young daughter, walk away from a food line I was serving in. She was the last person in what had been a long line for the soup. As she held out the empty jar she had found, we looked at her and said, “No mas” (which means “No more”). Then I watched her walk away, holding her hungry child. Things got all messed up at that point in my life. My list of “needs” shrank considerably. Some of my “important” goals became strangely irrelevant. Things that mattered suddenly didn’t. Bank accounts were looked at differently; success was redefined. Funny how one glance into four eyes can bring such chaos. In many ways, order has never been restored. For months following the earthquake, I traveled with teams through Guatemala building shelters for villagers whose adobe homes had been destroyed. We trucked in materials and built small, one-room, dirt-floor homes for them during the daylight hours. In the evenings we would hold services in the center of the villages, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, explaining that His love was motivating us to spend our time, money, and energies helping them. Too often the church’s approach to evangelism is: share the gospel; hopefully, people will receive it and become part of our spiritual family; then, perhaps we’ll help them with material needs such as food, clothing, etc. This is not how God operates. He demonstrates His love for people while they’re still sinners (Romans 5:8). In the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus told us to love (agape) our “neighbor” as ourselves. A religious leader listening to Him asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus gave the religious leader a conundrum. In that day, a person’s nationality and religion could be determined by what they wore and how they spoke. However, Jesus’ story eliminated those markers - the man in the ditch who needed help was “naked” and “half-dead,” unable to speak. Those passing by could not determine if he was part of their nationality or religion and therefore, “worthy” of care and compassion. Consequently, two Jewish leaders passed him by, not knowing if he was a “neighbor.” A Samaritan stopped and helped him, not knowing who he was, where he was from, or what he believed. Then he paid for his care. Jesus asked, “Which person was a neighbor to the man who had been robbed?” “The one who showed mercy toward him,” was the religious leader’s reply. “Go and do the same,” Jesus told him. We are never commanded to love only our brothers and sisters, or those who believe as we do. We are commanded to love our “neighbor.” One group of “neighbors” God has spoken often to me about over the years are those in the Arab world. I believe they represent one of the largest people groups who will come to Christ in the imminent revival. Obviously, they are not all terrorists! Do not automatically or subsciously make that association. Most of them are beautiful people God loves with great passion. Though most have a different religious belief system, that being Islam, they are “neighbors” Jesus loves. At this point in time, the most effective way to reach people in those nations is through humanitarian causes, just as we did in Guatemala. It is illegal to proselytize in most Muslim countries. Some of them, however, allow individuals to share their faith if asked about it, and a hungry person often asks, “Why are you doing this? Some estimates say up to 50% of Guatemalans were won to Jesus after the earthquake. It’s quite simple: acts of love open hearts. I believe the Middle East will be visited by this outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the near future. One nation that would obviously be part of this is Lebanon. However, for some time this country has been suffering greatly. Just in the last year and a half, their currency has lost 90% of its value, resulting in incredible poverty, affecting people’s ability to eat, be clothed, have housing, receive healthcare, be educated, and more. They’ve also experienced some structural disasters that devastated their trade abilities and are currently limping along without an elected government. Ceci and I have decided to help our “neighbors” there this month. Our daughter works with a humanitarian organization that has been working in Lebanon for over 20 years. They have schools, feeding programs, distribute physical aid and provide medical care in the region. Their work is amazing and this month they are putting all of their online donations towards work in Lebanon. What’s happening in Lebanon is extremely sad. It’s also an opportunity. A humanitarian organization we’re familiar with, Heart of Mercy, has told me that, due to the extreme devaluation of the Lebanese currency, the current output of the American dollar can be multiplied by 10. Five U.S. dollars has the impact of $50; $100 currently has the impact