Franklin Graham Calls Us to Pray Today Holy Spirit seems to be sounding the alarm regarding prayer for America. I have had five different ministry leaders contact me or send information in the last four days regarding special prayer endeavors for our nation. I’ll mention some of them later; the following one, from Franklin Graham, is time-sensitive, however. He says: “As our streets boil over with hate, anger, crime, drugs, and just sheer hopelessness, is there something we can do? You bet there is.  “I would like to call for a time of prayer and repentance this  Wednesday, January 14, at 12:00 noon. “As a nation, our sins are so great. We have increasingly turned our backs on God and His commands, embracing godless secularism. We need to ask His forgiveness and seek His face. “Pray for our leaders, and pray that God would bring calm to our streets. There are many who would like to stir things up - there are even those who would like to destroy this great country. Pray that these efforts would be thwarted and their plans would be brought into confusion. “Ask God to use His church to be His instrument of peace in this time of great uncertainty.  “Remember, this Wednesday at noon, please stop and pray . Millions of people remembering our sins and asking for forgiveness, repenting, and seeking His face will make a difference.  “Let’s humble ourselves. Let’s give God the glory for this great nation and thank Him for His hand of blessing, protection, and mercy.” I just saw this information yesterday, and it is for today. Please join with others in participating. Some of you will no doubt see the request after 12 noon, the time Franklin has set to do this. Please know that God is not legalistic about the time. If you see this after the noon hour and participate later, the Lord will absolutely honor your prayers of agreement. Please join us.  How wonderful it is that God has so many leaders and ministries in our day emphasizing prayer! And it is reassuring when several alerts and strategies like these are picked up simultaneously by several. It means the watchmen are alert. Let’s do our part and respond appropriately.  These Strategic Times In yesterday‘s post , I said, “The world is currently experiencing one of the greatest periods of transition in its history. Nations are realigning, dictators are falling, governments are shaking, wealth is shifting, principalities are being unseated, the greatest spiritual harvest in history is underway, and God is seeking intercessors.”  Our prayers are incredibly important at this time. One of the places where the spiritual harvest will be particularly significant is the Middle East. Iran appears to be at the forefront of this spiritual revolution. The people there are fed up with the oppressive, radical Islamist regime that has been controlling them. They are now rebelling by the millions, and hundreds of thousands are turning from Islam to Christ. I believe, as do other leaders in the Christian world, that this will ultimately become one of the greatest revivals in history, which will then fuel revival in other nations of that region. The United States is a key player in all of this. President Trump’s stand against Iran’s evil regime is part of what has opened the door for change. What is happening in Iran, both naturally and spiritually, is one of the most significant developments on the planet at this time. Don’t let the fact that the mainstream media isn’t saying much about it fool you. They aren’t doing so because they don’t want to cast Islam in a negative light. But freedom to Iran would be on the level of the wall coming down between East and West Germany. Not only would it bring radical change to Iran, but it would have a tremendous impact on the entire Middle East region. We must pray diligently for our President and his team; their decisions at this time regarding this region are as weighty as it gets.  Also, the decisions our leaders make regarding Venezuela, Cuba, Greenland, Europe, China, Russia, Ukraine, and elsewhere are incredibly significant. I cannot overstate the significance of the global shifts occurring at this time; they are momentous. Trump and his team are and will continue to play a significant role in this. We must be very diligent in praying for them.  Add to this the unrest here in America concerning ICE and the deporting of illegals, exposing and dealing with fraud, economic decisions, the upcoming midterms, and more; the decisions being made at this time will shape the next several decades for America, maybe longer. Pray for our leaders! Let’s do so now.  Pray with me: Father, once again today, we pray for the people of Iran. Strengthen them in their quest for freedom and deliverance from tyranny. Free them from Iran’s tyrannical government and the evil principality that controls it. Along with this freedom, send a massive revival. Give President Trump and his team wisdom as they navigate the situation. Lead them. Please do the same for Netanyahu and other leaders in that region. We also pray for Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, and other nations nearby. First and foremost, we ask that they receive a great outpouring of Holy Spirit. We also pray that they receive righteous and wise governments. Again, please provide sound guidance to our leaders as they engage with these nations. And we ask You to help us totally defeat all drug cartels and end the influx of drugs into America. Give our leaders wisdom to navigate the Greenland situation with integrity and creativity. We know this country is critical for North America’s safety and freedom. And we pray for America. As evil is shaken from its position of power in our nation, it is fighting back. We now have states that openly defy federal laws. We have many people in America who believe they can resist law enforcement personnel, obstruct them as they enforce laws, even harass and threaten them physically, all with impunity. And we have government officials encouraging them to do so! We ask for wisdom for our righteous leaders as they deal with this, and that every evil stronghold be dismantled. We ask that corruption continue to be exposed and justice be served. Bring stability and righteousness to our land.  And finally, we ask You to pour out Your Spirit in our land. Pour Him out as never before. Revive, restore, and reform our nation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Our decree: We affirm our faith that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avail much. We declare that we will be faithful to release these prayers. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

What God Is Searching For It is difficult to imagine an all-knowing and ever-present God having to search for anything. However, as outlandish as it seems, there are a few things the Scriptures say God is seeking. The first of them is simply us, people:  “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). God is also seeking worshipers.  “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him”  (John 4:23). He is not seeking worship, but the worshipper, the person. It is a relationship with us that Abba wants, not a song. God doesn’t need to be told how wonderful He is, but He certainly appreciates it when He receives heartfelt love, whether through a song, a statement, or an action. What an outrageous thought – God looking for a relational connection with a human. But He is.  2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us this in another way. It pictures the eyes of the Lord looking throughout the earth for hearts fully given to Him, doing so in order to bless them.  “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.”  Imagine that - if you can. It’s hard to imagine the unimaginable, isn’t it? Then there is prayer: God seeks intercessors. In Ezekiel 22:30-31, one of the most tragic passages in the Bible, God states,  “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.”  God made an inviolable decision at creation that what He did on earth would be accomplished through humans; He works through prayer and the actions of people. Even our redemption required a real person. I once heard the late, great pastor and teacher, Jack Hayford, say: “The quest of Jesus Christ on the earth is greatly crippled by wrong notions of the sovereignty of God.” Dr. Hayford was bemoaning the belief that God will do what He wants, when He wants, with or without our involvement. He does not. (I realize that is some pretty heavy theology. (If interested, I take the entire first three chapters of my book, Intercessory Prayer , to address this.) However, in this profound passage of Ezekiel, God said He had to bring judgment on a people because He could not find a person to stand in the gap - intercession - asking for His mercy and forgiveness for them. The explanation? God’s righteousness, justice, and holiness cannot merely excuse sin, sweeping it under the rug and acting as if it didn’t happen. His justice demands that sin be judged. However, His love and mercy passionately desire to redeem and forgive. If He can find a qualified person to stand in the gap on behalf of the person or persons who have sinned, He can forgive and grant mercy. In Ezekiel 22, He found no one, so He had to release judgment. I’m sure the Creator wept, just as Jesus did in Luke 19:41, when it became clear that Jerusalem would be destroyed for not recognizing and receiving their deliverance through Christ.  Contrary to what most people believe, God does not always get what He wants…because He doesn’t always find what He is seeking or looking for.    TODAY The world is currently experiencing one of the greatest periods of transition in its history. Nations are realigning, dictators are falling, governments are shaking, wealth is shifting, principalities are being unseated, the greatest spiritual harvest in history is underway, and God is seeking intercessors. Yet, for many in the church, it is business as usual.   Unimaginable. Jesus said His house would be “a house of prayer,”  not a house of sermons or fellowship, or even evangelism (Isaiah 56:11; Matthew 21:12-13). Obviously, this isn’t because these things are unimportant, but because they are not the starting place, the engine, the fuel. Prayer, intercession, hearing and discerning what God wants and then asking Him for it, is where all effective ministry begins.  Is your spiritual “house” a house of prayer? In the church you attend, has there been - over the last two or three weeks - even a few minutes of diligent, significant prayer for the people of Iran; for freedom and turnaround in Venezuela; for an end to the corruption in Minnesota and an outpouring of Holy Spirit there; for our President and his team as they work toward the incredibly difficult reformation of our nation; for Congress as they do the same; for the cleansing and restoration of our judicial system; for the lost who need Jesus? For 90% or more of you, I already know the answer. Sermons have been more important, offerings were more important, fellowship times - coffee in the foyer - were more important. In the American church, the most essential  thing has become the most neglected . The majority of pastors believe the most important thing is to teach their people, encourage them, and grow the congregation. NOT to lead them in prayer. Happy sheep, fed sheep, faithful sheep, returning sheep, those are the goals.  