Introduction Last week, I shared a prophetic word given to Chuck Pierce, which instructed us to offer praise to God three times a day for a week. The word said this would release God’s judgments against lies that have held America captive. You can read Chuck’s prophetic word here . The seven days ended yesterday, but many of us who heard about and started the weeklong process after it began are continuing for a few more days, simply to honor the Lord and “contribute” our week of praise. Following up on Chuck’s word, I wrote two posts last week on the power of praise, and more importantly, why it is so powerful. I will continue this theme through Wednesday. The title of today’s post is: Earth-Shaking Praise In today’s post, I would like to highlight two biblical accounts that illustrate the power of praise. The first is from 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. In this passage, Judah was about to be invaded by a great multitude of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites (vs. 1-2). Judah’s king, Jehoshaphat, called for prayer.  “We don’t know what to do,”  he said to the Lord,  “but our eyes are on You”  (v. 12). The Lord’s response to Jehoshaphat and Judah was that this battle was not theirs, but His; they would not even need to fight. Just put their trust in Him and His prophets, and they would succeed (verses 14-20). When it came time for the battle, Judah was told to simply offer praise to the Lord (v. 21). They obeyed, sending a choir ahead of their army. The choir sang,  “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting”  (v. 21).  The praise brought the presence of the Lord, and as we saw when Jesus walked the earth, God’s presence has a very unsettling effect on demonic forces. When Yeshua showed up, demons screamed and cried out for mercy. Here in 2 Chronicles, God’s enemies became so disoriented and confused that they began to fight and kill one another (v. 22-23)! The passage says God “ambushed” them. The Hebrew word used means “to lurk, or lie in wait.” I love it! God was “lurking” in the atmosphere waiting for Judah’s praise to usher Him onto the battlefield. And just to make sure we make this connection, the Lord began verse 22 with the words, “And when they began singing and praising.” I am confident that as we have been praising and worshiping over these past few days, God has been setting ambushes against those who oppose Him in Washington, D.C. He was “lurking” in the heavenly realm over our nation’s capital, just waiting for our praise to invite Him in. Praise attracts God’s presence, and His presence routs the enemy.  Paul and Silas Acts 16 gives us another powerful illustration of this. It’s the fairly well-known story of Paul and Silas praising God in their prison cell, which resulted in an earthquake that caused their deliverance. When recounted, the emphasis is almost always on their miraculous deliverance. However, the chapter and account are about SO MUCH MORE than just their deliverance. It begins with Paul and his missionary team traveling and preaching the gospel in different regions. When they started to go in several different directions to different cities, Holy Spirit repeatedly stopped them. He finally gave Paul a dream or night vision: “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us” (verse 9).  The team obeyed, going to Philippi, and a remarkable series of events transpired. They led an influential businesswoman named Lydia to the Lord. They then cast out a spirit of divination from a slave-girl who brought great profit to her masters through her fortune-telling. Her masters were angry and had Paul and Silas beaten, thrown in jail, and put in stocks. At midnight, these two battered and bloody warriors began singing hymns of praise to God. The Lord heard their praise, and always enjoying the company of His kids, rushed to Philippi and into this jail cell. In His haste, it seems the Lord landed a little too hard! The earth shook, the chains broke loose, and all the prisoners were freed! Rather than fleeing, however, they decided to lead the jailer and his family to Christ and baptize them. It would seem that revival broke out in Philippi, and the Philippian church became one of the Lord’s key strongholds in the region.  As I mentioned earlier, it is clear that this passage is about so much more than these apostles’ great deliverance. God had a bigger plan. Lydia was the  first convert in Europe, and Philippi was the  first church established on the European continent. Let that sink in: the gospel was invading a new continent! These events became earth-shaking, quite literally.  And it was all born of praise. Not just the praise that occurred in the jail cell, by the way. Lydia, we are told, was “a worshiper of God”  (v. 14). Even though she had not yet heard the gospel regarding the Messiah and therefore had not yet been born again, she was a devout Jewish worshiper of Yahweh. Perhaps it was her worship that created the vision inviting Paul to Macedonia! One thing is certain: praise and worship played a significant role in the gospel’s breakthrough into Europe.  Last week, when God told us to praise Him, and that this would create breakthrough in Washington, D.C., there is ample biblical evidence of the word’s validity, as you can see. Keep it up. Praise Him, and as you do, ask Him to invade our nation’s capital, ambush His enemies, and shake it with His mighty power.  When Chuck sent me this word last week, he included Jeremiah 49:16, saying the verse indicated God’s intentions against His enemies in D.C. Chuck actually sent it to me from two translations: “‘Your fierceness has deceived you, the pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill! Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there,’ says the LORD.”  (NKJV) “‘Your capacity to terrorize has deceived you and made you arrogant. You make your home in the rocky crags and seize the top of the mountain; but even if you build your nest high as an eagle’s, from there I will drag you down,’ says ADONAI.” (AMP) And, so be it! Pray with me: As our prayer and decree today, let’s use praise from the great hymn written by Martin Luthur, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God . “A mighty Fortress is our God,
a Bulwark never failing. Our Helper He amid the flood,
of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe,
doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate. On earth is not His equal. “Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing. Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
 Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He!
 Lord Sabaoth, His Name,
from age to age the same.
 And He must win the battle. “And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us. We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him. His rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure.
 One little word shall fell him. “That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth.
 The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
through Him who with us sideth.
 Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also.
 The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still. His Kingdom is forever!” (1) Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hymnary.org/text/a_mighty_fortress_is_our_god_a_bulwark

Review Holy Spirit gave my friend, Chuck Pierce, a very important prophetic word this past weekend. It refers to a seven-day window and assignment, running from this past Monday through this upcoming Sunday (Nov. 10-16). During this week-long window, the Lord is asking us to release praise to Him three times a day. The seven days have obviously already begun, but you can still participate. Please do so, perhaps even adding a few days, so that you also do a total of seven days. God would certainly honor that. You can find Chuck’s prophetic word and my explanation in Wednesday’s post . Today I want to talk about why  we praise the Lord, which I also did yesterday. Why would God ask for this? Our title is: The Invitation God loves being with us. Consider the following invitation:  “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me”  (Revelation 3:20 KJV). The Almighty, the Creator, the Everlasting God of heaven and earth wants some time with us.  Do you, like me, find it interesting that He knocks on the door? I suppose God could simply knock it down. Or just walk through it! But that would be an intrusion, and God doesn’t intrude into our space; He waits to be invited in. Like anyone, He wants to be celebrated, not tolerated. Two hidden meanings in this verse reveal far deeper insights than can be seen through a casual reading. The word “sup” in this verse is not a generic word for eating. This is the word in biblical times for the main evening meal. The Jewish new day began in the evening, at sunset. At this evening meal, the family would discuss the day’s events, and while doing so, the new day would begin and be planned. Jesus is saying to us in this verse, “Let me into your world. Let’s dine, fellowship, and plan the new day.” A second possible interpretation is given in the margin of The Passion Translation: “The Aramaic can be translated ‘I have been standing at the door, knocking.’ Jesus knocking on the door points us to the process of an ancient Jewish wedding invitation. In the days of Jesus, a bridegroom and his father would come to the door of the bride-to-be carrying the betrothal cup of wine and the bride-price. Standing outside, they would knock. If she fully opened the door, she was saying, ‘Yes, I will be your bride.’ Jesus and his Father, in the same way, are knocking on the doors of our hearts, inviting us to be the bride of Christ.” What an invitation! In this verse, the Lord began by saying,  “If any man hears My voice . . .”  Hearing and discerning God’s voice is not a gift, but a learned art. We must learn to commune with the Lord as a real person and on a personal level. When you take the time to wait and listen, you learn to allow God to be a part of your thinking. His thoughts become yours. The obvious insinuation in this phrase is that our  actions, not His, will determine whether or not we hear Him. Again, sensitivity is learned and developed. Like the frequencies on a radio, our minds and hearts must tune in. A few years ago, one of my staff members shared a humorous episode about listening. “My sister-in-law was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner and planning for various family activities. As she did, her young daughter spoke to her about several different and important things in her life, to which mom would periodically mumble, ‘Uh-huh.’ Finally, wanting to do something to make this more of a two-sided conversation, the little girl tugged on her mother’s arm to get her full attention. Once she knew her mother was really listening, she said, ‘Mom, why don’t you talk for a while now, and I’ll say Uh-huh.’” (1) I can’t help but wonder how often God is knocking and calling, only to find us so busy we really aren’t listening. He will never treat us this way. You’ll never find Him so busy with others or so distracted running the universe that He feigns attentiveness to you, mumbling “uh-huh” while actually thinking about something else. He has plenty of undistracted time for you, and He’d like some in return. The Scriptures tell us God is actually “searching” for this level of relationship. From the moment we were separated from Him by Adam’s sin, He began the search. “Where are you?” He called to Adam and Eve as they hid from Him (Genesis 3:9). Incredibly, we’re told that His eyes “move to and fro”  throughout the earth looking for those whose hearts are fully His (2 Chronicles 16:9). One of my favorite Bible stories as a young kid was of a man named Zacchaeus. He was a hated tax collector who had become wealthy, most likely by defrauding people, charging them more than they actually owed. Somehow, this man had become enamored with Jesus, so much so that he climbed a tree to get a good look at Him as He passed through his village. Jesus wanted Zacchaeus to get more than a look, however; He invited Himself over for dinner! “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). Jesus knocked, and Zacchaeus opened. The visit was obviously impactful - it always is when Jesus comes over for dinner.  “Lord, half of my possessions I’ll give to the poor,”  he promised before the dinner ended, “and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much”  (Luke 19:8). When challenged as to why He would be the guest of this thieving “sinner,” Jesus merely referenced His own “searching heart.” “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost .” Christ simply has an insatiable desire to eat and fellowship with friends, family, and seekers. Jesus was on a mission then; He’s on the same mission now. He wants some time and conversation with you. The next time He knocks, open the door. Make your house one of the regular stops for His searching eyes. Let no distraction interfere. May your heart always remain an open door to Jesus, as you seek to mature in the art of discerning His knock and voice. As His eyes search this world for a surrendered heart with which to commune, may His gaze always stop with you. Welcome Him to sit at the supper table of your soul to dine and dialogue with you.  As we give Him praise today, fulfilling the word from the prophet, let’s not do it out of duty. That will bring neither Him nor us any pleasure. Do it from the heart, knowing that He wants to spend time with us. Invite Jesus into your world and our nation. When He shows up, His enemies scatter; they melt like wax in front of a fire (Psalm 68:1-2).  What a way to win a battle! Pray this Psalm with me: “God! Arise with awesome power, and every one of your enemies will scatter in fear! Chase them away—all these God-haters. Blow them away as a puff of smoke. Melt them away like wax in the fire. One good look at You and the wicked vanish. But let all the righteous be glad! Yes, let them all rejoice in Your presence and be carried away with gladness. Let them laugh and be radiant with joy! Let them sing their celebration songs for the coming of the cloud rider whose name is Yahweh!  “To the fatherless, He is a father. To the widow, He is a champion friend. The lonely He makes part of a family. The prisoners He leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in His Holy Place! But for the rebels, there is heartache and despair.  “O Lord, it was You who marched in front of Your people, leading them through the wasteland. (Pause in His presence) The earth shook beneath Your feet; the heavens filled with clouds before the presence of the God of Sinai. The sacred mountain shook at the sight of the face of Israel’s God. You, O God, sent the reviving rain upon Your weary inheritance, showers of blessing to refresh it. So there Your people settled. And in Your kindness, You provided the poor with abundance.”   (Psalm 68:1-10 TPT) Click on the link below to watch the full video. Dutch Sheets, Watchman Prayer  (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2000), 47.

Introduction Holy Spirit gave my friend, Chuck Pierce, a very important prophetic word this past weekend. It refers to a seven-day window and an assignment, running from this past Monday through this upcoming Sunday (Nov. 10-16). During this week-long window, the Lord is asking us to release praise to Him three times a day on behalf of our nation. The seven days have obviously already begun, but you can still participate. Please do so, perhaps even adding a few days, so that you also do a total of seven days. God will certainly honor that. You can find Chuck’s prophetic word and my explanation in yesterday’s post . For today and tomorrow, I would like to discuss why we praise the Lord and why God asks us to do so. Our title is: Why Our Praise Is a Weapon Elevators are convenient. . . and sometimes awkward. Who in their right mind likes being in an elevator with people they don’t know? The longer the ride, the louder the silence. Several years ago, I was trapped in the back of one of those torture chambers in the airport of one of the vacation capitals of the world - Orlando, Florida. There were only about a HUNDRED people in this elevator! Who hasn’t heard of Disney World, Epcot, and other hot spots there? And based on the lines at these tourist attractions, every person in the world has been there! Consequently, the airport is crowded and hectic. When the elevator stopped at my floor and the door opened, no one moved. After a couple of seconds, thinking no one else was getting off at this level, I spoke up rather urgently from the back, “Excuse me, I need to get off here.” You’d have thought I asked for everyone’s phone number! Backs stiffened, heads turned, eyes glared, and the man closest to the door turned and - in a most condescending tone - scolded me. “Be patient,” he snarled. “I’m just trying to be a gentleman and let the ladies off first.” After we all exited, one of the ladies with him turned to me and, rather snootily, decided to become my therapist: “You need a vacation, sir. We are in Orlando; why don’t you take a few days off and chill?”  I was tired, and perhaps this had caused me to unintentionally speak louder than I realized. Or maybe my urgency sounded like impatience. What did I do? Being the godly man that I am, I took it on the chin and calmly moved on - WITH MY BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATED AND MY INNER THOUGHTS EXPLAINING TO THEM WHAT IDIOTS THEY WERE! And being the spiritual giant I am, within a few short weeks, I had forgiven them - as you can tell! - and moved on.  Doesn’t take me long! Most of us dislike being misunderstood and misjudged - especially in an elevator! I don’t think God likes it either, and He is, without doubt, the most misunderstood person in existence. Perceived as distant, He is often ignored. Considered judgmental and legalistic, He is thought by some to be intimidating and one to steer clear of. And mistakenly thought of by His children as one who likes hearing how great He is, He is praised. LOL - I had you, then I lost you. Before you stop reading or listening, hear me out. Obviously, praising and worshiping God is a good and appropriate thing to do. It’s our reason for doing so that needs some tweaking. Yahweh isn’t narcissistic, needing to be told how wonderful He is in order to satisfy an inflated ego. Nor is He insecure, needing to be reassured that He really is awesome. He doesn’t show off - praise doesn’t stimulate some macho corner of His heart, motivating Him to action in order to demonstrate His power. And He can’t be bought - our worship doesn’t cause Him to “reward” us with His presence and power simply because we made Him feel good. Frankly, God neither needs  nor desires to be told how great, unique, powerful, or loving He is. The Almighty is quite confident and very secure. He does, however, seek worshipers.   The difference is huge - immeasurably so. We ARE the worship . God longs for the singer, not the song. Our hearts are what transforms singing into worship, not the words and music. God would rather have a love-filled glance from our eyes than a song parroted from our lips. We can, in fact, worship without even opening our mouths.  Enoch was translated to heaven without experiencing death. Why? He brought pleasure to God (Hebrews 11:5) by walking with God (Genesis 5:24). Notice that God uses the word “walking,” not “worshipping.” His worship was released - not just with words - but through his actions and his life. I’m certainly not downplaying the incredible importance of music and singing. I’m simply pointing out what makes these actions worship.  When my kids were young and anxiously waited for Daddy to come home from work, they didn’t meet me at the door with a song. They jumped into my arms and gave me a big hug. When God created us, He made kids, not a choir; family members, not church members; He’s into love, not liturgy. And it wasn’t His “lording” nature that prompted Him to create us - He could have made a few billion more angels had that been His desire. It was His loving nature. God is a father at heart. Jesus, who came to earth to reveal to us what God is truly like (John 1:18), gave a profound glimpse of Abba’s loving and relational heart through an encounter with a rather loose-living woman. Looking for love in all the wrong places, this five-time divorced, currently shacked-up societal outcast was about to meet a man who wanted her heart, not her body.  Christ told her He knew her lifestyle, yet His actions proved He wasn’t condemning her. He had assured her that He could satisfy her thirsty heart by placing a well of salvation in her. He shifted the concept of worship from the place to the  person , which was a radical paradigm shift in her day. I’m sure she had never thought about this, and certainly not that God was actually seeking worshipers. “He’d like you to be one” was the obvious invitation. She was hooked. That God might actually be seeking her companionship, not her body, was beyond this woman’s wildest dreams. How could He possibly want her? But He did. In one moment, her shame was broken, and joy filled her heart. It feels good to be wanted for the right reasons. This new worshiper was so excited that she ran and told her village about Jesus, and ultimately, the entire community came to believe in Him. Jesus was too excited to eat! The great psalm of praise, Psalm 149, tells us that as we praise God, the sword of the Lord is released against His enemies, those who oppose His rule (verses 6-9). However, one of the preceding verses (v. 4) tells us why: “the Lord takes pleasure in His people!” The reason our praise is a weapon against evil is because our all-powerful God responds by showing up! Our relational God, Abba, is moved by our affection - He desires our company. That is what attracts Him to praise, not His ego. Our Father inhabits our praise (Psalm 22:3) because He loves spending time with us. Let’s make the great 149th Psalm our prayer and decree today.  Pray Psalm 149 (TPT) with me today: Triumphant Praise “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! It’s time to sing to God a brand-new song so that all His holy people will hear how wonderful He is! May Israel be enthused with joy because of Him, and may the sons of Zion pour out their joyful praises to their King. Break forth with dancing! Make music and sing God’s praises with the rhythm of drums! For He enjoys His faithful lovers. “He adorns the humble with His beauty, and He loves to give them victory. His godly lovers triumph in the glory of God, and their joyful praises will rise even while others sleep. God’s high and holy praises fill their mouths, for their shouted praises are their weapons of war! These warring weapons will bring vengeance on the nations and every resistant power— to bind kings with chains and rulers with iron shackles.  “Praise-filled warriors will enforce the judgment decreed against their enemies. This is the honor He gives to all His godly lovers. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!”