of $1000. This is creating a significant opportunity, as a crisis always does. After hearing this, Ceci and I felt led to sow into this organization and the work they are doing in Lebanon. I encourage you to pray regarding this coming harvest, but also to be like the good Samaritan. Sow some seed into a ministry or humanitarian organization that is reaching people in practical ways. Especially pray about doing so in a Muslim nation. If you do not have an avenue you’re already using for this, you can find out more about what Heart of Mercy is doing and how to sow into them here. Saint Francis of Assisi said, “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”1 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27 NASB) Pray with me: Father, we thank You for our salvation. We thank You for Jesus, the Cross, and resurrection. Thank You for loving us while we were yet sinners. It is unquestionably true: we love You because You first loved us. As we prepare our hearts for the coming harvest, we ask You to remind all of us that our “neighbors” are not only those who think and believe as we do. They are everyone around us, all around the world. We pray that the church will rise to the occasion and seize the opportunities being created. You most certainly will reveal to those who do not know You, including those who worship false gods, that their religions and idols are not able to help them. I pray that we are ready to seize the opportunity when this occurs. Prepare laborers now for this harvest. And may we be generous and willing in the day of Your power. I ask this in the name of Yeshua. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the love of God will be the church’s motivating force in this hour. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_of_assisi_153347

Exposing the Source of Evil in America Part 2 I released a post a couple of weeks ago from Exodus 14 about God’s defense of Israel and His judgment of the gods of Egypt. The last god He exposed was Baal-zephon. Yahweh led Israel to the exact location where this god was worshipped and honored, a setting which also effectively trapped the Israelites. With a mountain, the Red Sea, and Pharoah’s army hemming them in, Israel was now unable to flee. Pharoah assumed that his god, considered the lord of the sea, wind, and other facets of nature, had confused and disoriented the Israelites, causing them to wander into this hopeless trap. He believed that although Israel’s God, Yahweh, had overcome all his other gods (through the 10 plagues), his god, Baal-zephon, had now outwitted and overpowered the God of Israel. Yahweh, however, would show who was truly Lord over the wind and seas. You can watch that entire post here or read it here. When Holy Spirit led me to this passage on July 4th, I felt He was showing me that this is where we as believers currently are in America. Our backs are against the wall, it looks as though we - and our God - have been outsmarted and trapped. It appears that the enemy has won and taken over this nation. God, however, just as He did at the Red Sea, has other plans. Yahweh is doing more than simply restoring this nation; He is also exposing and judging His enemies. Since Holy Spirit first began speaking to me regarding this passage, I have spent much time thinking and praying about it. Holy Spirit continues to give me revelation; another piece arrived this past Sunday. FINALLY, I saw the relevance of where I was when He gave me the insight about Baal-zephon and its correlation to America. I was in Nashville. It was July 4th, America’s Birthday! Ceci and I were not planning to attend this gathering, Kent Christmas’ July 4th celebration service. We love to enjoy holidays at home with our family. Not until a couple of days before did we sense a strong impetus to attend. But God wanted us in Nashville! To understand why, we must go back 14 years. Nashville was where God began breaking the hold of Baal over America - or at least began a new phase of it - in 2007. My friend, Lou Engle, initiator of the powerful events he labeled The Call, told me he felt he was to do one in Nashville on 7/7/07. “I don’t know why it is to be on this date,” Lou said, “but I feel strongly Holy Spirit said this is the date. And God has confirmed it prophetically.” “I believe I know why,” I responded. I then shared with Lou some of what I included in yesterday’s post regarding the spirit of Baal and its hold over America. I felt the portion regarding baal meaning “marriage,” and Baal-berith, one of Baal’s many names, meaning “the lord of marriage or covenant,” was significant. Another important factor, which I did not share yesterday, saving it for today, was regarding the number 7. Just as with Baal’s name, the number 7 is associated with covenant and marriage. In ancient times, when two people entered into a covenant, they swore an oath, repeating it 7 times. This is most likely because the number 7 symbolizes “completion,” and the individuals were fully or “completely” giving themselves to the other in covenant. This oath was actually called “sevening oneself.”