If your church is not diligently building a house of prayer, I suggest you find another–one that is. If you can’t find a praying church in your city, which is very possible, join with some other intercessors and build a house of prayer in someone’s basement or living room. And consider sending your tithe to a ministry or church elsewhere that is practicing what Jesus taught. The hour demands that the Ekklesia break out of her “religious” routines, discern the times and seasons, and participate with the King as He adds a billion people to His Kingdom. The times they are a-changin’. The church needs to change with them. Pray with me: Father, Jesus said Your house would be a house of prayer for the nations. We have, instead, prioritized almost everything else above this. Forgive us for neglecting this partnership, which is so meaningful and important to You. Awaken the church to the incredible dignity – not just responsibility – of partnering with You and being Your representatives on earth. Bring another wave of prayer to the earth, one that takes this powerful activity to its greatest level ever. We pray today for the people of Iran. Strengthen them in their quest for freedom and deliverance from tyranny. Free them from Iran’s tyrannical government and the evil principality that controls it. Along with this freedom, send an earth-shaking revival. May the Persian people find their God-given destiny in this hour. Give President Trump and his team wisdom as they navigate the situation. Lead them. Please do the same for Netanyahu and other leaders in that region. We also pray for the people of Venezuela. First and foremost, we ask that they receive a great outpouring of Holy Spirit. We also pray that they receive a righteous and wise government. Again, please give great wisdom to our leaders as they deal with this situation. And we thank You for hearing our prayers to end the influx of drugs into America. Please continue this process. And we pray for America. As evil is shaken from its position of power in our nation, it is fighting back. We ask for wisdom and favor for our leaders as they deal with this, and that every evil stronghold be dismantled. We ask that corruption continue to be exposed and justice be served. Bring stability and righteousness to our land. And pour out Your Spirit. Pour Him out as never before. Revive, restore, and reform. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the church, the Ekklesia, is becoming a house of prayer for the nations. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Introduction Today’s post is from my brother, Tim Sheets. As always, it is incredibly insightful and prophetically encouraging. His title is: Increasing Degrees of Glory Holy Spirit has been emphasizing a passage that is prophetically speaking into 2026. This is a promise that applies to all the heirs of God and to all true Kingdom Ekklesias. It concerns the remarkable amplification of God’s glory in the earth, which is visible, experiential, and transformational. 2 Corinthians 3:7 (NLT): “The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death. Though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.” In this text, Apostle Paul reminds us that even the ministry characterized by letters carved into stone tablets came with a dazzling measure of glory. So much so that the Israelites could not endure the radiance on Moses’ face. Yet that glory was temporary; it was destined to fade. If that covenant carried such glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of the Spirit? The new covenant is not merely an improvement, it is a divine, life-giving escalation. The ministry of Holy Spirit, our Empowerer, Teacher, Guide, and Mentor, is marked by a far greater and enduring glory. Should we not expect far more under the new way, through which the Spirit gives life? 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV): “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Paul, one of the most brilliant minds in church history, writes this under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He explains the difference between the old covenant, which he calls a covenant of death, and the new covenant, which he describes as a covenant of life. But this passage is far more than theological contrast, it carries a prophetic promise that spans generations, for the church corporately and individually. Paul is unveiling a living word, activated by Heaven and stewarded by Holy Spirit through the centuries. This word has been growing, intensifying, and accelerating across seasons, generations, and outpourings. Winds and rains of revival have converged again and again, multiplying the promise and expanding its reach. What Paul describes has never diminished; it has only advanced. We are now entering a time when this promise is manifesting in ways never seen before. The glory of God is and will continue to increase on the earth in accelerated measure, until it reaches its full intended expression. This movement cannot be stopped because it is sustained by the Spirit, and fueled by a prevailing anointing continually poured out. I believe we are now closer to the fullness of this promise than at any time in history. The potential of this era, particularly the potential of 2026, is extraordinary. The capacity of the heirs of God on the earth has never been greater. All previous anointings, revivals, outpourings, and movements of Holy Spirit are now converging into our time. This is a promise Holy Spirit is activating. We are becoming a glorious church, just as Scripture promised. A true, radiant Ekklesia is rising to meet its moment. Yes, it is a remnant, but with Holy Spirit and the hosts of Heaven, it is more than enough.  Paul’s revelation points us to what Holy Spirit is saying and doing now. Part of this includes the end-time outpouring prophesied by Joel; a revival touching all flesh, young and old. This move of God is accelerated and sustained by a greater weight of glory than has ever been released in the earth. We are entering a season of increased divine presence. The presence of King Jesus, manifested through Holy Spirit, will be experienced in deeper and more tangible ways. God’s glory will be reflected throughout the earth. The Ekklesia will carry it. The heirs of God will steward it. The river of glory is rising and is reaching flood stage. Scripture never describes God’s glory in us as diminishing, but rather as increasing. Paul tells us we are taken from glory to glory by Holy Spirit. The Amplified Bible captures it powerfully: “ We are constantly being transfigured into ever-increasing splendor—from one degree of glory to another.” A “degree” signifies progression, an increase in intensity, capacity, and effect. The Greek word for glory, doxa , refers to splendor, radiance, honor, and the manifested presence of God. (1) In this context, it contrasts the lesser glory of the law with the surpassing glory of the new covenant in Christ. It is movement from one measurable expression of glory to a greater one. A degree is also a point of promotion. In academic terms, it signifies advancement into a higher level of understanding and function. Temperature is measured in degrees as well, rising from warm to hot to blazing. Paul is telling us that God’s glory increases in measurable, experiential ways. God Himself is as glorious as He will ever be. That never changes. But He can, and does, manifest more of His glory in the earth as He chooses. Holy Spirit is the One who takes us from one degree of glory to another, from one level to another level, from one point to a higher point. The spiritual temperature of the Kingdom has been rising steadily, and now we are being graduated into a new intensity of glory fire. Scripture affirms this trajectory. Habakkuk 2:14 declares that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. That is a degree of glory the world has never seen, and yet it is promised. This progression is also vividly illustrated in Ezekiel 47, where the prophet sees a river flowing from the house of God. At first it is ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, until it becomes waters to swim in, a river too powerful to cross. Wherever the river flows, everything lives. This is the glory river. It swells, advances, and overflows, releasing life everywhere it goes. That is the promise Holy Spirit is fulfilling in our time. The Hebrew word for glory, kabowd , literally means weight. (2) It speaks of substance, importance, honor, and the tangible presence of God. Kabowd  appears more than 200 times in Scripture, consistently pointing to the measurable heaviness of God’s presence. The greater the weight, the greater the impact. We are entering a time when Holy Spirit is releasing fresh revelation for strategic action and faith engagement. God’s presence is increasing in weight, intensity, and reach. His glory will leave an undeniable mark on the earth - on territories, regions, and nations. The true Ekklesia will operate in this weightiness, accomplishing its assignment with greater authority and effect. I believe in 2026 there is an impartation, a mantle being placed upon the Ekklesia to function at a higher level. There is a healing anointing flowing to see great healings and miracles. A gift of faith is coming upon us to believe for signs, wonders and miracles, which will help gather the harvest. The glory of the latter house will be greater than the former. The river of God is coming to flood stage, and the weight of His glory in us is increasing. May 2026 be a year where the corporate Ekklesia prepares an atmosphere that is welcoming to the Lord, inviting His glory to hover over us. Let’s invite Him to do whatever He wants, however He wants, whenever He wants.  Pray with me:   Lord, we thank You for all You are, and for all You’re doing across this land. We believe You have brought us to a time of acceleration and increasing degrees of Your glory. Fulfill Your promise that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Your glory, as the waters cover the sea. Let Your presence impact regions, cities, and nations. Let Your glory leave its mark on culture, government, families, and hearts.  Lord, we ask that You would increase the weight of Your glory upon us and that Your presence would be made visible, tangible, and undeniable in the earth. We pray and decree these things in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen. Our decree:   We declare that the weight of God’s glory is increasing in and through His Ekklesia to impact the earth in ever increasing ways.  Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets. You can learn more about Tim here . 1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible  (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1391. 2. Ibid. 3519.