A Seven-Day Assignment Holy Spirit gave my friend, Chuck Pierce, a very important prophetic word this past weekend. It refers to a seven-day window and assignment, running from this past Monday through this Sunday (Nov. 10-16). Even though the seven days have obviously already begun, we can still participate! Here is Chuck’s word, then I will make a few comments: “I am calling My people into a seven-day awareness. The next seven days, you must be aware. Praise Me like you’ve never praised Me before. As you praise, come into agreement with Me, saying, ‘I want a nation to come alive over the next seven days. I want the lie structure that is holding this nation to be captured. I want the liars to start being divided and for God-inspired decisions to be made about the future.’ “For this nation has been layered with lies from past administrations. This has formed a veil of deception that has hindered My will for the future. I will begin to divide the structure of lies and those who have followed the lies. From that, clarity will come, allowing wise decisions to be made that will affect the atmosphere of this nation for the next two years.  “The next seven days are key to an announcement that there is a future in this land. This must be contended for. Move forward with Me. Praise Me in the morning, praise Me at noon, and praise Me at night. Then I will come down, inhabit the praise, and break the hold of those that are holding their finger in place over what I desire to do. This will be a week that I remove fingers that are touching what I long to accomplish in this land. I will do that by putting My finger on the real issues in the next seven days.” My Thoughts This prophecy clearly states that we are in a critical seven-day window of opportunity. As is often the case, the Lord has chosen not to give specific details regarding what is taking place behind the scenes, only that we are in this window and He is asking us to participate with Him.  This prophetic word speaks of a veil of deception built from lies in the government of America. It should not surprise us to hear the Lord say this; we know that many in our government are dishonest and have created a web of deceit. The roots of this are spiritual. Jesus said the devil is a liar, the father of lies, and that there is no truth in him (John 8:44). He then told the Pharisees that the devil was their father, and that they were following His desires. Likewise, we have many in Washington, D.C., following their father, the devil. This word is telling us we have reached a point where their web of deceit over America can be broken. The Lord said He will divide their structures and their unity. In other words, He will dismantle that which they have built, cause it to unravel, and even divide those who have worked together. It is fascinating that we are already starting to see this begin. I have never seen those on the Left fight against each other as they have this week (regarding the government shutdown). They are feeding on those in their ranks who voted to reopen the government, and Senator Schumer for not stopping them, like piranha in a bloody pond.  But God not only said He would divide them, but would dismantle their web of deceit and break the hold of their fingers. The picture I have is of a strong hand peeling back the clenched fingers of someone trying to maintain their hold on an item. The Lord said they were touching and attempting to hold back His will/what He desires to do. This word clearly points out the fact that God works in partnership with His body and family. He certainly has enough power to do this without our help, but that is not how He operates. He wants — and because of this decision — he needs our partnership. He told us in James 4:2 that at times we have not simply because we haven’t asked. “Contend for this,” He tells us through this word.  Holy Spirit clearly tells us that if we participate in these 7 days of praise and awareness, it will enable wise decisions to be made this week that will affect the atmosphere of America for the next two years.  He also told us to be “aware!” This speaks to me of the watchman concept in Scripture. One of the meanings of the multiple Hebrew and Greek words for watchman in Scripture is simply to be aware! Some translations use the phrase “be alert,” or “be on the alert.” This tells me Holy Spirit will reveal issues throughout the week that He wants us to pray for and/or make decrees regarding. Those who listen intently to Holy Spirit will partner with Him in unusual ways.  And lastly, Holy Spirit emphasizes the instructions of radically praising God, telling us to do so morning, noon, and night. This is perhaps a way of instructing us to praise Him throughout the day, all day long. In other words, stay in an attitude and heart of praise throughout the entire day. It could also mean to literally set aside three times a day–morning, noon, night–and give Him praise. For example, in Daniel 6:10, Daniel entered a season in which he prayed and offered thanks to God three times a day, defying orders not to do so.  The results were remarkable. Daniel was thrown into a den of lions in order to destroy him. God sovereignly closed the mouths of the lions and protected Daniel. The king was so moved that he threw Daniel‘s enemies into the lions’ den, and released the following decree to the entire kingdom: “I issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever.  He rescues, saves, and performs signs and miracles in heaven and on earth, He who has also rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”  (Daniel 6:26-27; NASB) A king, his kingdom, and the purposes of God were all impacted by Daniel‘s prayers and the Lord‘s response. Verse 28 of this chapter adds that Daniel enjoyed success from that point forward in the reigns of Darius and Cyrus. Wow! There are some amazing results.  Let’s join Chuck in this. Jump into the week, be radical in your praise, and allow God to inhabit those praises with his mighty power (Psalm 22:3). Let’s seize this moment of opportunity to impact our nation. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for this window of opportunity in America. As we obey Your instructions, we ask You for sensitivity and discernment. Help us to remain alert - aware! We commit to creating a throne for You with our praise (Psalm 22:3), a place from which You can rule in our nation. Dismantle evil structures, expose lies, and unravel webs of deceit. Give us this week the breakthrough You spoke of. Peel off the fingers holding back Your plans and release the announcement that Your future for America is secure. Bring forth the wise decisions You spoke of, decisions that will affect the atmosphere of our nation. We conclude today by offering You praise from Psalm 117, the Passion Translation: “Let everyone everywhere shine with praise to Yahweh! Let it all out! Go ahead and praise him! For He has conquered us with His great love, and His kindness has melted our hearts. His faithfulness lasts forever, and He will never fail you. So go ahead, let it all out! Praise Yahweh!” Our decree: We declare that God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Honoring our Veterans Today is Veterans Day, a significant holiday in the United States dedicated to honoring military veterans who have served in our Armed Forces. Observed annually on November 11, this day is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have donned the uniform to protect the freedoms and rights that U.S. citizens enjoy today. The origins of Veterans Day date back to the aftermath of World War I. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was established to commemorate the end of hostilities on the Western Front, which occurred on November 11, 1918. The day was first observed as a federal holiday in 1938, intended to honor the veterans of World War I. However, after World War II and the Korean War, there was a growing recognition that the day should commemorate all American veterans, not just those who fought in World War I. Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, another federal holiday that honors those who died while serving in the military. While Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and pays tribute to fallen soldiers, Veterans Day celebrates all veterans who have served in the military, both living and deceased. It is a day for reflection, gratitude, and recognition of the sacrifices made by these individuals and their families. The observance of Veterans Day includes various ceremonies and events nationwide. Many communities hold parades to honor and celebrate veterans for their service. Schools often participate in educational programs that help students understand the importance of the day and the contributions of veterans. In addition to local events, the National Veterans Day Observance is held at Arlington National Cemetery, where a wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This solemn event underscores the nation’s commitment to honor those who have served, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice. On Veterans Day each year, we must remember the importance of honoring those who have served in our military. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made for the freedoms we often take for granted. Each story of service is unique, yet collectively, they contribute to our history and identity. By recognizing and celebrating the contributions of veterans, we acknowledge the complexities of their experiences and reaffirm our commitment to supporting them as they transition to civilian life. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the challenges that veterans face upon returning home. Many veterans struggle with issues such as PTSD, unemployment, and reintegration into civilian life. Veterans Day serves as a reminder to the entire nation of the cost of freedom. It is a day to reflect on the values of courage, duty, and sacrifice that veterans embody. Citizens are encouraged to express their gratitude, whether by attending local events, volunteering for veteran organizations, or simply taking a moment to thank a veteran for their service. We ask you to do this - express your thanks to a veteran today. Jennifer Ostan, a family friend and wife of a wounded warrior, shared the following in a previous Give Him 15 Veterans Day Post ( Link ): “To our veterans: You took a sacred oath to defend this great nation – today, we honor that single act of courage that shaped your life forever. Thank you, dear sir or ma’am, for answering a call that few have chosen, and for being willing to lay down your life for your fellow Americans. Whether you’ve come out on the other side of your service “healthy,” “wounded,” or “somewhere in between,” we know you’ve paid a price – and that does not go unnoticed.  “We say to you today that we value your service, we honor your selflessness, and we salute you for your sacrifice. As President Truman so aptly stated: ‘Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices. ’(1) “We echo those words as we renew our national promise – you have our undying gratitude, and we will not forget your sacrifices!  “Now, to those of you who have not served in our military, today is about the veterans, but it is also about how you can communicate your gratitude and convey value for their sacrifice. In preparation for this post, I asked several veterans to share examples of how they feel honored. Here are their answers: I don’t need much, a simple thank you and a smile goes a long, long way.   It’s the little things that make me feel proud – a handshake on the street, a stranger buying my coffee, or a text from a friend. I love seeing the hometown parades and people coming together to cheer us on! It’s a stark contrast from the days of the Vietnam War. It means so much when children come up and shake my hand – I love it when they ask me about my service. I hope they continue to teach this kind of honor to the kids.  “Clearly, your simple act of acknowledging veterans’ service as valuable goes a long way in making them feel honored. The next step is being intentional to teach children and grandchildren to do the same – this way our national promise can remain unbroken.” In conclusion, Veterans Day is more than just a holiday; it is an opportunity for all Americans to come together in gratitude and respect for the men and women who have served in the military. It reminds us of their sacrifice and service, urging us to ensure that veterans receive the recognition, support, and care they deserve. As we honor their legacy, we ensure a brighter future for those who have bravely defended our nation. Today, as we now enter a new season where honor and patriotism are being restored, we sincerely recognize and esteem our beloved veterans, and say THANK YOU. Thank you for your sacrifice and the sacrifices made by your families. God bless you, God Bless America. Pray with me: Father, we are very grateful for the freedoms and liberty we enjoy in our nation. We are so very blessed to possess these liberties, the opportunities they afford, and the incredibly abundant resources we enjoy in America.  On this Veterans Day, we take time to pray for those who have sacrificed to procure and protect these blessings. We pray especially for those who have lost family members fighting for us and others. Please give them comfort, strength, and provision. Motivate all of us Americans to do a better job of caring for them.  We also pray for those who have been wounded and are still suffering. Comfort them as they cope with physical, mental, and emotional trauma; for some, it is significant. We ask this, as well, for their family members, who also suffer stress and pain from these wounds. We ask that, as a nation, You would further awaken our citizens to the needs and challenges these veterans face. Remind us of the price they have paid, and give us hearts to love and serve our soldiers and their families, just as they have served us.  And lastly, we ask You for a sweeping revival in our military and their families. It will bring immeasurable comfort and healing to thousands when they come into a meaningful relationship with You. Pour out Your Spirit on them! Heal bodies, minds, and hearts.  And we ask all of this in Christ’s holy name. Amen.  Our decree: Today, we declare the blessing, strength, and comfort of the Lord to our veterans and their families.  Major (Ret.) Will Ostan and his wife, Jennifer, host the Arc of Justice USA website ( arcofjusticeusa.org ), where you can learn how to help our veterans. You can also learn more about Major Ostan and read his personal story at: willostan.com Click on the link below to watch the full video. Lipinski, Dan. “Top 25 Dan Lipinski Quotes (2022 Update).” Quotefancy , https://quotefancy.com/dan-lipinski-quotes . Accessed 9 November 2022.

Right on Time In 1 Samuel 16:12-13, David was anointed to be king over Israel: “And [Jesse] sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”  (KJV) Most scholars believe that David was between 10 and 15 years of age when this occurred. However, it was more than 20 years before Samuel’s prophecy to David was fulfilled in 2 Samuel 5:1-5: “ Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, ‘Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in.’ And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron, he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem, he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. ” (NAS) According to these verses, David was 30 years old when he became king. HOWEVER, the first 7 years of his reign, David was king over only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, commonly referred to simply as Judah (verses 4-5); Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, ruled over the actual nation of Israel. During the seven years David ruled Judah, his throne was in Hebron. Finally, when he was 37, the prophecy was fulfilled, and David was made king over all of Israel, moving his throne to Jerusalem. The math isn’t complicated: if David was 10 years old when Samuel anointed him, and 37 when he took the throne, it means he waited 27 years before the word was fully fulfilled; if he was 11 when anointed, he waited 26 years, and so on. My point is simply that David waited a long time before his promise came to pass.  And the waiting was anything but pleasant. During those years, David was horribly persecuted by King Saul, became an outcast from Israel, lived in caves, and struggled just to survive. His home was not a palace, but a cave named Adullam. Many of David’s prayers and declarations in the Psalms were written during this time. In Psalm 27:1, he penned, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?”  (NAS) These words are much more meaningful when we realize David wrote them by candlelight in a dark, damp cave, during a time when the king of Israel had a bounty on his head!  David did not write the incredible 23rd Psalm, which has brought comfort to untold millions over the years, in a coffee shop or an air-conditioned office. He wrote it while fleeing from Saul, in exile from his own people, and living among strangers - even enemies. His life was continually threatened. The Psalm is an outpouring of David’s confidence in the Lord and trust in His care, even when experiencing the very real threat of death. He drew on memories of shepherding and protecting his father’s sheep to picture the Lord’s care for him. “Just as I was their shepherd, You are my Shepherd.” David declared. “You feed me, protect me, and comfort me.” He wrote the amazing 91st Psalm during this same season of his life. While living in caves, David declared that he was dwelling in the shelter of the Most High, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. Take some time and read this Psalm as you consider David’s circumstances. What amazing declarations of faith; what an incredible trust in the Lord he possessed.  God did not waste David’s Adullam years; they were part of his training. This doesn’t mean God caused the evil, hatred, and treachery of those who attacked him. It means that God brought good from the evil, making it serve His purposes and David’s destiny: David learned to trust He learned to lead, beginning with an army of misfits and outcasts (1 Samuel 22:2) He learned humility He learned to overcome rejection and betrayal He learned to appreciate the small things He learned to wait He learned of God’s faithfulness And he learned to love the presence of God When a journey toward a God-given promise becomes unexpectedly long, is plagued with difficult delays, and fraught with monumental challenges, remember that the delays haven’t taken Him by surprise. God knew how long the process would take: He foresaw the obstacles, planned how you would overcome them, and determined how He would use them to prepare you for your destiny. With these things in mind, He started you on the journey far enough in advance to get you there right on time.  When you finally arrive at the fulfillment, you’ll realize you didn’t arrive late…just like David. One more thing. The seven years David spent reigning over Judah in Hebron were not inconsequential, just one more delay waiting for “the real thing.” They were important! Hebron means “covenantal friendship;” it was actually here that God’s friend, Abraham, was buried. God wanted David to know, before he rose to the throne over all of Israel, that the ultimate key to success was through covenant and closeness to Him. Hebron was also the mountain city in the Promised Land where Caleb conquered its greatest giant (Joshua 14:15). David needed to learn that covenant and intimacy with God were keys to overcoming life’s “giants.” “Learn these lessons, David, and you’ll be ready for the ultimate throne in Jerusalem.” The purpose of today’s post is not just to give a history lesson; it is to remind us that when it seems a promise from God is taking forever, this is neither without purpose nor unexpected by Him. He knew how long the process would take and is using the time to accomplish His purposes. This is true for us as individuals, and also for nations. God knew how long it would take to restore America, and started early enough to get us to the finish line right on time . Not only will America be saved, she will be saved right on time. We have overcome in our Adullams, killed our giants, learned many lessons, built our friendship with God, and are now heading toward our Jerusalem. Stay the course.  Pray with me: Father, we have been on what seems like a long journey to see America saved and restored. Like David, we have occasionally experienced setbacks, demonic opposition, the actions of unrighteous leaders, abusive policies, and other delays. Please keep the ekklesia reminded that these delays have not taken You by surprise, that You planned ahead for our victories, and just how You would use the battles to mature us. As we move forward, please remind believers that we must persevere in our prayers. Give us increased revelation, reminding us that our unseen  prayers can literally produce visible  results in Washington, D.C., and in other places here and abroad. May we not leave our posts on the wall, watching and listening for Your alerts and instructions.  We pray that the exposure of the Deep State and anti-Christ forces continues. You said righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 14:34) We have been disgraced by unrighteous actions in our nation, and the people indeed groan under the weight of sin and deceit. Continue to use good and wise leaders to expose, expose, expose. You also told us Jesus is the ONLY way to You (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We love people of all faiths, but will never compromise this truth. And America was founded by You to spread this message–we will not allow this destiny to be stolen. Islam will not rule America, nor will socialism or communism. Many of those associated with these beliefs will be saved in the revival that has begun. We ask for this. In Christ’s authority, we pray. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that we, God’s Ekklesia on earth, will NOT grow weary in our well-doing, and we WILL reap in our “due season” (Galatians 6:9). Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Introduction Occasionally, I like to share posts that are more devotional, rather than focused on intercession. This is the case today.  