(1) In fact, the word “seven” and “oath” come from the same Hebrew word! Seven, therefore, symbolizes covenant and marriage. I shared this with Lou. I also explained to him that this is why, as a symbolic picture, Israel’s judgments for their “marriage” to Baal often involved 7 or 70 years (see Judges 6:1; 2 Kings 89:1-2; Jeremiah 25:11; and there are others). Also, Israel entering into or renewing covenant (“marriage”) with Yahweh, or even experiencing fulfillment of their covenant with Him, as in entering Canaan at Jericho, was sometimes pictured by the number 7 (see Judges 6:25, 28; Joshua 6:4-15; 1 Kings 18;43; and there are others). “I believe,” I said, “God is saying He has brought America to a point - through repentance and other acts of obedience - when we can ‘divorce’ Baal and ‘remarry’/re-covenant with Him.” This became the theme of The Call Nashville, on 7/7/07. I have seen estimates saying as many as 92,000 people attended. Many fasted 40 days leading up to it. The revelation surrounding it was believed and acted on so strongly that several engaged couples, as a symbolic/prophetic act, had their wedding ceremony in the stadium on that day. The prayers and worship were profound, the presence of God amazing! The blowing of 100 shofars that night, toward the end of the gathering, was one of the most powerful occurrences I’ve ever witnessed and heard. Indescribable! I shared Jeremiah 51:44 that day: “I will punish Bel [this is Baal] in Babylon. And I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth; And the nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down!” Then I prophesied it, “I will cause Baal to spew out of his mouth what he has swallowed!” It was a remarkable day in the turning of a nation! As I stated earlier, this past Sunday I was once again meditating on Exodus 14 and the account of God exposing and judging Baal-zephon and delivering Israel. Holy Spirit had clearly shown me 2 weeks earlier that this was a picture of where America is NOW. But suddenly, the 7/7/07 connection came: God had taken me back to Nashville, two weeks ago, the place of The 7/7/07 Call, to begin speaking to me about this! He did so to show me that what is happening NOW is connected to what occurred THEN. Another battle; the same war. Holy Spirit also wanted to confirm to me that, just as several prophets have said, He is currently doing more than simply saving America; He is exposing and judging His enemies, just as He did Pharaoh and Baal. Our friend Betty Love, who is also a prophet, sent me a word from the Holy Spirit today: “On 7/7/21 I heard the Lord say, ‘After 14 years you have come again to your Beersheba, America. The prayers offered up on that day [7/7/07] are alive and I AM acting on them! Decree that the vengeance of God and the judgment written will be carried out against Baal. Babylon has fallen!’” (Beersheba means “the well of covenant.”) Watch and see what God does to the plans of those aligned with this spirit. He will crush His opposition. Watch the demonstration of His mighty strength and how He reveals the foolishness of His enemies’ “wisdom”! The coming outpouring of His Holy Spirit will shatter decades of satan’s planning. His wind will blow and the sea will part. Pharoah’s chariot wheels will come off and God will be honored, just as He was in the Exodus. Do not doubt this! It is coming...and WILL NOT BE STOPPED! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for what You are doing in our nation and the nations of the earth. You will win! We thank You for the role You have given America in this season of time. We are humbled and honored, and see our role as one of “serving” You and the nations of the world. We know full well that it is not to lord over them or arrogantly assume we are the most important. It is a holy and humbling calling. We will never allow it to be stolen. We know You work on earth through Your people. One of those ways is prayer. So we ask You to finish what You started in judging Baal and delivering us from our shameful alliance with him. Many prayers of repentance and divorcement have now been prayed regarding this. Many prayers re-covenanting ourselves to You have also been prayed. And we are confident…this still works! Make this evil spirit spit out everything he has swallowed! Punish him! And do as You have promised: Save America! In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. Our decree: Baal’s hold on America is broken! We are re-covenanted to God. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, New American Standard Bible, The Lockman Foundation, revised 2008, p 2024.