Don’t Fear the Storms Just after Christmas, when praying regarding the coming year, Holy Spirit said 2026 would be turbulent, but victorious and fruitful. He led me to the account of Paul being shipwrecked by a typhoon level storm on his way to Rome (Acts 27-28). God transformed the storm into victory, causing Paul and his team to be beached on Malta, and sending great revival to the island. On Monday of this week, I wrote the first of 3 posts regarding this.  If the first week of 2026 is any indication, the word was accurate. We saw the U.S. capture Nicolas Maduro, the vicious dictator of Venezuela and one of the world’s leading drug dealers, and begin the process of taking back the oil and equipment stolen from American businesses. This will cripple China, with her huge need for the oil in Venezuela. And it begins the process of restoration for millions of Venezuelans.   The move sent shock waves of fear to despots around the world. Once again, Trump has demonstrated that he does what he says - don’t test him! He has made it clear that this hemisphere will no longer be encroached upon by evil, power hungry dictators from around the world. Columbia, Cuba, and other rogue nations have also been put on notice - there’s a new sheriff in town. Even Mexico was warned: stop the cartels or we will.  Dems are losing their minds over this. They had no problem with the drugs coming into America, or terrorists, for that matter. Biden said, “Come one, come all. Just remember to vote Democrat.” And they certainly have no problem with communists.   Before the dust of the Venezuelan storm settled, another storm kicked in with the killing of a protester in Minnesota by an ICE agent. I need not repeat the tragic details - you’ve all seen and heard about it. Sadly, the event was predictable. In the last several months ICE agents have been called Nazis, fascists, racists, kidnappers, thugs, and compared to Civil War era slave posse’s and Soviet KGB agents. As a result, they’ve been shot at, rammed by vehicles 100 or so times, spit on, hit with thrown objects, doxxed and threatened (along with their families) - all for carrying out America’s laws. Those who hate the agents have been emboldened by lying, unprincipled leaders, and now have no respect for these law enforcement officers. How anyone can be surprised by what occurred in Minnesota is beyond me. Believe me when I tell you the storm there will rage for a while.  Then there is the exposing of billions of dollars of fraud by Somalians in Minnesota, allowed by corrupt politicians. Before this is over, the odor from this can of worms will reach the entire nation - because Minnesota isn’t alone in these crimes. Fraud of one kind or another has been taking place throughout our country for years. And the money has bled into other nations and numerous corrupt causes. We’re about to find out the real reasons those on the left fear and hate DOGE with such passion. Many of them have been in on these schemes.  Also, election fraud is finally beginning to be exposed. It is now undeniable that our elections have been defiled for many years. This has become a cesspool of evil. Look for many in government to fight this exposure, because of: 1) their complicity, and 2) the resulting loss of power to those involved. This corruption runs very deep.  And believe me when I say the most persecuted man in America, now its President, will take great pleasure in exposing the financial fraud schemes, the election fraud, and other corruption. Not just for vengeance; he now sees it as his destiny to save America - or at least begin the process. Trump has become a Jehu, a Maccabean type warrior on a mission, opposition be damned.  And there are still other storms raging here and around the world. People are seeing the intention of Islamic leaders to take over the world, and are starting to react. This storm will be a Category 4 - get ready for a great clash. Associated with this, winds of change are blowing in Iran, which won’t stop until the nation is purged of its theocratic dictatorship. And Trump has warned the Ayatollah: continue the killing of the protesters and we’re coming after you.  And surprise, surprise, the nation of Greenland is coming up again. Trump has let it be known that - one way or the other - we will have the use of Greenland for North America’s protection. Believe him.  Political battles will also heat up. The battle over the midterm elections will be one of the greatest in history. And I believe Trump will have the opportunity to replace one or more Supreme Court justices. (He has already replaced three.) The next one or two will be a war on the scale of Robert Bork’s and Clarence Thomas’ opposition in 1987 and 1991.  And there will be even more storms…the times they are a changin’.  Just as the angel told Paul, the Lord is telling us, “Fear not!” We will pray our way through the storms and, just as Paul, come through them with victory and great fruit. God is restoring our nation. Stay focused, unafraid, and faithful in prayer. Your prayers are saving a nation and impacting the world. Pray with me: Father, thank You again for alerting us that 2026 will be tumultuous and stormy. We hear You saying to us, as You did Paul through the angel, “Fear not.” We know You are leading us on our journey, and the storms will lead us to revival, just as occurred with Paul in Malta. Your purposes will be established and fulfilled. Give Your people hearts of faith and backbones of steel. Give them warrior spirits and great determination. Keep them strong and focused.  Give much wisdom to the leaders You have raised up at this time. Give them revelation - insights from heaven - on how to bring change and steward it. Give them the hearts of reformers, intent on seeing our nation healthy again. And protect them. Most of all, we ask You to exalt the Lord Jesus through a world-changing revival. Give Him a billion-soul-expansion of His Kingdom in this hour. All of this we ask in His name.  Our Decree We declare that God changes the times and seasons, and He pilots our ship. We will not fear. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Representing Jesus  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  (2 Corinthians 3:18) The word glory in this passage is translated from the Greek word, doxa . Doxa  (Strong’s 1381) is derived from the root word dokeo  (1380). One of the concepts of these words is the appearance of something that causes it to be recognized for what it truly is. (1)  When the Scriptures speak of us possessing the glory of God, they are saying He wants to be “recognized” in us. This is why 2 Corinthians 3:18, quoted above, says we are “being changed into the same image from glory to glory.”  We go from looking like Jesus to looking more like Jesus, SO THAT He can be seen and recognized through us. Our mission is to represent Him. A representative derives their authority from the person or entity they represent. The word means “to re-present” or “present again.” A representative “presents again” the will and desires of the one who authorized them, speaking and acting on their behalf. In legal terms, this would be similar to a “power of attorney.” I love to tell the following story from 1976. While praying late one night about an upcoming missions outreach to Guatemala, I heard the Lord say, On this trip, represent Jesus to the people. I really did not fully understand spiritual authority at the time and questioned what this statement might mean. In response, I heard the words, Be His voice, be His hands, be His feet. Do what you know He would do if He were there in the flesh. Represent Him. Suddenly, I understood. I was not going to Guatemala to represent myself. In the same way that Jesus had represented the Father, speaking His words and doing His works, I was to represent Jesus. And if I truly believed I was His ambassador, then I could believe it was not my authority or ability that was in operation, but His. I would be re-presenting Him and what He had already accomplished at Calvary. Arriving in Guatemala, I traveled with the team to a remote village, far from any modern city. There were no vehicles, no electrical power, plumbing, phones - no modern conveniences. Our purpose in being there was to build primitive shelters for the villagers whose adobe homes had been destroyed in the devastating earthquake of 1976. The quake had killed 30,000 people and left 1 million homeless! We trucked in materials and during the day, built small, one-room “homes” for them. At night we powered up our generator to run a small sound system and held services in the center of the village, preaching the gospel of Jesus. The entire village would attend. We explained that His love was what had motivated us to spend our time, money, and energy to help them. After doing this for a week, no one had come to Christ. The people listened intently, but did not respond by receiving Him. I was 23 years old at the time and was not the team leader, but I was asked to preach on the final night. Just as the service was about to begin, a team member told me about a scenario he and others had come across on the far side of the village. A small girl, perhaps six or seven years old, was tied to a tree in her backyard, where she lived like a dog, filthy and alone. When asked why this was happening, the parents replied, “She is insane. We cannot control her. If we release her, she wanders