The Stretch   I love nature and the outdoors. Sunrise, sunset, mountains, oceans, rivers, streams, trees - I just find God to be a pretty good artist. I also love to check out the animals. I’ve watched squirrels gather nuts, rabbits nibble leaves and veggies, and woodpeckers bang away at trees - how do they do that without rattling their brains out? Have you ever watched a hummingbird up close - their wings go a gazillion times per second - or observed the unmoving wings of an eagle as it soars. How did God think up all this stuff? I love observing and listening to elk. The sounds they make are fascinating. You’ve never heard all of nature’s wonders until you’ve heard a bull elk bugle. When you hear this up close, it’s one of the greatest rushes you could ever imagine. In mating season, you can actually call in a bull elk using calls that mimic the sounds of a cow elk in heat. Attracted like moths to a flame, they come running. When they approach, it is with tenacious and fierce determination. They grunt, bugle, and snort, both to alert the cow that they are coming and to warn any other bulls in the area that this is their date - back off. The bugling begins from hundreds of yards away and continues off and on as they approach. The first time I heard this, I became more “wired“ with adrenaline with every bugle. I was convinced that the archangel Gabriel was coming through the woods with his trumpet. We were hiding in some brush, and the expert caller was luring him in ever closer. Finally, Mr. Elk was no more than ten yards away. Still unable to see us but believing his “date” was close, he grunted, let out an ear-piercing bugle, slung some slobber (evidently, this is a turn-on for cow elk!) pawed the ground… and I made my peace with God! Talk about scary. If you’ve never heard the bugle of a bull elk, put it on your bucket list. Contrary to what you might think, an elk’s eyesight is not that great. They rely mostly on their senses of smell and hearing. I was observing a small herd of these majestic creatures one evening just before dark. One of the things that intrigued me most was the twitching of their ears. Ever vigilant, each time they heard a sound, their ears would prick up in order to hear it even better. Whether eating, drinking, or taking a step, they were always diligent to listen for a potential threat - their lives depended on it. As I watched them, the pricking up of their ears reminded me of the literal meaning of the Hebrew word for listening  (qashab) . This word literally means “to prick up the ears like an animal coming to alertness.” This live picture painted by the elk was indeed worth a thousand words. One of the places qashab  is used is Proverbs 4:20-22, a fairly well-known passage of scripture: “My son, GIVE ATTENTION to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to their whole body”  (emphasis mine). My understanding of “giving attention to” God’s words went to a whole new level as I watched the ever-vigilant ears of the elk. Always listen diligently for His voice, as though your life depends on it, I thought. Regardless of what else you happen to be doing, remain tuned in to Him. Spending time with God through prayer, worship, and quiet meditation tunes in the soul and awakens the heart, enabling us to hear Him. Life is loud - make it quiet down once in a while. Everything else will scream for your attention, but not the Lord. Holy Spirit refuses to shout above the clamor and dissonance created by other voices and activities. For those who have grown to love the pleasure of His company enough to make time for Him, however, the still small voice of Holy Spirit becomes easily discernible. Life gets fast. Too fast. Slow down for a few minutes each day, turn aside and listen for His voice. “Turn aside” is one of the meanings of the word “incline” (natah ) in Proverbs 4:20. If we turn aside, He will speak to us. But He won’t speak until we are willing to turn aside. The word natah also means “to stretch toward, as in craning the neck in order to see or hear better.” The long-necked bird we call a crane provides the genesis for this colloquialism. “Stretch” your neck toward God in order to clearly hear His sayings. Show Him worth; assign Him value; demonstrate interest in His words. If you do so, He will speak. Interestingly, however, these same two words, qashab  and natah , describe not only listening to God but also His listening to us. He, too, “pricks up His ears” and “cranes His neck,” listening for the voices of His kids. Like the attentive ears of a doting mother with her newborn baby, God is listening for the sounds and stirrings of His little ones. Malachi 3:16 tells us,  “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord GAVE ATTENTION and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name” (emphasis mine). “Gave attention” is qashab . The timing of this passage was one of the seasons when many in Israel had turned away from Yahweh. His Father heart was hurting. God’s attentive ears pricked up, however, when a few of His loyal kids began talking about Him, and He was blessed by it. “Make a note of this,“ He told one of His assistants. Religion or misinformed people may have sold you a bill of goods about God being distant, but don’t believe it. Not only is He everlasting, He is also ever-listening. In Psalm 40:1, David says of the Lord, “I waited patiently for the Lord; And He INCLINED (natah) to me and heard my cry”  (emphasis mine). David said Yahweh responded to him, craning His neck, stretching it toward his cry and lifting him out of the “pit of destruction... the miry clay” (verse 2). David was deeply moved by God’s heart toward him, and spoke of Abba’s strong love: “How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, and Your thoughts towards us; there is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count.”  (Psalm 40:4-5) “Too numerous to count” is the phrase David used to describe Abba’s thoughts toward us. He loves us, and as we turn aside to Him, He turns aside to us. The resulting face-to-face encounter is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Don’t allow a feverish pace and the clamorous noise of life to rob you. Slow down and listen to Abba. Then, talk to Him. He’s listening to you, as well. Pray with me: Thank you, Father, for ever-listening to every utterance from the hearts of Your kids. From Your throne of glory, You incline Your ears to hear our voices and give attention to our prayers. How amazing this is! Let the sounds You hear from us bring You pleasure. And Father, we want to hear Your voice speaking to us. We stretch our hearts toward You - listening - giving attention to Your every word. Draw us to the hidden treasures found in the pages of Your Book - wisdom, knowledge, life, and health. Your Word is our daily bread. We don’t want to be casual listeners, but those who still our hearts to hear, giving our attention to and ascribing worth to Your words. May we pause frequently, as sheep who faithfully listen for the sound of their Shepherd’s voice, following Him always. Our decree: We declare our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will always remain attentive to His voice and His Word. Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company , published by Baker Books. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Revival and Reformation, Part 5 Introduction Thanks to those of you who voted Tuesday, who prayed regarding the elections, and a special thanks to those who worked to support righteous efforts and candidates. Many of you responded to our appeal to partner with My Faith Votes. No righteous effort is ever a waste of time, even when it doesn’t produce the outcome we desired.  I’ll probably say more about Tuesday’s election results in the coming days. (I didn’t comment on them at all in yesterday’s post because the 15s must be written and recorded the day before their release. Thus yesterday’s was prepared on Election Day.) My only purpose for commenting on the results briefly in today’s post is to encourage you. This was not a referendum on President Trump and the changes being made in America. Most, if not all, of the losses by conservatives were in very liberal states. In no way were they upsets; the upsets would have been had they won. We are making progress in the turning of this nation and will continue to do so. My hope for our salvation as a nation is not in elections or a political party, as critical as government is. Spiritual breakthroughs are what enable righteous leaders to accomplish their roles in restoring a nation. A Third Great Awakening will save America, not the Republican Party. Keep your faith focused heavenward, and continue to pray according to God’s promises. America shall be saved! This is good timing for Part 5 of the posts on revival and reformation. Today’s post deals with the devastating outcome of fulfilling the Great Commission found in the gospel of Mark (preaching the gospel and restoring people to God’s family), without accomplishing Matthew’s commission of discipling nations. For the sake of time, I will not read the review today. I am including it in the written version of the post, however, for those who would like to refresh their memory. In Review We have been looking at the concepts of revival and reformation, and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to Adam and Eve - and therefore all of us. Today’s post is the fifth teaching in this series ( Part 1 [entitled: In The Beginning… ], Part 2 , Part 3 , and Part 4 ). Each post builds on the next, so if you haven’t listened to or read the first four, please consider doing so. In Genesis 1:26-28, Adam and Eve were told to: 1) multiply His family, and 2) govern/manage His earth. Christ re-commissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told us to “preach the gospel” in order to see people saved, i.e., multiply His family. When this happens with great momentum and a large number of people coming to Christ, we refer to it as revival . In Matthew’s commission, Christ instructed us to teach His commandments in order to disciple nations—that is, to steward/manage/govern the earth. When this occurs on a broad scale, we call it reformation.  We have analyzed the differences involved in these assignments.  