Exposing the Source of Evil in America (The first of 2 posts) In 2007, I went through a several week season in which the spiritual warfare around me escalated exponentially. It is hard to explain but it felt like I was in a cloud of darkness and oppression. The attack was daily and relentless; it was hard to think and very difficult to sleep. I had to resist this attack diligently in order to keep from becoming overwhelmed. I called a prophet and friend, Chuck Pierce, and asked if he had any prophetic discernment as to what this was all about. He immediately prophesied to me, “Yes. This has to do with your calling to the nation. It is the spirit of Baal. He is the spirit/principality over America. God wants you to learn about this spirit - how it operates, how we can overthrow him - and teach the rest of us.” I knew that Daniel 10:13-20 and other passages reveal that principalities in satan’s kingdom are assigned to regions. I had no idea until that point in time that Baal was ruling America, let alone that my situation was related to this. I also was confident that through Christ, God has given us authority over all the powers of darkness; we are fully able to resist demonic spirits and keep them from overtaking us personally. However, this was a different situation; it was not about me but the nation. Essentially, I was in intercession, “standing in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30) for the nation. What I was experiencing and feeling was actually warfare toward America. This began a process of breaking Baal’s influence off of America, a process that God is now taking to its next phase. When a person or people (nation) “give place to” the devil (Ephesians 4:27) through perversion, shedding innocent blood, idolatry, covenant breaking, and other sins, satan has a legal right to rule and control them until the sin is cleansed. The word “place” in this verse is topos, from which we get topography. It literally means a location, as in a piece of land. Interestingly, it is also a scabbard, a “place” to hang a sword. Figuratively it means “opportunity.” This verse is telling us sin gives ground to satan, a place for his sword, a legal opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy. This has happened in America. Through our sins, we have given place to the devil and his demons, and Baal is the principality in charge of overseeing this authority. Baal is identified as “the ruler of the demons,” (Matthew 12:24; Beelzebub is another name for Baal). The name Baal means “lord, master, or owner.” As with most of what satan does, taking this name is an attempt to usurp and replace God. Baal was considered the god of fertility, storms, rain, provision, and much more. He was called by several other names in scripture and also in historical accounts. People referred to their gods by different names to represent different facets of their character or activity, just as we do with Yahweh. For example, God is Yahweh Rapha, “the Lord our healer”; He is Yahweh Shalom, ‘The Lord, our peace or well-being.” As the strongman over America (see Matthew 12:29), much of the evil in our nation, including the shedding of innocent blood (abortion), is caused by Baal’s influence. Most biblical teachers attribute the spirit over abortion to be Molech, but Molech serves under Baal. Baal always goes after the next generation, trying to cut off the extension/extending of God’s covenantal purposes. He is a violent spirit and throughout history has always required human sacrifice. Not only is abortion under Baal’s influence, he is also behind the “cutting” of today’s generation (see 1 Kings 18:28), the vampire and goth movement, and the death culture in general that has so invaded America. Jezebel, the spirit behind so much immorality and sexual perversion in America, is also under Baal. Baal is the spirit influencing the plethora of divorce and covenant breaking. Even though satan nor his demons are omnipresent, Baal has many spirits working under him, and where there is demonic activity in our nation, he is most likely involved. Baal was/is called Baal-zephon, meaning “Lord of the north.” This name included his supposed lordship/rule over the seas, winds, winter, and more. We discussed this in a previous post and I will mention it again tomorrow. He was/is called Baal-hamon, meaning “lord of wealth or abundance.” People considered him their provider and worshiped him in order to receive prosperity or wealth. (The symbol of Baal-hamon was a bull; yep, as in Wall Street’s symbol of prosperity.) There are many more names and traits associated with Baal; however, my purpose in today and tomorrow’s posts is not to teach on him, per se. It is to point out that America is in the process of being delivered from this spirit’s control; and also to reveal where we are in the process. This brings me to the last name of Baal I will mention, though there are numerous others. Baal-berith means “the lord of the covenant.” The Hebrew word baal actually means “husband” or “marriage.” The spirit of Baal always attempted to cause Israel to “divorce” or break covenant with God and “marry” or align with Him. Look at the words of Hosea regarding Israel’s marriage covenant with Yahweh. Therefore, behold, I am going to persuade her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak kindly to her...And she will respond there as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she went up from the land of Egypt. And it will come about on that day, declares the Lord, that you will call Me “my husband” and no longer call Me “my Baal.” For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, so that they will no longer be mentioned by their names...I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in favor and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. (Hosea 2:14-20) After God showed me these things and more in 2007, I began teaching on how America had broken covenant with the Lord, just as Israel did on numerous occasions, and was now “married” to Baal. To see God’s favor and blessing return, we would have to “divorce” Baal by repenting of our sins, and return to covenant with (“remarry”) the Lord. This was the theme of a national prayer event in 2007, hosted by Lou Engle. After this, intercessors in every state went to key places where corporate repentance needed to occur, and made decrees of divorcement to Baal and remarriage to Yahweh. I will tell you about this 2007 event in Friday’s post. The information is extremely important because God is bringing America into another phase of deliverance from Baal’s hold, and re-covenanting us to Him once again. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness. We thank You that this blood can be applied, not only to an individual, but to a nation. America has rejected You. We have broken covenant with You and aligned ourselves with Baal. And we are paying a great price for this: violence, bloodshed, the deterioration of families and so much more. We have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind (see Hosea 8:7). But for the past 25 years, You have led intercessors to pray prayers of repentance that would now total in the millions, filling the bowls of heaven. And You are a gracious God that hears those prayers - it still works. Through many prophetic voices You have said You are now going to restore and heal this land through a great revival. We ask You for this, Lord. We ask for a complete divorce from Baal and a remarriage to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen Our decree: We decree that God, in His mercy, is delivering America from our covenant with Baal and restoring us to Himself. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer.