off into the mountains, sometimes hurts others, and is completely unmanageable. There is nothing else we can do for her, so we just tie her up.” My heart broke as the team member shared what he had seen. It was heavy on my mind as we began the service. After a few songs, I began my message. A few minutes into it, while standing on a folding table underneath the stars, the same voice that had spoken to me under the stars prior to the trip spoke to me again. Tell them you are going to pray for the insane girl tied to the tree on the other side of the village, doing so in the name of this Jesus the team has been preaching about. Tell them that through His victory at the Cross and the authority of His name, you are going to break the evil powers controlling her. And that when she is free and normal, they will know that what you are preaching is true, that the Jesus you are presenting is who you say He is. This conversation was taking place in my mind while I was trying to speak - through an interpreter, no less. I responded to the voice with fear and trembling, screaming internally: What did you say???? Then I heard that still, small voice again, Remember what I said to you before the outreach began? Represent Jesus. Do what He would do if He were here. Be His hands, feet, and voice. Faith began to arise in my heart. The ability to accomplish this miracle is in the One who sent me, the One whom I represent. I am merely His spokesman. I simply release what He has already accomplished. He has finished the redemptive work of delivering this little girl; my prayers release His work. I’m a distributor of what Christ has already produced. Be bold! Enforce Christ’s victory! With new assurance, I informed the people of what I was planning to do. They nodded in recognition when I mentioned the little girl. Expressions of intrigue turned to astonishment as they listened to my plans. Then I pointed across the village and prayed a simple prayer. On a moonlit night in a tiny, remote village in Guatemala, with a handful of people as my audience, my life changed. Jesus came out of the past; He became alive, relevant, sufficient, and available, emerging from the cobwebs of theology. A “yesterday” Jesus became a “today and forever” Jesus. A Galilee Jesus became a Guatemala Jesus. I finally understood God’s plan. We, the church, re-presenting Jesus. I understood the heavenly pattern: Jesus is the Victor; we are the enforcers. He’s the Redeemer; we are the releasers. Christ is the Head; we are His body. He set the little girl free. The entire village turned to Christ.  There are many wounded and bound individuals tied to trees around the world. You work with some, others live across the street, another might sleep under your roof. One of them may have just served you in a checkout line, seated you in a restaurant, or served you food. Their chains are alcohol, drugs, abuse, broken dreams, rejection, fatherlessness, sexual perversion, gender confusion, love of money, a false religion - you get the point. God wants them loosed. Pray with me: Father, when Jesus said, “Go…in My name,” hell must have trembled. Satan no doubt knew what that meant. Christ was multiplying Himself. Not only did You have Your family back, but they would now be Your ambassadors on earth, just as You intended in the beginning. Awaken the church to this reality. Show her that she is more than a bride, a family; she is Your Ekklesia, Your government, on earth. We are not powerless. We are not at the mercy of satan‘s activities. We are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ! We are called to set captives free, liberating them through the power released when we preach the gospel and pray in Christ’s name. Father, remind the church that our prayers are powerful. Holy Spirit responds to the name of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. When we decree the King’s will, in His name, all of heaven comes to attention on our behalf. Angels respond. Holy Spirit responds. And the powers of darkness submit to this. So, in His name, we decree revival in America and around the world. We decree the breaking of demonic strongholds over people and nations through the power of God. And we decree, with great confidence, America shall be saved! Our decree: We decree that we will represent Christ, releasing His glory on the earth. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible – New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; reserved edition, 1990) p. 1826.

2026: Turbulent But Fruitful, Part 3 When praying about 2026, the Lord gave me Acts 27-28. Paul, experiencing persecution by the non-Messianic Jewish leaders, was brought before the Roman government, in hopes that they would execute him. During the trial, Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar (Acts 24-26).  As a result, Paul was sent to Rome by ship under the custody of a Roman centurion, accompanied by Luke and another disciple named Aristarchus. This was no small boat; in total, 276 people were aboard the ship. Due to a typhoon level storm and the harsh winter season, the journey took 6 to 7 months, three of which were spent on the island of Melita, present-day Malta.  Though the journey was very difficult, God transformed the tumultuous ordeal into tremendous victories. And as I read and reread the passage I heard Holy Spirit say, “2026 will not be smooth sailing; it will, however, be victorious, fruitful sailing. Don’t be alarmed by the ‘storms’.” In yesterday’s post , I mentioned the angelic visitation to Paul on the voyage, in which he was told the ship would be lost in the storm, but all the lives would be saved. He was also told that he would fulfill God’s plan of going to Rome. I’ll pick up there today.  Part 3 Early in the journey Paul received prophetic revelation, and warned the crew of the ship that a storm was coming; he added that they should not leave Crete (Acts 27:10, 21). They did not have to be shipwrecked in this storm! The crew disregarded his warning, however, and lost their ship. It is significant to me that God, in His mercy, saved not only the lives of Paul and his companions, but also all of those on board the ship. He could have orchestrated events to save Paul, Luke and Aristarchus, while allowing the crew to perish. But in spite of their disregard of His warnings, God showed great mercy and saved them, as well.  I can’t help but see the correlation to America. God has clearly sent many warnings to our nation through individuals and events, not to mention His clear commandments in Scripture. These warnings have been disregarded time after time, and the winds of adversity have certainly come with typhoon force. And yet, like the crew of Paul’s ship, many of those who ignored His warnings will be saved in the coming revival. God’s mercy is amazing.  The Island of Malta The angel that visited Paul also informed him that through the shipwreck they would be “cast upon a certain island” (verse 26). It turned out to be Melita, now called Malta, and God had big plans for this small island. It is as though He was saying to this crew, as He did to Jonah regarding Ninevah, “You can go the hard way or you can go the easy way, but you ARE going to Melita!” The name means “honey,” and God was about to deliver them a sweet package.  Upon their arrival in Melita/Malta, the Islanders immediately showed kindness to these wet and bedraggled survivors of the shipwreck. They and those from the ship immediately began gathering wood to build a fire for warmth. When Paul did so he was bitten by a deadly viper (Acts 28:3). The villagers expected his hand to immediately swell up and for him to die. But Paul, full of faith in God’s promise, shook the serpent off into the fire and went about his business. The Islanders were of course amazed (verses 1-4). The Roman governor on the island, Publius, took Paul and his team to his home for lodging. There, Paul prayed for Publius’s father, and he was instantly healed of severe dysentery and high fever (verses 7-8).  Revival on! For 3 months! Acts 28:9-10 tells us: “When the people of the island heard about this miracle, they brought all the sick to Paul, and they were also healed. The islanders honored us greatly, and when we were preparing to set sail again [3 months later], they gave us all the supplies we needed for our journey.”  (TPT‬‬) Publius and many on the island became strong believers; Malta became the first Christian nation in the west! Publius became a leader in the early church, and is venerated to this day by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. There are still streets named after him on the island today! (1) The purposes of God in the life of the apostle Paul were accomplished in spite of the storm. He traveled on to Rome, where he “lived two more years, in his own rented quarters, welcoming all who came to visit. He continued to proclaim to all the truths of God’s kingdom realm, teaching them about the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, speaking triumphantly and without any restriction.” ‭‭(Acts‬ ‭28‬:‭30‬-‭31‬; TPT‬‬) God demonstrated His ability to defeat storms and serpents - and to make honey. He will do so in our day. Yes, there will be “storms” in 2026, but there will be great victory and much fruit.  