And Now for Today The Charismatic and Jesus People movements of the late 1960s through the early 80s saw millions of people in America and tens of millions around the world come to Christ. It was a wonderful example of Christ’s commission in Mark 16:15-20 occurring with great momentum, truly a significant revival. However, there was a deficient understanding of our calling to fulfill His commission of discipling nations in Matthew 28:18-20. For the most part, the minimal awareness of discipling that existed was limited to discipling individuals who came to Christ, rather than also discipling nations, societies, and cultures. Discipling nations involves teaching, modeling, and implementing God’s ways in all spheres of society, including family, religion, government, business, education, arts/entertainment, and media. It is NOT dictating or forcing God’s laws upon people and nations, as we are accused of by some who misrepresent our words, but rather teaching and modeling His ways and principles in every sector of society. Salvation, the new birth, opens the human heart and will to being discipled, which is why revival must occur first. When a person is born again, Holy Spirit writes God’s laws in their heart (Hebrews 8:10), making them hungry for His Word and truth. Also, their conscience becomes alive, active, and desirous of pleasing God (Hebrews 9:14). When a nation experiences significant revival, the portion of the populace affected by it does not have to be forced  to obey God’s laws and walk in His ways; they desire to do His will, obeying Him (Psalm 40:8). New believers must be taught these ways, however - retrained - as must their children. If this training and discipling do not occur, satan attempts - and often succeeds - in counteracting a revival by infusing wrong thinking, ideas, and philosophies, etc., into the culture.  As we stated, during the Jesus People/Charismatic movements of the ‘70s, Christians concerned themselves only with Mark 16. In an incredibly oxymoronic turn of events, while millions of people were coming to Christ, humanists, secularists, and atheists were busy doing their version of Matthew 28. We  saved individuals ; they discipled a nation.  We preached the gospel; unbelievers taught dogmas and doctrines. We went to church once a week; they indoctrinated us in our schools and universities five days a week. We enjoyed our new, small niche of Christian TV; they made hundreds of movies and programs, increasing their hold on the industry. We sang and worshipped at church; they took over the airwaves and discipled a generation 24/7 with their music. We created a few radio and TV stations; they captured technology, developed social media, and dominated the communication platforms. The results: America experienced one of the greatest revivals in history…AND LOST THE NEXT GENERATION TO DEMONIC INFLUENCE!  This is almost incomprehensible! The irony is beyond belief, the tragedy beyond words. But it happened.  Adding to the devastation, the generation discipled by humanists, secularists, and atheists has been in charge of our nation for years - governing, teaching, entertaining, etc. AND, they have been grooming the next generation, our kids. Sadly, today, social media and the entertainment industry have a far greater influence on the minds of our children than parents. This is the fruit of revival (Mark 16) without reformation (Matthew 28). And it’s how you lose a nation. Had the church obeyed the commission of Matthew 28:18-20, we would not have lost 60 million babies to abortion. Our children would not be confused as to their gender, some going so far as to mutilate their bodies. And marriage would still be a sacred covenant between one man and one woman as the law of the land.  Had we obeyed this commission, we would not have an anti-law enforcement movement, cities burning, thousands of criminals roaming our streets, socialists in high positions of government, antichrist religions ruling entire regions of America, and an element of our nation calling for the eradication of Jews. We would not have 42 million Americans on food stamps, and millions of Americans who can’t read, write, or do basic math. We would not have had a senile president controlled by a shadow government, and 20 million illegals in our nation, many of whom are supported with our taxpayer dollars. America would not be $37 trillion in debt. We would not have a lukewarm church, half of whom don’t believe in a literal Holy Spirit, the virgin birth, or the inerrancy of the Word of God. We must not make this mistake again. There is another powerful outpouring of Holy Spirit beginning that will produce an even greater revival than the charismatic and Jesus People movements. In this outpouring, the body of Christ, His Ekklesia, must accomplish both commissions. If we do so, it will reverse these failures and produce the greatest transformation of nations in earth’s history.  Pray with me: Father, You created Your family in Genesis 1, assigning them the responsibility of multiplying the family, and commissioning them to manage their home, planet earth. Although this was temporarily stalled, Your plan has been revived. Jesus restored it, and said He would build an Ekklesia, a governing family, the gates/government of hell would not be able to overcome. Then He recommissioned them to multiply Your family and steward the earth for You. We embrace these commissions! We see this two-fold plan of Christ’s gaining momentum. His bride is growing in numbers, and the Ekklesia’s revelation of its authority is also growing. Release another wind that increases this growth even more. Cause the greatest season of revival and reformation in earth’s history to occur - Mark 16 and Matthew 28 simultaneously. Release the greatest wind of evangelism the world has ever experienced, and fully reveal Christ among the nations.  Encourage Your people, Father, after Tuesday’s election results. Allow no “hope deferred” to overtake them, especially the intercessors (Proverbs 13:12). Help them to remain anchored in their faith and to focus on Christ as the Author and Finisher of this faith (Hebrews 12:2). We will not grow weary or lose heart - we will persevere (Galatians 6:9). We love You, Father, and pray these things in the name of Your glorious Son, Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the two Great Commissions of Christ WILL be fulfilled by His family and co-laborers, the church. Previous posts in this series: In the Beginning… Revival and Reformation, Part 2 Revival and Reformation, Part 3  Revival and Reformation, Part 4 Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Revival and Reformation, Part 4 In Review We have been looking at the concepts of revival and reformation, and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to Adam and Eve–and therefore all of us. Each post builds on the next, so if you haven’t listened to or read the first three, please consider doing so. In Genesis 1:26-28, Adam and Eve were told to: 1) multiply His family, and 2) govern/manage His earth. Christ re-commissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told us to “preach the gospel” in order to see people saved, i.e., multiply His family. When this happens with great momentum and a large number of people coming to Christ, we refer to it as a revival . In Matthew’s commission, Christ instructed us to teach His commandments in order to disciple nations–that is, steward/manage/govern the earth. When this occurs on a broad scale, we call it reformation.  The fact that we did not focus on BOTH commissions in the charismatic/Jesus People movements caused us to lose much of the fruit and was devastating to America’s well-being. I’ll discuss this in tomorrow’s post. Yesterday, I pointed out some of the differences in our goals regarding revival (Mark 16) and reformation (Matthew 28). I want to make several more comparisons between the two today, looking at their differences regarding messages and activities.  Messages It stands to reason that with different goals regarding revival (Mark 16) and reformation (Matthew 28), the messages  would also be different; they are, as is the method  of delivery.  In Mark 16, Jesus told us to “preach the gospel,” which is the good news of Christ’s redemption; in Matthew 28, He told us to “teach”  what He “commanded.”  The difference between preaching and teaching is more than style and volume. The New Testament word for preaching means to announce or proclaim a message, whereas teaching means to explain, expound, instruct, etc. We announce the good news of Christ’s saving work; we teach His ways, precepts, desires, and the principles of His Kingdom. (Obviously, Mark’s commission must occur before Matthew’s can be accomplished. Only those who have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, desiring to obey Him, can be taught and discipled according to His ways. Without this change of heart, they could only be coerced and forced, which is never God’s plan.) In revival, we emphasize the provision  of Christ–His Cross, mercy, and grace; in reformation, we teach the principles  of Christ–His Word, justice, righteousness, and truth.  When we enter God’s family, the result of Mark 16, the emphasis is on our inheritance and rights  as joint heirs with Christ; as we are discipled and mature, the result of Matthew 28, the focus expands to our assignment from Christ and our responsibility  as citizens of His Kingdom. As a person matures, naturally speaking, she or he should take on more personal responsibility and require less from others. They should serve more, be served less. Otherwise, they become narcissistic, believing life is all about their needs and desires. The same is true spiritually. As we grow in Christ, our focus should become more and more on serving the needs of others, and on the cause of Christ. The American church is filled with narcissistic believers who have been taught that the goal of a church service should be to meet their needs and satisfy their desires. Never having been taught otherwise, everything revolves around them: the worship, the sermon, the fellowship–it’s all for them. It rarely crosses their minds to ask, “Where/how can I serve?” What does God need and want from me today? I don’t mean to criticize those in the pews; these believers are simply living what they have been taught. Activities And lastly, the church’s activities  are different when accomplishing Christ’s two commissions.  In the family mandate of Mark’s gospel, we serve the needs of people: feeding, protecting, and nurturing our spiritual family; in Matthew’s, mandate, we serve the purposes of God,  ministering our gift, sacrificing, accepting risk, laying down our lives for His cause.  To fulfill Mark’s commission, we gather to worship, be fed, filled, and empowered; we receive . To accomplish Matthew’s, we also gather, but to become trained, commissioned, and sent; we represent.  In revival (Mark 16), we release the power of Holy Spirit for signs, wonders, and miracles - performing the works  of God; in reformation (Matthew 28), we speak and teach truth, doctrine, wisdom, and revelation in order to transform minds, the culture, government, laws and systems, aligning them with the ways  of God. As God’s family (Mark 16), our prayers are priestly –petitions, requests, and intercession offered heavenward; as the Ekklesia (Matthew 28), our prayers are kingly  - decrees and declarations released earthward from our position with Christ.  To accomplish Mark 16, multiplying and nurturing God’s family, Christ’s ministry gifts of pastor, evangelist, and  teacher are most active; to function as the Ekklesia (Matthew 28), producing the transformation and reformation of nations, Christ’s ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, and teacher are most needed.  