Today’s post is from my brother, Tim Sheets. It is very strong, but needs to be said. THE ANTICHRIST AGENDA In recent weeks, Holy Spirit has been speaking to me from the book of Jude. Jude has only one chapter; verse 3 tells us to earnestly contend for the Christian faith. “Earnestly contend” is the Greek word epagonizomai, meaning to zealously fight, struggle or wrestle; battle intensely; to take part in a contest or to compete.(1) In this context it means to fight for a principle, a declaration of facts, in order to maintain truth. Truth must be maintained or weeds - otherwise known as lies - grow. God is calling the ekklesia to battle for principle, to vocalize truth and fight for “God-facts.” It is time for a blitz push of God’s ekklesia to confront, bind, beat down and dismantle a demonic religion that has taken root in our nation. It is influencing our entire culture, having also taken root in much of our government, and is seeking to destroy several of our nation’s foundations. This religion is humanism. Humanism can also be called progressivism, liberalism, democratic socialism, or politically correct “wokeness.” These are subtle words that sound innocent, but they are actually terms that have replaced naziism, marxism, and communism. Humanism seeks to displace Jehovah God and His Word within a culture promoting an antiChrist agenda through a progressive government. Humanism has doctrines it preaches and evangelism strategies it engages in. Sadly, “nominal” churches (churches “in name only”) are embracing this heretical gospel. Proverbs 21:16 tells us there are congregations of the dead; lifeless institutions that embrace and teach the antithesis of God’s Word. We must understand and confront this, extending a welcome to people that exodus from liberal, pretend churches. I believe this exodus is now beginning because of their hunger for truth and God’s presence. The real church must now rise up and speak the truth more loudly than what 1 Timothy 4:1 calls demonic doctrine. We must do so boldly, without compromising the Word of God for any law, leader or liberal idea. Many colleges and universities have become humanistic temples indoctrinating our children. It’s no wonder many of them come out of college thinking like humanists and atheists. Professors are teaching demon-doctrines in many universities: socialism, communism, naziism, gender confusion, racial confusion, no rules, no work ethic and no Judeo-Christian values. Parents are now in a position of having to think about where it is safe to send their children for higher education because, clearly, some of our more recognizable schools are little more than humanist seminaries taught by humanist priests - called “tenured professors” - who are evangelizing our children. The anti-Christian and anti-American garbage taught in some of our universities is polluting the minds of their student parishioners. This is compromising parental and church influence and is contributing to the destruction of this nation. The ekklesia must expose this and contend against it aggressively. Our voice must be heard in as many ways as possible: locally, regionally, and nationally. And of course, we must vote based on biblical values. We must answer the war against Christianity and its values. We must also answer the persecution coming against principles we hold dear and push back against the violent rhetoric. We must push back against demonic “wokeness.” If we do not do this, we will experience complete tyranny. Those who oppose us have already begun conditioning us to obey them. In order to see where we’re headed, look back at the years of 1938-1942. The wokeness is dangerous. We Christians are not domestic terrorists, haters, white supremacists, racists or homophobes, and we must refuse to be branded. We are the Great Shepherd’s sheep, but we are also King Jesus’ lions! It is time to declare we are done with the dividing language. It is time for the pushback. We are not giving up on God’s plan for this nation. The religion of humanism insists on the removal of Christianity from the public arena. This is a stated principle in the Humanist Manifesto(2) and has now become the more dominant worldview in our nation. It is why we are now down to only 4% of the young generation actually serving Jesus Christ(3) (Some stats say this is lower). Here are some of the ideas and principles found in the Humanist Manifesto: 1. “We believe in the separation of church and state.”(4) That belief is now polluting our culture. Separation of church and state is an absolute myth and is not found in our Constitution. The 1st Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This amendment is designed to keep government out of the church, not the church out of government. The myth is a fabricated lie designed to keep the church silent, when, in actuality, the ekklesia is commanded to forbid and permit (Matthew 16:18-19). 2. “Tolerance for alternative beliefs and alternative lifestyles.”