Prayer and Decree:  As our prayer and decree today we are declaring Psalm 107:24-43, from the Passion Translation, over the coming year: “We were witnesses of God’s power out in the ocean deep; we saw breathtaking wonders upon the high seas. When God spoke He stirred up a storm, lifting high the waves with hurricane winds. Ships were tossed by the swelling sea, rising to the sky, then dropping down to the depths, reeling like drunkards, spinning like tops, everyone at their wits’ end until even sailors despaired of life, cringing in terror. Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And He did! God stilled the storm, calmed the waves, and He hushed the hurricane winds to only a whisper. We were so relieved, so glad as He guided us safely to harbor in a quiet haven. So lift your hands and give thanks to God for His marvelous kindness and for His miracles of mercy for those He loves! Let’s exalt Him on high and lift up our praises in public; let all the people and the leaders of the nation know how great and wonderful is Yahweh, our God! Whenever He chooses He can dry up a river and turn the land into a desert. Or He can take a fruitful land and make it into a saltwater swamp, all because of the wickedness of those who dwell there. But He also can turn a barren wilderness into an oasis with water! He can make springs flow into desert lands and turn them into fertile valleys so that cities spring up, and He gives it all to those who are hungry. They can plant their fields and vineyards there and reap a bumper crop and gather a fruitful harvest. God will bless them and cause them to multiply and prosper. But others will become poor, humbled because of their oppression, tyranny, and sorrows. For God pours contempt upon their arrogant abuse of power, heaping scorn upon their princes, and makes them wander among ruins. But He raises up the poor and lowly with His favor, giving them a safe place to live where no one can touch them. God will grant them a large family and bless them! The lovers of God will rejoice when they see this. Good men are glad when the evil ones are silenced. If you are truly wise, you’ll learn from what I’ve told you. It’s time for you to consider these profound lessons of God’s great love and mercy!” Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Publius

2026: Turbulent But Fruitful, Part 2 In yesterday’s post , I mentioned that when praying regarding the coming year, 2026, the Lord led me to Acts 27 and 28. As I read and reread this passage, Holy Spirit said to me: “2026 will not be smooth sailing; it will, however, be victorious, fruitful sailing. Don’t be alarmed by the ‘storms’.” Here is a brief summary of Acts chapters 27 and 28, and of the events leading up to them. Paul had been experiencing persecution by the non-Messianic Jewish leaders, who brought him before the Roman government, in hopes that they would execute him. During the trial, Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar (Acts 24-26).  Paul was sent to Rome by ship under the custody of a Roman centurion, accompanied by Luke and another disciple named Aristarchus. This was no small boat; in total, 276 people were aboard the ship. Due to fierce storms and the winter season, the journey took 6 to 7 months, three of which were spent on the island of Melita, present-day Malta.  No details are provided about the trial in Rome, although Paul was obviously not convicted. He stayed there for two years in a rented home: “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31).  While there, Paul also wrote the epistles of Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians. (After leaving and conducting more missionary journeys, he was once again taken to Rome as a prisoner, and this time executed under the wicked ruler, Nero.) That is your history lesson for the day. The Shipwreck I want to focus first on the fierce storm that ultimately caused a shipwreck on Paul’s voyage to Rome. Acts 27:14 tells us it was a typhoon-force wind called a “Nor’easter.” The wind was so powerful that the sailors could no longer control the ship and had to allow the storm to carry it wherever the winds blew. They were driven by the storm for 14 days, with all hope of survival eventually lost (verse 20). At this point, Paul delivered a remarkable message to the crew and passengers: “...Paul stepped before them all and said, ‘Men, you should have obeyed me and avoided all of this pain and suffering by not leaving Crete. [Paul had warned them prophetically of the storm, in verse 10, which they ignored.] Now listen to me. Don’t be depressed, for no one will perish—only the ship will be lost. For God’s angel visited me last night, the angel of my God, the God I passionately serve. He came and stood in front of me and said, “Don’t be afraid, Paul. You are destined to stand trial before Caesar. And because of God’s favor on you, he has given you the lives of everyone who is sailing with you.” So men, keep up your courage! I know that God will protect you, just as he told me he would. But we must run aground on some island to be saved.’” ‭‭(Acts‬ ‭27‬:‭21‬-‭26‬ ‭TPT‬‬) Several incredible and important facts can be seen in this statement: The prisoner on the ship had become the pastor of the ship! Never underestimate the favor of the Lord. God dispatched an angel to support and direct Paul, telling him not to be afraid. We can expect God’s supernatural help in the storms that occur. The angel stated that the ship would be lost, but all on board would survive. He also stated that this upcoming period of ministry in Rome was part of God’s destiny for Paul, including him standing before Caesar. He added that it was because of God’s favor on Paul that the entire crew and passengers on the ship would be saved. (Who you travel with matters!) Then the angel told Paul that before arriving in Rome, they would need to make a stop on a particular island. He did not give the name of the island.  Imagine the belief and trust in Paul’s ministry that must have taken place when this was all fulfilled! But there was more sovereign intervention to come, much more. They were, indeed, shipwrecked on the rocky coast of an island named Melita, now called Malta (Acts 28.1). The name Melita means “honey,” (1)  and was God ever about to turn what looked like disaster into honey! But I’ll save that for tomorrow.  Today I want to make an application regarding 2026. The Lord said the year would be turbulent, but victorious. We can be certain that whatever transpires on our journey toward revival and reformation, God will not be caught off guard. He is Lord over the storm and can cause its power to be harnessed, becoming His - and our - servant. Without question, satan has some storms planned for our nation and the nations this year. And also without question, God has already planned how He will be victorious over them. He will show us His strategy, just as He did to Paul. Angels will be sent to help us, direct us, and protect us. Rest assured that God has placed Donald Trump in office. His favor is on our President. In His mercy, the Lord has protected him from two assassination attempts, two phony impeachments, a corrupt election, savage lies by many in the media, and the most vicious and corrupt “lawfare” in the history of our nation. There has never been anything like it in America. And yet, God has sustained President Trump and worked through all of this to further awaken him to his destiny, strengthen his resolve, and increase his wisdom. Trump has now become a sword in the hand of the Almighty. Don’t allow his brazenness and personality to distract you: God has raised up and empowered President Trump as a reformer! And the Lord’s favor is on us, the Ekklesia, also. Storms will come this year, but we are called to rise above every storm and soar as eagles with our God (Isaiah 40:30-31). We are His instruments, just as Paul was and President Trump is. We will accomplish our destiny - as individuals and as a nation - releasing the authority of the Kingdom of God here and around the world. The church will not fail, because God is leading and empowering us. We’re part of the glorious church emerging throughout the Earth, and God will finish in us and through us what He has started. Tomorrow, we will see the victories pictured by Malta. Pray with me: Father, thank You for Acts 27 and 28. What a glorious picture of Your overriding hand in history. You can cause all things to work together for our good (Romans 8:28). The passage pictures the church overcoming storms, accomplishing Your purposes, and securing our destinies. We will not fear the storms! Cause Your people to be alert to Your instructions and encouragement during difficult times, and on all assignments. We expect and will receive angelic assistance, just as Paul and others in Scripture received. We expect favor and we expect that favor to overflow onto others with whom we are connected. We expect to overcome in every situation! We pray for President Trump and his team, for leaders in Congress, and for local government leaders. Give them the fiery zeal of the Lord Jesus. Instill in them a hatred of evil and injustice. Give them increased passion to reform our nation back to righteousness and to Your purposes. Remove those who compromise and who have been overcome by a political spirit. Give us reformers. And give us revival!  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Our decree: We decree that though storms come and go, the purposes of God stand strong! Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3194.