In the Charismatic/Jesus People movements, the church failed to accomplish Matthew’s commission. We did not adequately disciple converts to Christ, and we most certainly did not disciple nations. Tomorrow we will examine the tragic results. Pray with me:  Father, we have been entrusted with preaching “the glorious gospel” of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 1:11). You trust us to announce the good news of Christ’s provision and blessings. You want Your family - and those not yet in the family - to know the gifts and inheritance You made available through Jesus. In the growing revival, cause an increase in the anointings required to announce these blessings with clarity and power. Increase the strength and scope of this revival.  And as we harvest these new family members, enable the church to properly mature them into givers, not just takers. May every convert become a responsible citizen of Your Kingdom, employing the gifts You placed within them for heaven’s great cause. Raise up powerful reformers in all of the mountains of culture: family, religion, government, business, education, arts/entertainment, and media. Give them wise and brilliant strategies with which to transform. As You did for Daniel and his colleagues, make them wiser than those who do not know You (Daniel 1:20).  Send the greatest revival and reformations the world has ever seen or experienced. All of this we ask in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that anointed revivalists and wise, skilled reformers are arising throughout the earth. Previous posts in this series: In the Beginning… Revival and Reformation, Part 2 Revival and Reformation, Part 3 Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Revival and Reformation, Part 3 We have been looking at the concepts of revival and reformation, and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to Adam and Eve - and therefore all of us ( Part 1 [entitled: In The Beginning… ] and Part 2 ). Each post builds on the next, so if you haven’t listened to or read the first two, please consider doing so. In Genesis 1:26-28, Adam and Eve were told to 1) multiply His family, and 2) govern/manage His earth. Christ re-commissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told us to “preach the gospel” in order to see people saved, i.e., multiply His family. When this happens with great momentum and large numbers of people coming to Christ, we refer to it as revival . In Matthew’s commission, Christ instructed us to teach His commandments in order to disciple nations - that is, steward/manage/govern the earth. When this occurs on a broad scale, we call it reformation. The fact that we did not focus on BOTH commissions in the charismatic/Jesus People movements caused us to lose much of the fruit and was devastating to America’s well-being. I’ll discuss this in Thursday’s post. In yesterday’s post , I listed a few comparisons between revival (Mark 16) and reformation (Matthew 28) to help us understand the differences. I want to give several more today and tomorrow, breaking down the differences into three categories: our goals, our messages,  and our activities. Today, we’ll look at the differences regarding the goals: The goals of Mark’s and Matthew’s commissions are different: The goal of Mark’s commission is to impact and save people, individuals;  the goal of Matthew’s is to impact and save  cities and nations.  Mark’s goal is to  birth spiritual children; Matthew’s goal is to mature, train  them as citizens of God’s Kingdom, and commission  them as Kingdom soldiers, ambassadors, and legislators.  Through Mark’s commission, people receive  God’s life and nature; through Matthew’s commission, they are trained to  release His life and nature. The fulfillment of Mark’s commission brings wholeness to and shapes individuals ; the fulfillment of Matthew’s brings wholeness to and shapes   cultures,   societies,  and nations .  Mark’s commission is intended to  deliver people  from demons and sin; Matthew’s is designed to deliver nations  from principalities and powers, philosophies, laws, unrighteous systems, humanism, racism, and more.  In Mark’s commission, the fruit is  internal,  within believers and the body of Christ; in Matthew’s commission, the fruit is external, manifesting in societies and nations.  Mark’s assignment is to transform the heart , our nature; the discipling of Matthew’s is to transform  the mind , our thinking. Mark’s commission will heal individuals  of brokenness, diseases, oppression, etc.; Matthew’s will heal nations of poverty, hunger, violence, and other evils.  The salvation released through Mark’s message fills individuals with Holy Spirit; Matthew’s teaching is intended to fill the atmospheres,  the spiritual realm of regions and nations with Holy Spirit’s presence and peace.  In Mark, Holy Spirit is poured out ; in Matthew, the Word and truth are taught.   Mark’s  is an outpouring ; Matthew’s is an outworking.  Through Mark’s commission,  personal destinies  are awakened and accomplished; through Matthew’s, national destinies are awakened and accomplished.  Mark’s commission produces the  family  of God, the bride  of Christ, worshippers;  Matthew’s commission produces the Ekklesia,   ambassadors and warriors of Christ.  The fact that many in the church have not fully understood what each of Christ’s commissions was meant to accomplish has greatly hindered our mission. A mission must be clearly defined  in order to be fully accomplished . There must be a target to hit, a mark to press toward. Tomorrow, we will define this more, looking at the messages  associated with each commission, as well as the different activities . We’ll see when to emphasize the provision  of Christ, and when to teach the principles  of Christ; we’ll look at our inheritance  in Christ, versus our assignment  from Christ. I’m confident it will be beneficial to you. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your heart to redeem and save. Thank You for the power of the gospel, of the name of Jesus, and of Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your Word, which transforms, instructs, and teaches us Your ways. And we thank You for Your promise that America shall be saved and revival will impact the earth. We will partner with You in these endeavors, as Your Word instructs us. We will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. We will baptize those who believe, lay hands on the sick and see them recover, and cast out demons. This will produce the revival  You speak of. We will also teach Your Word, Your commandments and ways, discipling individuals and nations. We will do so with Your authority, as You instructed us in Matthew 28. This will produce the reformation  You have spoken of. So, Father, we boldly and passionately ask You for the fullness of this revival and reformation. Let Your power and outpouring be such that they cannot be ignored. Awaken the church, save unbelievers, and transform nations. And all of this we ask for in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the greatest revival in history has begun, and this will lead to reformation throughout the world. And please remember to vote today!  It’s important that we put feet to our prayers. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Revival and Reformation, Part 2 Last Thursday I began discussing the concepts of revival and reformation, and paused the series on Friday to honor Reformation Day. I stated last week that these two phenomena relate to Christ’s great commissions of Mark 16:15-18 and Matthew 28:18-20. I also pointed out that each of these commissions corresponds to one of the two mandates God gave humankind through Adam and Eve, in Genesis 1:26-28. The first of these assignments was to be fruitful and multiply: “Give Me more kids,” God said. The second was to steward, manage, or govern the earth. “You will represent My Kingdom’s government on this outpost of the Kingdom,” He told them. If you did not watch or read Thursday’s post, I strongly recommend that you do so. You can find it here . Both of these assignments were interrupted at the Fall. God temporarily lost 1) His family and 2) His ambassadors on the earth. Jesus, of course, was sent to recover and restore both. Regarding the first, He said in Matthew 16:18-19, “I will build My Church.”  The word “build” is oikodomeo , (1)  which means to build a family  or household . In choosing this word, Christ was saying, “I’ve come to get the family back!”  He followed this in Matthew 16 by calling this family His “church,” where the concept is mentioned and introduced for the first time in Scripture. “Church” is the word ekklesia, which means “called out from.” (2)  It was not a building, worship service, or organization; at that time in history, ekklesia  was not even a religious term. It referred to an assembly or group of people “called out” from the overall population in order to govern. Study.com says an ekklesia/ecclesia “played a central role in the political life of the city [Athens]. The Ecclesia had the power to nominate and elect magistrates, who were responsible for administering the city’s affairs and carrying out the decisions of the assembly. The Ecclesia also had the authority to pass laws and to decide on issues related to foreign policy, defense, and the administration of justice.  “In addition to its legislative powers, the Ecclesia also participated in the judicial process in Athens. The Ecclesia members would try cases involving serious crimes, such as murder, and they could impose punishments. This made it an important institution for ensuring justice and upholding their rule of law in the city. The Ecclesia’s powers and importance varied over time, but it remained an important part of the political landscape of Athens throughout the classical period and into the Hellenistic era.” (3) By choosing this well known secular word, ekklesia , Jesus was saying, “I have come to recover My family and reestablish them as My spiritual government, My ambassadors on earth.” His other comments in this passage amplified and explained this further. Jesus said that this ekklesia would be given the keys (authority) of His Kingdom, through which they would bind and loose (lock and unlock, forbid and allow), and that the gates (government) of hell would not overpower them. (In those times, city councils often met at the gates of their cities because, in their thinking, the gates were a picture of government. Why? Gates determined what could enter the city physically , government did so legally . Jesus was clearly stating that the spiritual authority He would give His family would enable them to ambassadorially represent His Kingdom here on earth (see also 2 Corinthians 5:20), and they would not be overcome by the government of hell.) The Recommissioning   After reversing the setbacks of the Fall through the Cross and reestablishing God’s two-fold plan, Jesus re-commissioned us in Mark 16:15-18 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told us to go and preach the good news that people could be restored to God’s family: saved, delivered, healed, and filled with Holy Spirit. In other words, He told them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28)! When this occurs in mass, we refer to it as a revival . In Matthew 28, however, Jesus re-commissioned His Ekklesia regarding management of the earth, telling us to “disciple nations” according to His teachings. “As My Ekklesia, You have My authority. In My name, instruct and disciple nations back to the ways of My Kingdom,” He instructed us. When this occurs with groups and nations, it is a reformation . Obedience to BOTH of these mandates is absolutely essential. I will highlight the differences between them more fully in tomorrow’s post, but here are a few comparisons and differences:l of revival and reformation: Revival brings people into God’s family; Reformation teaches them His ways. Revival births them spiritually; Reformation trains them practically. Revival transforms the human heart (our nature); Reformation transforms the human mind (our thinking). Revival’s fruit is internal, produced within us; Reformation’s fruit is external, released from us.  