(5) 3. “The extension of choice.”(6) This is a seemingly safe word, but is code for abortion. Humanism’s mission statement is, “Humanism is a religious worldview based on atheism, naturalism, evolution, and ethical relativism. The religion of humanism regards the universe as self-existing and not created.”(7) In other words, there is no God. In the most recent version of their manifesto, they refer to their beliefs as “secular humanism.”(8) One of their goals became pushing godlessness in education. Their philosophy: “Secular humanists are naturalists.”(9) The religion of humanism has also adopted ethical relativism. They do not believe an absolute moral code exists. Therefore, they say man must adjust his ethical standards in each situation according to his or her own judgment. This is known as “situational ethics.” This antichrist humanist religion is on a campaign to rewrite American history and scrub God from that history. The purpose is to destroy Christianity’s influence. The new Welcome Center in Washington D.C., includes the humanist view that was promoted by some in Congress. The references to God and America’s founding have all been removed and America is presented as a secular nation, parroting former President Barack Obama who declared around the world that “America is not a Christian nation.”(10) That statement is a diabolical lie. Humanism, through our education system, our courts and our government is seeking to rewrite American history. They’re seeking to remove God and our founding covenant with Him. They are also seeking to scrub and discredit our founding fathers who based America’s government on the scriptures. How? By calling them racist, bigots, and misogynists. We must decree the truth about America’s founding. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, founding father John Adams wrote, “Now I will avow, that I then believe, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God”(11) “Jefferson once said: “God who gave us life, gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the Gift of God?”(12) Christianity was the foundation for America’s government and we must raise our voice and declare that truth. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said this, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”(13) The ekklesia must be a prophetic, bold voice to our nation. Pray with me: Father, we come against the demonic religion of humanism that has dared take root in our nation. We declare that the ekklesia will now rise and prophesy against it. We will uproot and overcome it because You’re giving us strength. We will not allow the lies and deception any longer. We ask You for transformative change to come into our education system. Give us leaders who will become a part of our educational system and work from within to change it. Give us leaders in government who will promote Godly change. Uproot those in the media who have a demonic, humanistic agenda. Uproot those in our government that dare promote the evangelistic efforts of humanism. We resist the spiritual forces behind it, declaring that Your power will assist the ekklesia to forbid, scatter, shatter, destroy and uproot. With Your authority and empowering we will engage and prophesy. Our voice will become louder than the humanist priests. We will raise our voices louder than the government. We believe You are baptizing Your church with power from on high to contend for the faith. We believe that all across this land a powerful demonstration of Your ekklesia will be seen. We ask for it in Jesus’ name, Amen! Our decree: America was founded on Yahweh’s Word and laws; one nation, undivided, under God and His truth. We call America back to Him! Tim continues, “I asked my daughter, Rachel Shafer, to write a song of decrees and prayers for our nation. This song, “America’s Anthem,” is a prophetic declaration to bring us back into alignment with God’s designed destiny for our nation. I encourage you to listen and decree these words over America”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQW1rpl-1MM Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets. You can learn more about Tim here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, ref. No. 1864. Humanist Manifesto: https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/manifesto3/ Henderson, A Voice of Reformation (Midlothian, TX: Robert Henderson Ministries Publishing), p 299. White, Awake America (Lake Mary, FL: Creation House, 2008), p 68. White, Awake America (Lake Mary, FL: Creation House, 2008), p 67. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. https://secularhumanism.org/what-is-secular-humanism/ Call to Renewal Address, June 28, 2006 (Source - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCZOyGIKp_E) Founding Fathers’ Quotes: https://www.learnreligions.com/christian-quotes-of-the-founding-fathers-700789 Ibid. Quote by Martin Luther King: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6407-our-lives-begin-to-end-the-day-we-become-silent