2026: Turbulent But Fruitful, Part 1 “Come gather ’round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone If your time to you is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin.” (1) Secular “prophet” Bob Dylan prophesied these words in 1963. He went on to accurately prophesy to “writers and critics,” “senators and congressmen,” “mothers and fathers.” Read the rest of the song ( Link ). At that turbulent time in history, the changes Dylan spoke of did not bode well for our nation. In all honesty, change was needed, just not those that moved us further from God and His ways. History has proven that many of the changes over the last 60 years were unhealthy, and millions of Americans have now awakened to this reality. We became a nation divided, violent, conscienceless, immoral, mooring-less, and confused. Like the ancient king, Belshazzar, America has been “weighed in the balances and found wanting”  (Daniel 5:27). Dylan was right - the times were, indeed, changing.  There is good news, however: we have now come full circle. Another season ripe for great change has emerged, and reformation is now possible. The coming year will be epochal in this regard. It will be challenging, but if the praying church stays the course, 2026 will also be a tremendously victorious year - turbulent, but fruitful. When praying about 2026, the Lord gave me Acts 27-28, the account of Paul shipwrecked by a great storm while in route to Rome. God, however, transformed the ordeal into tremendous victories. As I read the passage, I heard Holy Spirit say,  “2026 will not be smooth sailing; it will, however, be victorious, fruitful sailing. Don’t be alarmed by the ‘storms’.” (Like Venezuela!) I knew the Lord was telling me that resistance to righteous change will continue and intensify this year. Revival and reformation do not equate to lack of opposition and the absence of evil. These are perilous times, which we were warned of in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:1). Evil will not be removed from earth until the Lord returns. Our mission is not to create utopia; it is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, and disciple people and nations in the ways of that Kingdom. Though we can experience peace  internally , this will not be the case externally.  The confrontation of evil strongholds and the people operating them must and will continue here and around the world. Likewise, resistance from those losing their hold will continue. This ideological and spiritual conflict cannot be avoided. On our part, while the battle must be waged righteously and redemptively, it must be waged. Truth and justice cry out for it; righteousness demands it; reformation awaits it.  Many believers misinterpret and misunderstand what the Scriptures teach about striving for peace. The promotion of peace is often used as an argument for non-confrontation, for “getting along.” But the same Lord referred to as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and who Himself said “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), also said  “I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword”  (Matthew 10:34). The Master, who told us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek, also turned over tables, confronted hypocrites, and denounced oppressors (see Matthew 5:39, 44; 15:7; 21:12; 23:3-4, 13-14). Christ did not instruct us to always “get along” regardless of others’ actions; He did not say “don’t rock the boat” or “don’t ruffle feathers.” To the contrary, He did so and said disruptive things quite regularly.  The Bible must be interpreted as a whole, not as disconnected verses. Walking in harmony with Scripture is NOT always the absence of conflict, confrontation, disruption, or division. The law of love is NOT the law of non-confrontation, and turning the other cheek is NOT always the way to deal with unrighteousness. In the very same sermon where Jesus told us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39, 44), He went on to say that corrupt trees (corrupt people) sometimes must be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19). Was He contradicting Himself? No. We simply must understand that loving one’s enemies does not equate to allowing them to do whatever they please, whenever they please. If such acceptance of evil were true, Ecclesiastes 3:8 would be false: “There is a time for war, and a time for peace.” Truth and justice are partners of love. While Ephesians 4:15 tells us that the truth must be spoken in love, it must be spoken! Unconditional love is not the unconditional acceptance and approval of actions; God’s love involves rooting out deception, evil, oppression, violence, and abuse, in order for His salvation and justice to occur. The gospel of peace is not the gospel of passivity toward evil.  The corruption in our government, our nation in general, and throughout the nations runs very deep. Maduro’s government in Venezuela is but one example. The greed, dishonesty, deception, ineptitude, and evil intentions of many in our government are both shocking and alarming. The number of Americans deceived by them is, as well. And in this post, time does not allow me to elaborate on the seeds of Marxism, Islam, and other ideologies that are now firmly planted and growing in the soil of America. The confrontation of these strongholds must and will continue in America and throughout the world in 2026. The breaking up of fallow ground (Hosea 10:12) must continue. Jeremiah said that rooting out, pulling down, destroying, and overthrowing evil must take place before the building and planting can occur (Jeremiah 1:10). This is all part of reformation. And as the enemies of this cleansing process see their hold on America and other nations slipping away, they will intensify their fighting, making 2026 a stormy and turbulent - but very fruitful - year. More on this tomorrow. I leave you with the following story. “In Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of a storm, he described a ship caught off a rocky coast, threatening death to all on board. One of the terrified passengers made his way to the pilothouse, where the pilot was lashed to his post with his hands on the wheel, turning the ship little by little into the open sea. The pilot smiled at the man, who then rushed back to the deck below, shouting, ‘I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well.’ The sight of the smiling pilot averted panic and converted despair into hope.” (2) Fear not; the King is at the helm! Pray with me: Father, on this journey to America’s salvation and a worldwide revival, we are experiencing opposition. This is to be expected. Paul told the Corinthians he was experiencing a great door of opportunity, along with great opposition (1 Corinthians 16:9). The same is true today. Changing times require faith, fortitude, and determination in order to steward them appropriately. Spiritual warfare is part of the process. If growing weary and becoming faint of heart were not real possibilities, You would not have said:  “Let us not become weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap, if we faint not,” (Galatians 6:9).  We will not yield to weariness or faintness of heart this year. We will be strong with Your strength and the power of Your might (Ephesians 6:10). We will rise above every storm, soaring with You like eagles (Isaiah 40:30-31).  Give believers in America increased understanding of the need to confront evil here and abroad. Break off passivity, deception, and wrong mindsets regarding peace.  We ask for great tenacity and unwavering commitment in our government leaders as they confront evil. Deliver America from leaders who refuse to prosecute corruption, allowing it to foster in our government. Give President Trump and others continued determination to clean up the defilement rooted so deeply in our government. Cause them to prosper as they do so. Lead them as they transition the nation of Venezuela and uproot evil elsewhere. Give them tremendous wisdom. You have begun a good work in America and the nations, Father. We ask You to finish this work of reviving and reforming. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that we will not fear the storms in 2026, but will rise above them in victory. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/times-they-are-changin/   Spiros Zodhiates, Illustrations of Bible Truths  (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1995), p. 267.