Revival is accomplished through “preaching” (Mark 16:15); Reformation takes place through “teaching” (Matthew 28:20). Revival creates converts; Reformation creates disciples. Revival restores God’s life to individuals; Reformation restores understanding of His laws, principles, and ways to cities and nations.  Revival produces God’s bride, family, and worshippers; Reformation produces God’s Ekklesia, those who represent His Kingdom authority and rule. In most revivals, believers have thought primarily of getting people saved/born again, ready for heaven (Mark 16). This, of course, is essential and must be the starting point - birthing obviously precedes training. But if Matthew 28, the reforming and discipling of individuals and nations, doesn’t occur, the long-term fruit will be minimal…and can even be lost! Pray with me: Father, You have said that revival and reformation have begun. As Your voices on earth we declare that: all nations will experience outpourings of Holy Spirit. As the waters cover the sea, so shall God’s glory cover the earth. Even as sin abounds, grace and glory will abound more! The Spirit of deliverance will deliver many this year. Entire regions will be delivered and see the light of the gospel. Strongholds will melt under God’s fiery wrath. Youth will see His light and become volunteers in this day of His power. They will run with endurance, war with strength, speak with prophetic insight, and build with apostolic depth. They will evangelize millions and reform nations. They will wear their passion on their sleeve, manifesting love for God everywhere they go. They will be the Amos 9:13 generation: plowmen will overtake reapers. They will run with fathers and mothers, demonstrate humility, and walk in the fear of the Lord. They will heal the sick, open blind eyes, see extraordinary miracles, set oppressed people free, and raise the dead. They will be fearless, bold, more than conquerors, and not for sale. We declare these things by the inspiration of Holy Spirit and in the authority of Christ! Amen. And Father, we pray for those who are being impacted by the government shutdown. We know many are not being paid; others aren’t receiving the assistance they need. Please help them get through this situation. Give food banks the needed resources to provide additional meals. Please move upon enough Senators to vote for the reopening. And we ask that You use this closing to further expose the willingness of many in our government to prioritize power and politics over American citizens.  All of this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that we will experience the rain of revival and the reformation of nations in this season of time. 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. nos. 3618 and 3624. Ibid., ref. no. 1577. https://study.com/academy/lesson/ecclesia-ancient-greece-history-facts.html

Reformation Day Today’s post is in some ways a pause in the teaching I began yesterday on awakening and reformation; it is, however, most certainly related. Today’s date is significant. While many celebrate Halloween, others like myself will be celebrating a far more important day in history, Reformation Day. Many believers give it little or no thought, most actually do not even know of its existence, but it is a monumental day in world history. The Great Reformation was a major 16th‑century movement that transformed Western Christendom, politics, and society. It began in 1517, traditionally marked by Martin Luther’s Ninety‑Five Theses, and unfolded through a mix of religious critique, doctrinal debate, political change, and cultural upheaval that reshaped the Christian church in Europe and beyond. It is often referred to as the Protestant reformation. The Cause God caused the Great Reformation, but there were several natural causes that He used. Leading into the 16th century, many Christians criticized the sale of indulgences—claims that one could reduce punishment for sins by monetary payment. This practice, along with other perceived abuses in monastic and papal authority, sparked widespread dissatisfaction. Leaders of the Renaissance emphasized returning to original sources. Scholars urged reform based on a more direct study of Scripture and the Church Fathers, challenging medieval scholastic methods and some papal traditions. The church’s wealth and temporal power created resentment among some nations and cities, fueling the desire for greater independence from papal control. The invention of the printing press facilitated rapid dissemination of these reformist ideas, while rising nationalism encouraged rulers to curb papal influence. Then along came Martin Luther and his theses in Germany. A monk and theology professor, Luther argued that salvation came through faith alone and that Scripture alone should be the ultimate authority, not papal decrees. He also contended that the Bible should be translated into vernacular languages, making it accessible to common believers. Reformers like Luther questioned the number and administration of sacraments, the role of tradition, and the authority of the Pope. Different reforming groups developed their own doctrinal positions. Translations of the Bible into German, English, and other languages empowered laypeople to read and interpret Scripture, diminishing the monopoly of clergy over doctrine. The Reformation led to the creation of numerous Protestant denominations. It also stimulated literacy, education, and literacy campaigns as people sought to read the Bible. And it influenced art, music, philosophy, and science, contributing to a broader shift in European civilization. Ligonier.org says of Martin Luther’s nailing of his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door on October 31, 1517:  “…This law student turned Augustinian monk became the center of a great controversy after his theses were copied and distributed throughout Europe. Initially protesting the pope’s attempt to sell salvation, Luther’s study of Scripture soon led him to oppose the church of Rome on issues including the primacy of the Bible over church tradition and the means by which we are found righteous in the sight of God. “Luther recaptured the biblical view of the priesthood of all believers, showing all people that their work had purpose and dignity because in it they can serve their Creator. (1) GotQuestions.org says, “The impact of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation has been enormous on global Christianity. In contrast to the extra-biblical traditions and works-based practices of Roman Catholicism, Luther called the Church back to the good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). “Luther believed the Word of God was the supreme authority for the Christian faith, rather than tradition or papal decrees. In the process of bringing the Scriptures to the common person, Luther translated the Bible into German, published numerous books and sermons of biblical teachings, and composed numerous hymns based on biblical themes. Many of his hymns are still sung today.” (2) The Impact It would be impossible to overstate the impact of the Great Reformation, not only on Christianity, but the entire world. The revelation of the priesthood of all believers meant that we no longer had to connect with God through another person, other than our High Priest, Jesus Christ. He is our only go-between. Rediscovering salvation by grace through faith meant that we no longer had to work our way to heaven, conforming to religious systems and the traditions of men. These revelations freed us to have a personal relationship with God as our Father, and allowed us to draw near with full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:22). Our prayers could now be offered “boldly” to Father God (Hebrews 4:16; Matthew 6:9). We could worship Him in spirit and truth, knowing that He was actually seeking such worshippers (John 4:23), and we could read the scriptures for ourselves, feeding on them as our daily bread (Matthew 4:4; 6:11). The Great Reformation unlocked the door of revelation to believers, allowing us to hear from Holy Spirit personally (Ephesians 1:17-18). We now know we can be led directionally by Holy Spirit, not a human go-between (Romans 8:14). Our once fallen souls can now connect to the One we were made to know and love (Song of Songs 3:1-2). We will jump back into the teaching on revival and reformation on Monday. Take some time today and celebrate these blessings, then ask God to reform our nation through another great revival of historic proportions. And ask Him to spread this great awakening to the entire earth. Let’s ask for this now. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Jesus, our great High Priest. We come directly to You today through Him alone, approaching Your throne of grace boldly. Thank You for His mediation and advocacy, and for restoring us to Your family. As Your sons and daughters, entrusted with Christ’s authority, we partake now of His priestly ministry of intercession, asking on behalf of others. Send revival to our land. Deliver, save, and draw many to You in this season, showing them Your heart and nature, enabling them to find the fulfillment that can only come from You. Deliver them from lying teachings and philosophies of men, from deceptions regarding who they really are and what they were made to be. Bring an explosion of truth in our homes, schools, and institutions, freeing people from addictions, perversions, wounds, and all that controls them. And we ask for this in other nations as well. Open the eyes of the masses who worship other gods and follow teachings that do not lead to You. Send the light of revelation You spoke of in Isaiah and elsewhere. Break the power of principalities over regions, ending the control of these spirits. Release great revival. Spare millions of innocent lives from the destruction that the kingdom of darkness desires to bring.  We ask all of these things in the name of Yeshua. Amen. Our decree: We declare that Jesus is our Savior, High Priest, and King. He has bestowed upon us His priestly and kingly role, and we will walk in the fullness of this calling. Click on the link below to watch the full video.  1.) https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-reformation-day-all-about   2.)  https://www.gotquestions.org/Reformation-Day.html