Christmas and The Cross  To incarnate, from which we get the word, incarnation, means :  “to embody in flesh; invest with a bodily form.” From a Latin word meaning “to make into flesh.” Have you ever wondered what was going through Christ’s mind before Holy Spirit transformed Him into a microscopic seed and carried Him to the womb of a young girl? The Son of God was about to become human. Did He wonder how it would feel to no longer be omnipresent? Omniscient? Omnipotent? Did He wonder how physical pain would feel? Hunger? Thirst? Weariness? Cold? Heartache? Loss?  Christ knew He would have to swim in amniotic fluids, fight His way through a birth canal, be fed, be bathed, learn to crawl, develop balance and walking skills, form words, grow, and gain knowledge. For the first time, He would experience sleep, hunger, pain, scrapes, blisters, and callouses. He would enter the realm of time. He would bleed; He was breakable. One has to wonder if Jesus ever reconsidered the plan. Since He was “the Lamb slain” before we were even created (Revelation 13:8), I don’t suppose He did. Yet, just before Holy Spirit held Him and began the transformation, there must have been at least an emotional, “Here we go…I’m about to be human!” And then He was - there was no turning back. Numerous questions come to mind as I consider Christ’s humanness: As a child, when did the first awareness of who He was begin to set in? When did He first look up at a star-filled sky and think,  I made that. When did He first recall saying, “Let there be…” When did the calculus of our solar system begin creeping back into His memory? Did He ever have a nightmare? When did He stop asking Mary questions and start explaining things to her? Did His siblings wonder at His gifts, intellect? Who was His best friend growing up? What did His laugh sound like? What was His favorite color…food? Was there any food - which He, of course, created - that He didn’t like?! At what age did His carpentry skills begin superseding those of Joseph? Did they ever joke about it? How old was He when Joseph died? Did He know it was coming? How did He deal with the pain? How did He react the first time He saw a serpent…or first observed pride, cruelty, violence, or greed? When He heard lightning, did He smile? (Luke 10:18) And when did the love that motivated His humanness - the passion for His eternal bride - begin welling up in His chest? As He fashioned wood in His carpenter shop, did He ever pause and gaze pensively toward a hill in Jerusalem? Did He ever wince when He drove nails? We will never truly understand the ramifications, intricacies, and complexities of the incarnation. Merging the limitations of “humanness” with an infinite God simply can’t be computed by human brains. Indeed, Paul referenced Christ as God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). But it is healthy to ponder it, nonetheless. We must, in fact. It is imperative that we consider the cost to Christ. It’s essential that we wonder at such love, marvel at the plan, and stand in awe at its audacity. So today, take some time to reflect on it. Sing, or listen to Silent Night, Away In A Manger, O Holy Night, or your favorite Christmas carol, and consider the words. Recapture the wonder. Read the story again in Luke’s gospel. Close your eyes and try to envision Mary’s angelic visitation. Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes - how hard would it be to believe Mary’s story? No wonder He, too, needed a heavenly visitation. Envision the stars, the stable, the manger, the Christ-child. Then, converse with Abba and Jesus. Thank them…for Christmas, yes, but also for the Cross, the end of His earthly journey and the beginning of our salvation. Merry Christmas! [Today is our last Give Him 15 post until Monday, January 5. We provide our staff a break to spend time with their families from Christmas through the New Year. Blessings!] Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Holy Night, Indeed Here is some trivia for you. Do you have any guesses about what may have been the first song broadcast from space? The crew of Gemini 6 snuck bells and a harmonica onboard. On December 16, 1965, after reporting a “strange object” moving in the skies from north to south, they played a few lines of Jingle Bells. You can click here  to hear the astronauts. (1) Have you ever wondered what the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was really about? “Though a host of modern internet sites and some magazine articles have tried to reduce ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ to little more than a silly Christmas carol, most scholars of the Catholic Church deem it a very important surviving example of a time when that denomination used codes to disguise their teachings in order to avoid persecution. They contend that it was “originally a poem written by Catholic clerics, and transformed into a carol at a time when celebrating the twelve days of Christmas was one of the most important holiday customs.” (2) The complete explanation of why each day’s “gift code” was chosen to represent the spiritual truth it pictures can be found through this link , but here is what  each gift represented: (3) The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus. Two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens represent faith, hope, and love, and also the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The four calling birds are the four gospels. The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. Each egg of the six geese-a-laying is a day in creation when God “hatched” or formed the world. Hidden in the seven swans-a-swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (as the Catholics count them). The eight maids-a-milking represent the eight Beatitudes (from Matthew 5:3-10). Nine ladies dancing were the fruits of the Spirit. Ten lords-a-leaping were code for the Ten Commandments. The eleven pipers piping signify the eleven faithful disciples. The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed. From my research, it doesn’t appear that this explanation can be proven, though it does have many believers. And it’s so good I’m just gonna go with it! O Holy Night And then there is my all-time favorite Christmas song, “O Holy Night.” Can there be more poignant words than these? “Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
 Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
 A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
 For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!” (4) And the moving third stanza, with the stirring words of love and freedom, reaches deep into the human soul. Here are the words of this wonderful song in their entirety, followed by a link to “The Nativity Story” with Josh Groban’s classic version of “O Holy Night.” Do yourself a favor: find a time when you can stop everything you’re doing, and both watch and listen to this five-minute video. It is NOT just him singing. You will be glad you did. This song will be today’s prayer and decree. O Holy Night “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn! Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine! Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle, we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the Wise Men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our Friend. He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! Truly, He taught us to love one another; His law is love, and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, And in His name, all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we; Let all within us praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever! His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim! His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!” (5) Link:  Josh Groban and The Nativity Story Click the link below to watch the full video. https://youtu.be/RmsOmqf7Hso?si=0Bh8q2VG4_-czcdj   https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/the-12-days-of-christmas-lyrics-meaning.html   Ibid. https://hymnary.org/text/o_holy_night_the_stars_are_brightly_shin   Ibid.

The Unintended Christmas Carol  We are only a couple of days from Christmas. Many believers, like myself, are unhappy with much of the commercialization of Christmas. However, it is also true that there is no other time of year when Christ’s name and the glory of His birth fill the airwaves with such frequency. If we allow it, the season can be a great reset for us each year as we consider Christ’s great gift to us. As you listen to the Christmas Carols, here is some interesting information to consider about three of our favorites. Carol #1 In 1719, Isaac Watts wrote what has been the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. However, it was not written as a Christmas carol but as a poem about the reigning King Jesus, based not on the birth of Christ, but on Psalm 98. “Stanza three…alludes to Genesis 3:17-19…speaks of Christ’s blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin…Stanza four celebrates Christ’s rule over the nations…called to celebrate because God’s faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world. ” (1)   Here are the words to this famous hymn: Joy to the World “Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
 Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing,  And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

 Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
 While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains;  Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
 He comes to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found,  Far as, far as the curse is found.

 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
 The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love, 
 And wonders, wonders, of His love.” (2) Carol #2 “Phillip Brooks was a distinguished man of faith and intellect. A Boston-born Episcopalian preacher, he’d earned a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Oxford, taught at Yale University, and publicly advocated against slavery during the Civil War. But he’s best known for penning a famous Christmas carol after a life-changing journey. “In 1865, Brooks rode on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he participated in the Church of the Nativity’s five-hour-long Christmas Eve celebration, complete with hymns. Returning home, this experience proved so profound that he channeled it into the song sung in churches to this day. Its first public performance was held three years after he wrote it, performed by the children’s choir of his church [The Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia] on December 27.” (3) Until then, this musical was still only a poem. Brooks asked his organist, Lewis Redner, to write the music. Here is Redner’s interesting explanation of how the music came to him: “As Christmas of 1868 approached, Mr. Brooks told me that he had written a simple little carol for the Christmas Sunday School service, and he asked me to write the tune to it. Mr. Brooks came to me on Friday and said, ‘Redner, have you ground out that music yet?’ I replied, ‘No,’ but that he should have it by Sunday. On the Saturday night previous, my brain was all confused about the tune. I thought more about my Sunday school lesson than I did about the music. But I was roused from sleep late in the night, hearing angelic music whispering in my ear, and seizing a piece of music paper, I jotted down the treble of the tune as we now have it, and on Sunday morning before going to church, I filled in the harmony. Neither Mr. Brooks nor I ever thought the carol or the music to it would live beyond that Christmas of 1868.” (4) How wrong they were! O Little Town of Bethlehem “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. For Christ is born of Mary; and, gathered all above,while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love.O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,and praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n!So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav’n.No ear may hear His coming but in this world of sin,where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in. O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!” (5) Carol #3 Do you know what is the world’s most-recorded Christmas song, with more than 137,000 known recordings? (6) In 1818, “Father Joseph Mohr, in Austria, is preparing the music for [Christmas Eve] midnight mass and asks his friend Franz Gruber, a schoolteacher, to write a guitar accompaniment for a poem that he had written two years earlier. That night, the two men sang their brand new song at St. Nicholas church, and one of our best-loved Christmas carols was born. A version of the song recorded by Bing Crosby in 1935 sold a whopping 30 million copies.” (7) What prompted the song? “The words were written in 1816…not long after the Napoleonic wars had taken their toll. The priest went for a walk, and he looked out over a very quiet, winter-laden town. He was inspired...the town was at peace.” (8)  And this provoked the classic, “Silent Night.” Silent Night “ Silent night, holy night , All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child ,  Holy Infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.” (9) Do yourself a favor and use the link below the prayer to listen to Chris Tomlin’s version of Silent Night. You’ll be glad you did. Pray with me: Jesus, we thank You, along with Isaac Watts, for coming to earth and making Your blessings flow, far as the curse is found. Your right hand has gained the victory for You (Psalm 98:1), and You have made known Your salvation and revealed Your righteousness to the nations (verse 2). You tell us to “shout joyfully,” breaking forth with praise (verse 4); that the seas roar, the rivers clap, and the mountains sing for joy (verses 7-8) because Christ is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and equity (verse 9). As we ponder the wonder of Your great gift to us, Father, we thank You, along with Phillip Brooks, for the everlasting light that shone in the dark streets of Bethlehem. In that quiet town, on that night so long ago, the hopes and fears of all the years met in the birth of our Savior. Thank You for this great gift. Link to:  Silent Night, sung by Chris Tomlin Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World   https://hymnary.org/text/joy_to_the_world_the_lord_is_come https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60596/origins-10-popular-christmas-carols   https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/o-little-town-of-bethlehem   https://hymnary.org/text/o_little_town_of_bethlehem   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night   https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1xW4JCVM4y33tbZBycYmYqG/5-facts-about-silent-night#:~:text=A%20commonly%20held%20myth%20is,Mohr%20also%20played%20the%20guitar https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/lists/7-beloved-christmas-carols-their-origins   https://hymnary.org/text/silent_night_holy_night_all_is_calm_all

A Fun Christmas Memory “In the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.’”  Luke 2:8-14 (NASB) “Great joy…for all people,”  are some of the words spoken by the angel on the night of Christ’s birth. Today’s post is intended to stir up some joy in you. We live in precarious and perilous times, punctuated by evil dictators, corrupt governments, power-crazed politicians, woke educators, and God-haters. In the midst o f e vil and chaos, let me remind you that joy is a fruit of the spirit, not the emotions, and therefore is not based on circumstances. Happiness is based on circumstances which we can’t always control; joy, however, originates in our spirit and therefore flows from Holy Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22). In the angel’s announcement above, the word “great” is the Greek word megas, from which we get the English word “mega.” Megas  means over and above, above and beyond, more than enough.  Recalling pleasant memories of past Christmases is a wonderful way to awaken joy during the holidays. They can be from when you were a child, or even as a parent or grandparent, spending time with family. The memory/memories could be of a gift you gave, or one you were given. Maybe it’s a sleigh ride, a ski trip, a family trip, watching the Nutcracker, or Christmas movies with mom, or a football game with dad. Think of something and let it unlock some joy. Laughter is good. God said it’s like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22). Think of something from a Christmas past that’ll make you laugh. Here’s one of mine. We once had a dog named Mercedes. Sadie, as we called her, was a Boxer. God used Mercedes greatly in my life. She taught me patience, humility, poop-scooping, and the price of dog ACL surgery. I didn’t actually mind the poop-scooping in and of itself; it was the mocking laughter I could see in her eyes as I did it that irritated me. We bought Mercedes–yes, I paid for these lessons–because we moved to a rural area where coyotes and foxes could endanger our two other smaller dogs  - they needed a bodyguard. Besides, everyone needs THREE dogs! The plan backfired. Mercedes took over our home. Ceci and the girls actually went to obedience school with her a few times. That helped - Sadie learned to sit. She came home and asserted her dominance by sitting on my chest. Seriously. I was stretched out on the floor watching a football game with a nice fire in the fireplace, when she looked proudly over at the girls and sat on my chest. “Good girl. Good sit,” they said, through uncontrolled laughter. True story. Then there was the time she TP’d (toilet papered) the backyard. Yep, she did. We had a fenced backyard, so at times, when we left the house, we’d leave the back sliding door open a foot or so to give the dogs some freedom. Upon returning home from church one Sunday, there was a trail of toilet paper from the powder room (for all you guys, that’s the half-bath you keep clean for guests) leading through the family room, out the back door, and into the yard. Once in the backyard, it seemed that Sadie’s creative side kicked in. She went over, under, around, and through, making circles, figure 8’s, and more. Then she did her “business” w hile I cleaned up the toilet paper. And if you don’t see the cruel irony of that, then you’re pretty slow. I swear she was laughing. True story. But perhaps my most humiliating experience with Mercedes was when I had to chase her around on the roof of our two-story house. I was hanging Christmas lights–you thought I had gotten off the subject of Christmas, didn’t you–and with the house layout, it was easy access to a portion of the roof from our daughter’s bedroom casement window seat. From there, I could walk to the remainder of the roof, even the higher parts. Of course, I left the window open.  I was on all fours, carefully placing hooks for the lights on the gutters, when suddenly I heard a noise behind me. I turned, and there was Mercedes–she had joined me! I panicked. If she fell off this two-story roof and hurt herself, Ceci and the girls would never forgive me. My tone of voice and panicked attempt to grab Sadie scared her. She, of course, began running around and wouldn’t come to me. So I chased her, which caused her to run more…Kevin Costner became known to the Native Americans as “the man who dances with wolves.” I became known in our neighborhood as “man who dances with dog on roof.” True story. Remember something today that makes you laugh. If you can’t think of anything, picture me with a 70-pound, well-trained, obedience school graduate Boxer sitting on my chest. The Message version of Proverbs 17:22 says,  “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.” Laugh. It’ll do you good. Pray with me: Father, in these precarious and perilous times, punctuated by evil dictators, corrupt and power-crazed politicians, terrorists, woke educators, and God-haters, we can still have joy. Cause the spirit of joy to rise up in Your people today. Even those in difficult circumstances, may the strength that results from joy arise in them. Temper their grief with moments of joy. If it needs to be a supernatural impartation, please do that. Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus, who brought us mega joy. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.” Because of Him, we can rejoice. Remind us to remain focused on Him this Christmas season. And we pray for our nation. Please deliver our nation from evil doers; expose terrorists and their plans. Deliver us also from the devastation our sin and turning away from You has caused. Give us the joy that comes from true revival. Cause the awakening to create a national deliverance and turn millions toward righteousness. This has begun, but we need it to become a tidal wave! We thank You for all of this, and ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that “joy unspeakable and full of glory” is ours today through Christ. (1 Peter 1:8) Click on the link below to watch the full video.